5 vegetarian & vegan hotspots in New York

Chef Shenarri Freeman interprets southern food classics into new vegan creative soul food masterpieces. A tiny spot with mostly bar seating will have you rubbing elbows with fellow plant lovers to enjoy her smoked grits, maple buttermilk cornbread, collard wraps, and popular Southern Fried Lasagna with red wine bolognese, pine nut ricotta, and spinach.

Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is expanding his abc empire to include one focused exclusively on vegetables. The decor is funky and fresh, in their inimitable style, with pops of chartreuse. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, feast on hearty soups, kabocha squash dip, ancient grain pilaf, and noodle dishes.

Chef Amanda Cohen became famous for creating artistic vegetable dishes with the first, tiny outlet of Dirt Candy. Now in a larger airy space downtown, she is able to accommodate her fans. Fun dishes like the super-crunchy, battered Korean fried broccoli can make anyone become a vegetable lover.

This is where you will get personal interaction from the owner and chef. The almost spiritual atmosphere of this cozy spot is all due to its founder Divya Alter. She is a delightful host and possesses a wealth of knowledge on all things vegan and Ayurvedic. Feel free to order small and large dishes to share and savor.

Jajaja feels like a cool downtown restaurant and a holiday getaway at the same time. Street tacos are offered with a selection of highly unusual stuffings: Daring chicken, sweet potato, hearts of palm, tempura cauliflower, and mushroom, to name a few. The Mexican corn is always a must. Jajaja will make you forget meat ever existed. Three other locations in NYC.