Worry not fellow vegetarians, there are good eats to be had on the Ave.
Araya’s Place
Photo courtesy of @warrenxevans on Instagram
This vegan restaurant is a godsend.
Stroll in and you’ll find every Thai dish imaginable set out in an affordable all-you-can-eat buffet. Yeah, that’s right—unlimited spring rolls. They’ve even got a vegetarian tom yum soup, which traditionally contains shrimp.
The fried rice will have you going back for seconds, thirds, even fourths. There are also several types of hot sauce for the more spicily inclined.
But the best part about Araya’s is that the buffet has peanut sauce. A lot of it. Go wild. Your plate’s the limit. Dip all the things in peanut sauce.
Thanh Vi
Photo courtesy of @lumawig5000 on Instagram
Hidden away between the more prominent 7/11 and Thaiger Room, this family owned Vietnamese restaurant makes one hell of a banh mi sandwich.
For only about $5, you can get a bánh mì chay dặc biệt. I don’t know what that translates to in English, but it tastes amazing.
They’ve also got a whole section of their menu dedicated to vegetarian dishes. My personal favorite is the Cơm Đậu Hũ Cà Ri, a rich tofu curry served with rice.
Extra shout outs to the ever-smiling staff.
Cedars on Brooklyn
Photo courtesy of @cedarsonbrooklyn on Instagram
Everyone’s always going on and on about how butter chicken is the best Indian food. But have they tried paneer? Probably not. And I highly doubt they’ve tried the aloo channa either.
Paneer is so good; I used to order it even when I still ate meat. There’s plenty of paneer dishes on the Cedars menu, but the butter paneer is in a tier of its own.
Aloo channa is a curry made with chickpeas and potatoes. It’s a golden wonderland on the tongue.
Pair these curries with a gargantuan garlic naan for best results. Oh, and don’t forget to make it spicy.
Photo courtesy of @cedarsonbrooklyn on Instagram
Honorary mentions to the Arabic falafel at Sultan Gyro Grill, the sofritas at Chipotle (duh), and the kimchi fried rice at Café on the Ave.