Avant Garden

I ate at Avant Garden last night with friends, and it was among the worst dining experiences I have ever had. We arrived on time for our reservation, and were immediately pressured to order and eat quickly. Instead of explaining the concept of the restaurant and helpfully suggesting menu options based on our preferences, we were urged several times to order a quantity of food that frankly seemed absurd, especially given the prices.

Both the server and the hostess told us explicitly that there was a reservation after us and were hurrying us along the entire meal. There seems to be a set of rules to follow at AG, and we were made to feel like an inconvenience for opting to eat what we wanted and navigating the restaurant experience on our own, like the capable adults we are. In addition to the condescension, the food was mediocre at best, leaving much to be desired in terms of flavor and creativity.

Food was really amazing but the service was well below par and probably the most unfriendly and unwelcoming in a long time. They also made a mistake with the reservation although we called in advance to reconfirm. Arrogant staff, would not go there again.

Super fresh, inventive, and delicious cuisine that highlights the vegetable. Everything was spot on and so good!

Amazing!!!!!

Absolutely awesome vegan dining venue in NYC. The only downside is the price, as it is definitely on the $$$$ end, even for NYC.

Exquisite food, fantastic service, non-vegans such as myself will find themselves contemplating a lifestyle change!

This was my first time dining experience at Avant Garden and I was pleasantly surprised. Ingredients were quite fresh and freshly prepared – simple food that was simply delicious. Price point was moderate for vegetarian fare, but my dining partner and I felt it was worth it for the uncommon food. Wine selection fit the fare well. Our server was top-notch. We sat at the counter where we could see the entire preparation of our meal. Unfortunately, on the warm evening we were there, the air conditioning was down, and the small room was cooled only by the mostly-ineffective blow of a box fan. But once the food hit our palates, that hardly mattered.

Creative vegetarian cuisine with an open bar kitchen.
Reminds me of a mix between Momofuku Ko and Dirt Candy.
Delightful food and service!

The food was fine. The service was good. But there was no air conditioning! It would have been nice if we were given a complimentary drink as a way to apologize for the hot and unpleasant dining condition.

My second time at the restaurant. The menu is unique and every dish is great. The servers are delightful and attentive. Ambience is nice. Perfect for a date night, catch up with friends, group dinner. The restaurant is small but the layout works for its size.

The food was little salty but it wasn't that bad. But I guess it was only with me that felt like this. Overall what a great place. Absolute favorite. Balsmati rice was the bomb!!if I lived in America I would come here every week. Just go here.

it is vegan but also has a nice bar--the food is outstanding although the choices are very few and the portions quite small

This was an all-around exquisite experience. Service was fast and friendly, food was unique and some of the best I've ever had. It's an all vegan restaurant. I took my very picky foodie family who are omnivores and they have been raving about both the food and ambiance ever since. We tried 8 dishes to share and they were all excellent.

Dishes were decadent and amazing. My favorite are the toasts -- elevated and rich flavor profiles.

Amazing! Our group of six ordered the entire menu and there wasn't a single item we were disappointed in. Fantastic service to boot!

Small portions; very limited menu . Ridiculously overpriced.

First visit to Avant Garden. Small menu but the waitresses recommend you order 6 dishes or so to share. All sounded delicious! Everything we tasted had lots of flavour and although the portions are not huge, we definitely did not leave hungry! Just one dessert option (lavender ice cream with pistachio) which perhaps could have been a little larger but still tasty. No dessert on the menu, probably because they like to change it up. Quite a small venu so wouldn't recommend for larger groups. A little on the pricey side but good quality food with an amazing restaurant aroma. Would definitely recommend!

Avant Garden is one of the best vegetarian restaurants in New York. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great meal, friendly service, and a vibrant neighborhood. Go NOW! You won't regret it.

Inventive, aesthetic, high quality vegan food. It's not cheap but it's unique and honest to goodness goodness.

This place is a tad on the pricey side and the entrees are not worth it. The toasts and salads, however, are fantastic and a great value for money. The service is also excellent. Great wine list and wonderful atmosphere. Good place for a couple of snacks and a glass or two of wine (and for entertaining your vegan friend).

Love this place and will return again and again. The food is inventive and creative. Great wine list. Such simplicity is rare.

Friendly atmosphere. Good portions for sharing - nice variety of savory palate pleasing yummy bites. I like my food fresh, we'll prepared and visually enticing - this place delivers on all counts.

My husband and I LOVED this food. It was exquisitely prepared and delicious. I would travel back to NYC just to eat there again. I would recommend it to anyone!

Guys, I'm a huge meat eater and I love going out to a big steak dinner or amazing sushi. I don't know much about vegan and/or vegetarian eating so I was excited to check out this new hot spot with local vegan cuisine.

I was not disappointed. This was an amazing meal, full of complex flavors and delicious savory bites. The staff handles the pacing, delivering you new plates as you finish the ones you are working on, creating a luxurious, decadent dining experience.

The restaurant was cute, cozy, and the staff were great, very accommodating. Everything was delicious and I highly recommend. Well done, Avant Garden.

Unbelievable quality of food. Plating/presentation were outstanding.

Server did an excellent job of explaining minus Beet Salad, pasta were outstanding. Entire staff were friendly and welcoming.

Creative, inspired cuisine. Hard to pinpoint any specific ethnic influence. It's as if the vegetables create the inspiration. True artistry. Way too pricey to be a regular thing, unfortunately. But great for expense account vegan eating.

Although I am not a vegetarian the food was awesome. Toast (cremini mushrooms, onion marmalade) incredible. Sated baked sweet potato very good, spring beans as main course topped it off. Very nice and friendly staff who took the time to explain the treats!

The food here is prepared right before your eyes and it is exquisite. Everything we tried (which was most of the menu) was excellent except for a little too much salt in the pasta dish. We will be back.

Creative, great flavors, nice, interested staff.

Avant Garden is a remarkably beautiful little spot in the East Village. Our server was incredibly friendly and helpful. Most importantly, the food was really flavorful and tasty. Each item on the menu (we basically tried them all) was delicious. But, the standouts for me were the sunchoke toast, the mushroom toast, and the cauliflower. Although I was just visiting the city, I will absolutely make an effort to go back to Avant Garden when I visit again.

Delicious vegan restaurant, a rare find. The sunchoke and the mushrooms are taken to the next level. Super nice staff.

This place is fantastic , the good was so delicious ! It's unlikea any vegan place I have ever been to , they use fresh ingredients and are not trying to make anything taste or look like meat as other vagan places do . Really enjoyed seeing the chefs in front of me plating the food and preparing dishes . The atmosphere is great ! My husband and I really enjoyed ourselves . Highly recommended !! Ask for the brilliant vinny !

My friend and both recently transitioned to being vegetarains and has heard great things about Avant Garden. The food is very flavorful, tasty and inventive. As with most vegetarian/vegan eats you won't feel stuffed but that's kinda the beauty of eliminating meat.

For two people we ordered one toast, 2 cold, and 2 hot dish which was enough to fill us both up. I would definitely suggest the restaurant but be prepared to drop ~70-80 per person after a drink and tip (if you order a similar amount of food).

Excellent - one of the top ten meals I've had in NYC!

The food and service were great, but my friend and I definitely did not our money's worth. You pay a lot for a small amount of food. We ended up going to another place to get more food. So, I do not recommend this place. There's plenty of other vegan restaurants out there that serve bigger portions.

Sitting at the ba, watching the chefs cook, and present, the dishes, is such a great time. Makes me want to jump back there and join in. It's always enjoyable to see the magic they perform with vegetables. I can't wait to go back.

Excellent service. The waitress didn't hang around too much, but continued conversation when the costumer initiated. The waitress gave fantastic recommendations, but every single dish on the menu is exquisite. Every flavour is there for a reason and it takes you to another world. Sitting at the bar is so comfortable and exciting since you get to watch the magic happen! The chefs take such pride in the taste and presentation. The wine list is fantastic, and the dishes and decorations are beautiful. It is quite expensive, but for good reason. This is high quality vegan food, which is nice to finally see. I highly recommend this to those looking to treat themselves to a fantastic night out.

No faux creations or 'looks and tastes' like something meaty. Everything is a wonderful creation of vegetables with great flavors, spices and colors. Went with two vegetarians and one omnivore and everyone loved the food. Great service, good noise level for such a small space.

Put my credit card on the $25 per person cancelation fee just to regret it the moment I walk in. Hot, small, loud and crowded are the best way to describe the ambience. Awkward host, unfriendly. She wanted to stuff is in the window seats that could even fit Kate Moss in, but then she put me right next to these two guys and I felt extremely uncomfortable. We couldn't even talk. Then the service, just as chaotic and hectic. Menu is small and looks really exciting until you get the boring/disappointing food. Everything tastes average. Tiny portions and overpriced. Literally, I had a plate of white rice with three tiny slices of mushroom. One big joke. Left there and went to 00+Co and made my night better! Stay away from this place, it's another vegan scam, not for foodies!