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Spring Valley
Caribbean food is the order of the day here, with jerk seitan, brown stewed tofu, and callaloo anchoring a menu that varies every time you stop by for flavors you won’t get elsewhere.
Order this: Pepper Steak (Seitan)
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Nyack
High-end but casual, True Food hits every foodie buzzword, from gluten-free to paleo to fair trade, with a superfood-heavy menu of salads and grains.
Order this: Salvadorian Platter, with organic eggs, beans, organic avocado, jalapeño plantains, and organic salsa
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Nyack
Located right in the middle of Nyack, this creative hub serves eclectic eats. Enjoy Mediterranean and Israeli-inspired vegetarian dishes. For breakfast, snack on fresh pastries alongside hot lattes. Be sure to check out the gallery of the month indoors, and live music on the outdoor patio.
Order this: “Shakshooka” with two eggs in spicy tomato sauce topped with feta and herbs, served with a side of homemade pita bread
Skinny Buddha photo courtesy of venue
Mount Kisco
The SB is distinguished both by its wide-ranging vegan menu, stretching from burgers and soups to takes on deli classics, and a general focus on well-being, including custom-made meal plans and cleanses.
Order this: Raw Vegan Kale Salad with dried cranberries, walnuts, vegan “parmesan,” and a lemon juice/olive oil dressing
Conscious Fork photo by Hannah Maxwell Photography
Warwick
Patrons to the CF can enjoy one of many vegan sandwiches, healthy bowls, and fresh-pressed juices while checking out the local art on display.
Order this: Ginger Tamari Rice Bowl with fresh shredded red cabbage, carrots, kale, and scallions all tossed in the signature ginger tamarind dressing
Good Choice Kitchen photo by Meghan Spiro
Ossining
At this farm-to-table restaurant and cooking school, patrons can learn how to make many of the hearty, seasonal dishes served in the café.
Order this: Hearty Sesame Kale Salad with crunchy seasonal raw vegetables with miso-sesame dressing
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Newburgh
A contemporary, all-vegetarian Indian restaurant with plentiful vegan options, BK even has a daily lunch buffet for those who want to fill up on a budget.
Order this: Kofta, vegetable and chickpea dumplings made with cabbage, beet, and spinach in a special tomato and cashew sauce
Vegetalien photo by Meghan Spiro
Beacon
The upscale, vegan-leaning restaurant serves a seasonal menu of bowls and wraps as well as fresh juices and smoothies.
Order this: Buddha Bowl, a grain-and-salad bowl that changes weekly
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Beacon
Good ramen remains a challenge outside of Japan, but Quinn’s does it better than anyone in the Valley, with a hip setting, good beers, and live music in addition to rice balls, steamed buns, and noodles cooked to exactly the right texture.
Order this: Spicy Miso Vegetarian Ramen, a well-priced, no-nonsense dish with broth, carrots, scallions, and noodles
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Port Jervis
From sandwiches and burgers to protein bowls and salads, this plant-based cafe is committed to using organic products in all its creations. Gluten-free options are available and seasonal produce is locally-sourced.
Order this: California Classic Burger, with a black lentil mushroom patty, sage and fennel spice, tomato, house-made pickles, and thousand island dressing, on a house-made bun
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New Paltz
A low-key cafe and bakery down by the Wallkill River serving salads, sandwiches, and enough soup to warrant a loyalty program.
Order this: Baked Tofu Sandwich with walnut pesto, lettuce, and roasted red peppers
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New Paltz
Serving coffee and seasonal dishes, this café is an offshoot of the beloved New Paltz chocolate company, and has enough pastries, sweets, and cookies to tide you over.
Order this: Mac and Cheese Casserole, with a homemade cashew béchamel cheese sauce, brown rice macaroni noodles, cracker crumbles, and nutritional yeast
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Rosendale
The café is one of the best values in the Hudson Valley, with an airy dining room and mountainside patio seating, incredible homemade dressing (sold by the bottle), and a delicious variety of sandwiches, wraps, and salads from breakfast to brunch to dinner.
Order this: Mushroom Tofu Stroganoff, a vegan dish in a dairy-free tofu sauce
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Kingston
This uptown café serves a full breakfast and lunch menu with great coffees, pastries, and salads in a hip storefront full of mismatched furniture and antiques for sale.
Order this: Tempeh Spicy Reuben on sourdough with kimchi, house-made cashew cheese, and vegan Russian dressing
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Woodstock
Set just beside the green, this upscale restaurant offers tastefully arranged plates of locally sourced veggies, creatively-cooked tofu, and daily special bowls combining grains, proteins, and salads.
Order this: Peppercorn-Crusted Tofu in a roasted garlic sauce with sautéed greens, seasonal vegetables, and an avocado mousse polenta
Red Hook
Fulfilling the truism that the best Indian food comes in the least pretentious package, this nonchalant building in the center of town offers an extensive menu of vegetarian and vegan options. Don’t miss the Tuesday and Sunday buffet nights with four vegetarian dishes.
Order this: Shag Ponir, the fresh spinach cooked with homemade fried cheese in a creamy sauce
Our Daily Bread photo by Simona Cohen
Red Hook
This gluten-free bakery, cafe, and deli uses alternative grains for breads and pastries, and has a light café serving tea, toast, and tarts.
Order this: Sabih sandwich on gluten-free bread made with fried eggplant, sliced egg, hummus, Israeli salad and topped with tahini, mango amba, tsug, and laffah
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Poughkeepsie
Global cultures come together here with fusion dishes like sweet potato empanadas, tofu banh mi sandwiches, and jerk BBQ tofu rice bowl with plantains.
Order this: Sweet potato noodle bowl with Malaysian curry sauce, red radish, peanuts, fresh mint, and green onion
Albany
Is there a rarer treat than a vegan deli? B&W’s makes most of its faux meats in-house, resulting in a degree of flavor and care you just can’t find in the health food store. It has all the deli favorites — Reubens, Phillies, egg sandwiches — with none of the animal products.
Order this: Cubano Panini, made with smoked faux ham, Swiss cheese, mayo, pickles, and Dijon mustard
Crossroads photo by Veronica Chewens Photography
Athens and Catskill
One of the region’s signature breweries boasts an Athens brewpub with a full selection of Crossroads beer as well as local vegetarian options. Cheeseboards, salads, and a Good Belly Bowl with roasted eggplant, carrots, spinach, and brown rice are just a few of the sizable, and delicious, menu offerings.
Order this: The Greene Burger, a house-made veggie patty with pico de gallo, black beans, and brewed barley that goes well with a helping of house fries
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Albany
This brightly colored underground treat from chef and certified health coach Sharon Lastique uses organic local ingredients in its diner staples and juices, with old favorites and seasonal specials making every visit unique.
Order this: Vegan BLT, with homemade marinated tempeh on bread of choice with lettuce and tomato