Willow Vegan Bistro in
New York (NY)

Truly enjoyed our experience at Willow! I think it may be the best vegan restaurant in NYC. We loved the crispy “calamari”, the French dip, and the banana pudding!! Also, the drinks were fantastic and our server Teddy was amazing. 10/10!

Might be the BEST vegan restaurant in nyc. This spot in Chelsea is a cozy, elevated spot that’s 100% vegan and fully kosher‑certified. They put a creative twist on comfort food, serving dishes that are flavorful and satisfying without being heavy. Beyond the food, their cocktails are refreshing and well-balanced, making it a great place for date nights, casual dinners, or drinks with friends. The vibe is warm and inviting, with a stylish touch that makes the experience feel special

Really amazing food! The French Dip was truly so spectacular. Our server Teddy is the best, wonderful and informative service. Shout out to his grandma’s recipes! (pictured Crab Rangoons)

I took my daughter here Friday night for dinner. She absolutely loved the food and our waiter Teddy, who was so kind and attentive. The food was delicious—she had the smash burger and fries and ate every last bite. I loved the French onion soup. We will definitely be back!

Plantbased experience 10/10!!! Great food that taste like the real stuff. We had the tuna tartare, crab ragoons & smoked mac and cheese. All were really lovely and would recommend to everybody. My boyfriend (not vegan) and I (vegan) loved this experience so much, would go back if we could. Also, staff super kind and makes the experience complete. Worth every penny, especially considering it a ‘high end’ experience prices are really good.

TLDR: Great food, great service, great environment. Atmosphere is modern and clean, but warm and cozy. Love how the decor has woods, and golds and dark blue, but remains modern. Looks like a magazine! Service was exceptional with staff that were attentative, kind, and professional. We felt welcomed from every staff member and these folks seem to actually like their job! The food is not fussy, not inventive, but just is dang good. Sometimes vegan restaurants either just focus on junk food or are avant-garde. Willow takes classics, veganizes them, and gives a solid belly warming feel. My wife had a great latte and smoked "salmon" avocado toast that was so far above the average toast. I got the French onion soup and meatball sliders. The soup had a good depth of flavor. My only complaint is I wanted a bigger bowl! The marinara sauce was stick to your gut and I could have used a bit more garlic on the buns, but maybe that is because I'm worried about vampires!

My vegan mind was blown away - came here for a solo dinner post-gym after hearing rave reviews and Willow completely surpassed my expectations. Their cocktails are well-balanced - I got the Tropical Blush (fruity, tequila-based drink, super easy to sip) followed by the Smokey Petal which was a bit stronger. I had the sweet cornbread with garlic thyme butter, which was delicious and filling. The cornbread was really soft and rich. For my entree, they unfortunately didn’t have the chicken skewers that night, so I went with the Whiskey BBQ Brisket Frites which was the star of the show. The texture of the Chunk Foods’ brisket was tender but still had that amazing pull-apart quality going for it. The salty fries cut through the sweeter BBQ glaze. Finally, I got the banana pudding to go, since I was very full at this point! It wasn’t too sweet, but had a satisfying thickness to it thanks to the coconut cream. Will definitely be coming back the next time I’m in NYC!

Wow! Highly recommend getting the cheese board - great variety, and there was not one cheese or preserve that was not shockingly like the ‘real’ thing. The calamari was also delicious and the portion was so big we couldn’t finish it. I found the Mac and Cheese lacked a bit of flavour in comparison with the other dishes, but it was fine. When I go again I’d choose wine instead; the cocktail I had was nice but tasted more like a mocktail. Restaurant itself was lovely - good vibes without being too loud. A nice date spot. Service was very attentive, friendly, 10/10. Thanks Teddy and team. We’ll be back!

The food was unsurpassed, atmosphere was perfect, and our server Ally was super attentive, knowledgeable, and very professional. Took the time to listen and give great recommendations. Couldn’t have had a better experience. Chef Guy Vaknin was present and we got to speak with him. Very sincere hospitable professional. Thank you for the experience. Highly recommended.

I love it here! The food and cocktails are wonderful at every City Roots establishment. Please get the cheese board and calamari. This is a restaurant where you can take a non-vegan and they will be 100% impressed.

Willow Vegan Bistro easily earns its reputation as one of the best vegan restaurants in NYC, and our experience was made even more exceptional thanks to our wonderful server, Teddy. From the moment we arrived, Teddy was warm, knowledgeable, and attentive in a way that felt genuinely thoughtful. He guided us through the menu with ease, offered spot-on recommendations, and created an atmosphere that felt welcoming and relaxed without ever being intrusive. We started with the Willow Cheese Plate, which was beautifully composed and indulgent, followed by the Crispy Gyoza that delivered incredible flavor and texture. For mains, my husband ordered the Double Smash Burger and immediately declared it the best veggie burger he has ever had. I chose the Dijon Pepper Flank Steak, which was rich, satisfying, and perfectly balanced. If you are searching for the best vegan restaurant in Chelsea or simply want to experience why Willow Vegan Bistro is considered one of the best vegan restaurants NYC has to offer, this is the place. We will absolutely be returning, and we hope to be seated with Teddy again next time.

What a lovely surprise. I’m not vegan, so I honestly didn’t expect much — but Willow completely changed my perspective. The space is beautiful and comfortable, and the menu was far richer and more flavorful than I imagined. I discovered this gem thanks to my sister-in-law (who is vegan) during her short stop in New York before heading to Spain. We went together as a family and had such a great time. Highly recommend the Salmon Avocado Toast — absolutely delicious, even magical. The cocktails were also fantastic. Special thanks to Teddy, our server, who was kind, knowledgeable, and incredibly patient with all our indecision. Thank you again, Willow. I truly look forward to coming back soon. S.O. ???

One of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to! Our server Alexandra was AMAZING, so nice and amazing service. We got the wontons, mac and cheese, French dip sandwich, bbq brisket and fries and banana pudding. Every single thing was fantastic. French dip and banana pudding were my favourites. Mocktails and wine both great. We will definitely be back!

Great Food and Incredible Service. Crispy Crab Rangoon is a must. The cheese grits and the hen of the woods is also amazing. Great menu selection and the ambiance is perfect for a date or a nice meal.

We were lucky to get a table last minute on Thanksgiving, and how lucky! It was amazing, from hospitality to atmosphere and food. Teddy welcomed us with great enthusiasm and great suggestions. The calamari and mac’n cheese were very nice but the highlight was definitely the flank steak. Highly recommend.

I absolutely love this place! The food is delicious, the atmosphere is wonderful. I've been a regular for over two years, bringing my non-vegan friends, and they're always pleasantly surprised. ;) Recently, at the urging of the lovely waitress, Ally, I managed to try the Crispy Crab Rangoons, and now they're a hit! Thank you, Ally ❤️

We love Willow. We love both of our server, Teddy and our earlier server, Brandon. As a vegan chef, I love eating food I can’t easily make. The dishes are interesting, tasty and beautifully plated.

Brunch is mind bogglingly good! The Big Boy Brunch with the most amazing vegan steak I’ve ever had and two almost perfect sunny side up eggs was delicious. Even the toast was perfect lol. Then the Cheese Grits and Hen of the Woods brought back so much nostalgia with the crispy fried mushrooms and really flavorful creamy grits. We thoroughly enjoyed it! Will definitely be back!

We got 6 dishes and loved 5 of them. I would definitely go back to try the rest of the dishes. I also hear that they have some deal on sandwiches on Thursdays. It’s a must try for vegans. The location is great and the service is fast. It would have been 5 stars if not for the 2 issues we had. On the food side, the cheese grits wasn’t flavorful enough and on the atmosphere bit they did not have any way to shelter us from the sun where we were sitting.

We had the Yuzu Spicy Tuna Tartare, the French Onion Soup, and the Double Smoked Cheese French Dip and, to quote my husband, “This was the best meal of my life!” The banana pudding for dessert was equally delicious. Teddy, our waiter, was amazing and lovely, and we had an absolutely wonderful experience. Simply perfect.

Great vegan restaurant. We had the seasonal sangria and the crab cake dumplings and the BLT and everything was tasty. Fries were delicious. Came with a non vegan friend and she loved it too

Beautiful, small bistro. I went there for lunch with my daughter and another time with the whole family. We loved the food and had many options to choose from, including gluten free options. It’s comfort food but upscale and vegan.

Willow really exceeded expectations! We arrived here on the whim after having some meetings in the neighborhood and was excited to find the warm and cozy interior. We ordered the mushroom burger and butternut squash ravioli and both were delicious. Also spotted the cheese board at another table that looked great. Amazing friendly service by Teddy as well. Was one of the few restaurant experiences I’ve had since Covid that blew me away.

Really impressed with this full plant based restaurant. Fancy yet wholesome. Classy not gaudy. Great service from Teddy; really knowledgeable of the menu. And of course we must applaud the food. Wow! Would come back to try more!

Willow Vegan Bistro – Brunch Goals Unlocked Brunch at Willow was next-level—from the food to the service, everything hit the mark. Huge shoutout to Jailene, our amazing server. Super knowledgeable, genuinely friendly, and guided us through the menu like a pro (seriously, give this woman a raise). We started with the cheese plate, and let me just say—City Roots Hospitality really knows their way around a cheeseboard. This is the third spot I’ve tried from the group, and every time, I’m blown away. I also had the meatball sliders (perfection), and yes—I took chunks of Parmesan from the cheeseboard and stuffed them inside. No regrets, just brilliance. Then came the crab Rangoons—beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. My partner ordered the chuck steak onion soup sandwich, complete with a beefy au jus dip. I was too full to commit, but one bite confirmed it was just as savory and satisfying as it sounds. I didn’t make it to the chicken sandwich (eyes > stomach), but I’m already planning my return. Willow, I’ll be back—and I’m bringing friends.

Sometimes I’m just not in the mood for meat, so I love checking out vegan restaurants to discover creative plant-based dishes. Willow Vegan Bistro is by far the best vegan restaurant in Chelsea! All of the food is fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. I especially recommend trying their tartare and the steak! Both are outstanding, but you can’t go wrong with any dish item. Highly recommend this spot!

Big shoutout to my waitress Ally. She was absolutely amazing and was the sweetest waitress ever. I could not recommend this place more both for their service and food. I came with my mom today and she loved it as well. I did not have to wait for the food to come out at all, and the food was absolutely delicious. My mom eats meat and she loved it too! So it is a great place for both vegans and meat eaters. The dessert and drinks were also a 10/10. The cocktail selection is so refreshing and great for the summertime. For a main course I recommend the fried chicken burger if you want something that tastes authentic but fresh! I will have to visit again! Thank you all for the amazing food and service.