Madison Square Garden – Vegetarian Guide

Finding restaurants that cater to vegetarians can sometimes be a real pain, but not when you’re in New York City. This trendy, foodie-friendly metropolis is home to a myriad of vegetarian dining options, many of which are located just a stone’s throw from Madison Square Garden.

If you’re a vegetarian who’ll be attending an upcoming event at New York City’s iconic arena, you’re probably wondering where to get good vegetarian grub nearby. That’s precisely why we put together this list of five popular vegetarian restaurants located within walking distance of Madison Square Garden. Whether you’re in the mood for a tasty vegan pastry or a vegetarian take on Asian cuisine, we’ve got you covered.

The Cinnamon Snail

The Cinnamon Snail got their start in 2010 as a food truck roaming the streets of New York City, serving all sorts of tasty vegan treats. They’ve since opened up two brick-and-motor locations, though their beloved food truck still rolls on to this day. You can find them at The Pennsy, a high-end food hall located above Penn Station and right next to Madison Square Garden, conveniently enough.

Putting an innovative vegan twist on everything from burgers and banh mi to donuts and mac and cheese, The Cinnamon Snail fits in perfectly with the five other trendy vendors at The Pennsy. If you’re in the mood for something savory, try their Thai BBQ Tempeh “Samich,” topped with smoked chili roasted peanut, pickled red onions, baby arugula, and sriracha mayo.

Got a sweet tooth? You’ve come to the right place. The Cinnamon Snail’s delicious donuts were their original claim to vegan fame, and they know it. That’s why they have a selection of about 30 donuts, as well as pastries, which changes daily. You never know what sweet treats you’ll find there, but you can be sure they’ll all be delicious… and vegan!

The Little Beet

Like The Cinnamon Snail, The Little Beet is another vegetarian-friendly vendor located in The Pennsy. They’re on a mission to serve real food deliciously, which is evident from their veggie-forward, seasonal menu that’s 100% gluten-free, mostly vegan, always fresh, and void of refined sugar. On top of all that, all of their ingredients are carefully sourced from local farmers and food purveyors. Eating doesn’t get much cleaner than that, folks.

They’re all about bowls at The Little Beet, and with a menu that changes seasonally, you can never be too sure what to expect. Maybe they’ll have their Yuzu Poke Bowl, filled with diced raw salmon, brown rice, and plenty of other yummy ingredients. The Sweet Beet Bowl is another possible option, featuring beet falafel, organic quinoa, sweet potatoes, chipotle kale, corn, chickpeas, avocado bean dip, and turmeric tahini sauce.

If none of their specialty bowl options are calling your name, you can opt to build your own instead. Start by choosing a base, such as brown rice or field greens. Then to that base you can add ingredients like shaved Brussels sprouts, charred broccoli with lemon, and beet falafel. Top it all off with a sauce and a garnish and you’ve got yourself a bowl that’s as tasty as it is healthy.

VLife

Only a couple blocks from Madison Square Garden is VLife, a restaurant that offers a veritable medley of vegan eats. Their extensive menu is 100-percent vegan and features everything from burgers and quesadillas to smoothies, juices, and desserts. With so many options to choose from, even meat eaters could find something that speaks to their taste buds at VLife.

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially when you’re about to spend the day out and about in the Big Apple. That’s why VLife serves up a few different kinds of hearty breakfast sandwiches piled high with ingredients like tofu and vegan ham and cheese. These sandwiches are available until 11:30 a.m. on Monday through Friday and until 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

There’s so much more on the menu at VLife than just breakfast sandwiches though. Get there later in the day and you can enjoy wraps like the imaginative French Fry Frenzy or a salad stocked with fresh veggies and vegan proteins. Like The Little Beet, VLife lets customers create their own version of some dishes too.

Hangawi

If you’re a vegetarian who’s a fan of Asian food, having a meal at Hangawi before or after going to Madison Square Garden is a total no-brainer. This upscale sit-down restaurant is known for their vegetarian takes on traditional Asian cuisine, namely Korean dishes like bibimbap, which makes sense given that Hangawi is located in the Koreatown neighborhood of Manhattan less than a half-mile from Madison Square Garden.

In true Korean fashion, shoes cannot be worn while dining at Hangawi. Upon entering, you’ll be asked to remove and place them in a cubby for safe keeping. Another noticeably Korean aspect to dining at Hangawi is the seating. Instead of chairs, they’ve got pillows. Foreign as they may seem, it’s details like these that will make your experience there feel even more authentic.

Deciding what to eat at Hangawi is no easy task, since there’s so much to choose from and everything just sounds so good. If you need help narrowing down your options, consider going with the todok stone bowl rice or Mongolian hot pot. Both dishes are full of fresh veggies and have just the right amount of spice. For dessert, try the vegan chocolate pudding topped with Korean Rice Krispies, berries, and vegan whipped cream.

Marty’s V Burger

Marty’s V Burger might be located just under a mile from Madison Square Garden, but this humble, no-frills burger joint is well worth the walk. Why, you ask? Well, in addition to serving some of the best meatless burgers Manhattan has to offer, Marty’s V Burger also makes veganized versions of other fun foods like mac and cheese, chicken wings, and crab cakes.

For the full Marty’s V Burger experience, order the Original World Famous Burger. This burger is like a vegan McDonald’s Big Mac, complete with melted vegan cheese, special sauce, pickles, and crisp shredded lettuce all on a sesame seed bun. Marty’s makes this burger, along with the rest of the ones on their menu, with their own house-made patty, but you can substitute it with an Impossible Burger or Beyond Burger patty for an additional cost.