New York's vegan food festival is good enough to make the biggest meat eaters think twice

We scoured New York's first annual Vegan Food and Drink Festival for the best options

On a recent, unseasonably warm weekend in Manhattan, hundreds of people descended on Randall's Island Park for what can only be described as the vegan version of Coachella.

Bright, white tents lined the exterior of the former athletic field, pumping welcoming smells from thieir depths, while visitors in "Plant-Power" and "Go Veg" t-shirts milled in the centre. In their hands, they held burgers, BBQ, pizza and beer – all of it completely meat- and dairy-free.

The field was the site of New York's first annual Vegan Food and Drink Festival, a gathering of more than 70 plant-based restaurants, cafes and pop-up shops. Vendors came from as close as Brooklyn and as far as Texas to hawk their vegan grub. And despite all the stereotypes about vegans leading joyless, flavourless lives, everyone actually seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Still, not everyone is brave enough to spend an entire day stuck on an island without meat, cheese, or eggs. So The Independent toughed it out for you, rounding up the best vegan options for every palate.

For the picky eater

The veggie black bean burger from Burger UrWay (Emily Shugerman)

One of the most common complaints about vegan food is the lack of variety: Who wants to eat the same kale salad or veggie burger every day?

Thankfully, the culinary world has come a long way since the days when vegans were forced to pour orange juice on their cereal. And nothing proves that better than Burger Urway’s tent at this year's festival. The usually omnivorous chain rolled out an all-vegan menu for Veg Fest, and the options were nothing short of overwhelming.

Burger fans could choose from the vegan quinoa chickpea burger, quinoa black bean burger, or veggie black bean burger (pictured). Toppings ranged from the usual – lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion – to the truly decadent, like jalapeño peppers, Jamaican jerk sauce, and grilled mushrooms and onions. Picky eaters, rejoice.

For the guy’s guy

The BBQ pulled pork sandwich from Champ’s Vegan Diner (Emily Shugerman)

Another frequent, erroneous assumption about vegan food is that it’s not “manly” enough. Tofu dogs and avocado toast may be enough to sustain the ladies, but it will never be enough for the real, red-blooded men out there, right?

Wrong. Weird, outdated ideas about gender aside, vegan food can be as filling as any meat-filled meal. See: the BBQ pulled pork sandwich from Champ’s Vegan Diner. This plant-based twist on an American classic is made from marinated jackfruit, sprinkled with pickles, and topped with a giant scoop of coleslaw.

And if that’s not manly enough for you? Good. More for us.

For the traditionalist

The ChK'N Fried Tofu Sandwich from Chickpea & Olive (Emily Shugerman)

Sometimes, you just want to sit down enjoy an old childhood favourite, and you don’t want to be bothered by pesky words like “heart disease,” “environmental destruction,” or “animal welfare”.

Luckily, modern culinary miracles mean you don’t have to choose between the two. The ChK'N Fried Tofu Sandwich, from Brooklyn’s Chickpea & Olive, is everything you remember from your favourite fast-food restaurant, without all the nastiness.

The crispy, juicy “chicken” patty is made with deep-fried tofu, and topped with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, and dairy-free buttermilk ranch. The whole thing is sandwiched inside a pillowy potato bun. What’s more traditional than that?

For the world traveller

The chorizo and cheese empanada from Candle Cafe (Emily Shugerman)

Anyone who’s travelled outside Europe or the US will tell you world cuisine is pretty accommodating to vegans. Curries, burritos, and even sushi can all be made without meat.

That being said, there are a few international delicacies that vegans get left out of. One of those was the empanada – at least, until Candle Cafe stepped in. The all-vegan restaurant makes a killer chorizo and cheese empanada, filled with spicy fake ground beef, veggies, and the slightest bit of vegan cheese.

Contrary to popular wisdom, however, what really matters about this dish is what’s one outside: A rich, flaky pastry shell doused in spicy chipotle sauce. How did they do all that without butter? We may never know.

For the health nut

The Cali Kush Dawg from Yeah Dawg!!! (Emily Shugerman)

Yes, that is kale on a hot dog. Yes, it is also delicious.

The Cali Kush Dawg from Brooklyn-based Yeah Dawg!!! is topped with kale Caesar salad, coconut bacon, chipotle mayo, and avocado. It’s like the most decadent salad you’ve ever had, on top of a hot dog, inside of a bun.

The real star of the show isn’t the toppings, however: It’s the homemade, gluten-free, soy-free, and (obviously,) meat-free “dawg” inside. The faux-sausage is made from a combination of potatoes, beets, carrots, sunflower seeds, gluten-free flour, and spices.

While this doesn’t taste like your regular ballpark hot dog, it does make for its own, unique kind of delicious. And it’s guaranteed not to have any chicken feet or cow tongue in it, either. So put down your paleo cookbook and get your hands on this little number.

For the person who says they “can’t live without cheese”

Macaroni and cheese from Veggie Grub (Emily Shugerman)

There is a fact that most vegans come to accept over the course of their plant-based journey: Vegan cheese sucks.

Dairy-free cheeses are either so crumbly they taste like chalk, or so stretchy they feel like eating Silly Putty. Even the most popular brands can’t seem to mimic the heavenly experience of real, fatty, gooey melted cheese.

But somehow, Veggie Grub’s macaroni and cheese manages to capture it all. Topped with fried tofu nuggets, the pasta tastes like something your mom would make on cold winter nights. It’s creamy but tangy; smooth but never dull; comforting but also decidedly bad for you.

Admittedly, we have no idea what’s in this magical mac 'n’ cheese. We didn't ask; we were worried it might be illegal.