Avant Garden

  4.6 – 885 reviews   • Vegan restaurant

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Since 2015, Avant Garden has been one of New York City’s best destinations for upscale vegetarian and vegan dining. Perfect for date nights, birthday dinners, or special occasions, this East Village gem features moody lighting, reclaimed wood, velvet banquettes, and a romantic atmosphere. Guests enjoy a seasonal menu of elevated plant-based dishes, natural wines, and craft cocktails. Avant Garden is an Overthrow Hospitality restaurant. “This is excellent food that just happens to be vegan.” – Michelin Guide

Refined vegan dishes & global wines served in a snug, brick-walled eatery with a branch chandelier.

✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out Avant Garden 10009

Address and Contact Information

Address: 95 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

Phone: (833) 328-4588

Website: https://www.avantgardennyc.com/

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: resy.com

avantgardennyc.com

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Related Web Results

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Reviews

Amar Kapadia
I had high expectations, but the food was a hit or miss. The Brussel sprouts and toast were wonderful. However, with the “paella”, we had issues (i put it in quotes because it was reimagined paella, not the real deal). There was a big piece of squash that was more or less uncooked and inedible. Also I’m not sure what the purpose of the piece of mushroom was either. I’m no Michelin star connoisseur, but putting a big piece of unseasoned mushroom doesn’t seem like it enhances the dish. Finally, the lava cake was a flop. The entire joy of eating a lava cake is the hot molten core surrounded by a moist gooey cake. We got neither. The cake was cold and plasticy. The “lava” wasn’t flowing. The additional things like banana, additional sauce, ice cream didn’t really do much to enhance the dish. Frankly Domino’s lava cake is better. I would not go there again.
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Brett Ari Fischer
Avant Garden is one of those Manhattan restaurants that completely changes your expectations of plant-based food. Located in the East Village, this place is creative, thoughtful, and genuinely exciting from the first dish to the last bite.

The artichoke presentation alone is a showstopper. Perfectly cooked, layered with flavor, and plated beautifully. It’s rich without being heavy and balanced in a way that makes you slow down and actually appreciate what you’re eating. The cucumber and radish dish was bright, refreshing, and incredibly clean. Light but full of texture, with that subtle acidity that keeps you coming back for another forkful.

One of the standouts for me was the roasted cauliflower. Deeply caramelized, crisp on the outside, tender inside, and sitting in that silky sauce that pulls everything together. It’s bold without being overpowering. Every dish feels intentional. You can tell the kitchen cares about composition, contrast, and presentation. Even the dessert was impressive. Not overly sweet, beautifully plated, and a perfect way to close out the meal.

Beyond the food, the atmosphere feels intimate and refined without being stuffy. It’s the kind of East Village restaurant you’d confidently bring someone to, whether it’s a date night, dinner with friends, or an out-of-town guest who thinks Manhattan dining is all hype.

As someone who spends most of his time walking through Manhattan neighborhoods for real estate, I’m always paying attention to the places that define a block. Restaurants like Avant Garden are part of what makes this area special. The energy, the creativity, the detail. It’s the same reason people fall in love with living in Manhattan in the first place.

If you’re looking for one of the best plant-based restaurants in Manhattan, especially in the East Village, Avant Garden is absolutely worth experiencing.
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Gabriela
presentations were great but it wasn’t enough to convince me that maybe my tastebuds were novice. flavors and textures were just okay. first time I’ve had to send a dish back- the pepper was undercooked and difficult to cut. By the time you get a piece, the filling was mixed into the huge amount of sauce you were hoping to not eat as soup. I found a lot of the dishes were difficult to eat without getting messy. dang, looking back even the dessert was underwhelming and flour-y to an easy chocolate lover despite us remaining positive! I am possibly spoiled coming from Chicago’s vegan landscape lol. I didn’t take photos of all the dishes, i realized I wasn’t coming back:/ We all know what it’s like to not agree with a dish that’s not for you, and to also go crazy over something that has never tasted so excellent. But we noticed a trend with every dish, a bit flavorless and always off with ratios of sauce or dryness. If you find yourself not exactly going crazy for anything here, me too.
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Selina L
I stopped by early evening on the weekend out of curiosity.

The cozy, stylish interior drew me in, so I ordered a Peach Toast and a cocktail (forgot the name). The cocktail was fine, but the mix of peach and nuts on the toast didn’t really work for me.

Next time, I’d like to try their dinner menu instead.
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Kevin Costa
Just off Tompkins Square Park and on the second level, this enchanting vegan restaurant offers reprieve from the chaos of Ave A with its warm and inviting ambiance. The food is served family style—so expect to order a bunch—they recommended 9 for 4 people (which, be warned, can get really expensive quickly with most dishes being $20+). The toasts were yummy, as were the drinks and the cold items like the Hen of the Woods, but I’m coming back for the paella and the risotto—they both are must-haves and tasted DEVINE. It’s amazing how far vegan food has come.

Overall, not a cheap night out, but the ambiance and service were great and the hot items (the paella and risotto) were even better.

Pro tip: check them out on InKind and save some $.
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Jessi Valenti
Incredible atmosphere, excellent service and the cocktails are to die for. Most of the food was mind blowingly good, especially the lava cake. However the tamal mole dish was not what we expected flavour and texture wise. Everything else was killer, try the Mini Vacay and the Gibson cocktails! Highly recommend.
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A. Leigh
I really enjoyed my experience here. The food was quite delicious and so were the drinks. As a vegetarian, it was great to have food that was vegetarian friendly, but also still very creative and filling. Sometimes that combination can be difficult to find.

My only complaint is that it’s very hard to see in the restaurant since it’s so dark. Also, I wouldn’t say that this restaurant is very accessibility-friendly as there’s no elevator or anything to the second floor and the staircase is quite narrow. Also, the actual space is very small so it would be hard to fit a wheelchair or any other accessibility devices, should you need them.

Edit: the restaurant apparently has alternate, downstairs seating that is fully accessible for guests who use mobility devices. I would call in advance if that is a concern for you to make sure you get the correct seating.
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Geetanjali Chugh
One of the most plant-forward and innovative menus in NYC

I had been looking forward to trying Avant Garden for a while, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. We celebrated a birthday here and every dish we tried was bursting with unique, fresh flavors. From the mushroom toast to the avocado in the salad, the cauliflower entrée, and the molten lava cake — each plate was beautifully crafted and memorable.

The celery root pasta was the only dish that didn’t quite work for me, but overall the experience was outstanding. Portions are generous, so I’d recommend starting small — contrary to the server’s suggestion.

They also offer a great selection of drinks, including non-alcoholic wines, which was a thoughtful touch. The space is intimate with warm, cozy decor. It’s located on the first floor and can be a little tricky to find, but well worth it once you arrive.

Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates creative, plant-based cuisine.
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Danielle Schaaf
THE FOOD WAS AMAZING! Out of this world, 100% recommend. And Paul was hands down one of the best bartenders and servers. He was very friendly and such a great conversationalist! Run don’t walk to this place.
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MsCastroRides MsLupeCastro
A beautiful restaurant to celebrate my daughter’s success in a recent theatre production .. she is vegan with gluten intolerance. This is the perfect place it’s cozily small and the service is perfect . All the staff are knowledgeable on the dishes and very proud of their fare . They are Happy to recommend plates as well which is always a good sign if you’re stuck . Although the toasts are not gluten free they are happy to switch to a gluten free option.. We were told that it would be great to order 2 to three dishes each and then share .. which was a great idea because we love to try new things and all the dishes sounded great. We didn’t do pudding but I did finish with a ginger style grog which was perfect ..
If you can’t manage all because you’re worried you will fill up for the next plate they are happy to wrap so you can take away .. which is great . Definitely recommend to the vegan vegetarian or anyone interested in pushing their culinary discoveries .
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