Vegan Guide to Brooklyn
Brooklyn is such a cool area of town and there are so many discoverable places to visit. So many of these places were just seen walking down the street which is why this day trip was so fun! Below are all places I went and what I got! Some are shops and some are amazing vegan restaurants! I go into detail everything about what I purchased, ate and what I recommend at each location.
FOOD:
Brooklyn Whiskers Bakery
O.M.G. This place was a great way to get our party started. The staff was so nice and helpful. The owner helped us find more vegan places to try which is great! Everything we ate was AMAZING and I wished I could have tried more things. The atmosphere is very cute, a little small but I kind of liked the cozy feel. They are most famous for their tofu scramble so obviously we had to get that. You can get the scramble on sourdough toast, bagels, or their croissants. I got it on a Pumpernickel Everything Bagel (highly recommend) with Avocado and then the scramble on top. Really good and not too much if you want to go somewhere else afterwards.
They have a long list of teas and coffees that all sounded really good. I got the chai tea latte and it was probably the best chai tea latte I’ve ever had! Loved it. While we were waiting for our tofu scramble, we tried the Blackberry Muffin which was so moist! And to-go, we got two free old fashioned donuts (thank you so much) which were Carrot Cake and a Cinnamon Streusel flavored. Both of them were amazing! I think I liked the carrot one better but that’s just a preference. Both were delicious. Over all 10/10. Kind of out of our way compared to everything else but worth it! Top 3 for sure.
Champs Diner
Well where the heck do I begin. This place is a must if you are big vegan foodie. Champs diner has been around for over 20 years dishing out all the diner classics vegan style. Super edgy vibes. I would have loved to try everything on the menu, it all sounded so good. We got to try the Buffalo Seitan Wings which were phenomenal. So much lighter and fluffier than any seitan I have ever tried. You can get them with the BBQ sauce or Buffalo sauce. Went with the Buffalo and it was the right amount of spice. We also had the Classic Pancakes with chocolate chips. Ummmm…YES PLEASE. The best vegan pancakes I have ever had, no doubt about it.
Their menu was the most impressive by far compared to the other restaurants we visited. Just pages and pages of classic diner food that al sounded so amazing. The recommendations we got from the server was: The Seitan Wings, Tatertachos (TATER TOT NACHOS PEOPLE), The Benedict, Chik’n and Waffles, and the Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes. Wish I had 20 stomachs so I could try all of that ;) Those were mostly breakfast/brunch suggestions but they have burgers, shakes, burritos, sandwiches, and ice cream sundaes. Definitely give it a try! But save room for Dunwell Doughnuts because it’s right across the street!
Dun-well Doughnuts
The cutest little coffee shop. It’s super rustic looking and with a lot of refurbished furniture and wood in the design. The menu is pretty extensive but donuts are their specialty. I got the Chocolate Peanut Donut and it was really good. A very classic styled donut with lots of flavor options. Super light and fluffy and doesn’t taste like it’s vegan at all. They have an extensive espresso bar, specialty cakes, and a few other goodies like ice cream sundaes. Highly recommend if you are a big donut fan. Also it’s perfect for a photoshoot ;)
Van Leeuwen
Well this was my second visit to a Van Leeuwen on this trip. No regrets there. Their ice cream is top notch! I actually loved visiting a number of stores to see how they all differ from each other. I went to a different one on my last trip to NYC and this one has to be my favorite. The Brooklyn location is the largest I’ve seen with a bunch of cute photo spots! Tons of seating and space for a large crowd. At this location I got one scoop of the Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough in the vegan sugar cone. Super good. Highly recommend that flavor. They also had two Valentine’s Day specials happening so I got to try those too.
This pizzaria has been on my list for quite some time now because when I went to the Vegan Street Fair in NYC a few years back, they had a booth and I loved it! They have two locations in the city, both loaded with their best pizza topping combos. An all vegan pizzeria is kind of hard to come by in my experience so this was quite a treat for me. You can buy pizza by the slice or order a whole pie (which will take more time). I was able to try three different types of their pizza. The White Pizza was my favorite, Plain Cheese was heavenly and tasted just like non vegan pizza, and the Margarita Pizza was very traditional and super flavorful. The crust is the best part. So fluffy and light. I chose more basic toppings but they have some pretty interesting ones like buffalo cauliflower, sausage, and pepperoni. If you want to try a bunch of different flavors, I definitely suggest ordering by the slice. Loved the vibes in there, kind of edgy with lots of vegan propaganda all over the place.
Modern Love
Well this restaurant was my #1 favorite place in Brooklyn. I probably would love everything on the menu. I suggest making a reservation if you are going at a regular dinner time on the weekend. It can get pretty busy. The staff was so helpful in suggesting what to order and try. Their recommendations were fantastic. The plates are fairly small but pack quite a flavor punch. I was able to try the Almond Ricotta Toast which was so amazing. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It is so flavorful and offers so many texture components. It’s super soft toast with homemade almond ricotta, seared beets, and hot “honey”. Next I tried the Mozzarella Sticks. Super yummy, definitely not the healthiest choice but omg, how are these vegan?!? Freshly fried vegan motz covered in a crispy herbed crust, on a bed of delicious spicy marinara. YES PLEASE. Then off the specials menu the waiter listed, we tried the sampler platter which was a BBQ Cauliflower Slider, Buffalo Tempeh, and Potato Skins stuffed with two cheesy sauces. So freakin’ good! The only entreè I tried was the Mac & Shews. It’s a delicious cashew based mac and cheese with roasted cauliflower florets, sautèd kale, and breaded tofu on top. Kind of a weird combination but all the elements on their own were good. 10/10 restaurant. I highly recommend trying this place out. Also there is a huge mural painted on the side of their building which is a great photo opportunity.
What an adorable little restaurant/cafe. The first floor is the “kitchen” and where you can just order take-out or pick up to-go orders. Upstairs is the seating for the restaurant and it’s so quaint and cute. The staff was very nice and helpful. They specialize in crèpes, savory and sweet. Their menu is all vegan and gluten free as well. They have a ton of different crèpe fillings/toppings including a homemade nutella spread! You can build your own crèpe flavor or pick one off the menu that they have curated for you. They also have cookies, a mud cake, and an energy ball that has 33000% of your daily B12 intake. That is not a typo! They also have a ton of teas (hence apothecary) on the menu. Lots of green teas, black teas, and really good caffeine-free teas if you try to avoid caffeine like me. I was able to try a crèpe with chocolate sauce, peanut butter, and banana. Really delicious. Thoroughly enjoyed that. Then we tried a Chocolate Chip Cookie (fresh out of the oven) and the Mud Cake with caramel sauce. Kind of gritty tasting because of the gluten-free flour they use but decent if you need to be GF. And finally, I tried the B12 Ball which was not very sweet compared to the crèpe but still pretty good for all the health benefits it offers. The crèpe was 10/10 and I love how you can build your own.
SHOP:
Bird
A cute and trendy clothing shop. I loved and wanted everything they had. Very expensive and high quality brands like Acne Studios. Everything was just so nice to look at and gave me lots of fashion inspiration. Recommend if you are in the area and just walking around exploring.
Bulletin
This isn’t necessarily a ‘vegan’ place, but I just LOVED this store. It was great. Everything I love and believe in about feminism and politics was brought to light in this store. All woman-owned and run. SO many cute unique products I have never seen before like, stickers, patches, apparel, posters, cards, and more. Everything has this super bright and fun color scheme and stands out on the street. Highly recommend popping in there to just check out.
MUJI
What. The. Heck. This store is like IKEA on steroids. I can’t believe I have never heard of this amazing store before because I loved everything. The whole concept, the design, and the products! MUJI is a Japanese store with locations all over the world in China, Japan, and in NYC. The flagship store is on 5th Avenue so that has now made itself onto my bucket list. The store in Brooklyn is super awesome though and right across the street from Van Leeuwen so it’s a must see too. All the products they sell are very simple and well made and very inexpensive. The kitchen utensils are so beautiful and simple, they had little metal boxes that were so unique, and stationary that just feels nice. I don’t really know how to describe it. You just need to feel the paper! They also have clothes (that are the nicest basics ever), cleaning supplies, furniture, bathroom accessories, luggage, and even cosmetic products.
Unfortunately, they do not sell everything on their website. Most things actually need to be purchased in store. But that just gives me an excuse to go back! I bought a few things (only enough to fit in my suitcase) like a little pencil box, a notebook, a few basic hoodies, a pair of sweatpants that look like dress pants (the best concept ever), two tiny little wooden spoons, and a few little dishes. You have to check out their website to see exactly what I am talking about.
Spoonbill Books
A really cute bookstore with new and used books to sift through. Super fun to browse and look at what new books have come out. They also sell trendy magazines and really nice notebooks. Fun to just check it out. It is on the main drag in Williamsburg so if you are in the area, I am sure you will probably walk past it at one point.
Package Free Shop
Holy cow. I loved this store so freakin’ much. I got so much inspiration from it and could have stayed in there all day. The store is adorable and totally #goals. I literally want to work there. The design and layout of the store was perfect and so aesthetically pleasing. I seriously didn’t even know this place existed until I was walking by. I saw the little sign and was like…”Omg, we are going in!”. When you walk in the door, you come to a set of stairs that open into the the huge room of package free goods. The stairs are a perfect place to take a photo btw. Example below. They have so many zero waste products I never knew existed! I now know where I am going to shop when I am in need of something specific. They have everything from lunch containers, to deodorant, recycled greeting cards, reusable period pads and menstrual cups, and even biodegradable glitter. They had every type of metal straw in every size, shape, and color, every size produce bag, and even charcoal infused bandages (which I got).
So as I said before I got two packs of the all natural charcoal band-aids, a new produce bag, and a silicone straw (no more excuses that a metal straw cant fit in my bag). Everything was reasonably priced in my opinion and totally accessible to anyone even if you don’t live in Brooklyn. Sure the store is amazing in every way, but their website has every product for you to purchase and have sent to your door. Definitely check out their online store!
Sprout Home
If I am being honest, this store was even better than The Sill that I went to in my Manhattan Guide. They have big house plants taller than me, tiny succulents, and everything thing in between. They also have a ton of cute pots that I really wanted but couldn’t fly home with. It’s hard to find nice pots other than terra cotta because Sprout has them all! I felt like their plants were reasonably priced and worth checking out even if you don’t buy anything. They have a second store right across the street and down the block a bit. It is mostly kitchen and dining room sets with really cute utensils and plates. I took a lot of pictures for inspiration there. They also have a back patio that opens up to the store. There are a ton of plants out there with pretty strug lights. Lots to look at there.
So those were all the places I went to in Brooklyn. I actually really loved Brooklyn and the vibes it had. Everyone was very friendly and it was more neighborhood-y compared to Manhattan. More calm and clean. Below I have my map with every vegan establishment that interested me. I couldn’t get to all of them on this trip but I want to someday! Some of them are in Brooklyn, most are just all over the place. All the olive green pins are in Brooklyn. If your planning a trip to the big apple then here’s your guide!
Below I have linked all my guides to my favorite cities!
