Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
American
Western
Beer/Wine
Re-opened here in early-2015. Serves original and experimental dishes in a trendy, fine atmosphere. Open Tue-Sat 5:30pm-11:00pm.
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86 Allen St, New York City, New York, USA, 10002
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Last update on 08 Mar 2015 by Guest
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79 Reviews
First Review by nitekrawler527
agentfword
Points +269
A parade of creative and intricate dishes - Edit
One prix-fixe menu, no tipping, no decisions to be made except drinks (which you can handle, I believe in you) - just sit down and let the wizards of Dirt Candy unfold beautiful discoveries before you. I was so enthralled by my first meal here that I only took one dim and basically useless photo, and I'm not sorry! Seven brilliant courses (this is the winter 2022/2023 menu, vegetarian version): my scrawled notes from the next morning say "beet broth and beet eclair, roasted celery with micro celery, collard pate and squash fest, gnocchi, onion pizza, the flower thing with labneh and horseradish, potato dessert." Such creative and delicious food, served in a serene and friendly atmosphere.
Read moreGuest
Walktell
Points +1089
Elegant vegan pre-fixe - Edit
While I've always had yummy creative meals at Dirt Candy going back to the tiny original spot, I had never tried the $95 seasonal pre-fixe and had an opportunity to do this with non-vegan work friends for the Fall menu and we all enjoyed all the courses, some more than others. The big hits for me were the artichokes & sunchokes starter, the 2nd course of mushroom mousse crêpe cake with mushroom tea and the 5th course of whipped grits, caramel apples, mustard greens sorbet and the gift dishes as well were such yummy treats. Everything was beautifully plated, like little pieces of art, we all went in hungry and left stuffed so it is more than enough food. The service was friendly and efficient, the atmosphere is hip without trying to hard. I recommend a trip to the wash room at some point to hear the soothing sounds of nature and bird calls just for a moment of zen. Definitely will go back to try other seasonal menus.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-12-11
Pros: Everything is vegan or can be made vegan , Creative and unique vegan food, Great service good vibes
Cons: $17 cocktails add up fast!
Guest
Izzy234
Points +2167
Good, but possibly overhyped? - Edit
I'm really glad I finally got to try this restaurant after hearing so much about it! That said, I didn't love all the dishes and I wonder if maybe this season's menu is not the best.
Read moreI liked the "artichokes and sunchokes" dish, but it didn't look as impressive in person as it did on the restaurant's social media. The mushroom crepe cake was lovely and all the little "gift" dishes were fantastic - maybe even better than the dishes on the official menu.
That said, the kale spaghetti dish was just not very good - the pasta was mushy, the sauce was flavorless, and the vegan cheese just disappeared into the dish without leaving much of a cheesy flavor behind. The Thai-style stuffed pepper dish was a strange flavor combination that didn't really work for me.
I liked the dessert and my cocktail was fantastic.
The service was very friendly (even a bit over-friendly at times; being called "dear" was weird) but sometimes there were long waits between the courses - not something I'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber.
Overall, I had a good time but I was a bit underwhelmed.
Pros: Interesting and creative dishes , Great cocktails
Cons: Not all vegan , Some dishes weren't great , The staff can be a bit overbearing
Guest
jay.callores
Points +6467
Delightful, whimsical, fun meal - Edit
I’ve reached a milestone in my restaurant reviews and wanted to commemorate it by writing about the most exciting meal I’ve had in the year I’ve been in NYC.
Read moreDirt Candy is a whimsical culinary experience that places vegetables front and center. Each course of the tasting menu is creatively built around one particular vegetable.
- Onion: scallion pancake bagels with smoked onion “lox” and leeks & whipped cream cheese
- Cauliflower: pickled rainbow cauliflower on casper kale topped with pecorino romano
- Celery: Chinese celery butterfly pasta in a galangal and green tomato broth
- Fennel: roasted stuff fennel with apricots and tiny carrots
- Asparagus (dessert): asparagus mouse with root beer crumble
The prix fixe menu also came with an amuse bouche, an intermezzo, and cookies at the end.
The meal started off on such a wonderful high which was sustained with each successive course. There was a playfulness with each dish that made us curious how the next vegetable would be interpreted. Our time at Dirt Candy was one of exploration full of the type of joy that only comes from discovery.
Guest
UrbaneElaine
Points +151
Seasonal Dream Menu! - Edit
Menu changes every season. Inventive, delicious & fun!
Read moreGuest
ednastlouis
Points +25
Phenomenal - Edit
The best vegan food experience in NYC, maybe of all time. Just absolutely incredible, delicious, creative vegan food. Well worth the price.
Read morePros: Entire menu is vegetarian and can be made vegan
Cons: Expensive
Guest
Marcia
Points +69
Favorite meal on my recent NYC trip - Edit
I was so excited to visit! Experienced the summer tasting menu (a recent change that they added two additional courses not on menu!). Every plate was delicious, creative, and beautifully displayed. I was so full by the time the eggplant (image attached) was served. For the final course, Cucumber as dessert? It works.
Read moreI recommend adding the wine pairings. They are thoughtful, well described and very appropriate.
Service was outstanding of course.
I highly recommend and will definitely return on my next visit to the city.
Guest
Sjjk12
Points +1149
Great sandwiches - Edit
Ample quantity. Great club sandwiches & moderately priced !
Read moreGuest
PaulinaLlamas
Points +222
Amazing. Worth every penny! - Edit
We had the fall tasting menu and everything was mind blowing. I couldn’t pick a favorite dish, the place is nice and the staff super attentive.
Read moreGuest
Kikleton
Points +135
Simply Outstanding! - Edit
They have a very delicious and filling set menu that changes on a regular basis. The menu items sound so simple but the flavors are unique and complex. They also have an Oatly soft serve🍦ice cream machine! Really friendly people and great service.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-12-28
Guest
MerryKringles
Points +344
Special night - Edit
Came here with a friend for a nice evening, was not disappointed. What i like is that tips are included- no messing around at the end of the night.
Read moreService was great, and it was easy to have a vegan option.
Pros: Easy to veganise, Changing menu, Great staff
Guest
Rob_NY
Points +81
Fall tasting menu - Edit
We had the vegan version of the Fall tasting menu. Dishes were:
Read more1. Cucumber caviar donut
2. Beet carpaccio
3. Mushroom dish
4. Carrot pizza
5. Pickled cabbage roll
6. Sunchoke dish
7. Brussels sprout dessert
We liked the mushroom dish least but everything else was interesting and tasty. We enjoyed the mocktails as well. This is one of the best and most creative vegan meals I have had.
Updated from previous review on 2021-12-15
Guest
RobinSap
Points +23
Sublime - Edit
Amanda Cohen’s Restaurant is among the best fine dining establishments I have been to and certainly the best vegetarian/vegan one. The food is beautifully presented and the service is impeccable. At this time they have some lovely outdoor tables. The wine selection (splash out for the pairing if you can) is innovative and perfectly matched. Altogether one of the most memorable food experiences.
Read moreGuest
kale_and_trail
Points +419
Hostile and arrogant - Edit
I wish I could give this restaurant 0 stars. My non -vegan friend kindly booked the reservation for us in an effort to try veggie food with me. I have a gluten allergy and after arriving was informed that there was absolutely no possibility of them accommodating me because “it would ruin the integrity of the food.” In 10 years of being gluten free I’ve never received this kind of arrogant service, especially from a veggie place! I left the restaurant and I’m glad, because it seemed overpriced anyway!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2021-08-06
Cons: Expensive, Unaccomodating, Arrogant
Guest
JeffBrackett
Points +154
Such a lovely birthday dinner - Edit
I want to go back for my next birthday or my half birthday!
Read morePros: Great style, Ambience, Earth to table
Guest
cronch
Points +166
Nice dinner, but hit or miss - Edit
One of a variety of tasting menus I explored during my visit. Definitely an interesting take on veggies, but some dishes were great and others simply not tasty. While a fun atmosphere, I would definitely not say it is perfect, and its not a cheap meal.
Read moreGuest
root_awakening
Points +228
Inventive and memorable - Edit
What an amazing meal! Some very memorable dishes. Very delicious.
Read moreGuest
charlie-bird
Points +1469
Amazing tasting menu - Edit
We visited Dirt Candy for the second time. Since our first visit, they changed their menu and you no longer choose the dishes, they now have 2 tasting menus with 5 or 9 seasonal dishes that they choose. Which is actually not bad since I remember it was a bit hard to choose by yourself!
Read moreThe dishes are all excellent and very creative. Everything is based on a vegetable, and then creativity does the rest.
They can make it all vegan, just mention that when you check in (that just makes me wonder why they still do vegetarian by default).
The service is amazing, extremely nice and attentive!
Pros: Amazing tasting menu, Creative dishes each based on vegetables , Great service
Cons: Not vegan by default, Pricey
Guest
food1ove
Points +161
Great restaurant and food - Edit
Great restaurnt and vegetarian food with the option to make most dishes vegan.
Read moreGuest
perenialist
Points +178
Beautiful restaurant - Edit
Lovely spot for lunch or dinner. Didn’t love the flavors of our dishes as much as we’d hoped, but would give it another try!
Read moreGuest
JMcCleary
Points +347
Fun and delicious! - Edit
We had the 10-course “Vegetable Garden” option with the wine pairing. Restaurant is all vegetarian- just let them know when you make a reservation that you’re vegan and they can make vegan versions of everything. The food was delicious, inventive, and whimsical with a variety of flavors and beautiful presentations highlighting different vegetables. One of the best and most inspiring restaurant meals I’ve had in a while! The wine pairing featured wines made by women, which I thought was awesome. It’s expensive, but worth it for a special occasion!
Read morePros: Vegan options, Creative food, Fun dining experience
Cons: Expensive
Guest
kgattoni
Points +12
Creative and flavorful - Edit
The creativity in Dirt Candy’s dishes is unparalleled. The ability to experience mushroom pate to smoked guacamole to Korean bbq broccoli (and that is just a fraction) in one sitting brings you on a palatable journey vs. “just dinner”.
Read moreGuest
JillianNicole
Points +84
Incredible! - Edit
One of my new favorite restaurants! I love a place that can get creative with veggies and Dirt Candy does not disappoint! My boyfriend and I did the 5 course vegetable patch option with wine pairing. Each course was so flavorful and the wine was perfect. I can’t wait to come back.
Read moreGuest
DebGee
Points +169
Best vegan food I’ve had in New York - Edit
It’s all in the details and Dirt Candy pays attention to everything. Chef Amanda Cohen’s menu is simple—5 courses or 9. We went for the 9 course vegan option with wine pairings and we were wowed. The flavors and presentation were outstanding, not to mention the attentive service (which is included in the price). I will come back here every time I’m in New York. My only regret is that I didn’t buy the book.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , Creative dishes that taste good, Great ambience
Guest
Brendan.Wilson
Points +87
Amazing night out for two! - Edit
My girlfriend and I came here and it is so warm and nice. We got the 5 course meal which was made vegan and it was fantastic. Will come back here again for sure!
Read moreGuest
fourguitars
Points +57
Veg food for beginners (not recommended for vegans) - Edit
What a disappointment. My partner and I have had Dirt Candy on our list for years. We finally made it for the weekend after Valentine's Day. They featured a prix fixe menu (I'm not sure if this is a permanent feature now or if it was only because of the holiday weekend). We selected the "Vegetable Patch," which was the smaller of the two options. Full disclosure: we are vegan and this apparently demands some adjustment of their standard fare. Everything started off OK, but as the five-course meal wore on, we got tired of the same brasica vegetables contrasted with some of the same spices (a mustard-based olive oil seemed to figure prominently in three of the courses). By the third and fourth course we were literally exhausted and tired of eating. Everything seemed very salty and unappealing by the end. It seemed like our primary server couldn't have cared less about our experience: she delivered the food and rattled off the descriptions in a staccato monotone that was thoroughly unengaging. We left entirely dissatisfied and not feeling so great - exactly the opposite of what I would expect from such highly-touted vegetarian fare. It seems as if the vegan explosion of the past five years has passed entirely unnoticed by this place. There was very little use of nuts and seeds, juices for flavorings, etc. Just brussel sprouts and cauliflower and loads of bread and salt. This is vegetarian food for beginners. I would not recommend for others (especially vegans) as there are several much better options within walking distance of this restaurant and at a fraction of the price!
Read morePros: Fancy atmosphere, Good non-alcoholic cocktails
Cons: Salty, Expensive
Guest
suzagord
Points +771
Dream Birthday - Edit
A good friend took me here for my birthday and I gorged myself. And we chose the smaller number of courses!! Everything was ingenious and creative and beautiful and the most delicious thing you ever ate. One more thing - I didn't care for the cocktail I ordered off the menu so they quickly brought me something simpler with so little fuss I thought I was doing them a favor. You don't find service like that every day.
Read morePros: Some of the best food you'll ever eat, You will never be bored with the offerings, Staff is very friendly
Cons: It's a little dark for good instagram potential
Guest
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