Good Veggie Burger in NYC?
I haven't been off my upstate NY college campus since I got here in August, and I'm about to start bouncing off the walls like a self-propelled missile if I don't get the heck outta here and latch my jaws around some food that didn't come from a dining hall. To that end, I'm hoping to go into NYC for a day trip pretty soon, and I've been craving a really good veggie burger.
Please recommend me a place to get one!!!! (Not made with portobello mushrooms, please.) Ideally cheap and friendly towards single diners.
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20 Comments:
I know it's a chain restaurant but the veggie burger at Houston's (at least the one in midtown) is pretty good. It's a patty made of black/red beans, rice, and some other grains served with a bbq sauce and cheese on a bun.
The front area is definitely single diner friendly with a bar as well as small, tall bar tables that are first come first serve.
Jacquie at 2:14PM on 10/14/08
The best veggie burger I've ever had was at Two Boots in Park Slope. Trust me, get take out or go late.
Zen Palate also makes a good one - if you don't want to dine solo, also go for take out. It comes with really good sweet potato fries!
savecara at 3:38PM on 10/14/08
I hear from my vegetarian boss that Penelope on 30th & Lex has the best veggie burgers. It also seems to have a casual restaurant/diner set up which is nice if you're eating solo. Website is penelopenyc.
JustNancy at 4:08PM on 10/14/08
the mushroom burger at shakeshack. just had one on sat.
mirchi at 5:07PM on 10/14/08
i just returned from a trip in NYC and there's this place on Lexington Ave and 45/46 streets called Zen Burger. They have soy based burgers, veggie based burgers, "chicken patties", "fish" patties, "chicken" nuggets, veggie dogs. Their mayo is Vegenaise.
I had the regular Zen Burger with fries. It was really good. The looks of it were not awesome, but the flavors were really good.
I also ate at Curly's vegetarian Lunch on 14st ebtween 1st and 2nd Avenues. I had a tuno salad sandwich - really good. I saw they had veggie burgers. Judging by what I had, I would try them too.
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 6:12PM on 10/14/08
I recently went to Isabella's on the UWS and had a really good veggie burger. Not sure if it still on the menu as it was a month or two ago, but I recommend it. You may also want to try Pump Energy Food. I hear they have good veggie burgers too.
thefoodie377 at 9:11PM on 10/14/08
red bamboo (w. 4 between 6th and macdougal in the village) and quantum leap (i think thompson bet. 3rd and bleecker in the village or 1st and 12th in e. vil.) have some good ones (all their stuff is good, both places). the 'shroom burger at shake shack is great, but it is a portobello (but deep fried and stuffed with cheese!) have also heard good things about curly's.
@savecara, i'd heard zen palate closed? (that was the one by union square, right?)
billyburgwife at 10:46PM on 10/14/08
Ditto to Quantum Leap. I'm not a vegetarian but they really impressed me. I think they make all of their own veggie burgers in house, too.
kathryn at 11:50PM on 10/14/08
I'm a fan of the Soy Burger at Dojo's near NYU. Get it in the pita with the carrot tahini dressing and you won't be able to put it down (because if you did, it would fall apart entirely. It's a messy meal).
masha339 at 12:26AM on 10/15/08
The veggie burger at Dojo is really good. My current favorite is the 'shroom burger at Shake Shack, however. I have never been to Candle Cafe on the UES, but I have heard only good things from vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends alike.
Vegetarianka at 9:19AM on 10/15/08
Broadway East has a delicious one.
justhungry at 10:41AM on 10/15/08
my favorite veggie burger is at kate's, on the corner of 4th and avenue B. i don't know if they make it there or what, but it's always the perfect balance of crispy outside and soft lentily inside. my favorite is the one with cheddar, portobello, and garlicky spinach on top. yum.
it's really too bad you don't like portobellos though, i just had the shake shack 'shroom burger for the first time a couple weeks ago and it was mindblowingly awesome. in fact, if you try it, you might not even be able to find the mushroom amidst the deluge of melted cheese. (!!!!)
one more. if you go to dojo, i think the hijiki tofu sandwich is better than the veggie burger. crunchy seaweed in tofu = best sandwich. oh, and you can also get killer fake-meat sandwiches at tiny's on the LES.
boltchloer at 1:38PM on 10/15/08
I second the one at Houston's... tasty!
LoCo at 2:27PM on 10/15/08
@billyburgwife: yes, the Union Sq location closed, sadly. It used to be the affordable, non-pizza/fast food place to eat when I lived down there, while NYU was busy stealing all my money.
However, awhile back, I was going to a training at the Red Cross headquarters when I spotted the new location. Smaller than the old one, and the menu has changed only slightly, but the quality of the food is still the same (prices are probably a little higher). On the site, there's also apparently one downtown.
savecara at 2:30PM on 10/15/08
def quantum leap. there are a couple locations (that i know of) in manhattan and the variety is pretty mind-boggling.
rawksavvy at 6:10PM on 10/15/08
candle cafe
sustarz at 8:21PM on 10/15/08
wow, thanks for all the replies, serious eaters!
Christina at 11:00PM on 10/16/08
billyburgerwife and savecara, zen opened a new restaurant called dang lai palace on 3rd ave and 17th st - menu is largely the same, a little more expensive, i think - http://menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=52513&neighborhoodid=0&cuisineid=68&home=Y
as for a good veggie burger... i've never been disappointed by the one at heartland brewery. and also stand has GREAT veggie burgers and really good fries (but is probably a little more expensive than most)
NYCEater at 9:33AM on 10/17/08
The Shake Shack burger was okay - not as great as I was expecting it to be. But I'd definitely stop there for the custard. A friend of mine was always raving about Curly's Vegetarian Lunch Counter - I'd definitely try there.
And if you're the sort of vegetarian who can bear the idea of a veggie burger being cooked side by side with regular burgers, Bonnie's Grill in Brooklyn does a really really good veggie burger. Be sure and get it topped with the jalapenos and pickles and get the veggie chili as your side dish. Your omnivore friends will love their burgers as well. Bonnie's is near the Union St. R train stop so it is easily accessible from Manhattan.
Oh man I'm hungry now.
fatcat at 12:04PM on 10/17/08
I'd go to Paul's on 2nd Ave and St. Mark's--their veggie burger is amazing, and they will do it up like any of the regular specialty burgers.
jbrtwo at 3:50PM on 10/17/08