Avant Garden East Village

This feng shui-style vegan spot is a Polynesian restaurant that takes its inspiration from nature. The atmosphere is uplifting, with wooden beams, wooden window frames, and hanging pendant lamps. Their tapas-sized plant-based protein dishes are gorgeous—I spend five minutes trying to get the perfect photo of my food when it arrives. The scorched cauliflower with toasted garlic and fried capers and the mushroomy Hen of the Woods.