Looking for a vegan cafe in New York that actually lives up to the hype? Good news: whether you’re hunting for a slow Saturday vegan brunch in NYC, a quick coffee and pastry, or full-on dinner at one of the best vegan restaurants in New York, the city’s plant-based scene is stacked with options.
Below is a handpicked list of standout vegan restaurants in NYC and vegan-friendly cafes, from Chinatown to the Upper West Side and beyond.
1. Franchia Vegan Café (Midtown East)
If you’re searching for “best vegan cafe New York” and want something a bit refined, Franchia Vegan Café belongs at the top of your list. It’s the more casual sister restaurant of Hangawi, serving Korean- and Asian-inspired vegan food in NYC in a relaxed, tearoom-style space.
- Neighborhood: Midtown East / Murray Hill
- Vibe: Calm, zen, perfect for dates or quiet catch-ups
- Highlights: Vegan sushi rolls, bibimbap, kimchi stone bowls, dumplings, and a full tea menu
- Good for: Sit-down lunch or dinner, special-occasion meals at a mid-range price point
- Price: $20-$30/person
- Website: franchia.com
- Location: 12 Park Ave
- Phone: +12122131001
- Google rating: 4.6/5
- IG: @franchiavegancafe
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
- Book a table: Click here
If you want a place where “vegan restaurant NYC” doesn’t mean giving up comfort or flavor, Franchia is a strong contender.
2. Spring Café – Vegan Comfort Food in Chinatown
For an affordable vegan cafe in New York, Spring Café in Chinatown is a gem. It’s a fully vegan, fast-casual spot specializing in Asian-American fusion comfort food.
- Neighborhood: Chinatown, Manhattan
- Vibe: Bright, simple, counter-service cafe—great for a quick meal
- Highlights: Bao buns, bento boxes, burgers, bowls, smoothies, and juices
- Good for: Budget-friendly lunches, takeaway, casual meetups
- Price: $10-$20/person
- Website: springcafenyc.com
- Location: 153d Centre St
- Phone: +12122269669
- Google rating: 4.7/5
- IG: @springcafenyc
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
If someone types “vegan cafe Chinatown New York,” this is exactly the kind of place they’re hoping to find.
3. Urban Vegan Kitchen (Chelsea)
Urban Vegan Kitchen is a 100% vegan restaurant in Chelsea that feels like a mash-up of cool bar, comfort-food bistro, and neighborhood hangout. It’s one of the best options for hearty vegan food in NYC that still feels fun and a bit indulgent.
- Neighborhood: Chelsea
- Vibe: Colorful, artsy, casual; full bar and a nightlife-adjacent energy
- Highlights: Chick’n & waffles, mac and cheese, burgers, “wings,” plus cocktails and mocktails
- Good for: Vegan brunch NYC, pre-night-out dinners, mixed groups of vegans and non-vegans
- Price: $20-$30/person
- Website: urbanvegankitchen.com
- Location: 265 W 23 St
- Phone: +16464389939
- Google rating: 4.6/5
- IG: @urbanvegankitchen
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
- Book a table: Click here
If your readers want a place that proves vegan doesn’t mean “light salad,” this is it.
4. Peacefood Café – A Classic on the Upper West Side
When people look up vegan restaurants Upper West Side, Peacefood Café almost always appears. It’s a long-running, kosher, all-vegan restaurant and bakery with locations on the Upper West Side and near Union Square.
- Neighborhood: Upper West Side (original), plus downtown location
- Vibe: Casual, cozy, very “NYC neighborhood spot”
- Highlights: Salads, bowls, sandwiches, fresh juices, excellent desserts, and coffee drinks
- Good for: Everyday meals, casual dates, dessert + coffee
- Price: $20-$30/person
- Website: peacefoodnyc.com
- Location: 460 Amsterdam Ave
- Phone: +12123622266
- Google rating: 4.4/5
- IG: @peacefoodnyc
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
For Upper West Side readers searching “vegan restaurant NYC near me,” Peacefood is the archetype.
5. Jajaja Mexicana – Plant-Based Mexican With Serious Brunch Game
Jajaja Mexicana (often just “Jajaja”) is one of the most talked-about vegan restaurants in New York, with multiple locations across the city. It’s all about plant-based Mexican street food, cocktails, and a brunch menu that hits hard.
- Neighborhoods: Lower East Side, West Village, Williamsburg, Hudson Yards & more
- Vibe: Bright, buzzy, “vacation in the city” energy
- Highlights: Vegan chilaquiles, tacos, coconut French toast, queso, margaritas, and mezcal cocktails
- Good for: Vegan brunch in NYC, group dinners, birthdays, nights out
- Price: $20-$30/person
- Website: jajajamexicana.com
- Location: 162 E Broadway
- Phone: +16468835453
- Google rating: 4.6/5
- IG: @jajajamexicana
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
If you’re optimizing for “vegan brunch NYC,” Jajaja deserves a whole paragraph on its own.
6. Bub’s Bakery (NoHo / SoHo Border)
While not a strictly vegan restaurant in NYC (they serve dairy milk for coffee), Bub’s Bakery is getting a lot of press for its fully vegan, gluten-free pastries. Eater calls it a “gluten-free delight that doesn’t compromise on flavor,” with American-style baked goods that happen to be vegan, soy-free, nut-free and sesame-free.
- Neighborhood: On a slim triangular block at the border of NoHo and SoHo
- Vibe: Stylish, modern bakery with outdoor seating
- Highlights: Cakes, cookies, pastries—all vegan and allergen-friendly
- Good for: Coffee + pastry stops, quick meetups, gluten-free readers
- Price: $10-$20/person
- Website: bubsbakery.com
- Location: 325 Lafayette St
- Phone: +16464498814
- Google rating: 4.7/5
- IG: @bubsbakerynyc
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Perfect to naturally target “organic vegan cafe New York” or “vegan cafe New York” style queries focused on baked goods.
7. The Garden Café (Woodstock) – Worth-the-Trip Vegan Café
If you’re willing to stretch “vegan cafe New York” beyond NYC and into the Hudson Valley, The Garden Café in Woodstock is a beloved all-vegan restaurant that many New Yorkers treat as a day-trip destination.
- Location: Woodstock, NY (upstate – not the city)
- Vibe: Community-focused, leafy courtyard, very “small-town New York” charm
- Highlights: Fully vegan menu with organic, scratch-made dishes and fresh juices
- Good for: Weekend trips, couples, wellness-oriented travelers
- Price: $20-$30/person
- Website: thegardencafewoodstock.com
- Location: 6 Old Forge Rd
- Phone: +18456793600
- Google rating: 4.7/5
- IG: @gardencafewoodstock
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Nice place to work in the “garden cafe new york vegan” keyword and capture state-level searches.
8. Le Botaniste & Other UWS Vegan-Friendly Spots
On the Upper West Side, there’s a growing cluster of vegan-friendly places that support the “vegan restaurants Upper West Side” search intent. Guides frequently highlight spots like Peacefood, Le Botaniste (plant-based organic bowls and wine bar), plus mainstream restaurants offering vegan menus.
- Neighborhood: Upper West Side
- Vibe: Mix of casual cafes and slightly upscale, European-style concepts
- Highlights: Grain bowls, soups, salads, vegan pizza slices, plus dedicated vegan menus at some non-vegan restaurants
- Good for: Local residents, after-museum lunches, people easing into plant-based eating
- Price: $10-$20/person
- Website: lebotaniste.us
- Location: 156 Columbus Ave
- Phone: +16469984605
- Google rating: 4.6/5
- IG: @le_botaniste
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
You can group these together as an “Upper West Side vegan mini-guide” inside the blog.
9. Hard Rock Cafe New York – Vegan Options for Mixed Groups
It’s not a vegan restaurant NYC in the strict sense, but for readers searching things like “Hard Rock Cafe New York vegan,” it’s worth mentioning that the chain has clearly-labeled vegan mains at many locations, such as a plant-based burger and veggie fajitas.
- Neighborhood: Times Square
- Vibe: Tourist-heavy, classic Hard Rock experience
- Highlights (vegan options vary by location): Plant-based burger, veggie fajitas, and some dishes that can be modified to be vegan
- Good for: Mixed groups where only one or two people are vegan
- Price: $10-$20/person
- Website: cafe.hardrock.com/new-york
- Location: 1501 Broadway
- Phone: +12123433355
- Google rating: 4.4/5
- IG: @hardrockcafe
- Wheelchair accessible: Yes
This is a strategic entry for commercial intent searches where users want to know if a mainstream spot can accommodate them.
10. Vegan Brunch & Breakfast Spots Around Manhattan
For pure vegan brunch NYC and breakfast searches, it helps to name-check a few places vegans repeatedly recommend:
- Gregory’s Coffee – a local chain with vegan breakfast sandwiches, croissants and good non-dairy options.
- Orchard Grocer – a vegan deli-style spot with sandwiches and breakfast options.
- Butcher’s Daughter – mostly vegetarian with strong vegan options, popular for brunch vibes.
These are useful to group under a “quick-start guide” section for people who just want a plant-based breakfast near their hotel.
Affordable Vegan Cafes in New York City
If you’re searching for an affordable vegan cafe in New York rather than a fancy tasting menu, there are plenty of cheap cafes, vegan, New York locals actually use every week.
Spring Café in Chinatown is the clear winner if you want budget-friendly, fully vegan food in NYC. Most bowls, buns, and burgers sit in the $10–$20/person range, and you still get that “this could be my regular spot” feeling rather than a rushed grab-and-go. It’s the kind of place people have in mind when they type “cheap cafes vegan New York” or “preiswerte cafes vegan New York” into Google.
On the sweeter side, Bub’s Bakery near NoHo/SoHo is perfect for a coffee-and-pastry day that still feels special. Everything baked is vegan and gluten-free, so if someone is hunting for an organic vegan cafe New York–style bakery with allergen-friendly treats, this is a strong pick.
If you’re staying midtown or commuting through, Gregory’s Coffee locations are a practical answer for anyone searching “affordable cafes vegan New York New York.” Their vegan breakfast sandwiches, pastries, and non-dairy lattes make it easy to grab something plant-based without going out of your way.
And for deli-style eats, Orchard Grocer on the Lower East Side works perfectly as a wallet-friendly “vegan bodega.” It’s ideal for quick sandwiches, bagels, and snacks when you want vegan food NYC without a sit-down meal.
Best Vegan Brunch NYC: Where to Go This Weekend
If your main goal is vegan brunch in NYC, a few of the spots you’ve listed stand out as true weekend heroes.
- Urban Vegan Kitchen (Chelsea) – This is brunch for people who want it fun, loud, and indulgent. Think chick’n & waffles, mac and cheese, and brunch-friendly cocktails. It’s one of those places that converts skeptical friends who still think “vegan restaurant NYC” means just salad.
- Jajaja Mexicana – With locations from the Lower East Side to the West Village and Hudson Yards, Jajaja is basically synonymous with vegan brunch NYC. Dishes like chilaquiles, coconut French toast, and loaded tacos make it one of the best vegan restaurants in New York for weekend groups and birthdays.
- Peacefood Café (Upper West Side) – For a calmer, neighborhood-style brunch, Peacefood is perfect. You can keep it light with salads and bowls or go all in on cakes, pies, and coffee drinks. Great for anyone searching “best vegan cafe New York” and wanting something relaxed and local.
- The Butcher’s Daughter – Not 100% vegan, but incredibly strong for plant-based brunch. It pops up in almost every “best vegan brunch NYC” list thanks to juices, toasts, bowls, and breakfast plates in a very Instagrammable Nolita setting.
If you’re planning a “where to go this weekend” guide, these are the spots to highlight for readers who want vegan food in NYC with social vibes, cocktails, and a reason to linger.
Vegan Restaurants on the Upper West Side
When someone searches for vegan restaurants Upper West Side, they’re usually looking for more than one lonely cafe. The good news: the UWS actually has a small but solid cluster of vegan and vegan-friendly spots.
Peacefood Café is still the anchor. It’s exactly what you imagine when you think of a classic vegan cafe New York: big windows, cozy tables, sandwiches, bowls, desserts, and coffee, all at a fair $20–$30/person price point. For many locals, it’s the default answer to “vegan restaurant NYC near me” on the West Side.
A short walk away, Le Botaniste adds a different vibe—more European, more “plant-based apothecary.” It focuses on organic bowls, stews, salads, and natural wines, which fits perfectly for readers looking for vegan restaurants Upper West Side that feel a bit healthier and more refined.
You can easily turn this into a mini-guide section, for example:
- Peacefood Café – Best all-round vegan restaurant in NYC on the UWS
- Le Botaniste – Plant-based bowls and wine bar vibes
- Nearby non-vegan spots with strong vegan menus (pizzerias and cafes that clearly label vegan options)
Framing it this way helps capture searches like “vegan restaurants Upper West Side”, while still tying back to your main keyword “vegan cafe New York” and related vegan restaurant NYC phrases. Also, check our list of NYC restaurants open on Christmas 2025.
