abcV is heaven for Vegans, Vegetarians, and all the Vs that go with it. Seriously, the place looks like heaven – white, clean, and beautiful. This is what it looks like in the movies at least!

Having tried the rest of the abc family – abc kitchen and abc cocina – I knew Jean-Georges Vongerichten couldn’t go wrong with abcV. The place is oh so very I-am-a-super-trendy-posh-healthy-vegan-new-yorker. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing arrogant or snobbish; on the contrary, the service is pleasant and our waiter was charming. The interior is a mix of modern and farm-like décor. The kitchen is separated by a glass wall, which means the kitchen has to be clean all the time.
Aside from one or two dishes, everything on the menu is $20 and below for lunch. The dinner menu is more expensive. Depending on the dish, the waiter suggests two to three dishes per person.
I was lucky to go with my favorite photographer Chantal Wanten – Caliwa photography – who took the pictures. You can see for yourself, there was a pro behind the camera.
The choice was a difficult one, as everything sounded delicious even for a non-vegan and non-vegetarian like myself.
We started with the green chickpea hummus served with Thai basil, fresh pita, and crudités. I’ve never eaten such a unique hummus, the paste was smooth and the mix with the crudité brought freshness.
This was followed by the dosa, yogurt, avocado, and sprouts. The dosa was excellent and the microgreens topping the yogurt brought interesting flavors to the dish.
The fresh sauerkraut mixed with horseradish, dill, and olive oil was good but it did not leave me an unforgettable memory.
The roasted cauliflower with turmeric, tahini, and pistachios was divine. Cauliflower can be dull but not Jean-Georges’. It was full of flavor and the texture was just perfect.
Slow-roasted beets Dijon, avocado puree, chili aioli, pickles, and lovage (herb). The presentation was colorful and the taste was amazing. I love beets and they are easy to mix with other flavors.
We finished with the wok-fried ramen noodle with fermented mustard greens, Szechuan chili oil, crispy yuba (tofu skin), peanuts, and cilantro. The dish was good, and if you must eat vegan, then this dish is yours. I personally prefer the real ramen, the one with pork broth, oops, sorry!
I didn’t drink wine with my lunch but I checked the wine list, they have a decent selection. The wines come mainly from Spain, Chile, and Argentina. They have a few from France and Portugal and one from California.
Some of us were more adventurous and tried the healthy restorative tonic beverage: feel. It’s a mix of elderberry, Catuaba (infusions of the bark of trees native to Brazil), damiana blood orange (herbals), and earl grey. I’m not a big fan of this kind of drink but my friend seemed to enjoy it.
The service was a bit slow at the end so we didn’t have time for dessert. Next time I go back to abcV, I’ll order the coconut rice pudding. The way the waiter described it sounded delicious.
abcV
38 E 19th St, New York
📞 212-475-5829
Price: $$$
Monday – Wednesday: 8-10:30am, 12-3pm, 5:30-10:30pm
Thursday – Friday: 8-10:30am, 12-3pm, 5:30-11pm
Saturday: 11am-3pm, 5:30-11pm
Sunday: 11am-3pm, 5:30-10:30pm
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