Please note: This article was first published on The Vegan Tourist and last updated September 5, 2011.
Update May 25, 2019: This restaurant closed in 2011.
Original blog post:
“Vegan – raw – mostly organic”: that’s how the restaurant describes itself and I couldn’t put it any better. “Bonobo’s” is a vegan restaurant that serves “fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds” and no dish (including soups) is heated above 118°F.
I’d read about this restaurant in The Vegan Guide to New York City and even though I am not a disciple of the raw food movement, I liked the fact that this restaurant offers something different.
“Bonobo’s” sells a large selection of fresh pressed juices and fruit blends. The salad buffet also offers many choices, including a variety of vegan dressings. Then there are various nut and herb pates, and nut and seed mousses. They have a couple of entrees and a nice selection of pies, puddings, fudges, and candies. They also had vegan maki for sale when I was there (even though it’s not on the menu). For a restaurant, which only serves raw food, there are a lot of dishes to choose from.
I decided on a selection of salads, which were already prepared with different dressings. I’d become a vegan only a little while ago, but had already started to miss a few choice foods. Creamy yoghurt dressings were on the top of my list, so I was eager to try a selection of vegan yoghurt-style dressings.
I chose three different salads: an Italian Zucchini salad, which was prepared with a vegan “yoghurt” dressing; an Asian Slaw salad with a vegan mayonnaise dressing; and a mixed salad with a creamy curry dressing.
This 3-salad bowl came to $ 9.95 plus tax. There’s only counter service, and the restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol.
The salads (and dressings) were all very yummy, and I left determined to learn how to cook (better) – or at least how to make creamy vegan dressings.
Address: 18 East 23rd Street, Manhattan
Opening hours: open for lunch, not sure about dinner – the restaurant doesn’t list its opening hours on the Website.
Phone: +1-212-505-1200
Website: Out of service.