Vegan Food + How to Explore New York’s Best Accommodations

The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps and apparently the vegan mecca for food! New York baby! I love New York. I find it so vibrant, full of culture, things to do, vegan places to eat, and the chaos, and bright lights make it so exciting. I feel so safe in New York, it’s easy to travel around, and the list of benefits of this city seriously goes on and on.

Recently I visited New York for an event, and even though I’ve been before, I still fall more and more in love with this city every time that I visit. Their food scene is also unreal, especially for those on a vegan/plant-based diet like myself. I love cities for that, they always cater to every kind of dietary restriction possible, and they don’t just cater to it, but do it damn well.

Did you know NYC ranks in the top three for most vegan-friendly cities in the USA? 

New York is home to over 8.4 million people distributed over only 305 square miles. I’ve done a lot of traveling, especially over the last year to places like Greece, Israel, the UK, and Barclona, but even though I fall in love with everywhere I go, there’s just something special that New York brings to the table each time I visit. Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s incredibly multicultural with over 800 languages being spoken there, or the lady of the city, the Statue of Liberty standing tall almost like the cities protector. Every part of New York is fascinating and magical to me, and you truly can’t get bored here.

Where should you stay in New York City?

A pause this blog post for a brief interruption to tell you all about my amazing new pyjamas from Maison Du Soir! I got these beauties in the middle of August and let’s just say I have slept in them 90% of the nights since.  They’re so comfortable, really cute and incredibly great quality!  If you’re in the market for something new sleepwear then they’re your go to!

On my trip this summer I stayed in a beautiful hotel called Hotel Hayden. This hotel was an adorable boutique hotel inspired by the high fashion of the Chelsea neighbourhood it sits in. What I loved about this hotel is how close it was to local landmarks like the Empire State Building and Madison Square Garden. It also had an awesome rooftop bar and restaurant, and a great bistro. I really enjoyed the vegan dolmades and the fava beans.

Try the vegan dolmades and the fava beans at the hotel restaurant! 

One thing about New York is that it comes with a price tag and you pay an arm and a leg for a room that hardly fits your suitcase. Hotel Hayden’s rooms were very spacious, they had awesome room service that even suited a vegan diet like mine, and cute bathrooms. It definitely has to be one of the city’s hippest hotels.

Hayden’s Brother, Henri

During my latest trip I stayed at Hotel Henri, it is owned by the same company as Hotel Hayden so you know you can expect the same quality and customer service! The hotel itself reminded me of what I’d imagine New York  in the 50’s was like with a modern twist. I recommend enjoying one of their signature cocktails at Sir Henri, their Penthouse Rooftop lounge post flight to really relax and get into a New York state of mind. They also have a Greek restaurant, Rodos, need I say more. The best part of staying at Hotel Henri was the location! There is so much I want to do and see (and eat) in NYC that being able to get around is mucho important. From the hotel you can literally walk in any direction and find yourself at some of New York’s must sees. It is really close to Central Park, Times Square, and Grand Central Station. If you’re booking a trip to the big apple and want to be steps away from some of the most well known districts; Chelsea, Flatiron, Gramercy, you will definitely enjoy your stay at Hotel Henri.

Where should a vegan eat in NYC? 

Finding food that caters to any dietary restriction can be challenging in certain places, however, NYC is loaded with great options. Here are just some of the places I recommend:

• abcV 
  abcV is a jack of all trades. They have furniture stores as well as a fantastic cafe serving everything from breakfast to lunch. Their menu is completely vegan, and they serve a great collection of cocktails as well.
• jajaja Plantas Mexicana
  This place was just adorable and super Instagram-worthy. They are a Mexican joint serving tequila and Mexican beers with a side of fresh pressed juices, and vegan street food with options that satisfy both your comfort food craving and your health.
• Lady Bird
  This super chic and trendy tapas restaurant serves a variety of vegan small plates for you to pick and choose from. I loved their variety of tapas they offered for us vegan folks. Definitely a must try!
• By Chloe
  With a goal to eat with a purpose, By Chloe serves wholesome, plant-based foods that tastes delicious and is good for you. They use locally-sourced ingredients, all 100% homemade daily.
• Avant Garden
  This restaurant will seriously make you swoon from the beautiful decor to the menu. Avant Garden serves vegan dishes with a fantastic list of global wines to choose from.
• The Butchers Daughter
  This plant-based restaurant is not just a restaurant but also a cafe, juice bar and vegetable slaughterhouse. Just as a butcher would treat meat for cooking, this restaurant does it all when it comes to veggies. They chop, fillet, carve, all into beautiful vegan dishes.
• Chopshop
  They have two locations that have slightly different menus. I loved the drunken noodles, vegetable dumplings and the salad rolls.
• Pure Food + Wine by Matthew Kenney
  Want to have an elevated vegan food experience? This is the place! It will have you feeling like a fancy lady, the food is amazing and looks amazing.
• Pylos
  This Greek restaurant isn’t vegan but worth checking out if you’re into authentic Greek food. They also offer brunch!
• Double Zero
  The best vegan pizza in the city! This place makes pizza not only delicous but healthy, dreams do come true.
• Maman
  This adorable cafe has a few locations in New York, I went to their Soho location. Along with cafe essentials like coffee and baked goods, Maman also has the cutest little gifts, and their packaging is to die for!
• Toby’s Estate
  If you are serious about your coffee you need to check out Toby’s Estate. They are a cafe that sources and roasts all in house.
• Pietro Nolita
  Their tag line is “Healthy Italian Cuisine” and everything is pink, can I get an amen!
• Avocado Appetit
  Obsessed with avocado? Well this place is avocado everything, literally every menu item has avocado in it. They also have an Adult Capri Sun that comes in a squishy pack.
• Nomo Kitchen
  You can get an American style breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner with a mediterranean influence. They practice farm to fork and the menu changes to cater to seasonal produce.
• Refinery Rooftop
  When you imagine a rooftop bar in the middle of New York, you are picturing Refinery Hotel’s Rooftop. It has the most unreal city views and a retractable glass ceiling so you can enjoy it anytime of year.

Bonus!

A few other places I loved while visiting New York was Cha Cha Matcha for my fav green tea, and Broken Coconut for that focuses on dairy-free and vegan coconut yogurt. So good for grabbing a quick and healthy breakfast or snack.

It’s safe to say, I love New York. What are some of your recommendations for the city that never sleeps leave a comment below? Also let me know other cities that have a unique vegan food movement that I need to check out. There is nothing I love more than exploring a new place one meal at a time!

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