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ABCV
Flavors from the Far East, Middle East, and the Mediterranean make up the rich and inspired profile of the collection of courses offered at this remarkable restaurant. The delectable essences of pairings all work together in perfect harmony to invite you to come take part in a transportive dining experience. ABCV is one of our top choices to dine in NYC offering globally inspired plant-based cuisine. The focus is on organic, non-GMO, pesticide and herbicide-free ingredients sourced locally and globally from small and family farms. The restaurants desire for an ever constant and growing commitment to sustainability and forward practices are very current and progressive. ABCV is the plant focused restaurant of the ABC family (ABCV, ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina) conceptualized by world famed Chef Jean-Georges. The 2-star Michelin chef has forgone his traditional French roots of meat stocks and creams and opts in favor of vegetable juices, light broths and herbal vinaigrettes in his creations to evoke intense flavors and textures. The restaurant’s execution is flawless from the aesthetics and atmosphere of the space, preparation of the dishes, eye-catching presentations, and captivating aromatics. The wonderful combination and diversity of flavors in the courses served excite the palette and bring joy to ones soul. Every single dish shines at this award-winning restaurant. One course does not surpass another. Plates are suggested to be shared. Four to five small plates concerted between two people is the perfect amount to be able to indulge in the multitude of flavors offered. This delightful gem is located right in the heart of Union Square, inside the ABC Carpet and Home store. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner weekly as well as brunch on the weekends. The menu is modified by the seasons, but some items remain staples. We recommend the green chickpea hummus, mushroom walnut bolognese, the fried maitake mushroom, whole roasted cauliflower, and white yams, as well as the dosa and the Appalachian heirloom blue corn griddle cakes for brunch. Special tip: Make a reservation for the prix-fix tastings during special holidays. ABCV, without a doubt, is one of the finest restaurants in the world and without question worth a visit from domestically or afar.
Divya’s Kitchen
This ingenious vegan/vegetarian restaurant is located on 1st Ave in the hip area of East Village. Divya’s Kitchen is a must-stop if you’re in Manhattan. Chef and creator Divya Alter has exquisitely designed her space and beautifully curated, exceptional unparalleled dishes. Divya grew up in Bulgaria where she first became aware of the importance of food and fell in love with vegetarian cuisine at the age of 18. She went on to study in India for 5 years where her discovery of Ayurveda was founded. Ayurveda is an ancient alternative healing practice rooted in the Indian culture that focuses on the 5 elements of air, space, water, fire and earth. Ayurvedic cuisine uses these elements to formulate ones dosha (vata, kapha and pitta) according to a person’s body type, personality and sensitivities to find balance within oneself. The application of Ayurveda-assisted Divya in curing digestive upset, chronic fatigue and an autoimmune disorder. In uncovering this antiquated healing system, Divya became a certified nutritional consultant and culinary educator. Presently she runs her Ayurvedic culinary school Bhagavat Life and her Ayurvedic restaurant Divya’s Kitchen in NYC. She is also the author of What To Eat For How You Feel: The New Ayurvedic Kitchen. Her dishes are expressive, intriguing, full of intention and innovation. They induce balance, comfort and bring forth grounding energy. She utilizes a plethora of Indian spices and herbs to captivate ones taste buds as well as to protect the liver and digestive system from being overwhelmed. We recommend starting with the cheese cutlets served with the most incredible raisin-cranberry sauce we’ve ever had and the roasted fennel and beet salad. The lasagna is a must for the main entree. It is filled with broccoli, carrots, sautéed greens, basil-parsley pesto and is also topped with the raisin-cranberry sauce. This dish is made vegan with a sunflower milk béchamel or vegetarian with cashew milk béchamel and freshly made mozzarella. For dessert we recommend the carob coconut cake or rose pistachio fudge, and for brunch on the weekends check out the savory waffles served with sautéed leafy greens, baby beets, cashew sour cream, and a roasted carrot tahini sauce or the sweet waffles if you’re looking for something on the sweeter side. Portions are substantial and easily shareable. Tip: If you wish to try a little of everything for dinner, get the 3-course prix-fix which consists of a small starter, soup or salad, a main dish and dessert. You will not find creative dishes like this anywhere else but Divya’s. Book a reservation, sign up for a cooking class, bring Divya home with you via her prepackaged food items like her kitchari or cultured ghee, and get her impressive cookbook to take home so you can have a piece of Divya’s creations with you always.
Le Botaniste
Undeniably, one of the best restaurants in NYC is Le Botaniste. It has to be on the absolute top stop spot if you are in or visiting Manhattan. This organic, plant-based food and natural wine bar was born in Ghent, Belgium by Alain Coumont, who had the intent and desire to bring 100% pure organic vegan fare to the people while reducing the carbon footprint. There are now seven Le Botanist locations, one in Ghent, three in Brussels and four in New York City (Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Soho, and Midtown East). The concept is inventive with the interiors of each location adorned with apothecary-inspired accents to emanate a sense of vitality. Lush green plants also fill the spaces, but the most clever aspect of Coumont’s brainchild, in our opinion, are the veggie bowls served as what’s known as ” prescription bowls”. “Good healthy food doesn’t have to be boring” – Alain Coumont. This quote by Coumont reigns true on many levels in terms of flavor profiles, design, and presentation. Botanical prescription bowls are served at the restaurants long white marble veggie bar that showcases the fresh ingredients prepped throughout the day to maintain freshness and are beautifully presented in strikingly colorful cast-iron pots. Each bowl begins with a base such as gluten-free grains or a salad mix. Next up to continue building the bowl is a warm topping or chilled dip and then each bowl is enhanced and completed with fresh herbs and garnishes such as the probiotic-rich fermented vegetables, crunchy super-seeds, and health-giving dressings. Our top picks are the Tibetan Mama, which consists of brown rice, coconut peanut butter, curry sauce, steamed greens, and kimchi. Another cult favorite is the Spicy Chili Sin Carne, which includes brown rice, a variety of three beans, quinoa, chili sin carne, and is topped with ersatz sour cream and turmeric onion. Dare we say it is unquestionably the greatest vegan chili we have ever had. The Vegetable Tajine is also a must-try menu staple comprised of quinoa, potatoes, moroccan vegetable stew, and root vegetables. It is finished with a lemon harissa dressing. Fun Tip: if you can’t decide on just one bowl, the restaurant offers their Botanical Therapy option, which is three half portion sizes of three bowls of your choice. In our opinion, the sizes are still exceptionally sizable and satisfying. No prescription bowl is complete without the Vino Therhappy, which is the official wine motto of the restaurant. They have put together a beautiful worldwide wine selection which includes about ten bottles of organic fermented grape juice as they refer to it in rotation at once. The choices of bottles may vary from location to location. All the more reason to visit different locations and explore the individual vibes of the spaces. If you’re looking to pop in for lunch, have a date night, or even host an event, Le Botaniste is here to serve. They provide lunch, dinner, and catering for small or large occasions. What could be better than unearthing a restaurant that is 100% organic, plant-based and sustainable? Stop in at a Le Botaniste location today and discover one of the best botanical prescription bowls you’ve ever had! ” Let Food Be Thy Medicine” – Hippocrates.
Bar Verde
Do you love Mexican food? If you answered yes to this question, you must check out Bar Verde in the heart of East Village. This 100% gluten-free and soy-free, organic and plant-based Mexican and Latin-inspired restaurant has been open since 2017. American celebrity chef, and self-proclaimed as the “world’s leading plant-based chef,” Matthew Kenney is the visionary behind this genius restaurant concept. Kenney has artfully crafted 28 vegan restaurants worldwide in 15 international cities that span 5 continents. With a track record like this, we definitely agree he is “the world leading plant-based chef.” The inspiration behind Bar Verde was influenced by Kenney’s travels through Mexico. The restaurant boasts nachos covered in butternut squash queso and drizzled with crema made of cashews, spicy cauliflower enchiladas thoughtfully finished with beautiful edible flowers, and the best quesadilla cleverly made with turmeric cashew cheddar. There is also an abundance of tacos to choose from, desserts like the churros + chocolate, and even a bar consisting of a variety of organic and sustainable tequilas, cocktails, beer and wine. The restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner as well as brunch on the weekends. Tip: Don’t forget to order your bottomless mimosas or margaritas with the purchase of a breakfast item on the weekends.
Pure Ktch
Located right on Restaurant Rowe in Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown NYC is an amazing spot with dishes loaded with all the superfoods you could possibly think of. Pure Ktch launched in 2016 after extensive forethought and diligence. It was only an idea for a blog that eventually conceptualized into a brick and mortar. The ingredients are pure, simple, 100% organic and made fresh in-house daily to preserve all of the nutrients to deliver only the most nourishing dishes. There are no fryers, no added sugars, no soy, and no chemicals. The dishes are designed by a nutritionist and are comprised of superfoods like goji berries, hemp seeds, coconut, ginger, blue majik, cacao, açaí berry, matcha, maca, spirulina, and turmeric. The menu consists of superfood bowls, warm bowls, sushi bowls, salads, burgers, tartines, sweets, juices, smoothies and lattes. All the nut cheeses, nut butters, and nut milks are house made for all the beautiful creations crafted here. Favs include the Rainbow Salad, Thai Bowl, The “Possible” Burger, the chocolate cheesecake and turmeric latte. They are open every day except Sundays for dine-in and takeout. Pure Ktch is fresh, nutritious, and straight from Mother Earth. If you need your superfood fix look no further!
