Freakin' Vegan — Restaurant in Ridgewood

It takes a lot for me to rate something with 5 stars. I have been vegetarian for 16 years, finding a place that's whole menu is Vegan is awesome, wish someone did it sooner, but it was overwhelming having so many options that all sound delicious. Luckily I ordered in store and when I had questions, the owner was right there to answer them all, which helped me make a decision. I chose the Philly Cheesesteak sandwich because the owner explained to me how they make their own Seitan, and thinly slice it, then slightly sear it during the process of cooking the ingredients for the sandwich, which created a much more pleasant mouth feel than some other restaurants that toss chunks of rubbery seitan on their vegan options. I'm not Vegan, and still do eat real cheese so I wasn't expecting to be blown away by the vegan cheese used on this sandwich but to my surprise, while I definitely notice the difference, mainly in its texture... it was about the closest I've ever had to MELTED vegan cheese, and works well with the texture and flavor of their thinly sliced seitan. I ate half the sandwich without adding hot sauce, and it's seasoned perfectly... I just like my food spicy so added a bit on the second half and it was even better... but I could eat it as is, all the time, without complaining. The roll it came on was fresh, and upon unwrapping the sandwich it was not soggy, which I was happy about. I don't know what they cook the ingredients in, but they didn't taste or feel greasy... they were light and airy which I also enjoyed, but that didn't prevent the sandwich from being appropriately sized and filling. Ate the entire thing, enjoyed every bite. I'd like to get this with fries one day.. all that said, it was nice to finally be able to enjoy seitan, Freakin Vegan gets it right.... looking forward to trying the Italian Sub next, and the FV burger since that was likely the best priced vegan burger in all of Bergen County, NJ. The music playing inside was absolutely the kind of stuff we'd listen to outside of the atmosphere there, the owner was very friendly and professional in his appearance... the place was immaculate and lit well... parking was very easy, and we will be back! Tell your friends, if you're vegan or vegetarian - this place has something for everybody and I'm sure they'll have even more exciting menu options in the future. Right across the street from Wholefoods in Ridgewood,...

We finally got to check this place out when in the area for a book signing. OMG... EVERYTHING was so delicious. It's all slightly under-seasoned, which is typical of restaurants to remain more neutral, but easily remedied. I was just beyond thankful for all the gluten-free options and versions of the non-gf offerings. I had the gluten-free Country Fried Chick’n, w White Gravy Bowl, Chick'n Parm Hero, and Buffalo Chik'n Mac n Cheese. All of them were SO good and well-made. The sandwich needed no seasoning, but the white gravy was lacking salt and pepper and the mac n cheese was a bit dry and needed more buffalo sauce. Thankfully, I had some extra cheese sauce and buffalo sauce at home. I may have to buy extra cheese sauce from there next time we order. All of the flavors I wanted were there, overall. My husband had the regular versions of the Sausage, Peppers & Onions Hero, Kielbasa and Sauerkraut Hero w mustard, Cheesesteak Empanadas, and Corn Bread. He couldn't say enough good things about the sausage sandwiches and declared them the best he's had post AND pre-vegan! He loved the empanadas so much he's going to grab a cheesesteak sub next time. He described the cornbread as fluffy, flavorful, and one of the best he's had. He sliced it in half and topped it with some chili the next day. It took us a few days to get through it all, but it was so worth the big order. I wish there was some tables so you could enjoy it hot and fresh, but it was a nice night and we got some air as we ate outside. The owner was very kind and obviously puts a lot of love and effort into his food. It's 45 minutes away without traffic, but we'll definitely make this a destination from time to time. ...

I was in a pinch and found Freakin’ Vegan close by for lunch while on the road yesterday. I ordered the (Plant Based) Shredded Chicken Empanadas, a Buffalo Mac n Cheese Empanada, and a Chicken Parm Sub. I was not disappointed! After paying for my food and about to walk out, I was greeted by one of the chefs with a slice of plant based pizza to make up for the wait. After devouring the slice of pizza that tasted very traditional, I dug into the shredded empanadas which were amazing. I’m a bland eater most times so besides the hint of olive, it mainly tasted of chicken, rice and cheese. (With the right sauce, these would satisfy anybody, so order the sauce of your choice if you want full flavor). The Buffalo Mac n Cheese Empanada was next, and did not disappoint. Although the Buffalo flavor was not as strong as I anticipated, it was still delicious and had a great ratio between the crispy shell, and Mac noodles inside. The Chicken Parm was saved for dinner. I felt like I was on a cloud while eating it. As a plant based eater, I rarely get the equivalent to the real thing, but this was it! This place is a hidden gem in my book that I...