Translation from English

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Peacefood Cafe- Upper West Side

Ah, the search for healthy food continues...

This place seems to please its Vegan customers more than most Vegan places I have noted

Peacefood Cafe

4.0 star rating
470 reviews Rating Details
Category: Vegan  [Edit]
460 Amsterdam Ave
(between 82nd St & 83rd St)
New York, NY 10024
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
(212) 362-2266
Nearest Transit Station:
79 St. (1, 2)
86 St. (1, 2)
81 St. - Museum Of Natural History (A, B, C)
Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 10 pm
Attire:
Casual
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Price Range:
$$
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
No
Delivery:
Yes
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
Free
Good For:
Lunch
Alcohol:
No
Noise Level:
Average
Ambience:
Casual
Has TV:
No
Caters:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
No

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468 reviews in English

  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 25 reviews
    New York, NY
    10/18/2013
    You'll never look at a vegetable the same way again!

    If you've always thought of a veggie as a side dish, like me and Den do, think again! This place makes a masterpiece out of a nothing vegetable---it's astounding! It's like a Houdini act the way they transform a dull yam or bok choy into a main dish with such flavor and zip. And the green lemonade with ginger has such a good kick and is cool and refreshing.

    When I eat here I don't miss meat one bit! And that's coming from yours truly---Phyllis "the carnivore" Buckley! :)
  • Review from

    Queens, NY
    10/28/2013 1 check-in here
    The veggie food is mediocre considering the wait and the location.

    I am giving three stars for the chocolate covered macaroon alone!
  • Review from

    • 41 friends
    • 22 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    10/24/2013
    If the food was not excellent I would give them 1 star.  I have been to both locations and the service is absolutely horrendous at both, but the uptown restaurant takes the cake.  They always seem over-staffed but no one seems to want to be bothered to help you. There are always several employees chatting behind the counter not working.  I have never had a good experience here as far as service goes and I have been back many times mostly for the bakery counter. It is impossible to not have some issue even just taking out some pastries.  I base my visits on wether I am in the mood to deal with the people working there.

    The food is great. Try the chickpea fries if I haven't totally scared you away from going.
  • Review from

    • 8 friends
    • 296 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    11/10/2013 3 photos 1 check-in here
    Very interesting menu, looks healthy and tastes good too. Kinda crowded and the service is a little slow but hey if it's brunch time on a weekend, who cares. Good choice of smoothies, juices and sandwiches.
    • Apple-Ginger Soy Latte
    • French mushroom panini
    • Veggie Dumplings
  • Review from

    • 4 friends
    • 11 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    10/19/2013
    Best kale salad I've ever had!!!
    And wonderful wonderful bakery.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 4 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    11/10/2013
    The food is delicious! Chickpea fries and dumplings are a must, juices, and teas are great. You'll never believe us vegan and always walk away satisfied. A wonderful atmosphere and we have never been rushed to leave. The service is slightly erratic and a little slow, but still very good. Skip the cheesecake, but get the chocolate macaroon--delish!
  • Review from

    • 12 friends
    • 30 reviews
    New York, NY
    9/13/2013 2 check-ins here
    Peacefood Cafe really is as good as it gets. Walking in you'll think you're in for 5 star prices but when you look at the menu, you'll see scrumptious salads with quinoa, avocados, and fresh greens for under $10, bowls of fresh homemade soups for under $6, and extremely generous main dishes for between $9 and $14. Keep in mind: everything is vegan, and it's ALL delicious.

    I'd recommend sharing the desserts, as they are really quite filling. I had the carrot cake for $6.50 and could barely eat it all. When we went to leave the restaurant we noticed an interesting water contraption and decided to ask the waiter what it was. It turns out the water is filtered through a series of charcoal filters then run over some rocks to add the good minerals back into it. The water alone is worth a trip. It's delicious!

    I would have to say that Peacefood Cafe has some of the healthiest food in Manhattan, and some of the friendliest waiters in the USA. They are attentive, smiling, and very knowledgeable about what they serve. If you see something you like on another table, don't hesitate to ask. The clientele here generally love to talk food.

    The next time you're feeling zen and want to eat well without killing your wallet, come here. And don't forget, there are tons of great bars right around Peacefood Cafe just waiting to make peace with your liver!

    Bottom line: eat here everyday and you'll live to 100 (depending, of course, on how much you drink afterwards).
  • Review from

    • 24 friends
    • 14 reviews
    Weehawken, NJ
    9/15/2013 3 photos
    My gosh I am in love. If they had this place in my neighborhood, they wouldn't be able to get me to leave.

    First, the decor is chic and clean, just like the food. The staff is kind and competent. And the food is fantastic.

    The options are many, and each one is absolutely delicious. The cafe menu is wide ranging and satisfying; and yes the chic pea fries are incredible. Dip them in Sriracha. Mmmmm.

    I had the lentil kale soup (hearty and delicious) and the tempeh avocado sandwich on an incredible whole grain bread. Oh, and a soy chai latte.

    I was full, but felt great and was full of energy afterwards. They have fresh pressed juices too. Good, clean dining. I shall return.
    • Tempeh avocado sandwich
    • Chai tea
    • Chic pea fries with tahini dipping sauce
  • Review from

    • 2 friends
    • 1 review
    Westwood, NJ
    10/17/2013
    The food was so good, I had to write a review. Started with the fluffy quinoa salad...yummy! Love all the textures. My husband had the tahini sprout sandwich. That was tasty...but...I had the roasted pumpkin sandwich...wow! Delicious!! We wanted to try more so we ordered the dumplings. So good!! To finish off the night we had the cashew cheesecake and key lime pie. Hard to say which one was my favorite. They were both creamy and delicious! I read the previous reviews and it looks like some people had bad experiences with the staff but when my husband and I ate here we were met with only nice, polite and helpful staff. Will be coming back.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 11 reviews
    Brooklyn, NY
    10/23/2013
    I just had my first order from peacefood.  It was takeout and total comfort food.  Grilled cauliflower, spaghetti squash, mashed potatoes... all topped with yummy mushroom gravy.  I'm in Brooklyn, and the food made the trek well.  So satisfying!  It's nice to see a lot of well cooked vegetables on a menu, for hearty and healthy fare.  I will definitely be trying this or the downtown location in person!
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 23 reviews
    Natick, MA
    10/15/2013
    Actually we'd give a consistent 4.5 rating. On our second visit, our party of 4 had a variety of dishes, mostly fairly simple dishes, but flavored wonderfully. Squash soup was excellent. Vegetables all flavored perfectly. Even the chickpea appetizer was special - a fancy version of felafel. The fake chicken was among the best we've had. The non-vegetarian member of our party declared himself to be a "very satisfied carnivore." With vegan food like this, who needs meat? The only possible downside is the open, informal setting, with fast service, and no wine or beer. This may not satisfy someone's needs for a more formal, leisurely setting.
  • Review from

    • 20 friends
    • 1 review
    Westwood, NJ
    10/17/2013 1 check-in here
    I loved everything here! From the Quinoa salad, to the sprout sandwich the Japanese pumpkin sandwich, the raw key lime pie and the cashew coconut cream cheese. The service was great very friendly and this place has great atmosphere. If you had never been to a vegan restaurant I suggest you come to this place it will change your perception about vegan food.
  • Review from

    • 3 friends
    • 217 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    9/4/2013
    Great vibes and large crowd, even on a muggy Tuesday night.

    I wanted to like this place more than I actually did. Tried a few roasted vegetable sides (bok choy, cauliflower, etc), but they all lacked seasoning. Totally flavorless. Also tried the dumplings, which tasted decent with the sauce, but the dumpling skins were terribly thick and bulky.

    I'd consider a second try, but I'd rather stick with Candle Cafe West for veg fare.
  • Review from

    • 87 friends
    • 105 reviews
    New York, NY
    7/15/2013
    Peacefood Cafe is a so-so restaurant.

    Some of the staff members are awesome, however, I will say that one blatantly rolled her eyes at me when I was asking a question about the menu. Pretty fucking rude.

    The caesar salad here is great, easily the best thing I've tried on the menu. The combination of tempeh and croutons are great and make it a meal worthy choice. Well done!

    The chickpea fries are a great concept but not that great. I've had fried chickpeas before which were far tastier. They are very big and hearty so if you do decide to try them I suggest sharing them or else you might get full.

    The tahini sprouts sandwich wasn't anything special.

    The fried seitan medallion panini was extremely soggy. I couldn't even eat it.

    The magic cookie is one of the best cookies I've ever had.
  • Review from

    Inwood, NY
    7/16/2013 1 check-in here
    My favorite Vegan location.  How does Peacefood find all the super cool and super nice staff?  I love everyone there and I wish we could hang out and get tattoos together.

    The food is above and beyond delicious and a place I could take my BF and he would not realize he was eating vegan grub.  I recommend (not just recommend, BEG!) you to try the dumplings.  I get them every time no matter what else.  I also love the chickpea fries and any soup they are cooking up that day!  The vegan Chicken strips are not my favorite but that might have been because I was full off of those dumplings I was talking about earlier.

    The location is also great and the interior nice and comfortable.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 32 reviews
    Manhattan, NY
    10/12/2013
    Way too expensive and not worth it.  If you were set on going here, I'd say "lunch only" because there are no real entrees- just sandwiches and salads.

    The special of the day was "Cheeseburger with the works - $14.50" I asked what was in the burger, whether it was made here. She said "It's Gardein" - which is a FROZEN burger patty FROM THE STORE. $14.50 for a FROZEN PATTY that probably cost them $2?? So, I'm paying $12 for a bun, lettuce, tomato, and fake cheese that makes you fart? That's b******t! I said "I'd rather have fresh food." and ordered the fried seitan medallion, which was basically a mushpile on thick cakey high-caloric bread. Not good.

    I did have the "hangover cure" juice, which was excellent, but there are plenty of juice bars in NYC.

    The side dishes are $6.50 and up. The sandwiches do NOT come with a side, or fries, or anything, so the panini I ordered, with a side of (chickpea) fries, would cost $21. Plus a juice would be $28, plus tax and tip. RIP-OFF.

    For a diner atmosphere, without meat, the prices are too high. Also, there  were 5 people behind the counter (at which I sat), yet it took almost 5 minutes before anyone acknowledged me and took my order.

    I have read on here that they got a B heath grade-- for a vegan place that's pretty scary, because they don't have to deal with meat/dairy storage issues.

    PS Go to Five-Napkin Burger and have the veggie burger instead. It's huge and delicious. Yum.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 1 review
    PRINCE, NY
    9/17/2013
    Does decent vegan food have to come at the price of such poor service? I work in a restaurant as a chef and I've never seen so much wait staff fail to cover so few tables.

    I ordered the Ceasar without croutons, and watched it sit in the pass until I decided to time how long it would continue to loiter. It sat for 8 more minutes and change--in the pass! Then it was brought to my table. Somehow the no croutons request got lost in the waiter's head as he walked the 5 feet to the register, so I politely mentioned this and waited for another one. Same thing happened! Took a whole to get into the pass, and it sits in the pass for ages!

    This is obviously after the waiter took the salad up to the floor manager, who seemed to be more upset I didn't meekly accept what I didn't order.

    Okay. So no harm no fowl. The restaurant business can be tough, and providing good food to people is a godsend and a service. I reserve 1 star for restaurants who make grave errors--like seeing a roach or having part of another dish come out in a salad (double using mixing bowls). So I moved on, ate the salad. Delicious.

    Then the entree came: roasted squash with gravy. The waiter bussed my plate and silverware and set down the dish. It was piping hot and perfect, and I watched it get cold in front of my eyes because I couldn't get the waiter's attention to bring me silverware. I finally caved and went up to the smiling dufus at the register and asked for a fork.

    I used to like this place; I was a frequent customer. But I am never coming here again. I refused to be poorly served and watch what I order get ruined over time by a bunch of backwards hat wearing hipsters whose parents paid for their bachelor's degrees.
  • Review from

    • 10 friends
    • 23 reviews
    Mt Vernon, NY
    7/14/2013 1 check-in here
    I came here to get a full experience of vegan cuisine.  Since then I've been back quite a few times.  I love the salads, mushroom panini, chickpea fries, and the deserts are good too.  I tried the strawberry shortcake and key lime, both very tasty.

    Staff was friendly but this place is always busy so be prepared to wait.  Every time has been a good experience.  I recommend it to anyone trying a vegan diet.
  • Review from

    New York, NY
    8/26/2013
    The more I try PFC, the more it grows on me.  The first time I went, I had the tempeh avocado sandwich which I did not enjoy.  It was too dry.  A roast pepper sauce would do wonders.  I've gone back twice now, and I really love the mushroom dumplings and the REALLY filling unchicken basket.  The unchicken is very crispy and you would never know it's not the real thing.  It tastes and looks like chicken.  The chili is hearty and good as well.  At first I was scared to try the macaroon dipped in chocolate but... it's DELICIOUS!  Moist on the inside with a ton of coconut covered in smooth chocolate (and a steal at only $1.50).  Service is attentive and very friendly.  Thumbs up.  Can't wait to go back.
  • Review from

    • 21 friends
    • 85 reviews
    New York, NY
    Updated - 5/24/2013 8 check-ins here
    Must haves include Chickpea fries, peanut butter cheesecake, red bean chile and corn bread, Magic cookie, and chocolate ganache cake.  I mean, really I could rattle off the whole menu because everything is good except maybe the "sushi" roll... It had a walnut? pate and it's really just sort of eh...

    Service can be a little too casual, a little slow and aloof, but it can get a little hectic in there so the servers certainly have their hands full.

    Cute place with really terrific vegan food... some of which you would never guess was vegan!
    Listed in: Let them eat cake

    2 Previous Reviews: Show all »

    • 4/10/2011
      Just HAD to update...
      Tried the Tiramisu and it is fantastic, and a huge portion... split it with a… Read more »
  • Review from

    • 6 friends
    • 42 reviews
    San Francisco, CA
    6/20/2013
    Went for an early lunch and was able to get a table without a problem. But beware the super strong A/C in the window seat on the left in front of the divider. No tables outside (too bad) but there are two benches.

    Avocado & Tempeh sandwich was a little too dense, but very satisfying. Black tea was nothing special. Decent but not amazing meal, which was kind of my fault: their menu is much more adventurous - I should have experimented, since I like surprising food.

    Friendly staff. I hung out for a bit doing work and they were gracious about letting me use the table. The wifi was unreliable (but they warned me that it gets like that during peak times, and to let them know if it crashed so they could fix it).

    Went back for dinner later in the week. Sat at the counter, which was very friendly. Between the customers coming and going, the takeout rush, and the staff I had a floor show to watch. Fun atmosphere at night.

    The cutie behind the register raved about a "not on the menu" experimental burger which he claimed is A-MAZING. He told me it is the best burger in the world.

    He is right!

    5 inches high, dripping with everything but the kitchen sink... I'm not sure I know what was in that burger: carmelized onions, some sort of warm cheese-like delicousness, lettuce, tomato, pickle, peperoncini, jalapenos, sprouts, thousand island-ish sauce, a veggie patty that had just the right amount of toughness to hold the sandwich together. It was sour, sweet, spicy, juicy, full of fresh veggies... yum. And I needed three napkins, even though I used a fork. Be prepared for a mess.

    I could only eat half of it.

    Memorable. I'd go back and order that burger. But now I'm really curious about other items on the menu! I'll ask for staff recommendations next time, too.

    --TIP--

    I didn't have even a sliver of room to try dessert - and everyone getting takeout was addicted to something. They all stepped to the register and then flushed, clearly knowing *exactly* the sweet they wanted, and ordered as if they were saying a lover's name. The excitement. The shame. Pretending they didn't need it, didn't want it, so bad. SO bad. The dessert case is HUGE! I may need to go back there tomorrow.


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