The Best Plant-Based Dishes In NYC, According To Samah Dada

Asking cookbook author Samah Dada about her favorite plant-based food in New York City is like uncorking a freshly shaken bottle of soda. With nearly half a million followers watching her cook and eat on her @dadaeats Instagram account, we have no hesitation calling Samah an expert when it comes to vegan -friendly snacks, small plates, desserts, and food of any size, shape, or kind. So, it was no surprise that recommendations for tahini soft serve , cinnamon rolls, and gunpowder dosas quickly came pouring out of her. Read on for her vegan go-to's in NYC.

THE SPOTS

Semma

Gunpowder Dosa

"Yes, I promise that you want this dosa badly enough that you'll want to wait in line before the restaurant opens. It’s rare to see this kind of regional South Indian cooking outside of traditional homes, but Chef Vijay is bringing it into focus at Semma, a huge win for championing food within the Indian diaspora. If you leave without getting the dosa, I will be mad at you, find you, and personally drag you back to the restaurant with me. Lucky you, I guess! Gunpowder dosas are named as such because they have a quite spicy blend of masala inside the dosa itself, in addition to the traditional masala potatoes and sambar. At Semma, it is excellent."

Shukette

Tahini Soft Serve

"The food at Shukette is amazing. I could sleep in their hummus and tuck myself in with their frena. But I will not forgive you if you don’t order the tahini soft serve. It’s vegan, but I genuinely think you’d never know. The soft serve is topped with halva floss, hazelnuts, and pomegranate molasses. It’s called 'The Mic Drop' for a reason."

abcV

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

"I am at abcV a lot. It's a place I like to recommend to people visiting New York, and especially to those who tend to roll their eyes at vegetarian food. The food is prepared beautifully, and is always elegant and consistent. Honestly, any place that has both dates and a whole cauliflower on the menu is somewhere I can trust. The cauliflower is tender, with welcome texture coming from the pistachios and pomegranates. Even if you’re sick of restaurants being annoying and turning cauliflower into everything (see: tortillas, chips, gnocchi, etc.), this is a cauliflower dish you won’t be mad at."

Superiority Burger

The Superiority Burger

"Superiority Burger is just cool. An all vegetarian / vegan burger restaurant is something I find extremely cool, personally…and I haven't even mentioned the sides, fries, and retro diner vibes. I love that the eponymous burger is not just delicious and comforting, but also made of real ingredients in lieu of the fake meat patties you typically see on a menu that offers a 'vegan' burger. In Superiority's burger patty, you’ll find ingredients like chickpeas, quinoa, vegetables, and more…which I think is supposed to make you feel better about all the fries you’re going to eat? Either way, you're going to enjoy this one."

Union Square Greenmarket

Vegan Gluten-Free Sourdough Cinnamon Bun

"When you spend a ridiculous amount of time baking mostly vegan desserts like I do, you become picky when you’re eating plant-based pastries out in the wild. But the cinnamon buns from Knead Love Bakery at the Union Square Greenmarket always hit. They’re made with local ingredients and they happen to be vegan and gluten-free, too. Not that anyone asked, but I would definitely swim in the icing."

Paulie Gee's

The Vegan Pizza Menu

"It makes me happy that they have a separate vegan menu instead of relegating the plant-based people to sad marinara pies like most other spots (not that I have anything against a marinara, but dairy-free people deserve cheese too). The Neapolitan-style pizzas are classic and unfussy, with quality ingredients and a chewy, perfect crust. Sharing here is not caring for me, because I could've, and have, eaten an entire pizza here by myself."

Eleven Madison Park

Bread Service

" At Eleven Madison Park, the menu is entirely plant-based. That's exciting for people like me, who can eat everything on the menu without asking any annoying questions. Because the menu changes seasonally, I want to highlight the bread service, which is absolutely unbelievable and served with plant-based butter. I am not sure they want you to know this, but you can order multiple servings of the bread. Sorry EMP, I love you!"

Apollo Bagels

Bagels

" I love Apollo Bagels and get them nearly every weekend. There is something really special about a good sourdough bagel. I like to bring a couple extra home to freeze for the week in case I have a spontaneous Wednesday bagel craving and don’t have time to run out and get one. I like to bring a sesame bagel back to my apartment, toast it, and eat half with peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, banana and flaky salt, and the other with a vegan cream cheese, smashed avocado, sliced tomatoes, EVOO, lemon zest, and za’atar."

Dirt Candy

The Tasting Menu

"If you have a friend who is judgmental about vegetarian food, you should take them to Dirt Candy, where I had one of the most unique and interesting vegetarian meals of my life. Dirty Candy’s mission isn’t to promote how healthy vegetables are, but to show how delicious they can be and how inventively they can be prepared. While the menu changes seasonally, two dishes from a recent summer menu stand out: a tomato 'cake' with yellow tomato jam, tomato leather, and smoked feta; and a corn dish with corn mousse, fresh corn, seaweed caviar, and baby corn."

Divya's Kitchen

Kitchari

"The chill and serene vibes in Divya’s make me feel like a healthier person, and that’s before I even eat anything. Divya’s specializes in food that follows Ayurvedic principles, which is an ancient Indian system of medicine. Each dish depicts which 'doshas' it supports, and is rooted in simple, grounding food that makes you feel good. Don’t expect salads, though. What you get is nourishing food that is very simple and healthy. I typically order kitchari, which is spiced lentils and rice with vegetables and one of the most important Ayurvedic staples. Also they have about ten different condiments, like chutneys and tahinis, and I order all of them every time."

Rolo's

Tahini Chickpeas with Wood-Fired Polenta Bread

"Rolo’s has such a great vibe, perfect for a date spot or a small dinner with your close friends. It’s a go-to for me because there truly is something for everyone, whether you’re vegetarian or not. If you know me at all, you'll know that their tahini chickpeas dish is basically me in a bowl. When you scoop up the creamy tahini and chickpeas using the wood-fired polenta bread with olive oil & flaky sea salt…yeah, I think that’s probably what my heaven will look like."

Lore

Delicata Squash with Chili Crisps, Babaganoush, Crispy Seeds

"I recently went to Lore for the first time and was very impressed by the unique but respectful blending of flavors from different cultures. It is global, but it doesn’t feel confused. The chef comes from Mangalore which makes sense when you taste his regionally specific preparations of certain dish components. Every item on the menu notes dietary markers, so it’s easy to find something for whomever you’re dining with. The standout for me was the delicata squash, which was flavorful, textured, and truly a joy to eat."

Librae Bakery

Sourdough Breads & Laminated Doughs

"Librae churns out some of my favorite bread and the most gorgeous pastries in New York. I frequently go for the sourdough loaves, the sourdough pretzel, and their focaccia. NYC’s first Bahraini-owned bakery, they call themselves a 'third culture bakery,' which is a sentiment myself and many other third culture kids can relate to: caught between identities but producing food, products, and art that represents it all."

Ras Plant Based

Platters

"Ras is a completely plant-based Ethiopian spot, but don’t let that fool you because you and your omnivore friends will definitely leave very satisfied and probably very full. Soaking up injera bread with yellow split peas, veggies, ground chickpeas and other deliciously flavorful vegetables & legumes is definitely a way I love to spend my time. The vibe at Ras is cozy, warm, and welcoming - a true neighborhood spot that feels as appropriate for a fun weekend dinner as it does for a weeknight post-work."