The 15 Best New York City Vegan Restaurants In 2022

Are you looking for the best New York City vegan restaurants for 2022? Whether you want a quick lunch or dinner on the go or somewhere that has more vegan options, this list will help you find places that suit your needs best.

What is Vegan Food?

Vegan food refers to a diet that only contains plants such as fruits, grains, nuts, and vegetables, as well as food made from plants. Vegans don't eat any foods that come from animals, including eggs or dairy.

Eating healthy as a vegan can be tricky since so many foods aren't allowed. Vegans need a healthy diet that includes at least five servings of vegetables and fruit daily, healthy carbohydrates, dairy alternatives, proteins, and small amounts of unsaturated spreads and oils.

Where Do Vegans Eat in NYC?

New York City has plenty of great restaurants to eat at that focus on vegan food. Let's look at some of the best New York City vegan restaurants.

Samudra

This Jackson Heights staple is one of the best New York City vegan restaurants that serves Southern India vegetarian recipes. You'll discover delightful dishes like Mumbai Chaats, Classic Mughlai foods, and delicious rice dishes like Bisi Bele Bath.

Samudra was closed during the pandemic, but it's open again and is one of the best vegan restaurants in the city. And if you're looking for fantastic vegetarian dishes, this is the spot for you.

Superiority Burger

You'll find Superiority Burger on East 9th St New York, NY, across the street from Mr. Throwback Vintage Clothing Store. Superiority Burger offers delicious vegetarian and vegan food and is best known for its tasty meatless burgers.

Drop by for some awesome vegan cooking, and make sure you try the Burnt Broccoli Salad, Mega Mouth, Sloppy Dave, or Superiority Wrap. Superiority doesn't sell alcohol to go with their veggie burgers, but they are the perfect spot for lunch in NYC.

Hangawi

Located in Koreatown on 32nd St, New York, NY, Hangawi is named after a traditional harvest festival celebrated in Korea. This unique restaurant has you leave your shoes at the door but don't worry, the floors are heated.

For the ultimate vegan dining experience, opt for one of their prix fixe options for dinner. This vegan restaurant prix fixe offerings include delicious Korean food such as apple-stuffed sesame leaf pancakes, kale dumplings, green pea porridge, Sauteed Burdock, and more.

Don't forget the dessert menu! The chef makes delicious Korean ice cream with rose ginger, green tea, and black sesame, as well as yummy tiramisu. The atmosphere makes this one of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in NYC.

Bunna Cafe

This vegan cafe serves Ethiopian cuisine in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Bring your vegan friends to the Bunna Cafe bar and restaurant for a unique food experience. Many people haven't tried Ethiopian food, so the servers will even teach you how to eat it properly.

Dim indoor lighting sets an intimate mood, or you can dine outside. Many diners love the Create Your Own Beyaynetu meal that comes with a side of traditional Injera flatbread at this vegan cafe. Also, be sure to try the Ketsir Selata, Gomen, Durba Firfir, or Shiro that are the Ethiopian versions of soul food.

Spicy Moon Vegetarian Szechuan

This Szechuan restaurant caters to those following the vegan lifestyle. The Spicy Moon offers delicious spicy food like grilled eggplant, dan dan noodles, and dumplings.

You can choose to dine inside or outside, and they also offer delivery and takeout. You don't want to miss these Szechuan vegan dishes as it's one of the best-rated vegan restaurants in NYC.

Usha Foods

Usha Foods is an Indian food restaurant in Floral Park, Queens. This restaurant is one of the best places to taste delicious vegetarian food. The portions are generous so try a combination platter that lets you try a variety of vegan food.

Usha Foods proves that meals in New York don't need to include meat to be good. So, if you're looking for a new vegan restaurant to try, head on over to Usha, one of the best Indian restaurants in New York.

Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant

Buddha Bodai is another one of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in NYC. This vegan restaurant opened in 2004 and offers delicious Chinese vegan food and is known as one of the best restaurants in the city.

The staff is friendly, and you’ll love the huge selection of dim sum options as well as traditional favorites like General Tso Vegan Steak and Chinese Broccoli. These are just a few of the reasons this dining option makes our list of the best New York City vegan restaurants.

Veggie Grill

The California chain restaurant Veggie Grill has made its way to 12 West 23rd Street in Manhattan. This is one of the best vegan restaurants that offer a wide variety of vegan specialties like burgers, cauliflower wings, and macaroni and cheese.

Willow

This innovative vegan eatery is a bistro that offers classic American fare with a twist. restauranteurs behind Beyond Sushi own it. You'll find vegan dishes like Jackfruit Crab Cakes, Mushroom Calamari, Zalmon Tartare, and other salads and sandwiches.

But Willow's fresh juices and decadent desserts like Bananas Foster Cake really make them stand out as a grand culinary experience. They even offer flatbread vegan pizza and Truffle Mac and Cheese made with vegan cheese.

Marty's V Burger

If you're looking for a vegan fast-food joint, then Marty's V Burger is the perfect destination. This vegan restaurant offers burgers, kale salad, Mac and Cheese, and much more.

Their Drumstix are a big hit, as well as the Mona Lisa Burger and Original World-Famous Burger. They even have a delicious crabby patty and vegan cheesesteak with peppers.

Divya's Kitchen

Located in East Village, Divya's Kitchen isn't strictly vegan as it's one of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in New York. There's a little bit of everything on this menu like brown rice pasta, Sunflower Milk Bechamel, Steamed Fennel and Beet Salad, and more.

This vegan restaurant stands out because it focuses on specialties curated from the Shaka Vansiaya Ayurveda tradition. The main mission of Divya's Kitchen is to heal the mind, body, and spirit with their delicious vegan dishes.

Eleven Madison Park

Eleven Madison Park is an amazing fine dining restaurant with a fully vegan menu. The restaurant has received many awards for its innovative menu that expertly creates the flavors and textures of meat without using any animal products.

And as if that's not enough, they donate five meals to New Yorkers with food insecurity for every one meal purchased at the restaurant. With elegant decor and ingenious food pairings, it’s no wonder Eleven Madison Park is one of the best restaurants in New York.

Cadence

This soul food vegan restaurant is well-known for Chef Shennari Freeman's Southern Fried Lasagna with sumptuous pine nut ricotta and red wine bolognese sauce (minus the meat). Even meat lovers will love this dish! This plant-based restaurant is a hit in New York.

But this East Village has many more unique dishes that make it one of the best vegan restaurants in New York, such as homemade fruit cobbler and fried Buffalo Oyster Mushroom Sandwiches.

Avant Garden

Avant Garden is one of the best vegan eateries in New York. It avoids meat substitutes by using tons of vegetables. You'll find some delicious pasta dishes and cold starters at Avant Garden.

And Avant Garden has some delicious sister restaurants you may want to check out, too, such as Ladybird and Night Music that serves Indian home-cooked meals.

Dirt Candy

Dirt Candy is one of the best vegan restaurants in NYC because of its different tasting menus. Each tasting menu offers something unique, with one having ten courses and the other five.

Dirt Candy offers dishes like Korean fried broccoli, seaweed caviar, and many more tasty inventions. Owner Amanda Cohen chose the name Dirt Candy because "veggies are just candy from the dirt,” she says.

You'll find the menu at Dirt Candy rotates with a unique seasonal tasting menu depending on what vegetables are in season. That's one of the many reasons it makes this list of the best vegan restaurants in NYC.

Le Botaniste

Le Botaniste first opened in Ghent, Belgium, in the vegetarian capital of Europe. They opened their first U.S. location in the Upper East Side of BYC at the end of 2015.

Le Botaniste has a beautiful colorful menu with divine vegan dishes like Spicy Chili Sin Carne, Pasta Bolo, Vegetable Tajine, and much more. It's one of the best vegan eateries in New York.

Beyond Sushi

Beyond Sushi is unique as it offers sushi with no fish so you may be tempted to pass. But this vegetarian restaurant is definitely worth checking out. One favorite is the mango and avocado roll, and they have many other great all-veggie sushi options.

There's counter service, or you can get an incredible take-out dinner to go. Beyond Sushi has multiple locations across Manhattan, including 14th St, New York, NY, as well as 56th and 37th Streets.

Shuka

Shuka is a Mediterranean vegan restaurant located in Greenwich Village. It offers affordable salads, small plates, and dips that are perfect for a quick lunch.

Shuka offers beautiful and colorful creations that don't just taste nice but look nice, like the pink hummus made from beets. You definitely want to check out this West Village eatery.

Delice & Sarrasin

Delice & Sarrasin offers traditional French cooking with a vegan spin. It's one of the best vegan restaurants because it's mastered Parisian favorites like steak tartare, coq au vin, scallops, escargot, French toast, and more.

This beautiful and cozy restaurant boasts a food menu even non-vegans would love, which is why it’s one of the best vegan restaurants in NYC.

Final Thoughts on the Best New York City Vegan Restaurants

We hope you'll find the perfect spot to dine at one of the best NYC vegan and vegetarian restaurants on this list. If you're looking for a great vegetarian restaurant or vegan restaurant, every option on this list will be a big hit.

Whether you're looking for something in the West Village, East Village, or somewhere else in New York, we know the delicious food at these locations stands out from the rest.

Also, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone who lives in NYC near a great vegan restaurant, send them an eGift Visa card so they can go enjoy a great meal.

At Gift Card Granny, we have plenty of options for gift cards for friends and family. They can treat themselves to a delicious meal or buy something else they need and want.