NYC's 5 Best Vegan Restaurants, Dessert Shops

Looking for a meat-free meal? Our roundup of the best vegan restaurants in New York City. By Carly Petrone.

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You've probably noticed a line wrapping around the corner of Bleecker and MacDougal - that's because by CHLOE is taking the vegan restaurant world by storm. From cold-pressed juices and dairy-free ice cream, to a full brunch menu and desserts made in-house, this place has a menu filled solely with seasonally and locally sourced ingredients. Bite into a Pesto Meatball Burger with cashew mozzarella, grab your morning oats with quinoa, flaxseed and fresh berries, or satisfy your sweet tooth with a scoop of Avocado Ice Cream on a Pretzel Cone. In fact, there's so much demand that by CHLOE has opened up new Flatiron location with another one in Soho set to open soon. For those looking for dessert, you'll soon be able to stop into their sweets-only shop, which will be adjacent to their current West Village location. Stay tuned!

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Now is the perfect time to stop into Blossom. Their "In Bloom" dinner menu offers a seasonal selection of vegetable-focused creations. Start out with delicious Trumpet Mushroom Scallops in a lemon butter sauce, or flatbread with grilled artichokes, porcini mushrooms, almond cheese, and green pea pesto, drizzled with truffle oil. Next, choose between Cauliflower Steak Au Poivre, with garlic and vinegar frites, or Black Truffle Pasta (gluten-free spaghetti) with English snow peas, miso-mustard cream and shaved black truffle. Finally, finish off this refreshing meal with four seasonal raw organic chocolate truffles from NYC's Cioccolada. Pair your dinner with one of their signature cocktails, like the Caramel Apple Martini (vodka, apple cider, cranberry, house-made caramel, and cinnamon-sugar rim), the Pumpkin White Russian (Russian vodka, pumpkin liquor, espresso liquor, coconut milk, cinnamon and sugar), or the Pear Blossom (pear vodka, crème de cassis, cranberry, muddled mint). Bottoms up!

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Make your way up to Harlem and grab a seat at mother-son owned Seasoned Vegan. You'll definitely want to start out with their Lemon Crusted "Chicken" Nuggets. You can dunk these soy chicken nuggets in your choice of Jiggy's BBQ or Uptown Tangy sauces. If you're in the mood for a raw appetizer, the Beet and Cucumber Tapas with cashew dip is a winner. Fill up on their SV Burger that's topped with sautéed onions, lettuce, tomato, and their special sauce, or opt for a fun, raw entrée like the Zucchini Mac – zucchini noodles with cashew "cheese." Sip on a berry smoothie or homemade soda before tackling dessert. Enjoy an ice cream cupcake sandwich, made with vegan ice cream, check out one of their assorted pies and cupcakes or nosh on a salted pecan chocolate chip cookie. You can't go wrong at this uptown spot that's busy serving up some serious vegan soul food.

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If you're in the mood for something sweet, Rice Cream Shoppe is the place for you. This rice pudding shop offers decadent vegan flavors like mint chip, caramel, cappuccino, rum raisin, mango, cinnamon, strawberry, and vanilla. You can also cool down this summer with a rice milk-based gelato. Grab the Fior di Rosa or dark chocolate flavors in an all-vegan chocolate or plain waffle cone and hit the streets. You'll want to lick every bite!

Get your comfort food kick at Red Bamboo in the West Village. Nosh on Thai Beef Curry (shredded soy beef simmered with slow cooked potatoes, carrots, and green beans), Creole Soul Chicken (panko breaded soy chicken with Cajun and rosemary seasoning), or BBQ Ribs (grilled soy ribs with mushroom gravy). Feel like a kid again with a vegan float or shake or go big with a Vegan Boston: ice cream blended with organic soy milk and topped with a scoop of vegan ice cream. You certainly won't go hungry for long at this vegan joint!

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Carly Petrone is the founder of Petrone on the Rocks, a lifestyle site about food, drinks, beauty, travel, and more. She lives in New York City.