I'm currently not in NY anymore, but having spent a lot of time there as a vegan, I thought I'd compile a list of my recommended healthy/vegan lifestyle resources for anyone who may move there, or may just be visiting.
Now as a disclaimer, I do want to say that this is of course, entirely subjective. Hence, I am calling this post: "Ellie's Vegan New York". Below is a list of
my personal favorite NYC things. And of course, with New York having the amazing vegan scene that it does, there are MANY more options! So enjoy exploring! And I hope this list helps!
Jivamuktea Café
Located at the Jivamukti Yoga School. I'll be honest. For the portions they offer, their prices are a bit expensive. But they do offer some good eats that are reliably healthy.
My personal favorites are two of their breakfast dishes:
Their
Kitchery is a simple, ayurvedic porridge that a staff member recommended I dress with nutritional yeast, Bragg's Amino Acids, and cayenne pepper. It is so comforting and so delish!
My other fave of theirs is their
TAVO-Toast with Avocado, Tomato, Flax Oil and Vegan Butter.
I love the simplicity of this toast! The freshness of the tomato, with the avocado and the flax oil? Mmmm!
These two dishes are really simple and good, and great to have in the morning, especially after a yoga class.
Other nutritious dishes that have been my go-to's are their
Yogi's Choice (Choice of 3) with a double helping of their
Tumeric Tahini Dressing, and their big,
Protein Rich Salads.
Angelica Kitchen
A New York vegetarian staple. This place has been around for a long time!
The atmosphere is a pleasure, and the food is healthy.
In the winter, I recommend having one of my favorite dishes there, their
Dashi and Noodles. The broth is so aromatically gingery and warming. So good!
Their raw dish,
Thai Mee Up, is good too. Shredded ribbons of daikon, butternut squash and carrot are served on a bed of garlic-lemon marinated kale, and dressed with a Thai tahini sauce.
I also love that they have different dessert specials everyday that are relatively healthy and delicious, made with interesting, changing ingredients.
LAN Café
A cheap hole-in-the-wall with good, comfort Vietnamese food, run by Buddhists.
Oh, LAN! You're definitely one of my faves!
Their
Vegetarian Pho is
the best around!
Their
BBQ Seitan app. is also fantastic.
I also like their
Sweet Corn Soup. And their
Curry String Bean. And their
Tofu or Seitan Lemongrass Curry, that comes out sizzling. Ssssssssssssss!
Peacefood Café
With two locations now. One on the UWS, and the other near the Union Square area!
I practically lived in the downtown cafe. It was my go-to meeting place for tutoring, etc. It has a great atmosphere and lovely different pastries are offered daily. And awesome smoothies. My fave is their
Bombay Delight. If you're a coconut lover, like me, you'll love it too. They spice it with fragrant cardamom! Their
Pan-Seared Shanghai Style Dumplings with Ginger Balsamic Dipping Sauce is also very good. And they have an interesting
Asian Roots juice. It's made with green daikon, sweet potato, apple and ginger.
Pure Food and Wine/One Lucky Duck
Pure Food and Wine is my favorite restaurant! I'd established a tradition of going there every year for my birthday. Their
Tamales are one of their best dishes that I'd highly recommend. Their classic
Raw Lasagna is also great. Especially as a summer meal. Their
Mint Chip Sundae is a must! And they offer different dessert specials that are sure to make your mouth climax with pleasure. Not even kidding.
One Lucky Duck around the corner offers huge, nutritious salads and delicious (though expensive) smoothies.
Rockin' Raw
Try their
Pudding. Just, do it. And if you can, share it with someone you love.
Honorable Mention:
I almost forgot to mention the UWS's
Café Blossom! I'd once called it a fave, but I was hardly ever in that area and don't know for sure if it's exactly the same as I'd left it. I'm sure though, that it still offers high quality eats!
Vegan Ice Cream:
Lula's Sweet Apothecary
All hail Lula's! This is the place to go to for your 1950's Ice Cream Shoppe fix! Or hell, if you just want an ice cream fix at all! Their soft serve
Cake Batter is classic! And I also like their Mint Chip. But they offer new, interesting flavors daily, and you can sample as many as you want! And have it served up in a decadent sundae!
Vegan Brunch:
Organic Grill
Delicious Tofu Omelettes and Frittatas? Yea, enough said!
Champs Family Bakery
This quirky Brooklyn vegan diner is adorable! It's a great place to go to for a Sunday brunch. Their
Tofu Benedict is pretty awesome. And I'm partial to their
Buenos Dias Salad (with kale,tofu scramble, avocado, and a spicy, creamy chipotle dressing). If you order right, you can also score some delicious desserts! I bought a dozen of their Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake Brownies for my cousin's birthday one year and they were an absolute hit!
Food Truck:
Cinnamon Snail, duh! And try their DONUTS! Their
Crème Brulee donut is award winning.
Catering Companies:
Chickpea and Olive
Their
Phatty Beet Sliders are
scrumptious! And...dare I say it? Meaty!
Electric Blue Baking Company
Their Mac and Cheese is one of the best I've ever had. Vegan or non. They had to be mentioned!
Vegan Shoes:
Moo Shoes
Love their shoes!!
Vegan Coats:
Vaute Couture
Their coats are so beautiful! And I love how colorful and bright a lot of them are! Believe me, in the winter, in a sea of black on the subway, a splash of red or electric blue is a relief for sore eyes!
Yoga Schools:
There are tons of yoga schools in New York, as you can imagine. And it's all about personal preference, really. I have a particular place in my heart for Marjorie's Friday at noon class at Virayoga. The form of yoga they teach there (Anusara) emphasizes alignment, which I appreciate. In my opinion, too many schools use a too fast-paced Vinyasa technique that can incur injuries if you're not informed/careful.
Health Food Stores:
Commodities
This East Village health food stop is one of the best around, in my opinion. If you're like me, you'll enjoy chatting up the people in the back about various nutrition topics like raw food, TCM, etc.
Lifethyme
In the West Village, this is another great spot. And you can grab something from their food bar for reasonably priced, fast, healthy food.
Events:
Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary's
Thanksliving
Where the turkeys are the guests of honor, rather than the main course!
For more about this wonderful event, check out this previous post of mine.
http://elliesveganlife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/thanksliving-at-woodstock-farm-animal.html
Farm Sanctuary's
Walk for Farm Animals
A wonderful fundraising, awareness-raising event held in Central Park every year, where like-minded folks, good vibes, and doggies gather
.
For more about this event, you can look here:
http://elliesveganlife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/walk-for-farm-animals.html
Both events are usually held in October. So October just may be the best time to be in NYC, if you ask me! (And to top it off for fellow music lovers, there's also CMJ)!
And soooo, that concludes my list. Go forth- eat, yoga and be merry, New Yorkers!
xo,
Ellie
