New York is heaven for people who like to eat vegan food.
Let’s start with the most important thing…
The Best Vegan Cake

The best vegan cakes in Manhattan are at LifeThyme market on 6th ave between 8th and 9th. It’s a large all-vegan bakery in the back of a market.
I recommend the lemon blueberry cake and the tofu chocolate pudding. The carrot cake (pictured) is pretty good too.
They have cakes, cookies, puddings, the works…! There is seating upstairs if you want to eat in.
LifeThyme’s vegan baked goods are extremely well-priced. You’ll get a slice of cake the size of your head for $4.50.
Vegan Treats Cakes in New York
Vegan Treats is a Pennsylvania company who supply vegan cakes and vegan cheesecake to many New York restaurants. They deliver to New York on Tuesdays, so don’t buy these on a Mondays or Tuesday morning when you’ll be getting week old cake.
Many people love their desserts. I quite like them but they’re heavy on the vegan buttercream, which I’m not a huge fan of.
Vegan Bakery Brooklyn
If you’re in Brooklyn and looking for a vegan bakery, try Clementine Bakery. They’re known for their vegan cinnamon rolls.
The Best Cheap Vegan Dinner (or Lunch)
When I’m in NYC, I get the “red” falafel sandwich from Taim at least three times a week (red = falafel balls contain red capsicum).
Note that the streets around the West Village are confusing, so use your phone to navigate.

The Best Vegan Pizza in NYC
Cafe Viva on 2nd Ave between 11th and 12th st is an all-vegetarian pizza joint with vegan options. You can buy their pizzas by the slice, and the slices are huge. Note that their soy cheese isn’t vegan (at least it wasn’t last time I was there). It’s delicious and reasonably priced place with just a handful of tables. I love it. They have spelt and wholewheat crust options. Stick to the pizzas rather than other menu options – pizza is their main product. They carry the aforementioned Vegan Treats desserts.
(If you really want vegan cheese on your pizza, just grab a bag of Daiya at the Wholefoods on 14th st).
The Best Vegan Ice Cream
This isn’t from an ice-cream parlor, it’s from Trader Joe’s supermarket, but this stuff is incredible. It’s made with 100% coconut milk. If you want an all-vegan ice cream parlor, NYC has that too – head to Lulu’s on East 6th Street between Ave A and B (note that in Winter they’re only open Thurs-Sun and only after 3pm).

Vegan Food for a Central Park Picnic
For a vegan picnic in Central Park (or to grab lunch or dinner before/after), there is a massive Wholefoods Supermarket in the basement of the Time Warner Centre at Columbus Circle, right by the main 59th St entrance to Central Park.
They have a ton of vegan options (including vegan pizza), great seating, and clean toilets. They even have a microwave if you want to heat anything. The vegan blueberry muffins are delicious.
Let me know your favorite New York vegan cheap eats in the comments!
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I’m not a vegan, but I would like to eat vegan ice cream. It’s not nice to eat something so delicious like ice cream (at least for me), to only end up feeling a sense of over-full belly, even after a small quantity.
Sadly, I was not able to find non-milk ice cream here in Switzerland so far. Not surprisingly at all, as this is the land of milk.
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These all look awesome, Kate! Where is Taim located, by the way – as in, a street address? Sounds like my kinda place, so may well hit it up when I’m in NYC with the bf next year! By the way, that carrot cake looks amazing.
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Hi Tom – Taim is 222 Waverly Place in the West Village. It’s just West of 7th Ave. They shut at 10pm and sometimes run out of some options before that, so best for lunch or a not super late dinner. Thanks for the comment :)
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Wow, I’m salivating! I’m no vegan but I’ll eat all of these, looks yummy and of course, its healthy!
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