During the 1980s, New York City became one of the first major cities in the US to feature a plethora of sushi-based restaurants. Shortly thereafter, the trend expanded across the nation, and now, sushi continues to be one of America’s favorite cuisines.
While Japanese cuisine is usually made with raw fish, it is possible to make delicious sushi without animal ingredients. And the Big Apple is now home to enough vegan sushi restaurants that you could eat at a different one nearly every day of the week.
Here are six of our favorite NYC restaurants serving delicious and innovative sushi without the cruelty.
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Is sushi suitable for vegans?
Sushi usually includes animal products. Take the California Roll, for example, which is one of the most popular types of sushi in the US. It’s usually made with crab meat, avocado, and cucumber, but it is possible to find vegan crab from some stores (shout out to Lily’s Vegan Pantry) and you can easily make it from home, too, using whole food, plant-based ingredients, like hearts of palm and jackfruit.
Other vegan sushi recipes use ingredients like tofu, beets, and vegetables like turnips, cucumber, and avocado to make a delicious seafood snack, without the sea creatures. But if you don’t have the energy to make your own vegan sushi, and you happen to be in New York City, here are some of the best places to get your fishy fish-free fix in the city.
6 places to find great vegan sushi in New York City
Franchia
1 Franchia
Hidden among residential apartment buildings on Manhattan’s busy Park Avenue, Franchia’s all-vegan offerings include an array of delicious dishes. Open the menu to discover a full page of plant-based sushi rolls, including the Tropical Mango & Avocado Roll, Crispy Tofu Skin Roll, and the Franchia Roll (cucumber, avocado, carrot, squash, mountain greens, and vegan crab meat). If you want to try them all, order the Roll Combo which brings together the California Roll, Crispy Tofu Skin Roll, and Spicy “Chicken” Roll. Be sure to make reservations if you’re planning to dine on a Friday or Saturday evening, though, as Franchia is popular among vegans and omnivores alike.
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Catch NYC
2 Catch NYC
Though not entirely vegan, this popular downtown Manhattan spot has added a few plant-based offerings to its menu, including an all-vegan sushi dish. The Vegetable King Roll delivers all of the complexity and beautiful presentation that the cuisine is known for … without cruelty. A delight for the eyes, Catch NYC’s vegan roll combines king oyster mushrooms, cashews, and spicy miso. Order the roll alongside avocado toast (vegan upon request) for a wonderful lunch. One can also find additional plant-based selections including Mushroom Spaghetti and Crispy Cauliflower—no modifications required. And if the restaurant becomes more popular with the plant-based crowd, perhaps they will change the name to something more vegan-friendly.
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Peacefood Cafe
3 Peacefood Cafe
With two locations, Peacefood Cafe is a NYC vegan staple. The restaurant can be counted on for everything from rich satisfying soups to hearty paninis. Among the plant-based comfort foods, the menu lists an all-raw offering simply titled Raw Sushi Rolls. However, don’t let this humble name fool you, as the colorful dish—which features walnut paste and julienned vegetables topped with avocado—makes it abundantly clear that the restaurant known for its delicious comfort foods has also mastered raw vegan sushi. As if this beautifully composed dish couldn’t get better, it’s accompanied by a petite salad of jicama and carrot that offers just the right amount of sweetness.
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Beyond Sushi
4 Beyond Sushi
The most celebrated source of vegan sushi in New York City is Beyond Sushi, which boasts four restaurants throughout Manhattan. With so many locations, cruelty-free diners in search of sophisticated sushi should not have a hard time finding a spot to indulge. The all-vegan eateries present artful rolls that combine colorful and delicious ingredients. The menu also includes dumplings, noodle salads, and rice-paper wraps that shouldn’t be missed. These intricate, creative, and complex offerings are a far cry from any plain cucumber roll that one might imagine when thinking of “vegan sushi.”
Find it here
Planta
5 Planta
Planta has several locations across the US and Canada, and all of them focus on top-quality, plant-based cuisine. If you’re in New York, head to Planta Queen for some of the best vegan sushi in the city. Options include Ahi Watermelon Nigiri, Dragon Rolls, and Spicy Tuna Rolls. Don’t skip out on the larger non-sushi options, like the Paad Thai Slaw, Truffle Fried Rice, and Cold Soba Noodles.
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Momo Sushi Shack
6 Momo Sushi Shack
Brooklyn’s Momo Sushi Shack offers fresh, tasty, simple sushi dishes, many of which are vegan-friendly (but not all, so make sure you read the menu thoroughly before you order!). Plant-based sushi options include Mina, which comes complete with tofu cream cheese, and Inari with stuffed tofu skin, edamame, ginger, and pickles.
Find it here
For more vegan sushi, read:
Charlotte is a writer and editor based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
