As a seasoned vegan of six years, I have had my fair share of bad vegan food. That bad vegan food tends to come from restaurants who try to add one option on the menu for vegans. It ends up being a boring salad or incorrectly-cooked impossible burger. Navigating normal restaurants as a vegan can be tricky. Added butter to the vegetables, cream in the soup or cheese on the bread are the day-to day-things we run into.
Although french fries and salad at times feel inescapable, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Vegan restaurants can be tricky to find, but do not worry because they are there. Here are some of the best vegan restaurants in the tri-state area.
Beyond Sushi – NYC
I love a good avocado roll, but sometimes it can get boring and sushi is my favorite food. Unfortunately, it is nearly impossible to find sushi without fish in it. That is why I was astonished when I came across Beyond Sushi. They have an extensive menu and multiple locations around the city. My go-to’s for Beyond Sushi are the fun guy dumplings and the spicy mang roll.
With the changing dining experience due to the pandemic, businesses are finding it harder to have a steady income. Here is what Beyond Sushi owner Chef Guy had to say about trying to do just that:
“When the pandemic started in New York City, our business took a massive hit. We operated on a small fraction of our projected revenue and, like many restaurants, we barely made it through. But the loyalty of our customers kept us going, and we’re forever grateful for that. We also focused efforts on feeding frontline workers and people in need — it felt really good to be a part of our community and give back. Now we’re looking into the future and just opened Willow, a new vegan and kosher bistro in Chelsea serving elevated comfort food. We’ve also adapted our menus at our five Beyond Sushi locations to expand our offerings and keep customers excited. Despite the challenges, we’re committed to our vision of sharing plant-based food with the world.”
Mo’Pweeze Bakery – Denville, NJ
Making your own vegan cake and desserts is one thing, but sometimes you don’t want to put effort into baking. Mo‘Pweeze bakery in Denville, New Jersey has delicious desserts that are suitable for most dietary restrictions and allergies.
Their cookies are adorable, and the cakes are beyond delicious. If sweets aren’t your thing, they also have some catering items such as buffalo cauliflower and pizza. Mo ‘Pweeze said, “We have been surviving the pandemic by thinking out of the box, being more creative and really tuning into our customers needs.”
Zazzy’s Pizza – NYC
New York City is known for its world-class pizza, yet, even in one of the pizza capitals in the world, it isn’t as easy to find pizza that’s vegan and gives you the same feeling non-vegan pizza does. Zazzy’s is seeking to change that. It is proving that it can be easy to get quality pizza and sides that are all vegan. This is even a good place to bring your non-vegan friends to. Zazzy’s has amazing appetizers like hearts of palm-fried calamari, meatless meatballs and vegan mozzarella sticks while still providing a wide range of vegan and non-vegan pizza.
Zazzy’s lower east side location opened a few months before the pandemic. We asked them how it was being a new business within the pandemic, and they said, “Honestly…when you make a great product, it’s great to see people support you. It’s hard times during Covid, but, if you are passionate about your product, it’s a great opportunity to lock in amazing deals in the long run.”
Three Girls Vegan Creamery – Guilford, CT
If you are looking for some of the best vegan food in Connecticut, then look no further. Three Girls Vegan has delicious Italian food. One of the best parts is you can have their food delivered by ordering their items available for shipping through their website. One thing I have been craving is fresh vegan mozzarella, but sometimes the taste is there but the texture isn’t. Luckily, their marinated ciliegini “mozzarella” pearls does the trick. If you are feeling homemade vegan seafood, I would recommend trying their clam strips.
Three Girls Vegan has a wide range of vegan food and products that you could turn into your own vegan food at home. The creamery has been getting a lot of love from vegan YouTubers like Rebecca, also known as Vegan Bodegacat on YouTube. Rebecca makes a lot of different content and has some amazing vegan reviews.
Three Girls Vegan is happy to say, “We’ve been very fortunate through the pandemic because we have always shipped nationwide. When we had to close retail, we were able to feed hundreds of families and frontline workers weekly by shipping. We also were able to donate and help take care of families who unexpectedly had no income. We were so grateful to continue cooking through this pandemic”.
Double Zero – NYC
If you are looking for a place to have a fancy night out, I recommend Double Zero. They have a phenomenal range of fresh-made vegan cheeses. The tomato pizza and the farro-fennel sausage pizza are my personal favorites. It is the perfect place to grab a glass of wine and a bite and let the night take you away.
Double Zero has been braving the pandemic. “This year has certainly not been a normal one,” they say. “It’s like a nightmare, but it will definitely disappear! We learned a lot from this ordeal, like how to become more health-conscious. We experienced how this pandemic fueled delivery growth and launched ghost kitchens, and we learned a great deal from it!..At the end, we will prevail and become better and better.”
Have a favorite vegan restaurant? Let us know in the comments below!
