2013 was a very good year for Greenpoint. We had some bad moments, but overall we pretty much ruled as a neighborhood. Cheers to more good news and happiness in 2014!
Don’t be fooled by the scary vegan word, because food is food and we all love eating. Especially at a restaurant when someone else is doing the cooking. Being a health-conscious vegan eater with a boyfriend who will eat anything, going out and grubbing out is something we DO. I’ve gathered together the best vegan meals in Greenpoint; even though there are definitely more than just five.
1. Paulie Gee’s (60 Greenpoint Ave)
With a separate vegan menu, and one cozy dining space, you are sure to enjoy one of the most delicious pizza joints in all of New York City. Five white pies and a red pie with tons of toppings start at $10 and go up to $18. They even have homemade vegan sausage! I have to say the “Vegan Greenpointer” with the lemon juice is my personal favorite. Lemon on everything!
2. Spritzenhaus (33.33 Nassau Ave)
You can’t miss this giant beer garden featuring tons of beers on tap and a list of German bratwursts. The most unsuspecting thing on the menu is a vegan brat! A specialty locally sourced vegan brat with apple wood sage and a balsamic reduction on a pretzel bun topped with a heavy helping of peppers and onions, this brat will blow your mind, for only $11. In fact, my meat guru boyfriend prefers this vegan brat to some of the more game-y ones. Don’t forget to get a side of the Belgian fries and try the surplus of mustards they offer.
3. Greenpoint Heights (278 Nassau Ave)
The most talked about new hangout in “this side” of Greenpoint, you all know how awesome Greenpoint Heights is. The chill, unpretentious vibes, matched with the incredible food and drinks, this spot is my jam. Elizabeth is one amazing chef, concocting some serious tacos. The vegan options include a sweet plantain taco and a black bean taco. Mango salsa, guacamole, and fried shallots are a few of the yummy toppings. Other favorites include the banging chips & guac as well as the kale salad (without the cheese of course.) Tacos are $4 each but $3 on Thursdays!
4. Café Royal (195 Nassau Ave)
A coffee shop by day, and a gourmet kitchen by night! One vegan special this café features for dinner is the quinoa plate. Quinoa with sautéed tofu, kale, corn, and roasted tomatoes and pine nuts, topped with some pesto. This healthy dish is a hearty helping that includes a side salad and toast for only 11 bucks. It is one of those dishes that is so good (and easy) that when you try to do it yourself, you can’t even come close. Chef Juan is the master of this bad boy.
5. No Name Bar (597 Manhattan Ave)
No name, no website, no press. But, I couldn’t refuse. This hidden spot in the middle of everything is also featuring a secret Thai kitchen with a badass woman chef. The sprawling backyard is where the kitchen is tucked away and it features a couple vegan options. One is the homemade veggie dumpling noodle soup with bok choi for $9. Spruce that baby up with some chili paste, and this big serving of hot soup with scrumptious dumplings is the perfect soup for a cold day.
• Best New Bakery:Ovenly
“The biscuit was perfect, crumbly but moist. The cupcake, while sweet, wasn’t too sweet, a signature of Ovenly baked goods, with a hint of savory lent by the nuts in the cake and black sesame seeds on top.” – Jen
• Best Community Art Project:Newtown Creek Armada
“Visitors to The Armada will pilot a fleet of artist-made, three-foot, remote-controlled boats along the surface of the Newtown Creek while documenting the hidden world of its waters using waterproof cameras and microphones in real-time.” – Nathaniel Z
• Best Concert:Rapture & Tanlines at House of Vans
“After Tanlines’ stellar set, The Rapture took control of the bated fans and kept the energy up without missing a beat. Their infectious dance-punk sound permeated throughout the warehouse and had the grinning, sweaty crowd (did I mention it was about 95 degrees inside?) jumping up and down with their hands in the air by the end of the set.” – John H
• Best New Art Gallery:Calico Brooklyn
“When asked the significance of the word Calico and whether it has anything to do with perhaps a secret obsession with feline’s, Scott said he liked the ring of the question: ‘Are you going to the opening at Calico tonight?'” – Jen
• Best New Bargain Shopping:Greenpoint Bargains
“The store stocks well-priced furniture, clothing, books, records and all sorts of other curious oddities.” – Nathaniel Z
• Best Nail Salon:Ria Nails
“I’ve never received so many compliments on my nails since Ria nail arted the crap out of them, (even after my Instagram blunder-fuck.)” -Jen
• Best New Late Night Snack: Thai at No Name Bar
“This Pad Thai tasted like a Thai version of my Nonna’s red sauce, really homemade. It was definitely a lot more noodles than shrimp or peanuts, but it was the perfect heat, spicy enough to be delicious but not so much that I needed to inhale the dish to try to escape the heat.” – Jen
• Best Designer: Alexandra Weiss
“Alexandra Weiss is a native from Pennsylvania (Scranton, actually). She is a fashion designer and grew up with a true passion for drawing and creating. Her own designs are multifunctional tank shirts and dresses which are made of silk with a lace insert on the side.” – Janina
• Best New DIY Music Venue:Muchmore’s
“If you can’t find it, just open your ears; there is no sound proofing and if you are too cheap to fork over $5, you can listen through the open windows.” – Jen
• Best of McGolrick Park:Farmers Market
“‘I am so excited about this,’ I overheard a Greenpointer say as she examined the gorgeous bounty. Everyone was buzzing about, finding fresh local treasures.” – Jen
• Best Art Show:Unreliable Narrator at Pierogi
“Each piece teased out minute and often-obscure details of systems from pop cultural groups to North American history to the knock on effects of the industrial revolution.” – Jon P
• Best Condiment:My Friend’s Mustard
“Unless it’s a giant slab of kielbasa, I never find myself asking for anyone to pass the mustard. That all changed this weekend.” – Jen
• Best Cappuccino:Variety
“Excellent brew and my favorite cappuccino in the hood, the space was designed just for a coffee line.” – Jen
• Best Book:The Last Bohemia
“An important book for everyone living in North Brooklyn, old-timers and newcomers, when I first picked it up, it’s had a certain heft, not because it’s big, but because the changes Anasi tackles, especially for Greenpointers, are looming.” -Jen
• Best Cocktails:Five Leaves
“…five new cocktails on the menu that fit the following criteria: 1. everything is made in-house 2. they are not expensive 3. they each take 1 min 15 sec to make.” – Jen
• Best of the Outdoors:Canoeing to Bushwick Inlet
“Gliding down the Newtown Creek gives one a much different perspective of that waterway. While it certainly didn’t feel clean – the water itself has a murky, oily quality to it that I find unsettling, particularly at night – the calming effect of being on it changed my experience of the day dramatically.” – Peter
• Best Way To DeStress:Community Shiatsu
“Some people are true healers. I was having shoulder pain from working on the computer and it really helped to relieve stress and tension, not to mention the overall sense of calm I felt afterwards.” – Jen
