Category: Eat & Drink

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A Vegetarian Grows in Brooklyn

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Brooklyn has exploded with restaurants in the last couple of years; some have been shooting stars and others have been utter disasters, but on the whole, the vegetarian options in the way-cooler-than-Manhattan borough are pretty darn good. Well, I'm biased, having lived here for 4 years, but I WILL admit that we don't yet have a good fancy place like Blossom, Candle 79, or Pure Food and Wine that stacks up. I have a theory about the relation between gentrification and vegetarian options...I think they are directly proportional. Let's take a look!

Fun Vegetarian Resources

Toasto-kun Bento

Veggie Bento Roar!

SuperVegan!

SuperVegan is a scattered-looking website for all your New York vegetarian needs. Reviews, recipes, book recommendations, you name it, they’ve got you covered.

What I like about the site is that the restaurants listed AREN’T vegan only. There are categories for vegan, vegetarian, mostly vegan, decent vegan options, and few vegan options. You know what to expect and aren’t left out in the restaurant cold with a plate of noodles.

Hezbollah Tofu

This is quite possibly the coolest food blog idea ever: turn vegetarian-HATER Anthony Bourdain’s bloody, meat-heavy recipes into vegan versions and be a bit mean about it! The posts are hilariously written by Sarah, the recently married in New York vegan who is snarky, witty, and clever as hell.

Vegan Cooking Show with "eventhevegans"

Foodswings is on here!

Mark Bittman's Bit

Mark Bittman of The New York Times writes the Minimalist column stole my idea of writing a vegetarian cookbook even though he is a meat-eater. Grrr. He penned a good article on decreasing (not eradicating) meat consumption in the U.S.

The Restaurants

The Junk Food Places

Not all vegetarian eaters are tofu-popping, celery-snapping folks. They want the stick-to-your-ribs comfort food every now and again, and don’t think for a second that it can’t be done without meat.  I am an absolute sucker for fake chicken tenders, fake steak, fake buffalo wings (no bones hooray!), and anything else greasy, gooey, and yummy.

Kate's Brooklyn Joint

295 Berry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211

How come they can’t replicate Kate’s in Manhattan in Brooklyn? Is there really something in the Brooklyn water? The mile-long menu is still impressive, but maybe the kinks have yet to be worked out.

How come they can’t replicate Kate’s in Manhattan in Brooklyn? Is there really something in the Brooklyn water? The mile-long menu is still impressive, but maybe the kinks have yet to be worked out.

Foodswings

295 Grand St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Vegan fast food CAN be done and now it has been! There are no healthy claims, thank goodness, so you can drown your sorrows in the equivalence of a Big Mac and fries, but at least it’s vegan, right?

Vegan fast food CAN be done and now it has been! There are no healthy claims, thank goodness, so you can drown your sorrows in the equivalence of a Big Mac and fries, but at least it’s vegan, right?

Red Bamboo

271 Adelphi St, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Heavy on the soul food, as well as general comfort foods like cheeseteaks, Red Bamboo’s ambience makes you feel like you’re in a trendy East Village restaurant, the menu’s mission preaches healthiness, but when you bite into your entree: gluttony! This stuff cannot possibly be good for you!

Heavy on the soul food, as well as general comfort foods like cheeseteaks, Red Bamboo’s ambience makes you feel like you’re in a trendy East Village restaurant, the menu’s mission preaches healthiness, but when you bite into your entree: gluttony! This stuff cannot possibly be good for you!

five people talking about corn dogs

The fake buffalo wings at Red Bamboo are to die for! But nothing died for YOU to get that way!

Vegetarian Palate

258 Flatbush Avenue Ext, Brooklyn, NY 11201

I live near Vegetarian Palate, but I would probably trade it for most of the other places in this guide. The food is faux-meat Chinese, i.e. unhealthy but satisfying. It gets the job done, but hands down, it “wins” for worst restaurant decor.

I live near Vegetarian Palate, but I would probably trade it for most of the other places in this guide. The food is faux-meat Chinese, i.e. unhealthy but satisfying. It gets the job done, but hands down, it “wins” for worst restaurant decor.

NOT Vegetarian...but Options Abound

Even vegetarians get sick of vegetarian restaurants (or so I tell myself so that I don’t feel too bad when I drag a non-meat-eater to a barbecue dive bar), so I suggest seeking out some of the more “friendly” restaurants where the herbivore in the group can order more than just French Fries.

Joy Indian Restaurant

301 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

For whatever reason, Brooklyn lacks the many wholly veg. Indian restaurants, and the run-of-the-mill places present you with curried cauliflower and the fatty cheese dishes. (I still love you Sag Paneer)

Joy doesn’t do tofu or tempeh, but the vegetable dishes are pretty satisfying: chickpeas and potato, mushroom, spinach and lentils. If you’re a fan of chicken masala, try the chickpea version instead.

For whatever reason, Brooklyn lacks the many wholly veg. Indian restaurants, and the run-of-the-mill places present you with curried cauliflower and the fatty cheese dishes. (I still love you Sag Paneer)

Joy doesn’t do tofu or tempeh, but the vegetable dishes are pretty satisfying: chickpeas and potato, mushroom, spinach and lentils. If you’re a fan of chicken masala, try the chickpea version instead.

Sushi D

207 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Not that I want to get into the “Are you a TRUE vegetarian” discussion, but…well…if you are, you don’t eat fish. Which means that going out for sushi can be equated with avocado rolls.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but sushi menus skimp on exciting options. Not Sushi D! I love their Greene roll: sweet tofu, asparagus, cucumber and watercress. Don’t ever get left out of the sushi fun, okay?

Not that I want to get into the “Are you a TRUE vegetarian” discussion, but…well…if you are, you don’t eat fish. Which means that going out for sushi can be equated with avocado rolls.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but sushi menus skimp on exciting options. Not Sushi D! I love their Greene roll: sweet tofu, asparagus, cucumber and watercress. Don’t ever get left out of the sushi fun, okay?

 

Operation Vegetarian!

The Classier Places

Wild Ginger Cafe Inc

212 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

A lot of Thai places tend to be vegetarian-friendly, but Wild Ginger is 100% so. The regular food is good, but the drinks and desserts stand out: lychee sorbet, ambrosia plum tea, and the usual stanby, Thai Iced Tea.

I try to eat my veggies like anyone, but I am a sucker for mock meat, and Wild Ginger’s menu is pretty heavy on the fake protein.

A lot of Thai places tend to be vegetarian-friendly, but Wild Ginger is 100% so. The regular food is good, but the drinks and desserts stand out: lychee sorbet, ambrosia plum tea, and the usual stanby, Thai Iced Tea.

I try to eat my veggies like anyone, but I am a sucker for mock meat, and Wild Ginger’s menu is pretty heavy on the fake protein.

Small Town Girl

Pad Thai at Wild Ginger

The V Spot

156 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

What a clever name! Just like G-spot is for our wonderfully stupendous site, Guidespot! I wish the V-Spot were better than it is, but it’s the only vegan restaurant for dinner in Park Slope.

If you go, go for brunch and try the whole wheat pancakes or the quintessential tofu scramble. If you choose the former, you won’t have to eat for the next ten hours, honest.

What a clever name! Just like G-spot is for our wonderfully stupendous site, Guidespot! I wish the V-Spot were better than it is, but it’s the only vegan restaurant for dinner in Park Slope.

If you go, go for brunch and try the whole wheat pancakes or the quintessential tofu scramble. If you choose the former, you won’t have to eat for the next ten hours, honest.

The Cafes

s-nice

Snice

315 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

This is a bigger, nicer version of the West Village ‘Snice with Wi-Fi and all the same vegan sandwichey goodness. This stretch of 5th was hurting for some lunch options that weren’t pizza, and gourmet vegetarian is a good way to go.

This is a bigger, nicer version of the West Village ‘Snice with Wi-Fi and all the same vegan sandwichey goodness. This stretch of 5th was hurting for some lunch options that weren’t pizza, and gourmet vegetarian is a good way to go.

Earth Tonez Cafe

349 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215

A new veggie sandwich spot in Park Slope, and a stone’s thrown from a little less new ‘Snice on 5th Avenue. I personally love the “Big Apple Melt,” apple butter, apple slices, cinnamon, and cheddar cheese on a panini. I like that they make everything fresh, but it does take some time.

Top Of The Game

A “burger”, veggie-style

Bliss Cafe

191 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Although the service is, shall we say, lacking (what is the deal with Williamsburg in this respect?), they’ve got tempeh bacon and that makes it alright. Bacon seems to be the meat product that veg-heads miss the most and can still attest to “liking” and reminiscing about.

After a night of bar-hopping, devour a Bliss Bowl, full of organic veggies, brown rice, sweet potatoes, tofu, and a choice of tasty dressings. Operation Cure Hangover will now commence.

Although the service is, shall we say, lacking (what is the deal with Williamsburg in this respect?), they’ve got tempeh bacon and that makes it alright. Bacon seems to be the meat product that veg-heads miss the most and can still attest to “liking” and reminiscing about.

After a night of bar-hopping, devour a Bliss Bowl, full of organic veggies, brown rice, sweet potatoes, tofu, and a choice of tasty dressings. Operation Cure Hangover will now commence.

Second Helpings

448 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Expensive and not wholly vegetarian, talk about a Second Coming! The veggie deli food here is perfect for that picnic in the nearby park with your vegetable-chomping date.

Or do like we did and hike on over to the semi-nearby Brooklyn Botanic Garden and eat on the lawn, even though you aren’t allowed. I figure that eating all veggie sandwiches should be permitted in massive vegetation central.

Expensive and not wholly vegetarian, talk about a Second Coming! The veggie deli food here is perfect for that picnic in the nearby park with your vegetable-chomping date.

Or do like we did and hike on over to the semi-nearby Brooklyn Botanic Garden and eat on the lawn, even though you aren’t allowed. I figure that eating all veggie sandwiches should be permitted in massive vegetation central.

Strictly Vegeterian Restaurant

2268 Church Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11226

Other Helpful Links

Brooklyn Goes Vegetarian Annual Restaurant Week

Vegetarian 101 in New York

Satisfy the Vegetarian in your Life

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Sushi D goes fancy.

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