In a city that lays claim to not one but TWO Little Italy’s, weeding through Italian restaurants for the city’s most noteworthy veggie-friendly pasta is no easy feat. However, over eight years in New York City, these are the dishes that continuously have me going back for more.
1. Goat Cheese Ravioli, $22*
Nestled in the basement of The Plaza Hotel, The Todd English Food Hall is home to probably my FAVORITE dish in all of NYC. The ravioli is paired with baby beets and a basil pesto sauce, packing an incredible flavor.
2. Corn Gnudi, $19*
Newcomer on the block, Quality Italian Steakhouse, boasts a dish that is rare in the world of pasta…(well, at least pasta that tastes good!)…vegan friendly corn gnudi. A soft dumpling of sorts, topped with pistachio, basil and black pepper, it’s certainly the best dish I’ve ever ordered at a steakhouse.
3. Zucchini and Heirloom Tomato Lasagna, $24
Gramercy Park’s raw, organic restaurant has another one for the vegans: Pure Food and Wine’s zucchini pasta is so good, it will have your meat eating counterparts throwing out compliments left and right, proclaiming, “I never thought rabbit food could taste this good!” (Or at least that’s what my dining companions were saying!) Nestled in a basil pistachio pesto with sun-dried tomato marinara, and stuffed with a macadamia pumpkin seed ricotta, it’s truly a pasta worth experiencing.
4. Granny Smith Apple Ravioli, $22
One of my favorite restaurants in the Meat Packing District offers not only a stunning indoor garden dining experience, but a pasta dish infused with fruit that is simply to die for. Revel’s apple ravioli is set in a beef ragout, but they’re very accommodating with making it sans meat. I first tried this dish back in 2009, and have been ordering it every time we go here ever since.
5. Pumpkin and Sage Ravioli, $14
My best foodie memory of living up in Inwood comes from trips to The Garden Cafe, where I would order pumpkin ravioli in a garlic cream sauce be it fall, winter, spring or summer…a dish so titillating to the tastebuds, it knows no seasonal boundaries. Seriously so tasty, that since moving downtown I’ve actually made the trek on the A train to the very last stop (207th Street!), to reunite with this beloved dish. (Please note: the below photo is not the dish from the Garden Cafe, but looks similar!)
Jessica Tiare Bowen lives in the juicy Big Apple with her adorable pink-nosed chihuahua, Gillman. He’s the inspiration for her first published children’s book, “Park Avenue Pound Puppy.” The book is the combined result of her two greatest passions: pooches and penning stories.
Her passions include art, urban hikes through Manhattan, drinking coffee with 3 creams and 6 sugars, making extremely detailed itineraries and traveling to far away places, singing along to Broadway shows, Netflix movie nights, discovering incredible treasures at Goodwill and thrift stores, and listening to stories from little people under 7 and big people over 70.
She started her career as New York City Teaching Fellow, teaching elementary school and theater arts at a special education school in the South Bronx for 6 years. She is now a Special Education School Improvement Specialist working in public schools throughout New York City. She is the Editor-In-Chief of the online New York City travel magazine, Used York City. The magazine focuses on finding the best of New York…as used by New Yorkers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and an ASPCA Ambassador.
