Urban Vegan Kitchen

"Southern fried “shrimp” and shiitake bacon mac are the move at Urban Vegan Kitchen, a West Village spot from the team behind Blossom, an upscale vegan restaurant that opened back in 2005. The shrimp works best in po’boy form with their tangy remoulade, and you should get the creamy cashew mac topped with shiitake bacon for some added smokey flavor. They also make strong cocktails, so plan to stay for a couple rounds in the colorful space decked out with neon graffiti and goofy grayscale portraits of farm animals. You can also find the same casual fare at their sister restaurant Urban Vegan Roots in Queens." - neha talreja, nikko duren, kenny yang

"Urban Vegan Kitchen is a West Village vegan spot that serves a little bit of everything, from Southern classics to Mexican food and a crispy tofu breakfast sandwich that’ll make your day. The fried “shrimp” and seitan “chicken” work well in po’boy form, and you should get your side of creamy cashew mac topped with shiitake bacon for some added smokey flavor. They make strong cocktails and tasty mocktails, so plan to stay for a couple rounds in the colorful space decked out with neon graffiti and goofy grayscale portraits of farm animals. UVK comes from the same team behind Blossom, an upscale vegan spot that opened back in 2005, and they also serve the same casual fare at their sister restaurant Urban Vegan Roots in Queens." - Neha Talreja

"In addition to veggie burgers stacked high with toppings like tempeh bacon and cashew-based mozzarella, Urban Vegan Kitchen also has buffalo chicken wings, skillet mac and cheese, and a lot of brunch options like chicken and waffles. Order pickup or delivery from this LES spot directly through their website, and check out their Instagram for more information on how they’re educating Black students across NYC about veganism." - Nikko Duren