Best Organic Restaurants in NYC

[ScottNYC]

Since Organic food is so popular these days I am looking to start a list of the best organic restaurants in NYC. Also, if a restaurant isn't 100% Organic but does offer Organic dishes I am interested in adding those restaurants to the list as well.

To get it started -

MAS Farmhouse on 39 Downey St is 100% Organic. The service is outstanding and the food is amazing. I have eaten there numerous times and I am always impressed. Every night the chef starts you off with a special taste, which is delicious. My favorite dish there is an appetizer. Its called the Blackfin Tuna l'Occidental Flashed Beurre Noisette and Crispy Shallots.

Edited August 13, 2006 by ScottNYC (log)

[johnder]

I don't think applewood in brooklyn is %100 organic, but I know they only use hormone and antibiotic free meats and wild fishes. On their website they say they try to use organic whenever possible.

John

[Nathan]

I'd be pretty comfortable in saying that there is no such thing as a "100% organic restaurant" or even "100% organic cooking" but that's a point that could also easily lead to a thread belonging elsewhere than here.

As for "organic" dishes....any decent NY restaurant uses local produce where possible....sometimes local fresh produce is "organic" and sometimes it isn't...(freshness being the main determiner of nutritional value)...but I don't think they usually bother to list it as "organic"...but that might be changing since it's such a faddish selling point.

[mascarpone]

Cafe Fresh @ 1241 Amsterdam Avenue between 121 and 122 Streets. Open seven days a week from 7:30 AM - 8:00 PM

Although one partner described the cafe as continental American, one cannot ignore a European vibe at Cafe Fresh. There is elegant, tasteful lighting, large picture windows with venetian blinds, and the decor is spacious, airy, bright and uplifting unlike other coffee places that are dark and cavernous.

Several graduate students (presumably from Columbia University or City College) were enjoying coffee there while editing or grading papers. In addition to the bookish clientele, soft classical music (WQXR) also contributed to the sophisticated atmosphere. The cafe is a sleeper, not at all overrun, and as a result, is a place where one is not pushed out the door, but where one can spend an entire day writing and editing a chapter of a dissertation or exam while sipping espresso and nibbling chocolate cake.

I was initially served Jana Artesian spring water shortly followed by a delicious organic vegan leek soup that was accompanied by a side plate of organic eggplant caviar (eggplant, olives, tomato, garlic), as well as goat cheese and olive oil. After this came a large plate of varied organic salads: Prebanac (Seasoned canellini beans), Pingur (roasted red pepper, garlic, chili pepper, eggplant), mashed bean salad (canellini and garlic), and hummus all served with green and black olives as well as Amy's organic bread. The flavors of these organic salads were very pronounced, particularly the dramatically spicy and colorful Pingur, which was my favorite. For dessert I had a slice of delicious Praline Chocolate Cake accompanied by what I thought was a scoop of gelato, but instead I was pleasantly surprised by cooked wheat with spices and walnuts. The cooked wheat was very sweet, and contrasted well with the subtle Praline cake.

I was informed that the organic teas (Ceylon, Hibiscus, Green) and prepared salads that inhabited the refrigerated glass case at the front of the cafe would soon be replaced by an assortment of chocolate cakes, and that the proprietor would apply for an alcohol license later in January.

Menu:

Brunch

Eggs served with organic roasted hash browns

Roasted Vegetable Omelet 7.25

Asparagus & Tuna Frittata 6.75

Goat feta, avocado, tomato & herb omelet 6.75

Scrambled eggs w/ house cured salmon & chives 7.25

Two baked eggs w/ spiced roasted red peppers 6.75

French toast w/ sherry maple syrup & caramelized bananas 6.50

Fresh Organic Fruit w? thick yogurt & thyme honey 7.00

Dill cured salmon plate served w/ chopped egg, red onion, capers served with cheese toasts 8.75

Lunch

Salads

Organic bean & and avocado salad w/ mesclun, red onion, sprouts 6.50

Three dip spread—Organic hummus, rustic beans, eggplant caviar & tabouleh 7.50

Roasted beets and goat cheese w/ watercress & avocado 6.75

Organic tabouleh w/ mint, parsley, diced cucumbers, tomato & goat feta 6.50

Arugula & blue cheese, currants, sunflower seeds, pear, & beets 6.75

Organic baked tofu salad w? mixed greens & three savory dressings 6.75

Quinoa timbales w/ currants and pine nuts served w/ dressed spinach 6.75

Adriatic Tuna—marinated imported tuna, egg, cucumbers, olives, tomato, arugula 7.50

Poached Salmon on a bed of avocado Caesar salad 7.50

New Word Salad—corn, avocado, beans, red onion, cilantro, soy queso fresco 6.75

Tartine—open faced hot sandwiches served w/ soup or organic salad 7.50

Vegetarian chicken salad w/ shredded red cabbage,

Poached Salmon, tomato & capers,

Spiced Avocado on arugula & nori seaweed,

Manchego cheese, roasted tomato, arugula & pesto,

Egg salad w/ capers & dill,

Marinated tuna w/ black olive paste & peppers

Main

Phyllo casserole w/beets, spinach & potato served with French lentil sauce 7.25

Organic baked zucchini parmigiana 6.75

Goat feta phyllo pie served w/ turnip & celery root slaw 6.75

Organic vegetable lasagna 7.25

Maccaroni & cheese w/ crispy mushrooms & truffle oil 7.00

Vegetarian tex-mex chili w/ roasted corn, served w. organic corn bread (baked at the café) 6.75

Poached Salmon over tabouleh and yogurt dill sauce 8.75

Baked Items

Cakes (served by slice) 3.00-4.50

Assorted Cookies 1.95

Assorted Muffins, scones 1.75-2.25

[Nathan]

"delicious organic vegan"

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[Sneakeater]

It's not an oxymoron.

If you take an organic vegan, hang them for a while to tenderize them and increase the flavor, and then brine them for further tenderizing (and also to remove any purities), they can be quite delicious, even if cooked simply.

Edited August 15, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Nathan]

You might need to add some chorizo essence made from genetically modified swine to really bring out the flavor though.

[Eatmywords]

It's not an oxymoron.

If you take an organic vegan, hang them for a while to tenderize them and increase the flavor, and then brine them for further tenderizing (and also to remove any purities), they can be quite delicious, even if cooked simply.

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Pls stop! it's enough I spend so much time on here (while at work).......I can't be laughing this loud on top of it!!

No more.....pls!!

[Sneakeater]

You could use organic vodka to make a sauce.

[raji]

I've had some really good meals at Souen, the Macrobiotic Japanese. I was surprised to read that the whole Macrobiotic thing came from Japan in the first place. The owner is really passionate about it and it's probably the only organic restaurant I'd want to go to....

[ScottNYC]

You could use organic vodka to make a sauce.

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I like that idea--we can make organic penne a la vodka now!