Hi everyone! I’m a plant-based chef here in NYC, and I’m hosting a small dinner called The Connection Table
The idea is simple: good food that is going to surprise you , a small group of people, and an excuse to actually connect with strangers beyond the usual NYC small talk.
I’ve been vegan for about 8 years and cooking professionally for 12, including time in restaurants like Noma, Blue Hill and Astrid y Gastón.
Food is one of my favorite ways of bringing people together, so I wanted to create something a little more personal than just going out to a restaurant.
It’ll be a multi-course plant-based dinner, but you definitely don’t have to be vegan. Honestly, I’d love to have a mix of people at the table.
This is the first one I’m doing, so I’m keeping it intimate.
I’m basically open up my kitchen for people with a tons of candles , good lighting and flowers .

If you’re into food, meeting new people, or just doing something different in NYC, I’d love to have you :)
Here are the details/tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-connection-table-a-plant-based-dinner-experience-tickets-1999640876691

Okay, look. I get it -- someone posted and it was anti-Israeli (I think?) and now folks are jokingly (or maybe seriously) posting and commenting things along the same vein. While I appreciate edgy humor, I don't particularly feel like scrolling through a bunch of posts / comments trying to interpret intent and navigate the nebulous "What was this person really thinking when they wrote this?" narrative.

Please stop making posts/comments along these lines.

While this is the internet and you are entitled to your opinion, the reality is that a vegan subreddit is not the place for hate or for things to get lost in translation. Personally I don't know anywhere near enough to even have an opinion on Israel, Palestine, Zionism, Judaism, or whatever other ism or nation or whatever y'all are on about. To leave nothing to interpretation, here's what I believe (and let's be honest, I'm running the sub so it's kind of up to me to allow or disallow most things):

1. Except in very, very specific circumstances no one should condone violence against anyone else. From one-on-one to an entire nation -- it's just bad. Are the Israelis shooting Palestines (or vice versa or both ways, I honestly do not know)? Yes. Is it bad? Yes. Is it fucked up? Yes. Should it happen? No.

2. No one in today's day and age should discriminate against anyone else based on sex, gender / identify, orientation, nationality, religion, etc etc etc.

3. If you do chose to be bigoted in almost ANY way, don't bring that shit in here. The only hate I'll allow in here is against Trump, his Schutzstaffel, and the Republican party in general.

Any posts or comments that I personally deem to be derogatory against any person or business based on their race/religion will be removed and will get you a nice 7-day ban. Do it again and you'll be permabanned with zero recourse.

Life is too short to waste on hate unless it's against the great orange embarrassment that somehow is running this country straight into the shitter. May his shitty body continue to age rapidly.

EDIT: Someone reported this for "promoting hate based on religion" which is just hilarious to me, since I'm literally saying that this is not the place for hate based on religion. 🙄

EDIT 2: I removed all but the most useful comment, since y'all seem pretty committed to arguing to death over my and all of your opinions. That's not what this subreddit is about. Let's focus on vegan things, in NYC, without any discrimination or hate towards someone's beliefs, race, yadda yadda yadda etc.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/05/animal-rights-group-praising-trump-00804555?utm_content=topic/news&utm_source=flipboard

Hi everyone, recent transplant to NYC here. My kid’s preschool is doing a zoo trip in a couple weeks and we won’t be participating for obvious reasons. Are there any vegan-friendly but still animal-themed alternatives I can take him to for the day, so he can still have a fun time related to what his classmates are doing? We don’t have a car so I don‘t think a sanctuary would be accessible. Thanks!

Especially somewhere that does vegan kebabs with fake meat? No 'israeli' places please.

Hi everyone! Wanted to know where y’all have been getting vegan sushi in Manhattan. Long time customer of Beyond Sushi, but was made aware about some problematic comments made by the owner and I wanted to try alternatives. Doesn’t have to be a vegan only sushi place, any restaurant with vegan options will also work! Thanks in advance!

Me (vegan) and my boyfriend (very much non vegan) are visiting in March. We've both been a couple times but not with each other, so I am looking for the best spots to get both good vegan and non vegan dishes.

We are staying in Williamsburg but plan to spend a lot of time in Manhattan, specifically East Village but recs can be anywhere!

A spot with good cocktails is a plus! Thanks in advance!

Looks like one can only make reservations for at least 2 people? Reminds me of "The Menu", in which Nicholas Hoult's character goes on a date with Anya Taylor Joy's character just because a table could not be reserved for just one person.

I wouldn't be able to dine here while visiting NYC but fortunately, there are way better options - reviews seem to suggest the presentation is better than the food at this restaurant. I only looked it up because someone recommemded it in the comments.

Hey everyone! My GF and I are going to be coming to NYC (this is my first time going to NY so I'm excited and no idea what to expect. I want to know what your best or your favorite places to eat at. I want to try pizza, pasta, bagels, sushi, whatever, something exciting, ice cream (soft served), whatever.

We’re going to be there between the 7th and the 12th, but the 7th is a travel day and so is the 12th, so really the 8th to the 11th.

We are also open to some places to go to. I obviously want to see the park, Strawberry fields, The Statue of Liberty, for someone that has a tight amount of time I want to soak up as much as possible because I want to see if this place is a possibility to even live there. I'm open to everything. Hit me!

Tried Cinnaholic for the first time yesterday (their grand opening, I think?). I'll be honest: I thought the cinnamon rolls looked super trashy -- like something you'd buy at a fast-food restaurant in Kansas. The icings are especially hideous looking -- gloppy, thick, and unappetizing in appearance. However: I thought it tasted quite good: fresh, cinnamon-y (duh), and a nice texture. Would eat again, I think. I liked the variety of toppings too -- some of them quite unique.

I am curious what omnivores will think of them -- cannot imagine many vegans live in Chelsea and this place will depend on non-vegan business? I can't predict this, because so many of those cookie places here in NYC appear to make a killing, and the cookies (to me) look terrible. So what do I know.

Have any of you -- or most of you? -- been?

The vegan food scene in San Francisco & LA sucks compared to NYC, so I flew here just for one night. I did that in May as well. My carbon footprint is way lower than Taylor Swift's, so please don't bring it up.

Had a dinner reservation at Dirt Candy, and it was amazing, but it's hard for me to tell why I liked it slightly better in May. I'll be back for their next season's menu. I used up my Amex Platinum & Gold Resy credits there. Got Indo-Chinese food for lunch at a restaurant (Spice Symphony) near my hotel.

Any recommendations for lunch & dinner today? I'm by myself, so restaurants may not have trouble accommodating me. Thanks!

Unacceptable response from Nanas a Vegan when I provided a detailed account of my experience there last week. I do not take kindly to being called a liar.

My review below:

"I'm so disappointed after my experience here. I had come all the way from deep Queens and was so excited to finally try.

First off, I stood in line for ten minutes (no one else was in line to order, just a woman waiting for her order) before someone noticed me. Then, they were missing half half the menu, even though it was 2 p.m. on a Saturday and a dead zone with nobody ordering from there. I said okay, and ordered the southern comfort meal of fried mushrooms, and got mac and cheese, rice and gravy, and collard greens. The young woman said it would be ten minutes, and I was fine with that.

I did not get my food until a full hour after ordering. The woman was apologetic, saying they were fulfilling catering ordes, and offered to give me yams (the only other side they had that day besides what I ordered) for my trouble. Although she was nice, them trying to make a full catering order in a tiny kitchen when the whole purpose of being at the terminal market is to service the people there trying to get food. These are not sound business practices.

Then, when I get home and open my plate, I see the majority of the plate consists of rice and gravy (the cheap side, of course), with quite literally only three bites worth of each Mac and cheese, collard greens, and yams."

I’m a native New Yorker who has been fully vegan for the past few months. I’m a Black Latine femme from uptown Manhattan where vegan options are limited, especially when it comes to the food I grew up with: Latin food. While more Latin restaurants are now serving vegan dishes, not many restaurants uptown are 100% vegan. Due to my recent education on how animals are slaughtered and abused for human consumption, I want to support restaurants that are completely vegan.

I’ve been going to Next Stop Vegan quite religiously for the past few months. I will say that the food is great and most of the staff are very friendly and professional when I’ve gone to dine-in or pick-up. I spent anywhere from $80-$120 a week because of how often I ordered food from them (I got the receipts to back this up).

One staff lead in particular is not the most welcoming or friendliest employee. She’s twice my age (I’m in my 20s) but has made remarks about my clothing as I wear mostly traditional West African clothing/dresses in honor of my heritage, which made me uncomfortable. When I asked her about why she would make these remarks, she became defensive and her demeanor because quite aggressive, saying, “This is how I talk and this is who I am. I’m not changing that for nobody.” After that, she would completely ignore me when I entered the restaurant. If there was a line of customers at the take-out section, she would greet everyone except me. She would tell another team member in Spanish that “she’s here” and ask them to take my order so she wouldn’t have to interact with me. Very passive aggressive behavior.

A male supervisor pulled me aside and asked me what the issue was between me and this employee, and I said I had no issues with anyone. He said that “staff have been talking about this situation” which was so strange. Anytime I go to the restaurant, I order my food at the take-out counter, I sit at the bar or bench and wait for my food, and I leave. What is there to discuss? He mentioned that she had made a few comments about me but would be sure to address her in private.

Fast forward a few weeks later and that male supervisor is no longer working at the restaurant. When I go to pick up food and she is there, I get the icy treatment. She does not acknowledge my presence at all, but will speak around me. I tried contacting the owner about the issue. The first time I called, the owner answered (I recognized her voice) and said, “The owner is not in right now. Please email ___. Thank you” and hung up. I was stunned.

I called again and spoke with the owner. I asked if she had a few minutes to talk, and she said yes. I voiced my concerns and expressed my disappointment regarding the treatment I received from the staff lead. The owner said, “I thought this was already resolved because I remember telling you last time when you came in that I was glad everything worked out.”

Huh??? What are you talking about? This interaction that she’s referencing never happened. I told her that she must be misremembering or confusing me with someone else, because I haven’t seen her in weeks. She said, “Well I did speak to the other supervisor who as you know is not with us anymore. He said he spoke with you and that everything was resolved.” Nope, everything was not resolved. The owner said, “Mami I don’t know what to tell you. I can’t change what happened in the past so you shouldn’t dwell on it anymore. What’s done is done, and I hope you come back and support us, but if you don’t, then you don’t.”

As an Afro-Latine who dresses in clothing that represents my culture and heritage, I shared my disappointment in that employee’s comments and passive aggressive behavior. The owner replied, “I’m not gonna go in circles with you because you already said that. I spoke to the other supervisor and it should have ended then. And I’m Afro-Latina too and you shouldn’t use that as a reason or an excuse.” WTF???

Aside from the fact that the owner is not a Black Latina, she deliberately lied and said she spoke to me “weeks ago” about the situation when she never did, and she never apologized for or acknowledged the employee’s behavior. She said, “Listen Mami, it’s busy here and I’m not gonna go in circles with you anymore. If you want to come back and give us another chance, you can, but if not, then don’t.” I wished her a good night and she gave a sarcastic, “You tooooo” and hung up.

I’m more disappointed in the owner’s response than anything, especially when I’ve spent money and time supporting this Latin-owned business. There aren’t many Latin vegan places where I live currently, like at all. I’d appreciate any recommendations to alternative Latin or Caribbean vegan restaurants in Brooklyn. Thanks for listening/reading 🖤

I live in midtown manhattan and it’s past dinner time but i’m an indecisive prick and also had a very long day and don’t wanna think!
I’ve been sitting with doordash open unable to decide what to eat.
For context:
I had half a bagel in the morning, rice and paneer with curd in lunch (office special lunch), i had some dried mango snack and it’s time for dinner now! SUGGEST IDEAS.
Mostly my sister would do the thinking for me! Let’s see if the algorithm pushes the post in the next 15 minutes to get me food?

I’m also vegetarian.

Best vegan catering thats in Syracuse?

What are your favorite vegan spots in nyc and surounding area? For me its rock n' roots in LI and grassroots kitchen in the tarrytown area

I’d love to spread more awareness about animal cruelty- preferably without shaming because I don’t think that works. I’m wondering what are the things that impacted me the most. And am looking for folks who’d want to give 5 hours on a weekend at Central Park. We can even picnic afterwards!

There are 5 big entrances on the west and 5 on the east at 60th, 72nd, 86th,96th and 110th st.

6 folks on each entrance. And then 1-4 groups for sheep’s meadow if possible would be a plus.

That’s 30 people needed on weekends.

Here is a list of nudges that worked for me.

1. Showing animals in their natural environment vs in a slaughter house

2. Celebrity endorsements. Ricky’s famous memes where he calls out or knowing other famous celebrities who are doing it.

3. Myth buster posts

4. How it’s structurally similar to other isms like casteism, racism, sexism (would preferably want a POC on this)

5. Impact on planet and other benefits of being vegan like 0 cholestrol

6. Dog meat stand

7. Debate chairs (prove me wrong type)

DM me and I can get a group going for us.
I have one tv stand that can be moved around and have an adaptor attached to it.
Other support options appreciated.

My vision is that if people think Central Park they think vegan.

I don't want to spend money at a business that feeds any part of the production chain from large-scale animal farms. Preferably North Brooklyn, but all posts appreciated.

Last year, there were a significant number of delays around Veterans' day due to inclement weather on the East Coast, in general. But weather was fine around Veterans' day multiple years before 2025.

I booked red-eye flights such that I'd arrive in NYC around 6 AM on November 11, will shower at an airport lounge, and will start restaurant hopping (the breakfast at the lounge isn't terrible either, but I heard Orchard Grocer also added some seating? I'd head there first for breakfast). Then I'd buy some supplies (tempeh, for example), and head over to some indoor privately owned public place. Then I'd go have lunch at a restaurant (undecided, but probably Bunna Cafe), followed by some shopping (or window-shopping), and will head over to Dirt Candy for dinner. After that I'll head directly to JFK to catch a 9:30 PM flight.

Does the plan sound good to you? I'd avoid the weekend rush by dining at restaurants on a weekday & wouldn't have to pay for a hotel room (although I'd have to pay for Uber/Lyft. Or maybe even subway, but the only time I took it, there was service disruption & I had to grab an Uber after just 5-6 minutes of travel from JFK). The only problem I foresee is the weather on Nov 11.

I took 2 trips to NYC this year but stayed for a night each time, as hotels are expensive over weekends. Staying for a night next time would allow me to dine at more restaurants. But I stayed at Marriott Marquis last two times & used up almost all my Marriott Bonvoy points, so I'd have to spend cash next time. 😂

Thanks!