Caravan Of Dreams

The food and vibes were genuinely immaculate. The dishes were little art pieces, carefully constructed for a specific experience without you even realizing. It took a little while, but you figure out quickly why. My only gripe is that the server seemed to forget we were here and that people were waiting for them. That and the table was wobbly. Fantastic experience regardless.

Great high quality food, so many raw options, plus kind servers and a cute ambiance. Some of my favorite dishes are the green soup, lasagna, & creamy pasta. The desserts are delicious as well.. to die for is the chocolate fudge turned into a sundae and key lime pie 😍

Caravan of Dreams is the oldest organic vegan restaurant in Manhattan's East Village! Since 1991, this incredible spot has been more than just a restaurant-it's a hub for health, community, and passion. In this video, I speak with the manager about the restaurant's 33-year journey, its unique mission, and the vision of its founder, Angel. The full video is on Youtube, the link can be found in the link in my bio. Caravan of Dreams isn't your typical vegan eatery. It stands out by offering completely natural, healthy dishes made from scratch-no processed "Frankenstein" foods here! From medicinal mushroom-infused coffees to sugar- and dairy-free desserts that are unbelievably delicious, every menu item is crafted with care and packed with health benefits. Beyond the food, this place fosters a sense of community in the heart of NYC, offering a welcoming environment where customers feel like family. Whether you're a long-time vegan or simply curious, Caravan of Dreams is a must-visit for anyone seeking nourishing food and a welcoming vibe. Organic vegan restaurant, NYC vegan food, East Village dining, Healthy vegan eats, Vegan community NYC, Natural ingredients restaurant, Medicinal mushroom coffee, NYC food history, Sugar-free desserts, Vegan lifestyle tips #CaravanOfDreamsNYC #VeganInNYC #HealthyLivingJourney #OrganicAndVegan #NYCEatsLocal #VeganCommunitySpot #MindfulEatingNYC #PlantBasedLifeStyle #HiddenGemsNYC #SugarFreeDesserts

The food is always freshly made, extremely tasty and I always feel better when I eat here! All the staff are great but Jaime Cielo is wonderful! He always makes me feel welcome and recommends the best dishes on the menu so I can try new things. If you come at the right time, the ambience is amazing and the live entertainment is an added bonus. Hands down one of my favorite vegan restaurants!

Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian. This is a must go to place. Zero drawbacks, no disappointments. Jump in head first. Even as a meat eater, I loved this place!

Was in the mood to try a new vegan restaurant and was in the neighborhood so decided to spend the evening here. Came in at 6:30 PM on a Friday and found the restaurant to be rather empty with only three other tables seated. We were seated right away and had some time to look over the menu before ordering. The restaurant has an eclectic interior that is cozy and inviting. Overall the service was great and the food was quality but I felt like most of the dishes that we ordered were lacking the flavor that I was expecting. Nonetheless, I look forward to coming back and trying this place once again, hopefully on a night when they have live music.

Amazing selection and great food! Excellent service.

Best vibe here. One time I got the l salad and had an out of body experience, where I could feel the individual cells of kale exploding between my teeth in a vibrant ecstasy of joy, fulfilling their lives purposes. I was not on drugs. This place is an institution and I’m so glad they’re still open after all these years.

Best food ever! wonderful staff, polite, efficient, and friendly! Very clean, nice space. Atmosphere is so inviting. Great prices, very reasonable for generous servings!

I tried through catering and I like how none of the foods were processed vegan meat like impossible or beyond. They were legit veggies and tofu which felt like I was eating real food but healthier.

Decor is fun to look at. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, drinks and food are tasty. Seating is a little tight. The fruit cocktail was my favorite part :)

The lasagna was delicious! The smoked tofu, cashew cream, super flavorful tomato sauce, and chewy greens all came together so well. The perfect meal to feel satisfied without overdoing it. The burrito was super tasty. Love that the entrees come with side salads - and that miso dressing is awesome! The nachos are very good - generous on the avocado, and the seitan is super tasty. Definitely ask for a side of homemade habanero sauces! The brownie sundae was the least memorable part of the meal although still good. They also have a super fun and amazing drink menu with a full bar as well as extensive health-oriented nonalcoholic options. Two kinds of kombucha including multi-green (delicious spirulina flavor) - incredible. The atmosphere is also really lovely with eclectic and cool decor plus live piano music many nights.

staff was amazing! Enrique was very sweet and attentive. Food was delicious and came out in a short amount of time. We'll def come back.

Rounding up from 3.5. The stir fry was decent but wasn't great. Flavors were too mild. Seitan nachos were excellent. Enjoyable ambiance. Casual yet classy. The live singer and piano player were nice too. This is a quality place for a vegan meal but there are better in NYC. Still, you won't be leave unhappy or unsatisfied.

This is ideally raw food heaven, but the price is high for a meh quality. The concept is good- had a raw pizetta, pizza crust was alright. Had a tempeh salad Dragon salad, which was alright, and a gluten free burrito. The best thing was the recovery smoothie. Overall food was alright but it didn't hit home.

We still love this restaurant, and the people there, and the great food, and warm vibes -- and recently had the wonderful opportunity to try their mac&cheese special. It's of course now our fav. :) (And we try every restaurant's vegan Mac and cheese if they have it, everywhere we go). It's exactly what you want in Mac and cheese -as in the cheese is genuinely cheesy in taste and texture!! which I found can be very hard to find for vegan Mac. We hope it might get added to the menu... And we got the raw tostada again, which is still amazing and that flavor pop of vegan kefir on top is everything. I also want to give major props and praise for having a beautiful outdoor seating section as well as air doctor brand purifier inside! No weird looks or odd treatment at all for wearing masks. Such a special and thoughtful place.

The food is always freshly made, extremely tasty and I always feel better after I've eaten here! All the staff are great, but Jaime Cielo is wonderful! He always makes me feel welcome and recommends the best dishes on the menu. Tell him Kheperah sent you! And if you come at the right time, the ambience and live entertainment are a welcome addition. Hands down one of my all time favorite vegan restaurants!

I've adored this place for years. It was one of the first vegan spots long before healthy eating became main stream. For that alone, they get 5 stars. Lovely East Village location on a sunny corner perfect for eating outside. Inside is cozy. Anything on the menu is great and you leave feeling healthy and satiated. Keep up the good work!

Amazing food and service. Fit for omnivores and vegans alike! There were a wide variety of food options that were unique, fun, and healthy!

I've lived in lower manhattan for 15 years now. I probably eat out 3-4 times a week with my girlfriend; she discovered this gem (has a knack for it) a few weeks ago and I finally went with her because even though I try to eat organic and seed oil free foods when I can, its hard to do when you're an omnivore at heart. However, all that changed last night at this delightfully cozy restaurant nestled in a corner a couple of blocks from Saint Marks. [I promise I am not dramatizing this experience] The quality of ingredients, the thought put into each taste within every dish was tremendous and special. I felt my soul and body being nourished with every bite I took. I got the Quesadilla and the Unchicken Caesar salad (best salad I've had even more so than the Caesar salad at Peter Luger's steakhouse). The service was amazing. Very knowledgeable about every menu item and the food came out quickly. I fully plan on returning next week and will update you with my progress.

Delicious food, with friendly staff and wonderfully decorated. The owner, Angel, sat with us for a few minutes and it was nice to hear how he started his business and kept if going through cov*d. I had the cashew lemon pasta and did my best not to lick the plate when I was done! My margarita was completely organic and delicious. Such healthy food! You wouldn't think you were eating vegan food or not having "dairy" chocolate! I had a warm brownie sundae for dessert, which i highly recommend! There was a pianist and singer which added to the atmosphere. Very nice!

The best OG vegan restaurant in NYC. It deserves to have 5 stars on yelp. Anyone who says otherwise doesn't like good quality food with amazing taste. The level of care here is unprecedented. Every ingredient is carefully chosen to benefit both health and taste. Even the water is out of this world, going through 9+ different types of filters (it actually makes you feel hydrated and doesn't bloat you). The food is incredible, the service is amazing, and the vibes are immaculate. It's the only restaurant I've been to where I can eat anything on the menu and feel like the food I'm eating is fuel for my body. The owner is so passionate about health and healing through food. He sources all of his ingredients meticulously, like special olive oil that is high in polyphenols so it helps build the body's natural defense and getting locally sourced tempeh that he smokes in house (yum!). Get an amazing, delicious, healthy meal that makes you feel good here!

This is got to be the most innovative, healthy hip Kosher restaurant downtown. It has a great vibe, and I was really happy to recently enjoy a dinner there, and one can even pre-pay before Shabbat if they choose to, get it to go, or pre-pay for it, so you can enjoy your Shabbat meal there, which I think is just innovative and great! Everything is vegan, everything is homemade nothing is out of a box and the service is very very nice. I enjoyed the staff. I enjoyed the cleanliness, and on a recent evening that I went there there was even live music. There is outdoor seating right in front of the place and of course, indoors it holds many people, although I like to sit closer to the front of the restaurant or simply sit near the bar. they have a full array of kosher wines and they're all pretty well priced some even organic . In the past I remember the place sort of dripping with tapestries and rugs and fabrics, and it looked like I was going into some old antique shop in the middle east well today, it's clean it's open it's got fantastic service and the most expansive menu filled with items and you can even order pancakes at night... I don't know about you, but I absolutely love having breakfast for dinner! Try their gluten-free pancakes with fruit on top, and you'll be delighted. When you see that among the fruits included are warm, grilled thinly sliced bananas, that are just about one of the most delicious things I've had all year. The handsome bent over, that I was dining with ordered a burrito and let me tell you the thing was almost as big as his arm. It was completely gluten-free, filled with all kinds of healthy things, and most dishes are super generous, and most items cost between 20 and $24 a serving but let me tell you it's totally worth it. From the ambience to the service to the incredible homemade food, and all the many many many dishes that they order this place is a complete knockout. I don't believe any of the fancier Brooklyn crowd has even discovered it, but let me tell you if you, Sephardi, this is your place this is your little hidden secret tent filled with all kinds of healthy foods without a potato in sight! So if you're Moroccan, Syrian Lebanese Iraqi, any type of Sephardic person that happens to look for a place that is completely kosher, completely vegan and completely chilled out. This is your place and by the way those that ally themselves with people that believe in the importance of supporting anyone who supports human rights and decency should come to this place, because you're treated with a great measure of decency and the food choices reflect being kinder to animals. Big and maybe ironic endorsement since I sometimes eat animals, sometimes fish sometimes chicken, but still in all the whole vibe is oozed with that beauty of veganism and love for the world. You can't help but notice it. I am all about this place! A ++++ As a former food writer for the most prestigious, culinary organization in the country, I can fully endorse this well-mannered place that has a phenomenal vibe. Eating here and being around like-minded peoples is good physically and spiritually. Try the Piña Colada and ask for it to be made with BACARDI GOLD rum. Or enjoy it without alcohol. It taste like a delicious milkshake and goes well with pancakes. Did I mention that they don't even add ice to it? In other words, this is not a place looking to rip off the customer they're looking to give the customer a full experience and they're not looking to cheap the customer out of a full luscious piña colada with the ice cubes, taking from the volume of the delicious concoction! Now, when was the last time you saw something like that. Awesome. Pro Tip: Get to their weekend Brunch as soon as they open (the first two hours are somewhat quieter and it's a mellow time if you wanted to bring, let's say someone a little sensitive to sound or someone that might be an older individual). I guess you can always ask if they'll see you in the back if you happen to come walk in with a large group of friends? What a great vibe this place has!

Our new favorite restaurant in the city! How did I not discover this place sooner? The food is super tasty, fresh and made with quality ingredients. Also not over-salted like many places. Most importantly this restaurant is completely free of refined sugar! They specify which (healthier) sweetener is used like agave, coconut crystal, maple syrup etc. The server was super friendly and really knew her stuff! Food was served also very fast. We loved everything we had and look forward to coming back. The macchiato was rejuvenating and yummy with coconut cream. The mega lemonade and the seaweed salad were both perfect and refreshing for a hot summer day. Also had the wild rice risotto croquettes and the raw California toscada. Both were super delicious and filling. We ended the meal with refined sugar free home made ice cream.

Food was meh. Canned beans. Wilted lettuce. Not flavorful. Quality of food didn't match the price. Not the same restaurant that it used to be.

I ordered the Potato jalapeno omelette (GF), have gotten in the past and loved it Supposed to be Squash, zucchini, tomato and jalapeño pepper.served on a thin grilled potato scallion pancake. garnished with cucumber, tomato, romaine and spices. The pancake was mush, like re heated, not delish like last time. Filled with steamed yams & tomato sauce, no zucchini or squash and no jalapeno flavor. We tried calling and no answer. We didnt eat because potato w. yams hust isnt what we ordered. The quesadilla de huitlacoche had no chorizo and very bland. Quite a bit of money to spend for not good food. Have really liked it the past, not sure what happened.

I am writing this review to celebrate the longevity of the Caravan of Dreams Vegan restaurant. The menu is well balanced and even includes raw foods: Angel, the owner, sources fresh and organic ingredients to create his unique dishes. We have had the pleasure of dining at Caravan of Dreams for over two decades. We highly recommend this restaurant!

Excellent‼ Captivating exquisitely tasty meals‼ Everything about this restaurant is amazing feng shui in the core decor‼ In my opinion, Caravan of Dreams is such a romantic place to fall in love or to have déjà vu it's exceptionally unique. Again in my opinion, the owner of this place literally poured his heart and possibly his soul into creating this lovely loving environment which continues to expand it all engulfing love. Now this place "IS" Vegan‼ No play on words is needed to attract and sustain clientele go there. I dare you to be flabbergasted at the food quality, and then the overall ambience I dare you to go...

Nice little place in the East Village. Had been planning on Dirt Candy, but had a last minute change. Had a 'dip sampler' which was ok. Not much of each dip, no explanation of which was which, and they were all somewhat similar. I also had their miso soup which was tasty and served in a larger than expected bowl. As my main, I had the vegan reuben, which was very good. Served as a 'regular' sandwich, not open faced, it was a good choice. My friend, who comes here often, got something with extra this, not that, and this instead of that. They were perfectly accommodating. There's a full bar, although we were in water-only mode. I'd go back if someone was looking for a veggie-vegan place in the neighborhood. 3-1/2 to 4 Stars.

Food raw and clean the way I enjoy the texture of my diet created by my nutritionist. I eat seasonal at all times throughout the seasons. Why were there people showing cross dressing in throwing up the food in the bathroom saying it taste like garbage. Very rude. The chef was very kind to me in I enjoyed his cooking skills. I can't wait to come back to this location.

Not an authentic source for RAW vegan food, Caravan of Dreams puts health at risk by including ingredients that are not considered RAW in salad dressings. Their Indonesian Trance dressing includes soy as an ingredient, confirmed by their waiter Mike. I trusted this place as they've been the go-to place for raw vegan food, it was a terrible headache that made me questioned the waiter, only to find out that their advertised RAW on their menu contains processed estrogenic soy. WTH - I will not trust any other dishes in this restaurant, I'm sure all dishes are compromised with inferior ingredients. What a disappointment

Let me start by saying how excited I was to try this place. Unfortunately the staff was horrible super rude no decorum. I chose to stick around for the food ; very mid. Not worth a second visit. A quote for the manager, "Don't be rude, it goes into the food"

Delicious vegan brunch includes Oj or non alcoholic sangria, tea or coffee, salad and entree for $19. The breakfast burrito, polenta & Cuban Delight! Pretty decor also.

I got super fit and hot after eating here for a while. The food is really fresh and flavorful, so you don't even realize it's happening. You think you're treating yourself, maybe even being _naughty_, but then you slowly notice your body tightening up. You notice a glow in your cheeks you never noticed before. Was that from the amazing, filling polenta brunch dish? Or maybe from the hearty and earthy chocolate mint smoothie that kept you full for hours. I love this place, and I love to come here to read a book with an interesting tea, but I'm not sure I love how much attention it's getting me in other parts of my life. I've never had so many proclamations of love in such a short period of time. All those organic vegetables did that? I'm going to have to start supplementing with 16 handles down the street to get the boys in my life to calm down. Everyone who works here is also very nice and glowing with the same attractive, kissable glow that I have been cursed with. I am sorry for them as well -- they must be eating way too well

I love this place so much. Every time I'm in NY i come to eat here, all organic plant based DELICIOUS food, clean water. Wonderfully friendly staff, very attentive. This restaurant is a New York staple and I'm so glad it exists. Truly a caravan of dreams

wow this place is amazing! I never write reviews but I had to take the time to do this because I am blown away. the food!! and so many GF options too!! the Bar!! the people here are so kind . this place warms my heart and gives me hope for humanity . this will be my favorite go to from now on !!

In a neighborhood with great vegan options, this place is easy to skip. Our tempeh reuben was an unseasoned block of tempeh with sautéed cabbage, the tofu scramble overly tumericked and bitter. Good service however

Yummy. I loved the tempeh Reuben, the sea salad and the raw lasagna dish. Will return.

wonderful food, marvellous place and outstanding service ! Cristiam has been lovely and very nice at service . we will come back soon again

Caravan of dreams will get you naturally high by eating there. the food is so well thought of and loved...it's amazing every time we go. me and mego had a laughter spell after eating here because we felt so good! You can tell they really have fun cooking stuff and also have a quirky sense of style. It's just so good. If anybody knows any place similar to this lovely establishment, please send me a message.

Really great experience for a person following a whole food, plant based diet free of oil and sugar. Manager walked us through a plethora of options and they were able to provide a fantastic meal, something few restaurants excel at with such a strict diet. Definitely will return next time I'm in NYC. Highly recommend the coconut/avocado soup

Vegan yumminess! Some live jazz was a nice background. Food was great and service prompt and courteous.

Probably the worst experience I've ever had in a NYC restaurant. The prices are high and fit a chef restaurant but the food here is mediocre or even worse. We ordered the watercress salad that was mix of veggies that don't go together. But we ate it. Then we ordered the pasta which was ok and the paella which was absolutely flavorless. We asked to change and they refused and started arguing with that the saffron in the paella cost them a lot (who cares?) and that's why they can't replace it. Then the manager was angry at us for asking to change and when we asked for the bill he wanted to charge us for that dish that we didn't eat! Terrible service, bad/mediocre food. Don't get near this place. There are so many better restaurants in this area.

Food was really good and service was excellent. Came here for Friendsgiving on Saturday night and had the quesadilla which was very tasty. My best friend is vegan so he chose this place, I'm not vegan but really enjoyed the food. Would definitely recommend to anyone!

I've been to Caravan of Dreams many times over the years.  The food is fun, delicious and healthy - it just makes your body feel good. And beyond that, the atmosphere is always warm and inviting. It feels like everyone there is at a cozy and special gathering. Highly recommend to nourish your soul and your belly!

Caravan, you are my dream restaurant. I've known Angel the owner for a long time, and he's active in the vegan community. For the restaurant's 25th anniversary, he fed the community with steam tables of some of Caravan's signature dishes. Since Angelica's closed, I've tried to patronize Caravan regularly; I notice they don't seem to be hurting for customers, though. The other day I got the paella for the first time, and it rocked. I was there on a Sunday afternoon, so there was no piano, but the space was sunny and inviting. I love all the food on the menu, and the desserts are all worth saving room for; this is truly a jewel in the neighborhood. For those who say it's too expensive, I say: remember, all the food is organic. Chemical-free, and from soil that has been organic a certain number of years. I hope Caravan will be around 25 more years--at least!

I had a perfectly fine time at this restaurant. However, I could not finish my meal and took some of it to go. While having my left over soup the next day I found 2 staples (soup was in the restaurant's packaging still and I did nothing but microwave it). I contacted the restaurant , emphasizing I did not want to get anyone in trouble but wanted to bring the situation to their attention none the less since it could have ended badly. I personally have major GI issues so had I swallowed one of the staples, it would have been bad. The restaurant managers refused to speak to me on the phone - I assume the person I spoke with was a server or other employee. Very disappointing. I will never return and would not recommend. You cannot jeopardize customers' health and add insult to injury by being dismissive and rude.

Pleasantly surprised with how many food options were on the menu. Everything we had was delicious, and I loved trying the raw options. Some of the items seemed overpriced, but again... very delicious, and I left there feeling totally satiated but not weighed down by my food. It's was a lovely night, and I can't wait to go back again!

While the food is very good (for vegan food), service is a bit slow and pricing seems too high for what it is. The biggest issue seemed to be the service. We got there around 2:30 on a Sunday and it was moderately full, but there was just one waiter for around 10 tables. He was doing a great job and there is an iPad app of some sort, but it just seemed the place was understaffed. Juices aren't worth the $10, don't come with ice, and seemed to both lack any sort of sweetness. I was craving some kind of apple/ginger/celery/lemon type drink, but their "green juice" tasted more like cilantro than anything else. The main courses is where these guys really shine. The Caravan burrito is a safe bet, I got mine with tofu. It came with a spectacular hot sauce on the side and was full of rice and beans, cauliflower and fresh broccoli. Still not worth $20. The bbq Tempe sandwich was excellent as well. The Nutella banana dessert was not worth it although the chocolate ice cream was pretty good for vegan ice cream. All in all, we left very full and satisfied, but paid $70 before tip for two juices, two mains and a dessert. Seems excessive, or at least if it's priced this way I'd expect the food to arrive faster. Issue seemed to be lack of servers.

Wow this place is incredible. I am on a strict gut and anti inflammatory diet. I've tried this place only a couple times and am happy with everything. I'm blown away by all the good ingredients in their tonic and creamy machinations drinks. Food is good too . I'm looking forward to trying more

Delicious and very reasonable vegan brunch here! I got the potato jalapeño omelette and my friend for the Cuban Delight, both of which were extremely flavorful and filling. For $16, we each got tea or coffee, orange juice or sangria, a green salad, and the entree (listed above). Well worth the price and great atmosphere (casual). I will definitely return!

***Decently priced, Filling, Great service*** The atmosphere of the restaurant is very casual and the staff is friendly. There are a lot of options and like most vegan/vegetarian restaurants, it's not cheap. During the evening, there was a person who played at the piano which to be quite honest, was a little distracting and unexpected. Otherwise, I would recommend sitting in the far back if you come on a cold day.

The staff is very friendly, the atmosphere is cute and the dishes are good. My favorite was the manicotti. It's a nice date spot too. I cane with friends the first time and brought my husband back with me to enjoy the ambience afterward.

Food was not very fresh and not very flavorful. The place seems dirty as well. Service was great though. Love the idea but not pleased with the execution.

A friend and I arrived for a late lunch and there was only one table occupied inside and we sat in the outdoor dining area. When the waiter came to take our order we requested an additional minute. I could have written a novel in the time it took him to get back to us to take our order. My friend and I split the Reuben Sandwich and a Mushroom Burger. The Reuben was excellent. The mushroom burger was just ok-the texture seemed s bit off. Both dishes came with soup. The pea soup was delightful. My friend thoroughly enjoyed the miso soup. We waited a VERY long time for our food. We sat over our lunch for a FULL HOUR MINIMUM and the waitstaff never brought us additional water or checked on us to see if we wanted anything additional. The food at Caravan never lets me down but the service is always so awful. I have never been able to get in and out of there in under 90 mins and I eat late in the day so not sure what other responsibilities the waitstaff have, but their main one, providing service, even mediocre service, is sorely lacking. Not sure if I can justify eating at a restaurant with such poor service. I would rate the food an easy 4 stars but the service is so horrific, I have to rate them a 2!

Stumbled upon this location while walking around on a late Friday night, to my surprise they were still open and we decided to grab some grub before heading to a local lounge. The ambiance is a bit antiquated and not too appealing yet thankfully the food was fresh and very tasty. The wait service was a bit off as they had one person tending to all tables in the place and only a few were empty so it took a little longer to get his attention, yet he was pleasant so we didn't mind the wait. Overall it's a great place to grab a bite and some drinks too, very inventive and creative yet the establishment needs an upgrade like yesterday.

Once again, my preconceived notion of what a vegan place should look like failed me. The Caravan of Dreams looked pretty dingy, with worn wooden tables, dim lighting, and odd decor. Now that I think about it, it looked like an old caravan camp. We ordered the seitan nachos as an appetizer, and I had the tempeh reuben for an entree. The seitan nachos were my favorite. They were pretty much normal nachos with vegan cheese and seitan. My sandwich came with a choice of soup. I opted for a creamy corn chowder, perfect for a chilly day. My friend decided to be adventurous and try their cold coconut milk and avocado soup. She liked it, but not so much, so I ended up getting it. It tastes more like a smoothie than a soup. My tempeh reuben was OK. The tempeh tasted nothing liked the corned beef in a regular reuben, but the sandwich was pretty good anyway.