Plant-Based Eateries
Garden Cafe Woodstock
Woodstock
If it’s simple but satisfying vegan food you seek, you’ll find it in spades at Garden Cafe. Helmed by owner Lea Haas—who, as a kid, learned the ropes of the hospitality biz from her restaurant-owning parents—the Ulster County must-try leans on organic, GMO-free ingredients to whip up all its menu items. Choose from mains like spicy Buffalo cauliflower tacos or the Indian red lentil vegetable enchilada, complete with curry coconut apple salad and sauteed greens. And don’t hesitate to bring along your little ones: Garden Cafe’s kids menu, which boasts crowd-pleasing options including Daiya cheddar-filled quesadillas, makes dining with the family a breeze.
Bar Vegan
Albany
Leafy decor sets the stage for an evening of plant-heavy (and decidedly delicious) dining at Bar Vegan, a popular tapas- and-cocktail bar that offers a superb selection of meat- and dairy-free small plates: onion- and sweet corn-stuffed avocados, spicy rice noodles with veggies and tofu, and sweet potato sushi rolls, to name a few. Tell your server you’ll take the lot, order a round of drinks (might we suggest the mezcal negroni?), and make sure you save room for dessert—adorned with chocolate, sprinkles, caramel apple, and the obligatory cherry, Bar Vegan’s fried ice cream is a true treat.
At these restaurants, plant-based meals run the gamut from elevated salads to intricate entrées.
Fogwood + Fig
Port Jervis
A big, savory burger isn’t exactly the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about vegetarian cuisine, but that’s exactly what you’ll find (and more) at this Orange County restaurant that specializes in “made-from-scratch, plant-based comfort food.” And with four burgers, a trio of sammies, and a smattering of other feel-good bites on the menu, it doesn’t disappoint. Try the Flirty Burger, a black lentil mushroom patty slathered with chili cherry sauce and sriracha lemon mayo, or tuck into creamy cashew-based mac and cheese topped with coconut crisps.
Art Cafe
Nyack
Traditional Israeli dishes form the backbone of this aptly named Rockland County staple, where an ever-changing array of drawings, paintings, and photographs lines the walls. But great food and killer art exhibits aren’t the restaurant’s only selling points: It also specializes in freshly ground Counter Culture coffee drinks, served alongside its robust roster of vegetarian and vegan eats. Order your go-to latte and pair it with berry-topped ricotta pancakes or Art Cafe’s eponymous breakfast plate, complete with savory Bulgarian feta, olive spread, and labane. Dining later in the day? Fill your belly with meat-free selections like the tofu-laden spiced couscous or a pressed torti, stuffed with goat cheese, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes.
Café Joust
Catskill
This Greene County restaurant has just one request: Eat food made from plants, not in them. That’s easy to do at Café Joust, with its curated mix of breakfast and lunch dishes that eschew meat and uber-processed foods for organic ingredients like pickled vegetables, microgreens, and goji berries. Get your fill with the avocado toast, prepped with kale hemp pesto, or the handmade falafel; either will pair beautifully with the Darkness smoothie, blended with acai juice, dates, and almond butter.
Something for Everyone
Although these restaurants are in the carnivore category, each one has crafted a special menu for delicious plant-based dining.
Café Euphoria
Troy
Plant-based and pescatarian dishes earn top billing at this worker-owned cooperative in Rensselaer County. Open late on Thursdays and Fridays, but otherwise catering to the breakfast and lunch crowd, Café Euphoria excels in core dishes like its soy chorizo burrito, served with vegan jalapeno mayo, as well as a handful of rotating daily specials such as the pulled “pork” sandwich—crammed with BBQ sauce-smothered oats, house-made cabbage slaw, and green pepper. A delicious meal is just part of the riverside cafe’s appeal; led by a trans and gender nonconforming staff, the inclusive eatery also prides itself on the creation of community, offering a safe and supportive dining space for all.
Garvan’s Gastropub
New Paltz
Raising a glass to Hudson Valley herbivores with a lengthy vegetarian menu—served alongside meaty mains like Guinness lamb stew—this Ulster County Irish gastropub offers plant-based dishes like chickpea curry, as well as black pepper cream-sauced primavera, brimming with a trifecta of portobello, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms. Bonus points for the cheeky shepherdess pie, a vegetarian spin on the Irish classic boasting French lentils, carrots, onions, peas, cheesy nutritional yeast, and tomatoes.
Sweet Grass Grill
Tarrytown
If the name of this well-loved Westchester eatery hasn’t clued you in on its generous variety of plant-powered fare, a quick glance at the veggie-forward dinner, lunch, and brunch menus most certainly will. Built around fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from a handful of area farms, offerings run the gamut from red-and-golden-beet salad, plated with pistachio dukkah and coconut yogurt, to local mushroom risotto featuring shallot confit and leeks. Ask for the truffle chickpea tartine to start, and sip on a pomegranate paloma—one of Sweet Grass’ many drink options—while you wait.
Iron Gate Cafe
Albany
Few breakfast-and-lunch places in our state capital rival the veggie-friendliness (and popularity) of Iron Gate Cafe, which boasts a tempting vegan menu on top of its assortment of vegetarian (and meat) options. Considered essential local dining by those in the know, the bustling brunch spot regularly draws hordes of patrons eager to sample its beloved food. Breakfast choices include everything from tofu scrambles to unexpected Benedicts with black bean sliders, while the lunch spread boasts plates like vegetable-packed Buddha bowls drizzled with sweet Thai chili sauce and tangy strawberry, walnut, and goat cheese salads.
Related: Where to Get Delicious Thai Food in the Hudson Valley
