There are many reasons why people make lifestyle choices to follow vegan or vegetarian diets. The good news: New Yorkers who make the decision to eliminate meat and meat products from their lives don’t have to eliminate eating out,. There are plenty of restaurants with vegan and vegetarian menus exclusively. Here are CBSNewYork’s top ten picks. By Carly Sitzer.

See Also: The New York City Vegan/Vegetarian Lifestyle Guide | The Best Veggie Sandwiches in New York City

Known for their sandwiches and wraps, Terri offers a variety of food options for vegans and is completely kosher. Their menu is organic and seasonal. Owners Craig Cochran and Michael Pease named this restaurant after their mothers who shared the name. They believe in making their healthy super foods more available to people.

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To ensure the freshest food every day, Angelica Kitchen brings in fresh, local food everyday and either composts or donates what is left at the end of the night. Angelica boasts a large vegan menu, with a list of daily specials in addition to the everyday menu. Check out their website for a look at their cookbook.

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Blossom had two things in mind when selecting their vegan menu: the health of their customers and the health of animals. In addition to the delicious, meat-free food, Blossom offers resources to those who are interested in animal rights.

Franchia is a traditional Korean cafe featuring vegetarian sushi, dumplings, and bibimbap, a dish consisting of rice, different veggie toppings and sauce. They are known for their variety of teas, including their Spring special, rose green tea.

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Zen Palate brings together a peaceful atmosphere to calm your mind and a vegetarian menu to calm your stomach and offers the finest in Asian fusion cuisine. The menu considers several tastes and provides a wide variety of vegan and meat-free dishes.

This small, quirky place is not what you’d expect from the outside. Foodswings is an all-vegan snack bar serving up some old favorites like drumsticks and “milk” shakes. They create their mock-meat dishes from soy products. On the weekends after 11 p.m. they switch their menu, opting for lighter sandwiches and snacks.

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Candle Cafe looks to serve the best possible vegan options by including local produce at their restaurant. In addition to bettering the health of the individual, they also have the planet in mind by enforcing several sustainable and “green” practices.

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Nanoosh serves Mediterranean cuisine that is not only tasty but also balance, organic and all-natural. In addition to the fresh hummus served at their hummus counters, they also offer wraps, salads and soups that are completely meat-free.

In the West Village, Quantum Leap serves vegan, vegetarian and pescetarian dishes prepared in a wide range of styles. Enjoy large portions free of additives and msg in a comfortable atmosphere. We’re big fans of they’re homemade desserts, too.

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At this elegant upscale vegan bakery and cafe, baked goods are made with spelt instead of flour. Even their vegan Caesar salad has spelt croutons. The chocolate chip cookie sandwich has a oozy-chocolate pudding like center in the middle of two crispy spelt cookies. Or try the grasshopper variety with a tangy mint filling.