Urban Vegan Roots — Restaurant in New York

This is going to be a somewhat lengthy review,so if you read nothing else, just know that this is one of THE best restaurants in all of NYC, and you NEED to eat here. The food is always insanely more delicious than the last time I remember, which is saying something because every time I eat here I truly have no words!

Me and my partner used to frequent their old West Village location years back, so when we learned they were opening a restaurant here in my home neighborhood of Astoria, we were ecstatic. My favorite dishes that I've probably EVER had at any restaurant are the Korean BBQ seitan wings, the avocado ranch salad with the crispy southern fried seitan, and the steak sandwich. And their chocolate chip tahini cookie has to be one of the best cookies in all of New York City.

The Korean BBQ wings are a texture unlike ANYTHING you've ever had before. Meaty, a little crunchy on the outside, and the flavor of the sauce with the gochugaru ranch on the side is UNREAL. The salad is also INSANE, with a ranch that is so fresh it has to be housemade. Accompanied by the fried seitan, it just brings this seemingly simple salad out of this world.

But the steak sandwich y'all...I had never tried this menu item until a few weeks ago, and I still dream of it every single night. It has to be one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. The Chunk brand steak they use falls apart like the most juicy, delicious pot roast, complimented by a tangy vegan blue cheese and the caramelized onions/mushrooms which just heighten the umami of everything. It is PERFECTION, and I lowkey would go bankrupt if I ate that sandwich half as much as I craved it.

And one last thing! If you're reading this, you NEED to grab a cookie or two to go. I hadn't tried one until the other week, and I felt so foolish for sleeping on it for so long. It is THE most perfect, soft baked, crumbly, buttery, rich, delicious cookie I can genuinely ever remember having. It makes those other specialized cookie shops in the neighborhood look like amateurs. If a soft baked chocolate chip is your thing, you'll wish you had one everyday.

Anyways, to wrap things up, my partner and I just celebrated our 4 year anniversary and came here for lunch. The service is always impeccable and so swift, and the food is always just superb. There is just too much good to write about this place. Thank you all for making our anniversary special, and thank you for serving the neighborhood with some of the best food around,...

It’s a great big open space with nice decor, though the music is a bit louder than it needs to be, especially at lunchtime. As for the menu, there’s an array of vegan comfort food options to choose from. I had a sandwich, whose ingredients were decent, although the homemade bread just seemed like regular white bread (see photo). Would be nice to have some other options like multigrain, sourdough and even flourless bread. And also, another critique I have that is also true of many vegan restaurants so it is not reflected in my star rating — the menu is inadequate when it comes to whole food options. You would think a vegan restaurant would offer more than comfort food, which tasty but is full of salt, sugar, and oil. Would be great if they could have some plates without the processed/high salt/high oil foods, like a macro plate with steamed veggies, a whole grain and beans and a tahini sauce or something like that. Also, there is barely anything in the way of salad. I thought it was cool with the sandwich that I could get a four dollar salad, but it was just some Romain lettuce with a few pieces of kale. I think they can do better and a place like this, in addition to all the tasty processed food options, should include some healthy dishes that don’t have all the salt, oil and sugar. There is a whole section of the menu devoted to gluten-free, which often means yet more highly processed food, so on their huge menu why not have a section devoted to whole food/healthy options? Even though the stuff they have is well executed and decent, I simply feel they can do more. Veganism and healthy food do not have to be mutually exclusive, but unfortunately, so many vegan offerings out there consist of junk food pretending to be “healthy.” And lastly, with tax and tip for two people lunch came to $70. They don’t have any lunch special and I think they really should because it’s pricey. And I paid $22 for a moderately sized sandwich with some greens. I feel that I should have gotten a bit more for the money. nevertheless, overall, the food was pretty good and I...

Extremely Disappointing Valentine's Day Dinner Experience

I'm giving it one star solely due to the terrible service, which overshadowed any positive aspects of the food and atmosphere.

My husband and I had high hopes for a nice Valentine's Day dinner at this establishment, but unfortunately, our experience was far from satisfactory.

Upon arrival, we were promptly seated, but that's where the efficiency ended. Despite ordering drinks that arrived in a timely manner, we waited for almost an hour without any sign of our food. While other tables received their orders, we were sat there hungry and neglected.

Despite a brief apology from our server, the situation only worsened as more time passed without any explanation or updates. Even after flagging down the server, our requests for information on our food's whereabouts were met with empty promises and further delays.

To make matters worse, when we asked for the manager, she offered nothing more than a hollow apology, failing to address our concerns or offer any meaningful resolution. When the food finally arrived, the server offered extra sauce that never made it to the table, highlighting the lack of attention to our table.

Even after asking for a free dessert as compensation (it wasn’t offered, I suggested it), it never arrived, further highlighting the lack of care and attention to customer satisfaction. It was evident that this was more than simple “kitchen delays”. We provided them with opportunities to change the course of our experience and they neglected us until the very end.

What was supposed to be a special occasion ended on a sour note, and the managers dismissive attention only added to our frustration. Will not be returning. I hope your...