NYC ♥'s Vegans

(Babycakes' lovely vintage sign)

(inside)


(aren't they cute? and isn't that true?)

(i love this.)

Who knew? California, sure, but I just don't think "Vegan" when I think of New York City. Boy, were we doing the happy dance when we found an amazing vegan bakery right around the corner from our hotel (more about our hotel later). You know how "alternative" baked goods turn out kind of tasteless and dry? Not here.

The little slice of heaven we found is called Babycakes, located in the Lower East Side on Broome Steet between Orchard and Ludlow. There you'll find several different types of cupcakes, sweet bread loaves, cookies and muffins, ALL vegan. And ALL delicious. I really meant to take a photo of my cupcake, but it disappeared before I could get my camera out. We tried lemon (uh, several times) and red velvet cupcakes. Yum City. We didn't try anything other than cupcakes, but people were streaming in ordering banana bread and muffins late into the evening. I hear sometimes there's even a line. This stuff is THAT good.

Click here to read their blog, written by the genius behind this wonderful place, Erin McKenna. And click here to check out her Babycakes cookbook. I brought one home and I can't wait to recreate those heavenly cupcakes! The recipes look pretty easy.

Another fantastic vegan place we visited was just a few blocks away from the Whitney on 3rd Avenue between 74th and 75th called Candle Cafe. I had a GIANT serving of lasagna served on top of some greens that would have made my mother cry (no kidding, she loved her some greens). I wish we would have gone back to this place because I would have love to have made my way around their intriguing menu. Candle also has a cookbook (yes, we brought one of those home too!). Check it out here.

Gosh, I'm really hungry now!