New York's signature lane is unapologetically a deli breakfast, with bagels at 27 venues, cream cheese at 13, and donuts at 12. The five essentials pull in five different directions though, with UT47 Kitchen & Bar, Ramen Danbo, Sen Saigon, Pizza Collective, and Sam's Falafel Cart, while Van Leeuwen Ice Cream and Rawsome Treats anchor the dessert side and American and Italian both run 10 deep.
Ranked by overall rating, signature dish strength, and how much reviewers praise the food. If you only have a weekend, start here.
Must go · #2 Try the popular 'V for Vegan' slice for a flavorful vegan pizza experience.
Enjoy the pho sen with multiple types of plant-based meats for a rich experience.
Must go · #4 Enjoy a variety of vegan pizzas including the Vegan Cleo and Meat the Vegan Mets
Must go · #5 Try the pesto artichoke slice for a rich, flavorful experience
Must go · #6 Try the Dynamite Sandwich, Falafel Burger, and Falafel Flatbread for standout falafel dishes.
Try the chickpea fries for a popular savory snack
Must go · #9 Try the $10 thali with 3 veggie or bean dishes and 2 handmade rotis for a filling meal
Must go · #11 
Must go · #12 Try the khachapuri and chicken kabobs for authentic Mediterranean flavors with a vegan twist
Must go · #13 
Must go · #14 
Must go · #15 Dishes ranked by how well this city's plant-based venues make them, compared to the other 157 cities we track.
31 places worth stopping for bagel
Be aware that some vegan orders have been mistakenly served with dairy cream cheese; double-check your order carefully.
Try the generous tofu cream cheese spreads which come in many flavors including savory and sweet varieties.
Try the tofu-based vegan cream cheeses including garlic herb, sun-dried tomato, and scallion flavors
Try the double chocolate zucchini bread for a rich vegan dessert.
10 places worth stopping for donut
Expect only a few vegan flavors available, typically three, with some seasonal varieties.
Try the hibiscus vegan donut for a fresh floral flavor.
Try the Chai and Mojito doughnuts for bold and refreshing flavors
Try the cookies and cream donuts and the banana pudding
5 places worth stopping for cream cheese
Try the generous tofu cream cheese spreads which come in many flavors including savory and sweet varieties.
Try the tofu-based vegan cream cheeses including garlic herb, sun-dried tomato, and scallion flavors
Be aware that some vegan orders have been mistakenly served with dairy cream cheese; double-check your order carefully.
Order ahead online to avoid long wait times during peak hours
spinach · Vegan Food Guide All 1,570 New York City venues on the map. Filter by what's open, save what you'd return for, get walking directions in two taps.
Completely plant-based kitchens. No swaps, no asking, no surprises.
Try the crunch wrap supreme with wholemeal wrap and impossible meat.
Make sure to try the fried chicken sandwich for its authentic flavor
Try the khachapuri and chicken kabobs for authentic Mediterranean flavors with a vegan twist
Try the ricotta ravioli and puttanesca meatballs
Mainstream restaurants where the vegan side of the menu is treated seriously.
Try the miso or curry vegan ramen for rich, hearty flavors
Try the soy chicken katsu lunch special for a filling meal with drink included
Try the vegan eggs Benedict with vegan salmon or tofu bacon
Try the falafel sandwich or vegan platter with rice for filling plant-based meals
Open before 10, good coffee, the kind of place you walk back to on day two.
Try the vegan eggs Benedict with vegan salmon or tofu bacon
Try the vegan breakfast burrito on gluten-free wrap
Try the generous tofu cream cheese spreads which come in many flavors including savory and sweet varieties.
Try the Jamaican lentil and jerk plantain patties for flavorful savory options
Weekday fuel and weekend stretches.
Try the vegan eggs Benedict with vegan salmon or tofu bacon
Try the pesto artichoke slice for a rich, flavorful experience
Try the vegan pad krapow, a highly recommended and unique vegan dish here.
Ask for customized spice levels; staff are willing to adjust heat to your preference.
The reason you planned the trip.
Try the ricotta ravioli and puttanesca meatballs
Try the khachapuri and chicken kabobs for authentic Mediterranean flavors with a vegan twist
Try the mushroom shawarma and patatas bravas for standout dishes
Try the vegan eggs Benedict with vegan salmon or tofu bacon
Date night. Birthday. Tell them you're celebrating.
Try the cheese board and faux foie gras for authentic vegan French flavors
Try the birria tacos and cinnamon churros with dipping sauces
Try the vegan pad krapow, a highly recommended and unique vegan dish here.
Try the truffle arancini for a standout dish.
Where the coffee is the reason to come.
Enjoy the cinnamon maple latte or lavender latte with oat or almond milk for a flavorful dairy-free coffee.
Try the vegan pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookie for delicious plant-based treats.
Order drinks made with the house macadamia or oat milk for a unique vegan latte experience.
Try the vegan chocolate chunk or Rocky Road cookies, favorites among visitors
Ice cream, pastry, and the honest dessert case.
Try the tahini soft serve sundae topped with halva crumbles and extra tahini drizzle for a rich and unique vegan treat.
Try the cookies and cream donuts and the banana pudding
Try the Chai and Mojito doughnuts for bold and refreshing flavors
Sampling is allowed, so try multiple vegan sorbet flavors before choosing
Quiet rooms, unhurried pace, under $$.
Try the vegan lasagna with extra cranberry sauce.
Try the 'Bodhi Buddha jumps over the wall' soup featuring various mushrooms.
Reservations are recommended for the vegan tasting menu to secure a seat for this intimate 5-table venue.
Try the vegan carrot cake, a highly praised dessert.
Wifi, outlets, no judgement for a 3-hour sit.
Outdoor seating and wheelchair accessible facilities are available
Try the black sesame vegan mooncake, praised for its balance and homemade quality
Try the vegan carrot cake, a highly praised dessert.
Try the vegan pumpkin bread and chocolate chip cookie for delicious plant-based treats.
Busy rooms with tables big enough for eight.
Menus kids recognize, staff who don't flinch at strollers.
Try the crunch wrap supreme with wholemeal wrap and impossible meat.
Try the chickpea fries for a popular savory snack
Try the Chai and Mojito doughnuts for bold and refreshing flavors
Try the Crab Rangoon; it's frequently praised for texture and flavor
Enjoy live music most evenings starting around 7:30pm for a full experience
Save room for vegan desserts like carrot cake, tiramisu, and mini brownies.
Try the vegan mushroom biscuits with mushroom gravy and vegan eggs
Try the vegan ‘Meat Haters’ pizza, frequently praised by diners.
Try the mushroom shawarma and patatas bravas for standout dishes
Enjoy live music most evenings starting around 7:30pm for a full experience
Try the mushroom hummus and falafel laffa for standout vegan dishes
Try the vegan seitan fajitas and seitan al pastor tacos for flavorful plant-based Mexican dishes
Try the Roman-style pizzas, particularly the Carbonara and Calabrian varieties.
Try the vegan lasagna with extra cranberry sauce.
Try the truffle cashew cream pizza, a highly praised specialty.
Sampling is allowed, so try multiple vegan sorbet flavors before choosing
Cities where the bagel signature also earns a spot in the top essentials — pack a weekend around one.
Yes — New York City has 1,570 vegan-ready venues. The top-ranked are Ramen Danbo, Two Boots Pizza UES, Sen Saigon. Spinach ranks them daily on overall rating, signature dish strength, and reviewer praise for the food.
New York City scores 88.0/100 on the Spinach vegan city index. The city has 333 vegan-friendly venues and 317 high-quality restaurants out of 1,570 analyzed.
New York City has 146 fully vegan restaurants and 53 vegetarian restaurants. 333 venues score B or higher on the Vegan Friendliness grade.
New York City's top signature dishes for vegans are bagel, donut, cream cheese, and the city also does dumplings and pizza well. Signature dishes are ranked by how the city's venues score against the other 157 cities we track.
The vegan scene in New York City leans American, Asian, Mediterranean. American is particularly strong, with 10 venues serving quality plant-based options.
Ramen Danbo is ranked #1 in New York City by the Spinach Essentials algorithm, which weights rating, signature dish performance, and reviewer praise. See all 15 Essentials for the full ranking.
Spinach ranks vegan venues using the same algorithm the mobile app runs: a composite of Google Maps rating, the Spinach Rating (Wilson-confidence scored), dish-quality Wilson scores from extracted review signals, and city-specific signature dish strength. Essentials add a tier weighting; category lists add their own mood/occasion weights. No pay-to-play.
The ranking refreshes daily from Supabase. The last refresh is stamped at the top of this page. Venue data comes from Google Maps, HappyCow, and Spinach's own review-analysis pipeline.
