Vegan dining in NYC is no longer relegated to granola cafes and unpretentious spots near NYU. Today, the vegan food scene is booming, with lots of specialty restaurants opening across the city, offering innovative options for every type of restaurant.
Even the most carnivorous will love these standout dishes, from a twist on classic Mediterranean meat dishes to a trendy pop-up featuring exclusively mushroom dishes that was so popular it’s now here to stay. Whether you’re just starting to sample vegetarian cuisine or are a fan of plant-based dishes, read on to discover the best new vegan restaurants of 2023 in New York.
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21 East 7th Street New York, NY 10003
A love of mushrooms is a prerequisite for dining at Overthrow Hospitality’s latest restaurant, which started as a pop-up. Mushrooms are the number one vegetable on the menu – even dessert includes truffles. Overthrow Hospitality is behind some of the East Village’s most popular and innovative vegan restaurants, including Lady Bird and Cadence. Overthrow the owner Ravi DeRossi exclusively told Observer that the pop-up is now here to stay, with a permanent restaurant space due to its popularity, so there’s no longer a rush to sample everything from beech mushrooms to lion’s mane.
290 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10001
The team behind City Roots Hospitality Group opened this elegant vegan and kosher Mediterranean restaurant in Chelsea in early 2023. Shark tank Chef candidate Guy Vaknin grew up on a kibbutz and brings his plant-based knowledge to the menu, which highlights recipes from Greece, Turkey and Lebanon. Classic beef, salmon and lamb dishes are reinvented with plant-based proteins. Diners with a sweet tooth can’t miss the dessert list, which includes medjool date cake and halva.
It’s not just the food that’s not to be missed: the interior is just as remarkable, with green velvet seating and gold accents on the walls, making for an elevated dining experience.
265 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
Spicy Moon is a long-time favorite among vegans hoping to sample Sichuan food without animal byproducts—that is, as long as they can handle the heat. The latest location opened on the Bowery in May (the other two locations are in the West Village and East Village) and has been a success ever since. The newly opened outpost is also the city’s largest vegan restaurant.
Enjoy Chinese classics like mapo tofu and scallion pancakes without worrying about secretly hiding pork. For those who don’t want to venture into the trendy Bowery district, it’s easy to order on site. After all, there’s nothing better than Chinese leftovers.
128 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Seasoned Vegan has had great success in Harlem, with famous fans including Stevie Wonder, Colin Kaepernick, Cory Booker and many others. After closing the Harlem restaurant, the restaurant reopened as Seasoned Vegan Real Quick, a fast-casual establishment, in the East Village last August. Mother/son team chefs Brenda Beener and Aaron Beener are behind this wildly popular restaurant, which pays homage to his New Orleans roots with vegan versions of Southern classics, like a remoulade-covered crawfish po-boy and lemon-crusted nuggets.
96 South Street, New York, NY 10036
Famous restaurant Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened in the Tin Building in August, bringing its healthy Flatiron menu and elegant cuisines to the ever-expanding Seaport. Chic, seasonal restaurant approved by a model was previously Seeds + Weeds, another vegan spot from Jean-Georges, before morphing into an ABC Home classic. Savor innovative dishes and funky tonics while admiring views of the East River.
388 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Upper East Side Candle 79 closed its doors in 2019, before opening a new location in Kips Bay called Candle this spring. Today, the vegan cafe is back with all its old favorites, including polenta fries, grilled kale salad, and seitan piccata. The plant-based restaurant is perfect for those with other dietary restrictions, as it also serves gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free options.
300 West 135th Street, New York, NY 10030
Slutty Vegan is taking over New York one veggie burger at a time, and once you taste the burger (plus fries), you’ll immediately understand why. This is a dining experience truly like no other. If you’ve never been to the black- and female-owned mini-chain before, the person taking your order will introduce you over the loudspeaker as a virgin. Menu items have inventive names like “Sloppy Toppy” and “Fussy Hussy,” and yes, these are also shouted through a megaphone, so this burger joint is not for the faint of heart.
The latest location in Harlem was opened by entrepreneur Pinky Cole in March, making it the second location in New York (the first is in Fort Greene) and the ninth overall. This is as close as vegans can get to a McDonald’s Big Mac: the veggie burgers with “slut sauce” are truly addictive.
