April 8, 2018
Even a bad veggie burger patty can be a vehicle of delicious flavors and textures by way of its fixings. Though a bad burger/good fixings shouldn’t be an eatery’s goal, fixing compensation can certainly sway a battle. In that same vein, a veggie burger’s bun also plays a very important roll. Read more…
April 6, 2018
This Burger Brackets Ketchup, Part 2 is all ’bout that (burger) bass, ’bout that (burger) bass, no treble. The base of a burger is a very important part of a great veggie burger. Der, of course. There’s bean base, seitan base, rice base, soy science franken-food base, and… there’s a Read more…
April 5, 2018
That’s a flyer from the zine I made in the 90’s. Yes, I always liked to hear myself write. And that’s 90’s me… but this isn’t a post about how the 90’s were the last hurrah of authenticity and coolness, though that is truth. It’s about burgers. One from a Read more…
December 10, 2017
I’ll be straightforward here. New York City’s vegan burger game has evolved incredibly since I endeavored to find The Best. But I’m at a point where I need to start a ‘best of the best’ bracket. It is such a shame to bid some burgers farewell, while less amazing burgers Read more…
October 7, 2017
It’s been a while, I know. But there are NYC vegan burger happenings that have brought me out of “retirement.” Here are a few notes on the updated brackets above. These are entirely new* burgers from my last battle. And there are many more. Ok, so the “*” is for Read more…
January 1, 2017
Momofuku Nishi vs. Sugar Cafe In the near absence of real and affordable opportunity, New York City’s development in the last decades has shifted towards big box store chains. The same character-less stores that appear in suburban shopping Lego sets are now in New York City as patrons relish in convenience above all–unfortunately. Read more…
December 27, 2016
Vburger vs. Go Zen Vburger is an all-vegan vegan fast food eatery near Union Square in Manhattan. It shares space with the Hummus & Pita Co., a non-vegan franchise with several locations in New York City. Based on how many trademarks are on their website, I am going to presume Vburger an Read more…
October 3, 2016
Fogwood & Fig vs. No. 7 Veggie It’s not surprising that Diane Bezanski has a background in photography. If the images of her veggie burgers, under the name Fogwood & Fig, were all I had, they might still win a few battles. It is true that you eat with your eyes Read more…
September 12, 2016
Here we are. The long overdue conclusion of my first New York City Vegan Victuals Burger Battle! After 16 burgers, a champion has emerged. And it’s Brooklyn’s Toad Style! With a commitment to housemade excellence, Toad Style sets a high standard for all those who hope to create a top-notch vegan burger. Read more…
June 25, 2016
Match #4 of the V.V. Burger Showdown Semi-Finals: Brooklyn Born. Toad Style vs. Cafe Ghia We are nearing the end. With a new summer brings another new burger battle. There is no rest for the vegan eats these days. But before a new beginning, an end. Each burger in this battle has made Read more…
May 24, 2016
Match #3 of the V.V. Burger Showdown Semi-Finals: Class Warfare. Toad Style vs. Candle Cafe In this third semifinal battle of burger supremacy we witness the clash of New York City’s dichotomous nature. The upper crusty Upper East Side faces Bedford-Stuyvesant, a Brooklyn neighborhood with a mythic claim on class division. But alas, Read more…
May 14, 2016
Match #2 of the V.V. Burger Showdown Semi-Finals: A Fall From Grace. By Chloe vs. Chickpea & Olive Ok, I’m back in the burger battle again! We’re at the 2nd of the Semi-Finals of the V.V. New York City Burger Showdown! I know I said this before… But it’s been awhile: what’s great about this Read more…
December 30, 2015
Match #1 of the V.V. Burger Showdown Semi-Finals: I Must Break You(r Brand Marketing). Pickle Shack vs. Bareburger We are now in the Semi-Finals of the V.V. New York City Burger Showdown! Sixteen burgers in, I have tasted some amazing burgers. But with new burger options already in waiting for another match-up, this field is ever-evolving. Read more…
November 14, 2015
Match #7 of the V.V. Burger Showdown: The Battle of (vegan) Growing Pains. Tiny’s Giant Sandwich Shop vs. Bareburger Along with the large scale collective growth in vegan food products and eateries, omni embrace of “vegan” is also evolving in its own way. Vegan pantry staples are showing up in traditional supermarkets and Read more…
October 14, 2015
Match #6 of the V.V. Burger Showdown: The Upper East Side’s Battle of 16-14. Candle Cafe vs. V-Note 16-14 refers to the prices of these fancy pants vegan burgers. After the “draw” of the last showdown, I needed some housemade high quality offerings. After all, paying $16 for a vegan burger includes the tacit promise Read more…
September 23, 2015
Match #5 of the V.V. Burger Showdown: The Blossom battle turns out to be a lesson on how not to do a veggie burger. Blossom On Carmine vs. Blossom du Jour Despite the proclamations from HappyCow, PeTA, and VegNews, I often say that New York City is not so vegan-friendly. Does New York City have Read more…
September 6, 2015
Match #4 of the V.V. Burger Showdown brings us to Smorgasburg, Brooklyn’s food flea market: Chickpea & Olive vs. NÜBurger Since 2008, Smorgasburg has allowed a slew of new and exciting food vendors to make a name for themselves. And several are either all-vegan or offer vegan options, including Chickpea & Olive and NÜBurger, the competitors in Read more…
August 19, 2015
Hitting the corners of the V.V. Burger Showdown brackets, it’s time for Match #3: M.O.B. vs. Pickle Shack This is going to be a doozy. I have loved the M.O.B. and Pickle Shack veggie burgers separately–but for some of the same reasons. Restoring my lost hope and representing a turn in veggie burger Read more…
August 11, 2015
The Burger Showdown continues with the first Brooklyn showdown: Toad Style vs. Champs Family Diner Just when my burger brackets were set, along comes Toad Style‘s all-vegan menu, batting its housemade cheese and sage butter and lime aioli. Those kinds of words indicate an eatery who not only make but love food. Throw Read more…
July 30, 2015
Ok, so I hadn’t realized I reported on so many of NYC’s veggie burgers until I counted them on my blog: 40 burgers! But times have changed since 2010 when I set out on a mission to find the best one (reporting briefly on 36 of them), then vaguely declared as Read more…
June 15, 2010
Candle 79‘s Black Bean Pumpkin Seed Burger (Upper East Side) Pro: It’s absolutely yummy, polenta fries Con: It’s also a mush-fest, pricey Josie’s NYC‘s Organic 3-grain vegetable burger (Upper West Side) Pro: Quinoa, bulgur & cous cous-oh my! Con: A bit pricey Goodburger‘sVeggie Burger (Union Square) Pro: Separate grill, good Read more…
March 28, 2010
The search continues, in intervals of 12. What is all this burger-eating leading up to? My decision on who makes the best vegan burger in New York City, of course. It is forthcoming. The Organic Grill‘s Organic Grill Burger (East Village) Pro: Very tasty, housemade, great fixings, a very good Read more…
February 2, 2010
That is the question. A good, hearty and satisfying veggie burger is an occasional must. And luckily it they’re pretty much a menu staple at both veg and omni eateries alike. But where to go? A group of vegan field reporters and I bring you this expansive report on the Read more…