Vegan New York for first-timers: where to eat near the sights
Simmer List · Updated
A first trip to New York goes by in a blur of subway rides and long walks, so this guide is built around where you'll be standing when you get hungry. Each part of the city below starts from something most first-timers want to see, then lists the places within reach: some where you can order anything on the menu, others with a few things worth crossing town for. Tap a name for hours, the full address and the menu we have on file.
The whole guide, with what to order at each, ready to open in the Simmer List app when you land.
Strawberry Fields and the Upper West Side
Strawberry Fields sits just inside Central Park at West 72nd Street, around the Imagine mosaic. Walk out of the park on the west side and head up Columbus or Amsterdam Avenue, and everything below is within about fifteen minutes on foot.
- Two Boots Pizza Upper West SideHas vegan options
70 West 71st Street
Two Boots is a few minutes from the park on West 71st Street, and a whole section of its menu is pies with vegan cheese: the V for Vegan with artichokes, wild mushrooms and two pestos, or the Vegan Mr. Pink with chicken, plum tomatoes and garlic. There's a vegan calzone too.
- Peacefood CafeFully vegan
460 Amsterdam Avenue
Peacefood Cafe on Amsterdam Avenue has a long menu: crab cakes over golden beet salad, a Puerto Rican plantain lasagna, red bean chili with corn bread, and a long counter of cakes and cookies to take back to the park.
- Saravanaa BhavanHas vegan options
413 Amsterdam Avenue
Saravanaa Bhavan cooks South Indian on Amsterdam Avenue: dosas and uthappams from rice and lentil batter, with chutneys and sambar. It has vegan options, so ask which ones when you order.
- Van Leeuwen Ice CreamHas vegan options
448 Amsterdam Avenue
Van Leeuwen's Amsterdam Avenue shop is the cone for the walk back; its vegan line includes a vegan vanilla bean.
Times Square and the Theater District
Most visitors pass through Times Square at least once, often on the way to a show. Everything below is within about ten minutes' walk of it, from an early dinner before curtain up to a long omakase after.
- OmakaseedFully vegan
132 West 47th Street
Omakaseed is an omakase counter on West 47th Street with eleven- and fifteen-course menus: watermelon sashimi nigiri, nasu dengaku nigiri of charred Japanese eggplant with brûléed miso mayo, a lion's mane temaki. Book ahead.
- P.S. KitchenFully vegan
246 W 48th St
P.S. Kitchen on West 48th Street is kosher-certified and nut-free, and its profits go to charity. Start with the spinach artichoke dip.
- Beyond Sushi - Vegan RestaurantFully vegan
134 West 37th Street
Beyond Sushi's West 37th Street branch, a short walk south, does rolls and bowls: the spicy ramen with tofu, eggplant and bok choy, and gochujang-glazed eggplant on the side.
The High Line and Chelsea
The High Line runs from the Whitney Museum at Gansevoort Street up to Hudson Yards. Chelsea Market sits right underneath it at 15th Street, and Eighth Avenue is a few blocks east, so a walk along it in either direction passes all of these.
- Seed + MillHas vegan options
409 West 15th Street
Seed + Mill is a halva and tahini shop inside Chelsea Market, and its tahini soft serve is vegan. Take some halva home while you're there: cardamom, toasted sesame, or sea-salt dark chocolate.
- AnixiFully vegan
290 8th Avenue
Anixi on Eighth Avenue is the Mediterranean dinner to plan a day around: manti lamb pockets, eggplant and potato moussaka with cashew ricotta, and fire-roasted eggplant with mint and pomegranate molasses for the table.
- Willow Vegan BistroFully vegan
199 8th Avenue
Willow, also on Eighth Avenue, is a bistro that leans New York: a double smash burger, a crispy Philly cheesesteak, a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, and banana pudding to finish.
- Jajaja MexicanaFully vegan
450 West 33rd Street
Jajaja's Hudson Yards branch on West 33rd Street is Mexican, a short walk from the High Line's northern end.
Washington Square and the Village
Washington Square Park, with its arch and fountain, is the easiest place to start in the Village. Bleecker and West 3rd Street run off its western side, Greenwich Avenue is a short walk further on, and Union Square is about ten minutes north.
- Spicy MoonHas vegan options
68 West 3rd Street
Spicy Moon is a block from the park on West 3rd Street, for spicy noodles and chili-oil dishes, with more branches on the Bowery and East 6th Street.
- ChloeFully vegan
185 Bleecker Street
Chloe on Bleecker Street does burgers and salads, an easy lunch between the park and the West Village.
- SHŌSHFully vegan
41 Greenwich Avenue
SHŌSH on Greenwich Avenue is kosher-certified Mediterranean for a proper dinner: lentil ragu, a lasagna layered with zucchini, eggplant and spinach, and halva to finish.
- Le Basque French Vegan RestaurantFully vegan
15 Union Square West
Le Basque on Union Square West cooks French and Basque: mushroom paella, port beef bourguignon, escargot, and goxua, the Basque cream dessert.
The East Village around Tompkins Square
If you only have one evening to wander, spend it in the East Village: everything below is within a few minutes' walk of Tompkins Square Park, so dinner, dessert and tomorrow's breakfast are all on the same few blocks.
- Confectionery!Fully vegan
440 East 9th Street
Confectionery! on East 9th Street, a block from the park, is Lagusta's shop of chocolates and confections, and everything it makes is vegan.
- Tompkins Square BagelsHas vegan options
165 Avenue A
Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A hand-rolls and kettle-boils its bagels, keeps vegan cream cheese for them, and makes the Beyond Delight: JUST Egg, Beyond meat and Stockeld cheddar with a drizzle of sriracha.
- Al-AndalusFully vegan
511 East 5th Street
Al-Andalus on East 5th Street cooks Spanish and Arab plates for sharing: paella, patatas bravas, koshari pie, fava falafel, and a Dubai chocolate tart.
- Soda ClubFully vegan
155 Avenue B
Soda Club on Avenue B, a few steps from the park, is fresh pasta and natural wine.
- Caravan of DreamsFully vegan
405 East 6th Street
Caravan of Dreams on East 6th Street does tofu scrambles and pancakes in the morning, manicotti and a stew of the day later on, and a raw menu alongside.
The Lower East Side
South of Houston Street, Orchard, Ludlow and Allen Streets run down through the Lower East Side towards Chinatown, and the places below sit within a few blocks of each other.
- Orchard GrocerFully vegan
78 Orchard Street
Orchard Grocer is a deli and grocery on Orchard Street in the old New York mould: sandwiches, bagels and breakfast burritos, and shelves to browse.
- Scarr's PizzaHas vegan options
35 Orchard Street
Scarr's, further down Orchard Street, makes a Vegan 12-inch pie of tomato sauce, NUMU cheese and fresh basil, vegan garlic knots, a vegan Caesar, and a seasonal soft serve that's vegan too.
- Dirt CandyHas vegan options
86 Allen Street
Dirt Candy on Allen Street builds its menu around vegetables: zucchini takoyaki, pumpkin pad thai, smoked cabbage hot pot. It has vegan options, so say so when you book.
- Sen SaigonFully vegan
150 East Broadway
Sen Saigon on East Broadway, where the Lower East Side meets Chinatown, is Vietnamese cooking from chef An Nguyen Hawks.
Chinatown and the Statue of Liberty ferry
Ferries to the Statue of Liberty leave from Battery Park, and the free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal sails past the statue on its way across the harbour. Eat near the terminal before you go, or a short ride up in Chinatown afterwards.
- Springbone KitchenHas vegan options
74 Pearl Street
Springbone Kitchen on Pearl Street is about five minutes from Whitehall Terminal. Get the Spicy Vegan broth of shiitake, garlic and turmeric, or the kale Caesar with cashew dressing.
- Spring CafeFully vegan
153 Centre Street
Spring Cafe on Centre Street, at the edge of Chinatown, does bao buns, a Hawaiian burger of breaded chicken and pineapple, and a hash and cheese sandwich.
- BodhiHas vegan options
77 Mulberry Street
Bodhi on Mulberry Street is dim sum in the middle of Chinatown; before 4 p.m. its special menu has vegan bao and vegan barbecue meat.
Over the bridge: Brooklyn
If you walk the Brooklyn Bridge or ride out to Williamsburg, make a meal of it. These are spread across a handful of neighbourhoods an easy subway ride apart, so pick the one nearest where you're headed.
- Williamsburg pizzaHas vegan options
265 Union Avenue
Williamsburg Pizza on Union Avenue makes two vegan pies: The Vegan, with marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers and Violife mozzarella, and a vegan pepperoni.
- Seitan's HelperFully vegan
2 Morgan Avenue
Seitan's Helper in Bushwick is a deli for heroes and wraps: the Cult Classic of deviled tofu egg salad with kimchi and avocado, or the Flying Saucer of turkey, cashew cheese, seasonal jam and crispy onions.
- Bunna CafeFully vegan
1084 Flushing Avenue
Bunna Cafe, also in Bushwick, cooks Ethiopian: slow-stewed sauces and greens, with the beyaynetu platter to share.
- Amituofo Vegan CuisineFully vegan
19 Bogart Street
Amituofo on Bogart Street is a bright pan-Asian room whose menu runs from salt and pepper tofu and scallion pancakes to banh mi and spicy tuna avocado rolls.
- Cuffie RidgeFully vegan
154 Huron Street
Cuffie Ridge on Huron Street in Greenpoint is a Jamaican café and juice bar.
- Nacha FocacciaFully vegan
800 Franklin Avenue
Nacha Focaccia in Crown Heights fills focaccia: the OG, Shiko's katsu and the rainbow harvest, with a choco bliss for after.
If you're heading out of the city
Plenty of trips to New York take in a day on Long Island or up the Hudson. These are worth planning that day around.
- Rock n Roots Vegan EateryFully vegan
469 Willis Avenue
Rock n Roots on Willis Avenue in Williston Park, Long Island, is fully vegan from top to bottom; look for the eggplant marinara panini on the specials.
- 3 BrothersHas vegan options
285 Merrick Road
3 Brothers in Rockville Centre runs vegan and traditional pies side by side: the grandma square with vegan mozzarella and hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes, the crispy cauliflower, and a baked ziti pie with cashew-tofu ricotta.
- Grass Roots KitchenHas vegan options
124 Wildey Street
Grass Roots Kitchen in Tarrytown, up the Hudson, marks its vegan dishes on the menu: the Root Smash Burger with a beet, lentil and mushroom patty, a tofu scramble, and a BBQ chicken bowl.
Questions people ask
- Where can I eat vegan near Central Park?
- On the Upper West Side, a short walk from Strawberry Fields: Two Boots on West 71st Street for pizza, Peacefood Cafe on Amsterdam Avenue for a full café menu, and Van Leeuwen on Amsterdam for ice cream.
- Where can I eat vegan near the Statue of Liberty ferry?
- Springbone Kitchen on Pearl Street is about five minutes from Whitehall Terminal, with a spicy vegan broth and a kale Caesar. For more choice, Spring Cafe and Bodhi are a short ride up in Chinatown.
- Which neighbourhood is best for vegan food on a first trip to New York?
- The East Village. Al-Andalus, Soda Club, Confectionery! and Tompkins Square Bagels are all within a few minutes' walk of Tompkins Square Park, so one evening covers dinner, dessert and tomorrow's breakfast.
- Are there vegan restaurants near the High Line?
- Yes. Seed + Mill is inside Chelsea Market, right under the High Line, for tahini soft serve, and Anixi and Willow are a few blocks east on Eighth Avenue for dinner.