Angelica Kitchen is, and has always been, my favorite vegan restaurant in the city. There’s something to be said about a place that guarantees all ingredients are local and most are served within 48 hours of harvest. The restaurant’s deep compassion for the environment and natural food are reflected in their wildly creative seasonal menus ­– from lime-roasted tempeh to barbequed seitan sandwiches, it’s always fun to check out their daily dishes. It’s also fun to bring a steak-lovin’, rib-suckin’, finger-lickin’ carnivore along for the ride...

“I said I would try it. I never said I would like it,” Seth warned.

As we walked over to 12th and 1st avenue in the surprisingly beautiful weather, I recalled my first experience at Angelica Kitchen. I was newly vegan and in search of some kind of reassurance that a life without animal products could be “normal.” No, I didn’t like fake chicken, I couldn’t eat those rubbery “meatballs”, and I especially didn’t want that God-awful Tofurkey thing. I didn’t want my new lifestyle to be a weirdo parallel universe my old one… I just hoped it would be so fulfilling that I wouldn’t miss all that stuff.

Then, I cracked open the Angelica menu. Every limitation, every rule I understood to be in place was broken in a brilliant way. This food was vibrant. It was fresh, flavorful, and, yes, it was fun. I ordered the Ole Man Seitan and I was in veggie Heaven… thick slices of seitan simmered in mole, wrapped in a tortilla and served with lime-jalapeno tofu sour cream. It was awesome. 

I have since tried a dozen vegan spots around the city, but Angelica remains, in my mind, the absolute best. Everything about the place exudes a warm sense of community. From their connection to the Union Square farmer’s market to the restaurant’s community tables for those who wish to meet new people, I simply feel welcome. 

Seth and I were seated just when Angelica’s doors opened at 11:30. My tofu-skeptical friend played it safe with the Three Bean Chili, served with warm cornbread and butternut squash-red onion salsa, while I went for their Marinated Tofu Sandwich. Warm, lemon herbed baked tofu layered with sprouts, lettuce, sweet baked carrots and onions, and smeared with a lemony parsley-almond pesto on whole wheat bread made for a hearty, delicious sandwich. The tofu was citrus-y but not overwhelmingly so, and the baked veggies provided a sweet, earthy contrast to the bright flavor of the pesto. I could eat this for lunch just about every day.

And… the carnivore liked his chili! He didn’t even mind that it was topped with tofu sour cream, and he was especially impressed with the cornbread. Go, Seth!

It doesn’t matter if you’re vegan or a meat eater. If you appreciate food and all of its potential, Angelica Kitchen is a must.




THIS RESTAURANT IS CASH ONLY
Been here? Have a place you’re just as crazy about? Comment below or let us know at thesavvysoybean@gmail.com.