Vegetarians may get knocked for turning up their noses to steak and bacon, but they know that you don't need meat to make a great meal.
Chefs whose restaurants are exclusively vegetarian or vegan get creative to construct their enticing, artful meatless dishes. New York is home to a lot of vegetarians, so it makes sense that some of the best vegetarian restaurants are in the Big Apple.
Zagat has explored and rated the finest herbivore-friendly restaurants in the city, with food so gluttonously good you'll have a hard time believing it's healthy.
#8 Caravan of Dreams
Food: 24
Decor: 18
Service: 21
Cost: $28
Caravan of Dreams is the vision of Spanish expat Angel Moreno, who opened the vegan restaurant in 1991 with the goal of serving delicious, organic, and humane Mediterranean dishes. Caravan also features a calendar of live music performances at dinner and brunch.
#7 Candle Cafe
Food: 25
Decor: 17
Service: 21
Cost: $32
Candle Cafe can be found on the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side and the menus are very similar. The simple yet tasty organic veggie dishes are inspired by a wide and satisfying variety of ethnic cuisines, including Italian, Mediterranean, Indian, Asian, and Cajun.
#6 Candle 79
Food: 25
Decor: 22
Service: 23
Cost: $47
Candle 79 is the "upscale, elegant sister" of the Candle Cafe that serves the kind of fare typical of a fine dining restaurant, only it's all plant-based, so the chefs can get creative as they depart from the chicken or beef dishes you might normally find at dinner.
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