Borough Vegetarian

Lombardi’s - Not Quite Di Fara or Totonno’s, But Worth a Manhattan Stop

A major premise of this blog is that the NYC boroughs apart from Manhattan - Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx - have excellent food that too many folks seem to miss out on when visiting or living in the city.  This post unintentionally helps back that premise up with a round up of Lombardi’s, the well-trafficked “first pizza” restaurant in New York City.

(Large Original Pizza)

Don’t get me wrong, Lombardi’s serves a delicious pie and has a number of other menu items as well, which you don’t generally find at NYC pizza places.  

(House Salad)

But if you are looking for out-of-this-world, complex pizza, I’d recommend going to Brooklyn to Di Fara or Totonno’s (or Lucali, Giuseppina’s or even Franny’s).  The fresh sauce, cheese and flavorful dough are all a cut above at those Brooklyn places, in my mind.

(Slice of Original Pizza with Healthy Dose of Crushed Red Chile Peppers)

Cafe China - Best Szechuan for Vegetarians in NYC?

Cafe China is definitely a favorite of ours.  We have been going there fairly regularly for two years now, and whether it’s small dinners for two or family dinners for twelve, Cafe China’s wide range of Szechuan food has never disappointed.  And for a vegetarian, there is the added bonus that they mark which of their dishes are vegetarian (and gluten free) and they will make their dan dan mian without pork upon request.  Their cocktails are also superb.  Below are some of my favorite dishes, though sadly I am missing a picture of the dan dan mian because I consumed it too quickly on my last visit!

(Ma Po Tofu - SO good!)

(Fresh, Garlicky Bok Choy)

(Scallion Pancakes)

Cafe China

13 E. 37th Street

Manhattan, NYC

Accessible from the B/D/F/M/N/Q/R trains at 6th Avenue or the 6 train at 34th Street

Another NYC Vegetarian Best - DiFara Pizza

I know I am entering treacherous territory by engaging in the NYC pizza wars, but there is no way to get around it - DiFara makes an excellent pie, and one that I think is the best in the city and country (and heck, let’s go for world).  

With the imported tomatoes, multiple cheeses, olive oil, and fresh basil, it’s hard to beat the complexity of the flavors in DiFara’s slices.  Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of Totonno’s and of course all of the New Haven pizza places, but DiFara is REALLY good and dare I say it - worth the multi-hour wait that can sometimes occur.  So if you are vegetarian or not (their classic slice has sausage, and friends seem to really like their pepperoni), get to Midwood, Brooklyn without delay!  (Ideally on a weekday afternoon, before school lets out, for more reasonable waits)

Starting with my favorite - Tangra Masala, the best Indian Chinese in NYC (and maybe the world)?

Tangra Masala is the best Indian Chinese in New York City - and definitely beats out many Indian Chinese restaurants in India as well.  I started my love of Tangra’s food at the original Elmhurst location, but have since frequented the Sunnyside location which features a much larger and cleaner dining room, as well as alcohol.  

There is a separate, extensive vegetarian menu, and our favorites include the Vegetable Pakoras, Vegetable Hot and Sour Soup, Gobi Manchurian (Dry), Baby Corn Manchurian (Dry), and Vegetarian Hakka Noodles.  I’ve sampled many other menu items as well, and the only caution I would have is to order the entrees “dry” instead of with the gravy because the gravy can truly underwhelm the dishes.  It is truly the best place to take a group of mixed vegetarian and meat eaters.