Living in NYC I am so blessed to be within walking and / or subway distance to a ton of restaurants that are laser focused on the quality and sourcing of their ingredients. Nothing makes me happier than to hear that a restaurant buys their produce or meat from the local farmers’ markets (there are a lot more in the city than people expect). Instead of getting stressed out about where their food comes from or how its prepared, with these 3 places I can sit back, relax and actually enjoy my delicious food!
1. Hu Kitchen - This is a more recent obsession of mine. Hu Kitchen opened only a few months ago and I’ve already been here 10 times. Yes, 10. Hu Kitchen is the perfect destination for people with any dietary concern or lifestyle: it caters to everyone from Paleo eaters to vegans. I think it’s fantastic that their meat is all organic and grass-fed. Also, most of their items are made completely from scratch. This is wonderful, particularly for when I want an almond milk latte because to my knowledge, there are no packaged almond milks on the market that don’t have questionable additives like carrageenan in it. I also have to give a special mention to their mouthwatering desserts: I can never say no to their chocolate chia seed pudding or their macadamia nut (grain-free) brownies, which are super moist and decadent.
2. Gust Organics - A great brunch option for a lazy Sunday. Another place where meat eaters and vegans can eat together happily. Gust Organics is actually the first certified organic restaurant in New York City; knowing that everything is 100% organic just gives me so much peace of mind. They have an awesome $20 prix-fixe brunch option which includes coffee, fresh-squeezed orange juice and one entree. They also have great juice options for those of you who need your green juice fix.
3. Pure Food and Wine / One Lucky Duck - A mecca for you raw vegans out there. Even though my dietary choices definitely skew more caveman than raw vegan, I’m still madly in love with their food. I often wake up having intense cravings for their salads and zucchini “lasagna”. When the weather is nice, you must try to snag a seat in their gorgeous garden area (see above). I’m also infatuated with their swan greens juice (pineapple, spinach, mint, yuzu, grapefruit) and their blonde macarons. But beware if you’re in a rush – their service is definitely mediocre at best. I often find myself waiting for my food for a bit too long, but the food is good enough that I’m willing to put up with it.
