6 Best Vegan Restaurants in NYC You Need to Try

If you’re heading to New York for the first time, you’ll quickly find out that it’s one of the best cities in the world for vegans.

In terms of the sheer number of vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants in one place, it’s hard to beat New York City. Whether you’re looking for the best vegan ice cream, vegan burgers, or high-end vegan cuisine, you’ll find hundreds of options in the city.

Today, I’ll take you on a virtual vegan tour of New York and show you some of the best vegan-friendly restaurants in the city.

(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking.)

6 Top-Rated Vegan Restaurants in NYC You Shouldn’t Miss!

Are you ready to eat?

If you’re planning a trip to New York City, then you’ve got to check out these vegan restaurants.

Below, I’ve listed some of my favorite vegan dessert restaurants, bakeries, and eateries, so you can see some of the city’s top-rated plant-based foods.

1. Rawsome Treats

Opening Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Closed Monday

Address: 158 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

Rawsome Treats is, by far, one of my favorite places for plant-based ice cream in NYC.

The small vegan bakery and ice cream parlor is known for its incredible vegan ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream sandwich crust is baked in-house every morning, just like the cashew milk-based ice cream used as the filling.

My favorite here is the Moo Moo Pie, which tastes just like a traditional cookies-and-cream ice cream sandwich, one of the absolute must-try desserts in NYC!

If you prefer something a bit fruitier, then I recommend Rawsome Treats’ fruit pastries as well.

2. [plant-baked]

Opening Hours: Wednesday & Thursday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Friday & Saturday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Closed Monday & Tuesday

Address: 117 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009

[plant-baked] is one of the best vegan bakeries in New York and is a great place to stop in and grab a coffee and a house-baked vegan croissant.

If you’re in the mood for something a bit sweeter, [plant-baked] also has some deliciously crispy plant-based cookies that are made without eggs, dairy, or refined sugars.

One of the bakery’s signature pastries is called “kouign-amann,” which is a vegan take on a classic Celtic dessert that dates back hundreds of years!

3. Whipped Urban Dessert Lab

Opening Hours: Friday & Saturday 1:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Closed Monday – Thursday

Address: 95 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002

Whipped Urban Dessert Lab is easily my second favorite place for vegan ice cream in NYC.

Unlike Rawsome Treats, which mostly specializes in ice cream sandwiches, Whipped focuses primarily on traditional scooped ice cream.

This ice cream shop is a total vibe and has a luxurious, classy, atmosphere that matches the dramatic ice cream flavors and combinations.

Plus, it’s the only black female-owned vegan ice cream shop in the entire city, so that’s another great reason to support it!

4. Urban Vegan Kitchen

Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
Saturday 10:00 am – 12:00 am
Sunday 6:00 am – 10:00 pm

Address: 41 Carmine St, New York, NY 10014

If you’re looking for a flavorful, plant-based twist on classic favorites, then you can’t go wrong with Urban Vegan Kitchen.

My favorite dish on the menu is vegan Korean BBQ Wings. Some of the restaurant’s other signature dishes include Chick-Un and Waffles, Veggie Thali, and the classic vegan Hot Wings.

If you come here on weekends, it’s not uncommon to wait in line. That’s how good this place is!

5. Avant Garden

Opening Hours: 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm every day

Address: 130 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009

From the Scorched Cauliflower to the Roasted Beet Toast, Avant Garden offers a high-end dining experience for discerning taste buds.

The chefs and servers work together to pair dishes with a fine selection of vegan wines that come from sustainable wineries around the world.

Most of the menu items are a bit pricey, but it’s the perfect place for a date or special occasion.

Due to its popularity, I definitely recommend calling ahead to place a reservation!

6. Spicy Moon

Opening Hours: 11:30 am – 9:00 pm every day

Address: 328 E 6th St, New York, NY 10003

If you like Szechuan-style food, then you can’t miss Spicy Moon!

From the General Tso’s Mushroom plate to the Dan Dan Noodles, Mapo Tofu, everything on the menu here is dripping with flavor.

Most of the dishes can be made extra-spicy upon request if you’re looking for that extra “kick” to wake you up.

Spicy Moon also sells its signature spicy mayo (100% vegan), Szechuan spicy chili oil, and pickled chili paste in jars, so you can take the flavor home with you.

Final Words

This is, by no means, a conclusive list.

New York City has so many incredible vegan eateries that it would be nearly impossible to list them all in one location.

However, these are some of my favorite vegan restaurants in NYC that I recommend to all of my vegan (and non-vegan) friends visiting the Big Apple for the first time!

This guest post about vegan restaurants in NYC is written by Emma, a health and wellness coach. For the past decade, she has helped people from around the world adopt a healthier lifestyle. She’s the creator of Vegan Calm and is passionate about food and travel.

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