Hipsters hungry for the latest food fad, those seeking healthful fare, and hustlers hunting fool-proof fuel should all be fans of vegan and vegetarian food. Come meal time, we should all book it to Brooklyn’s best vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants.
Typical diner fare is anything but ordinary at Champs Diner. Your favorite Americana comfort foods (think breakfast burritos, milkshakes, and pancake slams) are all accounted for — and cruelty-free — at this popular vegan eatery. Those leery of any kumbaya craze need not fear: Champs preaches punk as much as it does peace.
Take your tastebuds on vacation at Jungle Cafe, a 100-percent vegan and kosher destination in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint. Everything from tempeh tacos with homemade hot sauce to mac and cheese with Southern greens and cornbread is on the multicultural menu here. However, it’s at the cafe’s all-you-can-eat buffet, which includes Indian aloo gobi, Latin maduros, and Italian eggplant parm, where you can truly taste the world.
Earn points with your next date courtesy of Bunna Cafe. The Ethiopian eats at this Bushwick-based hotspot are made to be shared— and eaten with one’s hands. Best of all, vegan menu items like spicy red lentils, mushrooms sautéed in berbere, rosemary, and onion, and injera, or Ethiopian bread, are all made with natural ingredients and there’s not a faux-cheese in sight.
If you’ve been skimming this list for any mention of pizza, look no further than Screamer’s Pizzeria. At this Greenpoint grub hub (brought to you by the same team behind Champs Diner!), not-so-standard slices include seitan pepperoni and Hawaiian with vegan ham, while more out-of-the-(pizza) box options include the ‘Vampire’ with garlic oil and red onions and the ‘Fancy Kale’ featuring spicy pesto and marinated kale.
Because one pizza joint is never enough for the New Yorker, vegan and vegetarian-friendly Vinnie’s Pizzeria serves the borough nicely. Vinnie’s Williamsburg location has prepared the same recipe for almost 60 years, but recent trends have brought about more than a few changes. Today, toppings including bacon and ground beef are available in both vegan and non-vegan varieties, and Internet-famous slices like the ‘Elote’, ‘Spicy Cheeseburger,’ and ‘Vinnie’s Famous Pizza on Pizza’ sell at lightning speed.
Toad Style would stand out in any area, but the 100% vegan and soy-free find is especially conspicuous at its current Bed-Stuy address. Delivering ‘guilty’ pleasures one can feel good about to an area lacking in vegan-friendly options, Toad Style’s mushroom Philly cheesesteak, fried cauliflower nuggets, and barbecue jackfruit sandwich treat delicious cruelty-free fare as a Brooklynite’s basic right.
Indian cuisine is always a good bet for vegetarian-friendly fare, and Clinton Hill’s Dosa Royale is always a good bet, period. The restaurant, which also serves Smorgasburg’s two Brooklyn locations, whips up perfectly-spiced samosas, creamy spinach and channa curry, and what’s been described as the city’s best dosas, which come with fillings like masala potato and spinach with paneer.
A local chain cooking up international Asian cuisines, LuAnne’s Wild Ginger serves all your top takeout picks, veganized. Fried orange seitan, grilled satay seitan skewers, and veggie-filled pho are just a sampling of the familiar-yet-new noshes at this Crown Heights and Fort Greene gem.
Bring the whole family to this Flatbush-based business, where everyone can enjoy what they want every time. The Farm on Adderley’s 1,000+ Yelp reviews praise its understated atmosphere as much as its extensive menu, which features grown-up grilled cheese sandwiches, omelets with market greens, and non-vegetarian options such as French dip sandwiches.
Fall in (modern) love with the à la mode menu at this Williamsburg-based vegan restaurant. At Modern Love Brooklyn, avocado toast is accompanied by veggie tofu scramble, truffled almond milk ricotta tops popular poutine appetizers, and creamy mac and cashew cheese comes with sides like sautéed kale and blackened cauliflower.
