my favorite NYC restaurants

Posted by Alicia Silverstone on Oct 26, 2009

If you are in NYC and want to know where to get the best, yummiest food ever, try some of these places. They are not to be missed! I put them in order of my favorites.

I am moving to New York in December, so part two of this list will come out after a long, hard live there…Stay tuned!

HanGawi
12E 32nd Street (between 5th and Madison Ave)
212-213-0077
Great Korean restaurant. There is a lovely zen, sexy vibe in there. Great place for flirts! I recommend the vermicelli noodles, the mountain roots, ginger grilled tadok root (SO good), veg dumpling soup and the desserts (pudding, rice balls). Tell them hi from me! I love the people who work there!

CANDLE 79
154 East 79th Street (79th & Lexington)
(212) 537-7179
Nice upscale restaurant. Perfect for flirts! I recommend: Seitan Picatta, Seitan Chimichurri, and peanut butter bliss...and the cocktails! Sangria! Rub owner Bart’s belly for me! Give joy a hug...and enjoy the really sweet staff. Tall handsome bartender too!

PURE FOOD & WINE
54 Irving Place
212-477-1010
Very nice vibe. Swanky, sexy, great place to enjoy.
Flirts will love these dishes. Be sure to get the arugula salad, cheese plate, mint ice cream sunday, or ice cream trio covered in chocolate, and the master cleanse sake martini.

STOGO
159 2nd Avenue (entrance on 10th St. between 2nd and 3rd Aves)
212-677-2301
Great ice cream. Great for flirts! This place is amazing!

BABYCAKES
248 Broome St. (between Orchard and Ludlow)
212-677-5047
Great for flirts. They have yummie vegan cupcakes and cookie sandwich with cream. And all kinds of fun treats, and great lemonade

VEGETARIAN DIM SUM HOUSE
24 Pell St.
212-577-7176
Great for flirts! Staff is grumpy but it’s a fun adventure. The food is yum. I love the pork buns and the veg soup.

SULLIVAN STREET BAKERY
533 W. 74th St.
212-265-5580
Great pizza. Flirts will like and vegans will rejoice!

JIVAMUKTTEA CAFÉ
841 Broadway, 2nd Floor
212-353-0214
Good for flirts . Great for vegans and superheroes. The vibe is nice. The staff are super friendly and helpful. I loved the quinoa, kale, and rosemary seitan. Also loved the grilled cheese and the eggs on toast!

GOBO
1426 3 Ave. OR 401 Avenue of the Americas
212-288-5099, 212-255-3242
Good for flirts. Very nice place. The lasagna is really good. Also, the mock chicken on top of the salad is really good.

SOUEN
210 6th Ave (at Prince St.) OR 28 E. 13th Street (between University Pl. and 5th Ave)
212-807-7421, 212-627-7150
This is paradise for superheroes! This is my favorite spot in NY…. And there are 2 locations! They have great, simple, clean macro food. I recommend the squash, greens and daikon, and carrots with carrot dressing. I also like the kimpira. Also love the tofu sandwich, and am dying to try the home made seitan sandwich.

CANDLE CAFÉ
1307 Third Avenue (between 74th & 75th streets)
212-472-0940
This is Candle 79’s sister restaurant. Good for flirts. I recommend the Aztec salad, club sandwich, hummus plate and chimichurri for sure!

FRANCHIA
12 Park Avenue (between 34th and 35th Street)
212-213-1001
This is HanGawi’s sister restaurant. It is good for flirts. The teas there are so good, and the savory pancakes are great. The sushi is also really good.

SACRED CHOW
227 Sullivan Street (between W. 3rd and Bleecker)
212-337-0863
Sacred Chow is a great little veg joint with an indie vibe. The Reuben sandwich is a must. I've only been here once, but can't wait to try the rest of their menu.

ANGELICA KITCHEN
300 East 12th Street
212-228-2909
Great place for flirts. I recommend the Caesar salad, tofu pesto sandwich, Kinpira, shepherd’s pie, and coconut cookie.

ZEN PALATE
663 9th Ave. (at 45th St.)
212-582-1669
Another great place for flirts. I haven’t been in so long, but I remember loving the scallion pancake and the orange chicken balls (not sure what they are called)

STRICTLY ROOTS
2058 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. (at 123rd St.)
212-864-8699
This place has a good vibe, great plantain dishes.

CARAVAN OF DREAMS
405 E. 6th Street
212-254-1613
This place is good. The smoothie with ice cream is great, and the burrito is terrific.

COUNTER
105 First Avenue (between 6th and 7th)
212-982-5630
This place has great organic wine. Haven’t been in ages.

QUINTESSENCE
263 E. 10th Street (between Ave A and 1st Street)
646-654-1823
Great raw place. I recommend the sun burger, the desserts, and the crepes. I haven’t been in ages.

INTEGRAL YOGA NATURAL FOODS
229 West 13th St.
212-243-2642
The counter service food is great here.

ORGANIC AVENUE
101 Stanton Street OR 43 8th Ave.
212-334-4593
They have juice fasts and such. Not ideal for superheroes, and not ideal for winter. But great for a spring and summer cleanse. It is delicious though!

S’NICE
45 8th Ave. (at W. 4th St.)
212-645-0310
I have never been, but have heard good things.

RED BAMBOO
140 W. 4th St.
212-260-1212
I have never been, but heard that it’s great.

BLOSSOM RESTAURANT
187 9th Ave.
212-627-1144

OZU Restaurant Japanese Kosher Natural Food
566 Amsterdam Avenue (between 87th and 88th Streets)
(212) 787-8316
I hear it’s clean and good. Superhero food!

MANA
646 Amsterdam Avenue (between 91st - 92nd Street)
212-787-1110
I haven’t been there in a long time, but I remember liking it. Superhero food!

Also, if you know about an amazing restaurant that I missed, please tell me about it! What do you love to eat when you’re in NYC?

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Categories: food , travel , new york

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41 Responses

Animal Lover
Jan 31, 2010
34

i used to live on 30th between park and lex and would shop for veg foods, get juices and use their super delicious hot bar (work hours, work days only). forget the name but it's something like "natural foods" and on Park Avenue between 29th and 30th street.

Animal Lover
Jan 31, 2010
35

Daniella
Apr 30, 2010
36

You're lucky to visit the Babycakes in NYC... I went on a trip to L.A. recently and worked in a visit to Babycakes in downtown L.A - their new location... and oh my goodness... it is in quite possibly the sketchiest location ever! I would have NEVER have gone down there if I had known how scary it was going to be. It is definitely not a place for two girls to be on their own, and we went at like 6pm too... I was so, so disappointed as I really wanted to try one of their cupcakes, but after walking one block from are parked car we knew it was bad news and had to turn right around.

Tamar135
Aug 24, 2010
37

I went to Caravan of Dreams today on 6th - AMAZING! It's a little "hole in the wall"-ish, but the food was fantastic. We ordered more food than two people should admit to, but the thing that's worth telling you all about was the un-chicken nachos. This was the kind of dish I wanted to re-order when I finished. It was just so fresh and delicious! I highly recommend this place if you're a superhero, vegan or flirt!

Nicole DAndrea
Sep 22, 2010
38

I live in Toronto and will definately try "the beet". I actually just realized now that I live not too far from one. And only a subway ride away from Whole Foods YAY!!!!

Tamar135
Sep 25, 2010
39

I went to Candle 79 in NYC yesterday with my meat eater husband and mother in law. We all loved it! We had the dumplings and hummus platter for an appetizer, and shared the burrito and falafel sandwiches. Fantastic! The highlight of the day was when Tea Leoni walked in. The waiter said there are many famous people that are regulars. Very fun day and delicious food - highly recommended!

Biz
Oct 11, 2010
40

Wild Ginger has another BK location in Boerum Hill. Love the watercress beet salad served with a tasty sesame dressing, the spring rolls, the cold green tea noodles and the mooshu vegetables. Hot teas are quite yummy here too.

In Williamsburg, I like Bliss Cafe. It's a bit hippie but personally I like that. Feasted on their Harvest Plate. Steamed kale, brown rice, veggies lightly sautee'd in garlic, lentils and a slice of cornbread. Wowee. You get to choose a side dressing, but I think the tahini is the one true vegan option. Super delish and if you're looking for a Superhero option, this is a classic macrobiotic selection. Have heard that Vinnie's Pizza offers vegan slices but the times I've visited the choices have been limited.

Can't wait to try out some of the places you all have talked about!