5 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in New York (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Thorne Savarin, Culinary Explorer · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

New York's strongest vegetarian restaurants don't hedge with a token veggie section, they build the entire kitchen around it. The restaurants on this page have logged nearly 15,000 Google reviews between them, and SARAVANAA BHAVAN alone accounts for over a third of that at 5,286. What separates them is style, not commitment: South Indian dosa houses, a Gujarati thali institution, and kosher kitchens serving Chinese and American comfort food built entirely from plants.

Short answer: The most-reviewed vegetarian restaurant in New York is SARAVANAA BHAVAN (4.3 stars, 5,286 Google reviews), a South Indian chain in Murray Hill. Balaji Bhavan holds the highest rating on the list at 4.8 stars. Expect $20 to $60 per person for a sit-down meal based on reviewer-reported spending, more for Vatan's all-you-can-eat thali.

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1. SARAVANAA BHAVAN
2. Balaji Bhavan pure veg…
3. Vatan
4. Bodhi Kosher Vegetaria…
5. P.S. Kitchen
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New York's Top Vegetarian Restaurants Compared

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	SARAVANAA BHAVAN	4.3 ★	5,286	South Indian dosas and thali, Murray Hill	View ›
2	Balaji Bhavan pure vegetarian South Indian restaurant	4.8 ★	2,026	South Indian dosas, Jersey City	View ›
3	Vatan	4.5 ★	2,890	All-you-can-eat Gujarati thali, Kips Bay	View ›
4	Bodhi Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant	4.6 ★	2,311	Kosher vegan Chinese, Chinatown	View ›
5	P.S. Kitchen	4.6 ★	2,258	Vegan American comfort food, Times Square	View ›

5 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in New York (2026)

Our top picks, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days

SARAVANAA BHAVAN

4.35,286 Google reviews

SARAVANAA BHAVAN is part of a global chain specializing in South Indian vegetarian food, with this Murray Hill location serving dosas, idlis, thalis, and sambar. It's built around volume and consistency rather than a boutique dining experience, and it has the single largest review base of any vegetarian restaurant on this page.

What people praise

Dosa and thali dishes are the most-praised items across reviews
Reviewers describe quick, efficient service even at busy times
Coffee called out specifically as strong and authentic
Weekend brunch service available with seating

Worth knowing

Rating (4.3) is the lowest on this page, and the share of five-star reviews is noticeably thinner than the rest of the list

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.3 / 5

Review volume5,286 · 97th

Confidencehigh

Recency3 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown60% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The deepest review history here, and the South Indian menu is the most consistently praised part of the experience. Worth trying, but check current wait times given its size and popularity.

Website +1212-684-7755 Directions

81 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10016

#2🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Balaji Bhavan pure vegetarian South Indian restaurant

4.82,026 Google reviews

Balaji Bhavan is a pure vegetarian South Indian restaurant just across the Hudson in Jersey City's Heights neighborhood, specializing in dosas, thalis, and filter coffee. It's a family-run spot reviewers describe as filling a gap for authentic South Indian food in an area with few comparable options, and it holds the highest rating of any restaurant on this page.

What people praise

Highest rating on the list at 4.8 stars
Specialty and Delish dosas repeatedly named as standouts beyond the standard masala dosa
Filter coffee called out specifically as a must-order
Reviewers describe attentive, family-style service

Worth knowing

Located in Jersey City rather than Manhattan, so factor in travel time
Expect a 20 to 30 minute wait during busier periods

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.8 / 5

Review volume2,026 · 58th

Confidencevery high

Recency8 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown89% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick if you're willing to cross the river for South Indian food that reviewers consistently call the best in the area. The rating tops this list even with a smaller footprint than the chain restaurant above it.

Website Book now +1908-936-3303 Directions

249 Central Ave, Jersey City, NJ 07307

#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Vatan

4.52,890 Google reviews

Vatan is a Kips Bay institution built entirely around the Gujarati thali, an all-you-can-eat, multi-course vegetarian meal served table-side in a dining room designed to resemble an Indian village courtyard. It's strictly vegetarian, kosher, and offers gluten-free accommodations, and reviewers describe it as a fixed-price experience rather than an à la carte menu.

What people praise

Entire menu is vegetarian, with kosher and gluten-free accommodations
Multi-course thali format lets diners request seconds of any dish
Long-time regulars, including one reviewer with over 15 years of visits
Distinctive themed dining room called out as part of the experience, not just the food

Worth knowing

Fixed-format thali means less menu flexibility if you want to order individual dishes
Dinner-only hours, so it's not an option for lunch

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.5 / 5

Review volume2,890 · 92nd

Confidencevery high

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown74% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most distinctly vegetarian experience on this page: nothing on the menu strays from the format. If an all-you-can-eat Gujarati thali is what you're after, this is the specialist.

Website Book now +1212-689-5666 Directions

409 3rd Ave, Manhattan, NY 10016

#4🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Bodhi Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant

4.62,311 Google reviews

Bodhi Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant is a Chinese-Cantonese vegetarian kitchen on Mulberry Street specializing in dim sum and classic Chinese dishes made entirely without meat, using plant-based substitutes for pork, chicken, and seafood. It's kosher-certified, and reviewers describe a dining room that draws both longtime Chinatown regulars and vegan diners from across the city.

What people praise

Plant-based BBQ pork, kung pao chicken, and dim sum dishes praised repeatedly for texture and flavor
Reviewers highlight it as popular with longtime local and elderly Chinatown regulars, not just vegan diners
Lunch specials called out as strong value, with more than one reviewer spending under $20
Fast, friendly service noted even during busy periods

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume2,311 · 69th

Confidencevery high

Recency4 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown76% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A standout if you want Chinese comfort food built entirely from plants rather than a Western vegetarian menu. The mock-meat dishes are the draw, and reviewers who grew up on the real versions say it holds up.

Website Book now +1212-233-2921 Directions

77 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10013

#5🕑 Open 7 days

P.S. Kitchen

4.62,258 Google reviews

P.S. Kitchen is a fully vegan, kosher-certified restaurant near Times Square serving plant-based American and international comfort food, from lasagna and chik'n pot pie to a dedicated brunch menu. It's built for pre-Broadway dining, staying open late, and its menu leans on plant-based versions of classic dishes rather than raw or health-food fare.

What people praise

Chik'n pot pie, lasagna, and plant-based crab cakes repeatedly named as standouts
Brunch menu, including a Benedict and French toast, called out as a strong draw
Late hours make it a reliable option after a Broadway show
Multiple reviewers say non-vegan guests they brought were won over

Worth knowing

Street parking near Times Square is difficult, so plan to walk or take transit

Reputation scorecardrank in New York

Rating4.6 / 5

Review volume2,258 · 64th

Confidencevery high

Recency4 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown76% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The pick for vegan comfort food with a Broadway-adjacent location and late hours. It ranks here mainly on review volume, and the sentiment behind it is close to the top of the list.

Website Book now +1212-651-7247 Directions

246 W 48th St, New York, NY 10036

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Watch: 5 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in New York (2026)

How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is the restaurant’s live Google star average. Review volume measures how many diners have left a review, ranked against other New York vegetarian restaurants. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.3 average built on thousands of reviews carries more weight than one built on a few dozen. Recency reflects how recently diners are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.

How much does a meal cost at a vegetarian restaurant in New York? (2026)

Reviewer-reported per-person spending on this page runs from casual South Indian meals and lunch specials to a full multi-course thali.

Serving all of New York

The vegetarian restaurants above are concentrated in Manhattan, including Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Chinatown, and Times Square, with one standout just across the river in Jersey City. Searching for a vegetarian restaurant near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number and directions so you can find the closest option fast.

What to ask before booking a vegetarian restaurant

Is the entire menu vegetarian, or does it also serve meat dishes?
Do you offer vegan or Jain-style modifications if needed?
Is it a fixed-price thali format or an à la carte menu?
Do you take reservations, and is there a deposit required?
Are common allergens like nuts and dairy clearly marked?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these vegetarian restaurants?

We started from vegetarian restaurants in New York with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (August 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Are these the same restaurants as your vegan restaurants list?

No. This list is a separate set of restaurants from our vegan restaurants guide, with no overlap between the two. Some of the restaurants here, including Bodhi Kosher and P.S. Kitchen, are entirely vegan as well as vegetarian; others, like Vatan and Balaji Bhavan, serve dairy alongside their vegetarian menus.

How much does a meal cost at a vegetarian restaurant in New York?

These restaurants do not publish full pricing in the data we collected. Reviewers mention dishes around $10 to $20 at Bodhi Kosher and about $60 for the all-you-can-eat thali at Vatan. Check each restaurant’s own menu for current prices.

The bottom line

SARAVANAA BHAVAN is the safe default with the deepest review history and consistent South Indian staples, while Balaji Bhavan is the top-rated pick if you’re willing to cross into Jersey City. If a full thali experience is the goal, Vatan is the specialist.

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