Hello, friends!
Sorry I have been MIA again, it was a busy (2) week(s). Between my newfound love for spinning, drinks with coworkers, and the bf’s rare weeknight availability, I haven’t had time to sit down to write a single post – but the ideas are always brewin’ and I’m super excited to share my favorite vegan lunch spots in NYC with you today.
Although I am not a vegan, I still tend to seek out healthy food with no dairy (thanks lactose intolerance) and over the years I have developed a real affinity for good vegan food. There are definitely days that go by where I eat only vegan without even realizing it, and sometimes when my body feels tired/run down I do so intentionally. Good, nutritionally-sound vegan food (i.e. not all cupcakes and pb&j sandwiches) is FGF, or feel good food, and I’m into that. So whether you’re a hardcore vegan or a meatless Monday kind of chick, I thought you may be interested in the wealth of knowledge I have acquired over 5 years of searching for the best vegan food in NYC 🙂 In the comments, feel free to share your own as well!
(*Note these restaurants are not all vegan through-and-through, but they all have good vegan options)
Top 10 Vegan Lunch Spots & Juice Bars in NYC
1. Juice Generation: In the summer (hey, we’re almost there!), there’s nothing like cooling off with a PB Acai bowl (pictured) or one of their raw food entrees like Zucchini Linguine or Vegan Taco Salad.
2. Sweetgreen: This overcrowded trendy hot spot is home to the delish vegan salad below called the Spicy Sabzi (organic baby spinach + shredded kale with spicty quinoa, spicy broccoli, carrots, raw beets, basil, sprouts and roasted tofu; topped with a carrot chili vinaigrette and a squeeze of sriracha). #yum. It’s [almost] worth the wait.
3. One Lucky Duck: They have a ton of vegan options – in fact everything on the menu is raw and vegan! My go-to order is the caesar salad w/ avocado + the banana nut shake (banana, cashew milk, vanilla, cinnamon).
4. Liquiteria: The perfect post-workout treat. Try the mudslide, the green monster, or the skinny.
5. Baby Cakes: I discovered this adorable, vegan bakery in the Lower East Side while I was at NYU.
6. Le Pain Quotidien: I crave the Organic Quinoa Taboule salad here.. it is so fresh, flavorful and delicious and the basil vinaigrette it comes with is divine.
7. Bareburger: Here I always go for the Black Bean Vegan burger with vegan cheddar, green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, red onions and a cilantro lime dressing. It’s super filling – and super delicious!
8. Natureworks: When I’m craving pizza, I turn to Natureworks. The Natureburger Pizza Style with soy cheese and tomato sauce is ah-mazing.
9. Hu Kitchen: Hu Kitchen has a mission I can stand behind: “We make food for humans and, frankly, we think it’s about time someone did.” What this means is that nothing is processed, and fruits and veggies take center stage.
10. Dig Inn: At Dig Inn, you get to pick several fresh market sides + a protein (there’s a tofu option). The menu changes a lot so you never get bored!
Honorable mentions: Chopt, Just Salad, Fresh & Co. & Nanoosh
What are your thoughts on vegan food? Do you have any NYC lunch favorites that I’m forgetting?
Until next time 🙂
Cee
Cee Food Differently 
Have you been to Peacefoods Cafe? It’s so amazing and delicious but it’s uptown, by Lincoln Center. I love everything there!
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