Korean restaurant offering a casual take on refined Asian fusion cuisine. Franchia Decor is traditional Korean architecture that contrasts with elements of modernism. Dishes may include spicy duck salad, ramen with tonkatsu, sizzling bulgogi plate, and a large selection of sushi. Sister-restaurant to the venerable Hangawi vegan restaurant. Open Mon-Thu 12:00pm-9:00pm, Fri-Sat 12:00pm-9:30pm, Sun 12:00pm-9:00pm.
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12 Park Ave (at Midtown Manhattan), New York City, New York, USA, 10016
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Last update on 05 Jul 2024 by geometric-noise
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Featured Review
SoCalCal
Points +1857
Outstanding variety of tasty Asian dishes - Edit
Excellent service, excellent food, and overall excellent experience! We arrived in NYC and made our way a few hours afterward, as it was the closest all-vegan restaurant to our hotel. We had made a reservation, but had not anticipated how soon we would arrive, and they had no problems accommodating us early.
Read moreHubby started with Meditation Soju Cocktail which he thought was very tasty. He's accustomed to vodka martinis, so he was hoping for a bigger punch, which soju does not provide.
Since there was so much on the menu that looked good, we ended ordering a few combos to try more. We started with the Peking 'Duck' Baos. I thought they were good, but hubby thought they could use a bit more sauce and 'duck'.
Next was the Dumpling Combo, which we ordered fried. I was envisioning steamed and pan-fried, as is typical with dumplings, but these were deep-fried. Tasty, nonetheless, but not what we were expecting.
Jeon Combo was next. There was not a huge difference in the flavors of the three different pancakes, but I thought the Crispy Scallion has the strongest flavor. Hubby thought the Sweet Corn Cilantro had a noticeably sweet flavor, but I didn't get much of that. The Kimchi we both agree had the subtlest flavor. Perhaps the ingredients were consistent in the pancake mix or maybe the mix needed more ingredients to distinguish from the pancake batter, but these could have had much stronger flavors in my opinion.
Our last orders were sushi. We got the Roll Combo and the 'Bulgogi' Kimbap. Everything was good! The Crispy Tofu Skin Roll was very reminiscent of a salmon skin roll, but the tofu ate slightly dry. The chicken in the Spicy 'Chicken' Roll definitely had the consistency of chicken, but slightly firmer. I didn't get much spice in it, even though it was very tasty. To me, the California Roll had the subtlest flavor. I ate my half of the Roll Combo before starting on the Kimbap, and I thought the Kimbap was very good! What really struck me was the plethora of ingredients present, compared with the rolls. Each bite of the Kimbap had so much flavor and the 'bulgogi' was flavorful, but did not overpower the other ingredients. It had good balance.
We finished with the Black Sesame Pie, which hubby did not like at all. I'm accustomed to the flavor of black sesame, and this had some nutty flavor addition. The crust also had a coconut flavor, so there was a lot going on. For those unfamiliar, the texture of the black sesame was very similar to tahini.
Pros: Great food, Great service, Large selection of dishes
Guest
274 Reviews
First Review by Poundie
sixfootredhead
Points +18
Yummy food would go back! - Edit
Delicious vegan Korean and Asian options. The spicy tuna roll was a highlight and the hot stone dishes were great. Huge menu - all looked so good we would have happily tried everything!
Read moreGuest
xshelasx
Points +469
Truly wonderful - Edit
I ate here on my birthday at my friend's recommendation and definitely did not regret it! Although it was a little on the expensive side for my (sad Portuguese min wage) wallet the quality of the food was really worth it. We got a variety of the dishes to share and everything was delicious. We went during lunch hour and it was full of people but since it has multiple floors the atmosphere remained relaxed and the staff were very attentive. If I'm in NYC again I will definitely make a point to go here!
Read morePros: Fully vegan menu, Friendly staff, Calm atmosphere
craigmc
❤️🌱
Read moreGuest
Lendert
Points +34
Heel lekker en aangenaam om te dineren - Edit
Uitgebreide kaart met allemaal vegan gerechten. De dumplings en searing steak waren heerlijk. Bediening was bijzonder vriendelijk.
Read morePros: Lekker, Veel keuze, Vriendelijk
Cons: Kan lawaaierig zijn
Guest
Peachy24
Points +101
Korean vegan - Edit
Great experience. Enjoyed the tofu crumble bibimbap served in a sizziling hot stone bowl with a side of spicy sauce.
Read morePros: Food, Atmosphere, Friendly staff
Guest
EssiFinn
Points +26
Delicious food, friendly staff - Edit
Everything is vegan. I had iced matcha latte, dumplings and a sizzling plate. Everything was absolutely delicious.
Read moreGuest
SaraSeylani
Points +410
Yum - Edit
Great food, yummy but a bit heavy
Read moreGuest
Gauri_H
Points +148
Amazing Food!!!!! - Edit
The food here was great, very filling and great portion size. Lots of options to choose from!! Staff were super nice and welcoming too!!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-09-23
Guest
CelianRaimbault
Points +178
Best Vegan Restaurant! - Edit
One of the best vegan restaurant I tried so far! Both the presentation and the taste were amazing. I strongly recommend
Read morePros: Taste, Presentation, Originality
INTJ_mara
I loooove Franchia. What’s the dish in the first pic?
Read moreGuest
AnitaDollar
Points +3594
It's ok - Edit
No hate, it was all good and staff was more than friendly, but it just seems a bit dark and food was not that interesting to me personally.
Read moreGuest
superduperkell
Points +24
amazing vegan sushi and wings! - Edit
we loved it, reasonable prices for how much food we got. the wings were super good & the sushi unbelievable! wonderful customer service
Read moreGuest
Marta_C
Points +201
Delicious pan- Asian food - Edit
Firstly, the restaurant decor is utterly beautiful and very well curated. Staff were lovely, attentive and very helpful. We shared three starters and had a pudding each, which was plenty food between the two of us. I particularly liked the stuffed mushrooms. They also offer a large variety of Asian drinks (Thai teas etc) which was great. Absolutely recommended if you're in the area.
Read morePros: Amazing staff , Restaurant decor
Guest
iaf186!
Points +68
Absolutely Amazing - Edit
Everything was phenomenal. Tried quite a few dishes and every single one was amazing.
Read moreGuest
BrightonMD
Points +1320
Absolutely the best - Edit
Every single dish was delicious and the service phenomenal. There are many options on the menu. Excellent value for the quality of food, especially being in NYC. I could eat here every day.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-03-23
Pros: Excellent food, Large menu, Great service
Guest
VeganerAufReisen
Points +110
Cute and delicious - Edit
This is a cute little café/restaurant at a main street. It was almost empty when we arrived. Maybe a hidden gem? (Doubt it though.)
Read moreThe food was great, we really enjoyed it. And the prices appeared to be average for good food in New York. Which is to say it's a bit pricey. As is everything. I had the stuffed mushrooms, the sizzling bulgogi plate and the tiramisu.
The only thing I will criticise is their tiramisu. Instead of ladyfingers, espresso and cream it was a base maybe made from nuts with two layers of (vegan) cream on top - espresso at the bottom and cream at the top. I enjoyed it but it's no "real" tiramisu.
However, that didn't diminish our experience and we highly suggest you give this place a try!
Pros: Ambience, Delicious food , Kind staff
Cons: Tiramisu
Guest
Eden69
Points +97
Loving Franchia for around 20 Years - Edit
I love the space, the service, and, of course, the food.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-03-07
Guest
EvM
Points +54
Fully vegan with lots of options - Edit
Lots of options. The tiramisu was amazing.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-08-24
Guest
suikunkun
Points +791
Nice noodles - Edit
Got the spicy Franchia noodles. They were pretty good but honestly nothing special compared to other fried noodles I've had in my life. A little oily. But I appreciate the all vegan menu and would like to come back and try other stuff.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-07-22
Guest
Tucker333
Points +569
Good food, but didn't stand out to me. - Edit
I went to Franchia with my non-vegan mom visiting me. She loved it! We started with the steamed dumpling combo. Of the three dumplings, I thought the Kimchi dumplings were the best. probably one of the better dishes we ate during the night. We also ordered the Volcano roll, which I enjoyed but my mom thought was a 5/10. We ordered the Manchurian cauliflower, which both my mom and I thought was average. The braised tofu with kabocha and eggplant was phenomenal, and the best dish we ordered. Lastly, we had the wonton soup, which was my least favorite dish of the night. Overall, it was pretty solid, though not the best pan-asian food I've had in the city. The restaurant was super cute, and would be a fun place to have dinner if you're in the Gram area! I will note as well that the price was a bit higher than I think the dinner was worth.
Read moreGuest
PinkyV.Patel
Points +15
Delish!! - Edit
For starters, the Chicken satay sticks, the mango avocado sushi and the spicy chicken sushi were so amazing!! I ordered the pho for an entree and it did not disappoint!! This place was Delish!
Read morePros: Perfectly seasoned food, Available resy, Attentive staff!
Guest
RitvikaSharma
Points +147
Great food and service - Edit
I loved the food. Amazing options if you love mushrooms. Service was awesome.
Read moreGuest
lettucebenice
Points +123
Great food, great service, and nice environment! - Edit
I ordered the sushi combo which was fantastic and the soup of the day (which happened to be miso) and the porridge of the day (which was sweet potato). The service was great; my water was refilled quickly and my orders didn’t take very long. The building itself is also very aesthetic and elegant; there are a few floors connected by stairs and the lights are not very bright. I would highly recommend.
Read morePros: All vegan, Great service, Delicious food
Guest
huskyvegan
Points +30
Marvelous - Edit
The ambiance and staff is amazing!! The food was marvelous. A healthy portion and it was seasoned very well…. Definitely a nice family or date night spot.
Read morePros: Food , Ambiance , Service
Guest
MarcelaP.
Points +714
Excellent - Edit
I loved this place. Food was tasty and the staff was very friendly and patient answering our questions.
Read morePros: Food, Friendly staff
Guest
SoCalCal
Points +1857
Outstanding variety of tasty Asian dishes - Edit
Excellent service, excellent food, and overall excellent experience! We arrived in NYC and made our way a few hours afterward, as it was the closest all-vegan restaurant to our hotel. We had made a reservation, but had not anticipated how soon we would arrive, and they had no problems accommodating us early.
Read moreHubby started with Meditation Soju Cocktail which he thought was very tasty. He's accustomed to vodka martinis, so he was hoping for a bigger punch, which soju does not provide.
Since there was so much on the menu that looked good, we ended ordering a few combos to try more. We started with the Peking 'Duck' Baos. I thought they were good, but hubby thought they could use a bit more sauce and 'duck'.
Next was the Dumpling Combo, which we ordered fried. I was envisioning steamed and pan-fried, as is typical with dumplings, but these were deep-fried. Tasty, nonetheless, but not what we were expecting.
Jeon Combo was next. There was not a huge difference in the flavors of the three different pancakes, but I thought the Crispy Scallion has the strongest flavor. Hubby thought the Sweet Corn Cilantro had a noticeably sweet flavor, but I didn't get much of that. The Kimchi we both agree had the subtlest flavor. Perhaps the ingredients were consistent in the pancake mix or maybe the mix needed more ingredients to distinguish from the pancake batter, but these could have had much stronger flavors in my opinion.
Our last orders were sushi. We got the Roll Combo and the 'Bulgogi' Kimbap. Everything was good! The Crispy Tofu Skin Roll was very reminiscent of a salmon skin roll, but the tofu ate slightly dry. The chicken in the Spicy 'Chicken' Roll definitely had the consistency of chicken, but slightly firmer. I didn't get much spice in it, even though it was very tasty. To me, the California Roll had the subtlest flavor. I ate my half of the Roll Combo before starting on the Kimbap, and I thought the Kimbap was very good! What really struck me was the plethora of ingredients present, compared with the rolls. Each bite of the Kimbap had so much flavor and the 'bulgogi' was flavorful, but did not overpower the other ingredients. It had good balance.
We finished with the Black Sesame Pie, which hubby did not like at all. I'm accustomed to the flavor of black sesame, and this had some nutty flavor addition. The crust also had a coconut flavor, so there was a lot going on. For those unfamiliar, the texture of the black sesame was very similar to tahini.
Pros: Great food, Great service, Large selection of dishes
Guest
KPinspiredVegan
Points +59
Consistently Excellent - Edit
Can’t say enough good things about the quality and breadth of their offerings. Best vegan sushi and wonderful noodle dishes, among others. Outdoor dining area wired for quick service, which is always friendly and attentive.
Read moreGuest
SaraRamelb
Points +92
Excellent - Edit
Great lunch options, excellent variety and taste
Read moreGuest
Neil_G
Points +224
Best Asian vegan food in NY - Edit
I went with a skeptical carnivorous friend. We ate several appetizers and mains, and left well fed and happy. The flavors were varied and interesting.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2024-06-19
MicheleWillburn
K
Read moreGuest
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