Växtbaserad matguide till Malmö
48 timmar i Malmö! Här kommer lista på allt gott vi åt i staden!
Betalt samarbete med @malmotown
Jag ä-l-s-k-a-r- matresor. Att besöka en stad genom maten är den bästa formen av upptäckarresa brukar jag säga. Strosa runt, smaka lite här och lite där. Lukta, titta, prata med hjältarna bakom maten. Strosa lite till, för att snart kunna äta något mer. Strosa mer, äta mer. Ja ni hänger med på konceptet!
Så, när jag fick frågan om jag ville komma ner till Malmö för att äta mig igenom - och skriva om - Malmös matscen satt jag i princip redan på tåget (påminns ofta om hur bra jag trivs här i södra Sverige där det finns mängder av vackra och underbara byar och städer korta tågresor bort) ner innan jag hunnit svara ja.
Och här har ni då alltså resultatet av 40 timmar i Malmö. Det blev falafel i mängder, världens godaste fyllda croissant, surdegsbröd, nötostbricka, glass, kakor, kaffe, Golden milk, vedugnspizza, växtfinmat, kombucha och choklad så klart.
Saknar ni några matställen i listan? Kommentera gärna nedan - min plan är att listan ska uppdateras i takt med att jag upptäcker mer av vad Malmö har att erbjuda!
På väg söder ut!
Atrium Kaffebar
Kom hit för: Frukost, kaffe och golden oat milk, fika och lunch. Och stämningen så klart!
Hit kom vi för att gömma oss ifrån sommarregnet som hade börjat falla utanför, och så klart för att smutta på havrecappuccino, Golden oat milk och en god, lagom söt banankaka. Det var inte svårt att förstå varför detta är ett av Malmös mest populära kaffebarer; vacker och välkomnande miljö, lagom enkelt koncept och meny, och viktigast av allt - god mat och dryck!
Bageri Leve
Kom hit för: Den godaste veganska croissanten någonsin. Och surdegsbröd, så klart.
Croissanten serveras vanligtvis med limemarinerade jordgubbar och cashewbrie (från Malmöföretaget @casheury), men då dessa var slut när vi kom dit frågade jag snällt om jag istället kunde få fyllningen som vanligtvis läggs i deras nybakade frallor — majskräm, tomat, gurka och groddar — i min istället. Jag hade trots allt sett fram emot just dessa croissanterna. Resultatet? Fullträff! Tror nästan jag blev lovad att de skulle sätta upp den nya varianten på menyn.
Missa inte att även köpa med något av de vackra surdegsbröden - vi åt sesambrödet och det var magiskt gott. Och jag är ganska säker på att resten är precis lika goda de också.
Köld
Kom hit för: Glass i stora lass!
Veganska glassar på kokos- eller cashewbas med kreativa smaker - och inte minst smakkombinationer! Be snällt att få smaka lite på de olika smakerna om du är osäker vilka du vill fylla din strut eller bägare med - för här bjuds smaker som du med största säkerhet inte smakat tidigare. Köp din glass och ta med ut till torget eller gatorna utanför. Här finns också glassar på mejeribas för den som är sugen på det!
Slottsträdgårdens kafé
Kom hit för: Klassisk fika i magisk miljö!
Ett bra dryckesutbud står högt i kurs när jag går på fik eller restaurang. I slotträdgårdens kafé finns mycket spännande på det temat; bland annat både mousserande äppelmust, stilla äppelmust och eller par olika kombucha bryggda i Malmö. Dessutom hittar du på menyn - i fikaväg - såväl raw food-boll (med somrig smak av rabarber när vi var där i juli) som maffig chokladtårta, och chokladbars. Beställ inne i kaféet och slå dig ner i växthuset, omgiven av blomster och under vinrankorna i taket. En perfekt paus mitt i stan, passa på att promenera runt lite i slottsträdgården och den fina parken när du är här!
Malmö saluhall // Malmö chokladfabrik
@malmosaluhall @malmochokladfabrik
Kom hit för: Till saluhallen för mat för alla smaker. En plats som rymmer precis allt du kan tänkas vara sugen på - under ett och samma tak! Denna gång köpte jag med ett gäng goda alkoholfria, svenska drycker från Lanthandeln. Mums! Och så lite choklad, som även kan köpas direkt hos Malmö chokladfabrik i en annan del av stan.
Mr Falafel
Kom hit för: Malmös kanske bästa falafelrulle!
När jag bad er om hjälp för att hitta Malmös godaste falafelrulle kom det in mängder med tips, men vissa stack ut; där ibland Mr Falafel och ett besök var vidare givet. Efter första tuggan visste jag att jag höll en falafel i världsklass i handen. Varför? Brödet var hembakat; en perfekt kombination av mjukt och segt. Falafeln var perfekt krispig och smakrik, tillbehören i form av tomat, gurka, sallad, syrad rödkål, lök och persilja var allt som kunde önskas. Missa inte att be om lite hummus, mynta och granatäpple i rullen - där går det från urgott till världsklass. Så enkelt, och samtidigt näst intill orimligt gott - det är så jag bäst gillar min mat! Och, mer än prisvärt.
Shawarmaspecialisten & Möllans falafel
Kom hit för: Falafelrulle!
Dessa var två av de andra falafelhaken som återkom flertalet gånger när jag bad om tips inför vår falafelrunda. Riktigt mumsiga! Tillbehören varierade något mellan de falafelhak vi testade denna gång, ett av mina favorittillbehör - syrad rödkål - fattades hos det sistnämnda. Hur som - urgoda och krispiga falaflar även på dessa två hak, och med tilläggen hummus och blomkål i blev det riktigt gott! Hemgjort bröd och båda ställena hade gjort rullarna ännu lite smarrigare.
Jord
Kom hit för: Matiga grötfrukostar (hela dagen lång) och signaturrätten hummusskål till lunch.
En hemtrevlig plats med god mat utan krusiduller - men ändå med nytänk. Här serveras grötarna, gjorda på olika sädesslag, både kalla och varma med spännande topping-kombinationer Passa på att beställa en skål tofu scramble med surdgesbröd också - det kan bli en ny favorit!
På Jord finns även ett fint utbud av flera olika kalla drycker - från must till kombucha - och många av dem dessutom producerade i Sverige. Sådant gillar jag!
Mineral
Kom hit för: Växtbaserad finmat precis som den ska smaka. Genialiskt god och vacker mat i all sin enkelhet - världsklass!
Jag beundrar kockar som på riktigt bryr sig om växtbaserad matlagning, och vågar låta grönsakerna få smaka precis vad de “ska” smaka. Precis så är det här. Det är egentligen rätt så enkel matlagning, men med riktigt bra råvaror i säsong - och viktigast av allt kunskap om hur man skapar spännande rätter med oväntade inslag (syrad bitterkrasse, eller gravad morot) och väntade älsklingar (ugnsrostade grönsaker med perfekt stuns, släta krämer och smakrika svampar med perfekt brynt yta). Här kan kockarna utan tvekan sin grej - och tallrik efter tallrik med äkta matkonst dukas fram till vår stora förtjusning. Den ena mer vacker och kul än den andra. Ett tips är att dela rätterna från en relativt lilla menyn, mellan sällskapet för att få smaka så mycket som möjligt. Och mängder av god dryck finns det också!
Ni förstår att detta är en favoritplats - här får du helt enkelt fullträff på precis allt; miljön, personalen och menyn.
The Raw Kitchen
Kom hit för: Ostbrickan! Och ett sällsynt utbud av otroligt vackra, och smarriga, raw food-tårtor och kakor av olika slag. Eller varför inte svänga förbi för att köpa en eller ett par goda nötostar att ta med hem.
Det ska inte stickas under stol med att “raw” mat kräver en hel del tid. Just därför gillar jag att gå till ställen som detta för att njuta lite Rawfood då och då, eftersom jag sällan hittar tiden eller tålamodet att laga det själv. På The Raw Kitchen kan man sin grej, allt ser magiskt vackert ut - och smakar där efter. Nytänkande, kreativ och vacker - full av smaker och riktigt god. Ostbrickan är en spännande upplevelse med 5 olika typer av nötbaserade ostar med olika smaker. Hur nöt-mozzarellan görs, och hur de får till den perfekt sega, ljuvliga mozzarellaliknande konsistensen är fortsatt ett mysterium (och företagshemlighet, som sig bör).
Far i hatten
Kom hit för: Härlig sommarstämning, vedugnsbakad pizza och smårätter.
Ett urval av pizzorna går att gå vegansk, vi tog den enklaste toppad med vegansk mozzarella, vegansk parmesan och färsk basilika. Då jag inte är ett superfan av den typen av vegansk ost skulle jag nästa gång be om en pizza utan osten. Tomatsåsen vad riktigt god, men för att en (vegansk) pizza ska flyga med endast tomatsås krävs en alldeles speciellt god botten, och gärna något mer på toppen enligt min mening (om man, som jag, som ovan nämnt inte är så förtjust i de veganska ostarna) - lite surdeg i botten, och något i stil med nötost / pesto / oliver på toppen så hade pizzan blivit ännu godare. Men med stämningen och platsen är Far i hatten absolut värt ett besök, och en pizzabeställning given!
Plant-based food guide to Gothenburg
Gems with delicious plant-based food made by passionated people who really loves what they’re doing! From breakfast, brunch and lunch via picnic, drinks and tapas to dinners and ice creams. Come discover Gothenburgs Plant-based food scene!
Finally, my guide to favourite places to eat in my hometown Gothenburg. Gems with delicious plant-based food made by passionated people who really loves what they’re doing! From breakfast, brunch and lunch via picnic, drinks and tapas to dinners and ice creams. And a few favourite shops too. Hope you enjoy it!
This guide will be updated continuously, so make sure to take a look here every now and then! And don’t hesitate to send me your favourites in the city which you think I should really try!
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
To be honest, breakfast is something I often eat at home. A few of the places mentioned under “LUNCH” or “FIKA” in my guide offers breakfast too. Take a look at På Kanelen, Roots and Da Matteo below for a few breakfast spots. And don’t miss Happy M Kitchen (also mentioned below, under “LUNCH”) for weekend brunch.
Café Oizo
My favourite neighbourhood café! It feels like you’re stepping in to the living-room of someone dear when entering this little gem, great atmosphere, smell of freshly baked bread and filled with happy people. Oizo offers great home baked bread, sweet baked stuff, sourdough sandwiches, smoothies, coffee and tea, soups (during some hours) and snacks. Perfect place to stop by for breakfast or brunch after a weekend morning walk in the woods or around any of the nearby lakes Härlanda and Delsjön! The last Wednesday of every month they’re open for their popular “Oizo evenings” where they have a DJ playing and serves nature wines and craft beers. Visit the website for more info on dates.
Favourite on the menu: The soup of the day + a freshly baked slice of bread! Or the grilled sourdough sandwich + a smoothie.
Location: Munkebäcksgatan 30, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Thur 17 - 21. Fri - Sun 10 - 15.
Website: www.facebook.com/cafeoizo
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Lilla spinneriet
20 minutes outside Gothenburg by car you find this little gem (a short stroll from where I grew up!), well worth that little ride. In a beautiful location owners Katja and Patrik cook delicious and gorgeous food. They serve lunch, fika and Sunday brunch. Make sure to book in advance as the Sunday brunches tend to fill up. Also, let them know you’re plant-based when booking, quite a few of the things on the buffet are often plant-based anyway - but to make sure you. Except from serving food Lilla Spinneriet also have a small shop where you can buy hand made ceramics, house baked bread and other goodies. And while you’re on the neighbourhood - make sure not to miss all the curated shops in the building next door called Spinneriet for everything from art and interior to clothes and ceramics.. And take a stroll around the surrounding meadows. The perfect weekend adventure away from town!
Favourite on the menu: The Sunday brunch!
Location: Spinnmästarevägen 2, Lindome
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11:30-15:00, Sat 12:00-16:00
Website: www.lillaspinneriet.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Da Matteo
Lovely location, lovely scent of freshly roasted coffee (and freshly baked bread!) and really yum food and drinks. Iconic Da Matteo serves great coffee + cold drinks + food and fika all day long, at several locations in the city. The biggest one, which was recently renovated and is really cool, is a great spot for weekend breakfast / brunch hangouts with family and friends in a cosy setting. The breakfast is served both during weekdays and weekends and you choose from seasonal Porridge brekky including a hot beverage, Bread buffet also including a hot beverage or The Luxury brekky including porridge / yoghurt with granola / Over night oats + juice + hot beverage + brea buffet! Breakfast is being served between at weekdays and XX at weekends.
Favourite on the menu: The Luxury breakfast. Also, make sure to bring a freshly baked sourdough bread with you when leaving - you won’t regret your choice!
Location: Magasinsgatan 17A
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 7-18, Sat 8-18, Sun 9-18. Visit website to see opening hours for the other locations.
Website: www.damatteo.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
LUNCH
Jinx Food truck
Great street food with a taste of Asia - Jinx serves the most delicious tofu buns in the world! Panko fried slices of tofu with pickled cucumber, peanuts and lots of fresh cilantro on top. Get them straight from their iconic food truck and sit down at the courtyard.
Also, don’t miss their other place near by, located at Vallgatan 21 where they serve both lunch and dinner.
Favourite on the menu: Vegan (fried tofu) buns
Location: Magasinsgatan 17, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 11 - 15. Sat 12 - 15.30. Sun Closed.
Website: www.jinxfoodtruck.com
Non-plant based options available: Yes
FOREN food & bakery
A newcomer to the Gothenburg plant-based food scene - with lots of flavours from The middle east! Best described as really delicious and classic Levant street food with a modern twist! They have a range of salad bases - which together becomes a fantastic hearty salad filled with lots of flavour which comes with 1-2 different types of hummus / spreads. Also they serve traditional Levant flatbreads, baked in the open fire wood oven, called “Mana’ish” (similar to pizzas but with middle eastern toppings). The salad “bases” (they’re really a bit more then just a base!) and dips / sauces / types of hummus vary from day to day, even though there seem to be a few returning favourites - lucky us!
Favourite on the menu: The big salad! A fave combo: Fekkeh with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, saffron rice, bean and lentil salad. Served with hummus and muhammara
Location: Södra Allégatan 14, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10.30-16. Sat-Sun Closed
Website: www.forenfoodandbakery.com
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Beets
The best salad bar in town! Innovativ and hearty salads with lots of flavours, textures and colors, and the dips / spreads and dressings which comes with the salads makes them something extra. Have your salad at the small yet trendy location, or during summer time it’s nice to have your salad to go and sit down by the canal around the corner. Open until 6 pm so why not pass by in the afternoon to bring a salad for dinner outside or att home! Also, important note is that the same owners run a popular cafe, called Roots, at the Gothenburg main library (Göteborgs stadsbibliotek) offering everything from breakfast to lunch and fika including a few raw / vegan options!
Favourite on the menu: The kelp noodle salad with crispy veggies, pickled red cabbage, avocado, broccoli and a delicious peanut sauce (order with tofu for a more filling dish) AND the falafel salad with muhammara and a tahini dressing!
Location: Drottninggatan 52, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon- Fri 11 am - 18 pm. Sat 11 am - 16 pm. Sun Closed.
Website: www.beets.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes, fish and chicken
En deli Haga
Located on the beautiful street Haga Nygata, a beautiful and old part of town. Middle eastern food without any fuss. Order the tasting plate where you get to try a bit of everything, or choose a few of your favourites. Lunch always comes with the soup of the day.
Favourite on the menu: The take-4-things-menu, ratatouille and the other warm dishes are really nice.
Location: Haga Nygata 15, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9.00-19.00. Sat 09.00-17.30. Sun 10.00-17.30
Website: www.endelihaga.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes, lactovegetarian
Nordish kitchen
Really a favourite of mine - hearty food made with lots of different textures and flavours and an aim to use as much locally grown produce as possible! Menu vary according to seasons and are also depending on what the farmers they work with can offer at the moment - that is really a way to take sustainability seriously. Also, they have a ”No waste-dish” on their menu, made of flawless food waste from the grocery stores and farms they collaborate with. Nordish food is exclusively available for office deliveries (read more below).
Favourite on the meny: ”Earthy beetballs” – Beet patties with a salad of seasonal veggies!
Location: Only deliver food from their own digital foodcourt Nordish Market. Order lunch for more then 500 SEK and have it delivered (they come riding on their electric bike) for free to your office. Visit their website for more info.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8 - 15
Website: www.nordishmarket.com
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Happy M Kitchen
A favourite lunch., brunch AND dinner spot. Also a great place for fika. Here you find whole food made by people with lots of knowledge about macrobiotic food, food combining and how to build delicious and pretty plant based meals! Also they have food classes every now and then, check out the website for more info. During summer time bring your food to the nearby Vasaparken and have a picnic.
Favourite on the menu: The falafel salad, with extra pea tempeh on the side and the hummus of the day. The Raw cinnamon roll is great for fika, together with any of the cold pressed juices.
Location: Vasagatan 24 + a new location at the Gothenburg Central station, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Open for lunch Mon-Fri 11 - 16. Visit website go get dates and times for the brunch and other events.
Website: www.happymkitchen.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes, pescatarian
Yalla Habibi
Genuine atmosphere, great food, good portions and great service. The best falafels in town is to be found right here; perfectly crisp and tasty. Food tastes really good and fresh and there are several options to choose from. Open both for lunch, dinner and take away. My favourite is to combine my own plate by choosing from the meze dishes available. My fast food (even though it feels like home cooking!) favourite in town!
Favourite on the menu: Falafel, muhammara, hummus and the crispy salad with tomato / cucumber / walnuts that I never remember the name of. Get any of the presented plates or do it meze style: pick out your favourites from the menu!
Location: Hotellplatsen 2, Göteborg
Opening hours: Mon-Thur 10-11, Fri 11-12, Sat 12-12, Sun 12-9
Website: www.yallahabibi.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Planet vega food
Plant based street food! These people are serving yummy and sustainable bowls and burgers with lots of different textures and flavours from their container at Kungstorget. Also offers catering.
Favourite on the menu: The bowls, which vary with the season and from week to week.
Location: Kungstorget, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Tue - Sat 11.30 - 15.30 (catering open all year around)
Website: www.planetvega.se
Non-plant based options available: No
DINNER
TOSO
Modern asian - and quite experimental - food. Enjoy the kitchens takes and twists on classic asian dishes, served as primarily smaller dishes so you can try quite a few things from the menu! Order for the whole table and enjoy the food which will arrive at the table continuously throughout your stay. Quite a few plant based options available on the menu. Also known for their drinks. Sit inside and enjoy the award-winning interior, or outside during summer months and enjoy the view over Avenyn.
Favourite on the menu: Menu changes continously. However Edamame beans TOSO style is a standing favourite!
Location: Götaplatsen, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Sund 17-late. Sat open at 13 - late.
Website: www.toso.nu
Non-plant based options available: Yes
VrÅ
Japan meets the Nordic. Flavours and techniques from different parts of the worlds meets and result in creative dishes with lots of finess and surprises yet unpretentious food. Always quite a few plant based dishes on the menu. Choose dishes from the a la carte menu or try the tasting menu.
Favourite on the menu: Menu changes continuously. Ask the kitchen when making your reservation if you want a plant based tasting menu.
Location: Drottningtorget 10, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Tue-Thur 18-22. Fri-Sat 17.30-22.30. Sun-Mon Closed
Website: www.restaurangvra.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Brewers Beer bar
Plant based sourdough pizzas! Do we need to say more? Also serve a range of beers, from small microbreweries for ones who are in to beer!
Favourite on the menu: The sweet potato pizza!
Location: Tredje Långgatan 10 + Magasinsgatan 3, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 16 - late. Sat-Sun 13 - late.
Website: www.brewersbeerbar.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Basque
Genuine and small place focusing on craft beer / wine / cider + authentic Basque food, aka pinxtos. The long bar is always filled with beautifully looking small bites and happy people! Go here for after work or pre dinner and have couple Pinxtos like you would in the Basque Country!
Favourite on the menu: The pinxtos available vary from day to day, but the chef happily makes sure there are always plant-based ones close to hand!
Location: Magasinsgatan 3, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Tue-Thurs 17 - 00. Fri 16 - 02. Sat 14 - 02. Sun-Mon Closed.
Website: www.basque.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Tapasbaren
Authentic place at a lively street in hipp quarters called Majorna, which brings you back to any Spanish tapas restaurant you might have been to. Order a, the dishes comes The dishes on the menu aren’t plant-based at start but the kitchen will happily serve most of the vegetarian dishes as plant-based if you ask them!
Favourite on the menu: Menu changes daily. Roasted artichokes with smoked apple and toasted buckwheat, baked beets with cress and leek ash, green gazpacho, also some grilled padrones can NEVER be wrong!
Location: Mariagatan 17, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Tue-Sat 17 - late.
Website: www.instagram.com/tapasbarenmajorna
Non-plant based options available: Yes
FIKA
På kanelen
A got-to place for yummy fika, smoothie bowls, poké bowls, wraps, sandwiches and juices. Located in the beautiful Stora saluhallen (Gothenburg main Food Hall).
Favourite on the menu: Any of the chocolaty raw treats!
Location: Kungstorget 15-18, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9 - 16. Sat 9 - 16. Sun Closed.
Website: www.pakanelen.com
Non-plant based options available: Yes
DaMatteo
Iconic Gothenburg bakery and coffee roasters, offering great artisan bread, coffee and sweet baked goods! They also have a shop where you can get bread, sweet treats, coffee, lunch on the go and flower sprinkles + more things!
Favourite on the menu: The unsweetened rye bread with coffee + the vegan chocolate cake. And the flower sprinkles I have on pretty much all my food!
Location: Drottninggatan 58 + Vallgatan 5 + Vallgatan 19 (the shop)
Opening hours: Visit website to see opening hours for the specific location.
Website: www.damatteo.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
GROCERY STORES
Fram Ekolivs Haga
An organic Co-op store where you find pretty much anything you’d want. Fresh fruits and vegetables, all types of cereals and legumes which you buy by the kilo, nut butters, ice creams, chocolates, tea and much more! Well worth a visit, even if only to get some nuts and stuff for snacks!
Favourite in the store: Viviani 99% chocolate, and the other vegan chocolate sweets. Plus the bulk range of seeds, nuts and dried fruits. And, the gluten free sourdough bread XXX baked at an island outside of Gothenburg! Plus the range of tempeh - especially the one called Berta, made of Swedish yellow peas!
Location: Södra Allégatan 2 + Nordenskiöldsgatan 18 , Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9 - 18.30. Sat 10-15. Sun Closed.
Website: www.framekolivs.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Bara bra mat
Another favourite organic food store with LOTS of awesome things - pretty much all you need!
Favourite in the store: Range of bulk nuts / seeds / legumes / cereals.
Location: Norra Gubberogatan 10 + Kungsladugårdsgatan 26, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10 - 19. Sat 10 - 15. Sunday Closed.
Website: www.barabramat.se
Non-plant based options available: Yes
Happy vegan
All vegan food store with pretty much all vegan stuff you could think of. And if you cannot find it - ask the staff and they might broaden the range! You can also order online in their webbshop.
Favourite in the store: The raw food ice cream
Location: Olivedalsgatan 2, Gothenburg
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10 - 20. Sat-Sun 10 - 18.
Website: www.happyvegan.se
Non-plant based options available: No
Plant-based food guide to New York
Where to have fluffy waffles with berries, worlds best tacos, delicious plant based burger, wonderful pizzas, a hearty and fun salad or a fine dining style plant based dinner in New York? I know where!
Plant based by Thess:
Plant based guide to New York
Few cities has as many epithet as New York, not least when it comes to the food scene. The city offers everything from Micheline-starred restaurants to simple breakfast places and from popular (nutritious) fast food restaurant chains to trendy brunch places which to the greatest extent - or fully - are focusing on plant based food. Not only is PLANT BASED a huge thing - organic, sustainable, refined sugar free and gluten free are also very common or available upon request. The city that never sleeps has turned in to the city that always offers something plant based!
This summer I spent almost two weeks in the city, and was doing my very best to scan the city and explore as much of the plant based food scene as possible! Breakfast in West village, lunch in Brooklyn, dinner in Noho. Day out and day in - with lovely morning runs in the park, lots of strolling up and down the streets on Manhattan, park hang outs and family dating in between.
In a city where things are constantly changing there is always something new to discover; mini tacos with blue corn tortillas and pulled jack fruit, gluten free pizzas with incredibly crispy bread and creative all plant based spreads and toppings. Beautiful salad bowls filled with colors, flavours and textures. Bean protein burgers wrapped in collard greens and locally grown veggies cooked á la fine dining. Fluffy waffles, lovely produce from the markets and all sorts of hot and cold drinks for every occasion.
Let the food guide you through the city!
Two hands
Nolita: 164 Mott Street, New York. TriBeCa: 251 Church street, New York
At two locations on Manhattan you’ll find this tiny Australian place opened from early breakfast to late afternoon. The menu offers delicious things such as chia puddings with granola and berry toppings, magically fluffy sweet corn patties with smashed avocado, salads and a bunch of delicious drinks - both hot and cold! This place is especially famous for their Australian style Smashed avocado on rye bread.
The Butchers daughter
West village: 581 Hudston St, New York. Nolita: 19 Kenmare St. Williamsburg: 271 Metropolitan Ave.
A very popular breakfast, brunch, lunch AND dinner place! The interior makes your mind travel to more southern latitudes and invites to hours of sitting down, enjoying great food and drinks and hanging out by the small coffee tables. Start with a freshly pressed juice or a matcha latte followed by a pretty smoothie bowl or a fluffy waffle with berries for breakfast. Have green tacos and kale salad for brunch or how about pizza, pasta or burgers for dinner? All plant based! No matter what time of the day you visit The Butchers daughter - there is always something sweet close to hand to round off your meal. You find The butchers daughter at two places on Manhattan.
Le botaniste
Upper East side: 833 Lexington Ave, New York. SoHo: 127 Grand street, New York
A long marble counter with all sorts of gorgeous veggies, dips, curries and other plant based components greets you when you step in to Le Botaniste. The menu offers everything from hearty salads and curries to sushi wraps - and also sweet stuff for days when that’s what you’re after. Le Botaniste is located on two spots on Manhattan (and at a few places in Belgium, where the founder was born).
Stonefruit kitchen espresso
1058 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
A little gem in Brooklyn with a relaxed setting that invites to both a hot drink + something sweet (what we in Swedish would call “FIKA”) but also lunch or weekend brunch. The savoury menu is quite small but the dishes are tasty. The baked range and drinks range is a bit bigger. The signature dish; The monk bowl with seasonal veggies was a perfect, yet quite small, lunch. And the iced matcha latte on oat mylk was a perfect cooler during a hot day. For cold days you could order it hot instead!
Bareburger
Located at several places
My tiny skepticism when it comes to restaurant chains (as I sometimes find the authenticity being lost in the whole concept/chain thing) disappeared when I had my first burger at this popular burger joint. This is a place where the menu is creative yet simple - just like we want our burger menus. Here you’ll find everything from the classic ones to the more rethinking, like “The impossible burger” made of soy protein served with vegan cheese and all the essential toppings. And “The beyond burger” made of bean protein, served with green pea hummus and herb oil, then wrapped in collard greens. Have it with your choice of fries for the complete burger experience!
Bar verde
65 2nd Ave, New York
On the southern part of Manhattan, between NOHO and East Village, star chef Matthew Kenney has opened three all plant based restaurants with three different themes on a not-to-little-not-to-much-of-a-busy-street. The menus are creative, fun and - all of the things I’ve tried - delicious. Bar verde is a Mexican inspired restaurant and on the menu you’ll find most of what the Mexican kitchen has to offer - with a plant based twist; tacos, nachos, quesadillas, fajitas, mole, grilled corn and roasted sweet potato. I came here for dinner 2 times in 3 days - a must since there was to much to try from the menu!
Double zero
65 2nd Ave, New York USA
Another popular plant based restaurant in the NOHO/East Village area is this all plant based pizza place. The pizzas are no doubt among the best ones I’ve ever had. The gluten free bread (which can be ordered upon request) is super crispy and all the different toppings are creative yet unpretentious - and of course delicious! Choose between pizzas with a tomato base and white ones - topped with carefully chosen veggies. Also, a wise thing would be to order the “Nut cheese platter” as a starter or side + one of the green sides such as grilled brussel sprouts with apple and macadamia cheese. We ordered a few pizzas to share, a great way to try them all!
ABCV
38 east 19th Street, New York
At ABCV you find plant based, sustainable and mostly organic food made out of produce that comes from smaller farms. The kitchen serves creative dishes with a touch of fine dining during lunch and dinner. Sit in or have it to go. Two favourites from the menu would be the incredible sweet and silky whole grilled cauliflower with turmeric tahini dressing and pistachios. And beluga lentils with a sourish vinaigrette, herbs and roasted sweet potato.
Markets and shops
Hu kitchen
Fanton Hall, 78 5th Ave, New York
Hu kitchen is a food store and restaurant with the slogan “back to human”. Their mission is to create a place where you can be comfortable with every ingredient in all the foods available there. At Hu Kitchen they have a market place with small-batch artisanal foods + their own specialty packed goods, a liquid bar offering all sorts of good-for-you-liquids you can think of, a “Mashbar” where you can get customised snacks such as chia puddings and creams. They also have baked goods and of course “the hot line”, “bowl station” and “prepared foods by the pound” where you can get food where you can be comfortable with every ingredient. Come here to get a snack or buy something to bring to the nearby Union square park during summer season.
Smorgasburg
Saturdays: East River State Park, Williamsburg Sundays: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
A very popular weekend hangout - and in fact the biggest outdoor food market in the whole US - where about 100 venders sell their food during weekends between April to October. Here you can find pretty much anything you’re craving; anything from smoothies, tacos and asian pancakes to ice creams made of coconut milk. The market offers both plant based and non plant based foods. At Saturdays you find Smorgasburg in East River State Park - make sure to come here by taking the river ferry from the southern part of Manhattan to get a lovely view over the skyline on your way over the river.
Wholefoods
Located at several places in New York (and elsewhere in the country - and the world)
Whole foods is a grocery store known for their healthy and organic food. If you like me like to wander in grocery stores when visiting new places (or not to forget - places you’ve been to before) you’ll be sure to find lots and lots of fun produce and products to discover here. When you’ve spent an hour or so wandering around by the fresh fruits and veggies, all shelves with fun snacks and pantry goods and the grind-your-own-nut-butter section there is still some fun left. Don’t miss the salad bar where you’ll find both cold salad components but also hot food. My favourite thing is to mix a delicious salad with my favourite components and bring the food to any of the nearby parks, the river side or to the magnificent rooftop of my very good friend living in the city.
Parts of this guide was originally published in was first published in The Gothenburg-Post/Två dagar.
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