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Thread: Vegans in the New Jersey

  1. #1
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    Default Vegans in the New Jersey

    I know you exist, but just wondering if you were here.

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    I guess I'm the only vegan in the People's Vegan Republic of New Jersey (PVRNJ). That's OK, Wow this tofu tastes good.

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    Default Another from Joisey!

    Hi John,

    Me and my husband are both vegans, exit 120 GSP. What exit are you?

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    Smile How you doin'?

    It's a ghost town here around here. I guess everyone's down the shore.

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    Then you're missing all the great veg*n places like Zafra in New Brunswick, Veggie Heaven in Parsippany (though there's one in Teaneck) and my favorite, Veggie Works in Belmar. Pity.

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    I go to the Veggie Heavens all the time! I hear that there is going to be a vegan cafe opening up in Toms River too. I hope they do well. Sometimes I have to stuff myself in Manhattan. If I lived there I would get so fat. I like to pile my plate high at Temple in The Village which is a buffet.

    Welcome to the forum.

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    I think I am down further south than you guys.. camden county area.

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    Well, welcome aboard anyhow. How's the weather down there?

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    They did open the vegan place in Toms River, haven't been there but a friend has and says it is good. I have the menu, not extensive but they make homemade gluten/seitan. I doubt anyplace will replace Veggie Works for me though. Never been to Temple in the Village, we're fans of Red Bamboo, Gobo and we did like Veg City Diner. The choices in NYC are amazing. Have you been to Foodswings in Brooklyn yet? It is phenomenal, vegan junk food. Certainly not what one would want to eat regularly but when you need a grease/salt/fat fix, this is the place.

    BTW: NJ Film Festival at Rutgers U is showing Peaceable Kingdom on 9/30. If you haven't seen it yet, it's well worth the trip to New Brunswick. Bring loads of tissues though.

    Sue

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    I love the buffalo wings/drumsticks at Red Bamboo. I just had some yesterday.

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    I like the crispy soul chicken and my husband loves the bourbon chicken. It's such a great place for anything. Have you heard anything about Veg City reopening? I heard they were fighting with the city about a water bill and the city won't license them now.

  12. #12

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    <----vegan in the Garden State! And I think the only one here in North Jersey...and so far north that I don't even HAVE an exit on the GSP!

    I love how Jersey is always segregated! lol But, I'm going to college in South Jersey so I have the best of both worlds! haha! Monmouth University babay

    Favorite NJ veg restaurants:

    When I'm at college:

    1 - Down to Earth in Red Bank (all vegan and 2 minutes from my college...did I mention they have take out? haha)
    2 - Veggie Works in Belmar (lacto veg/vegan and really nice people)
    3 - Zafras

    When I'm home in Morris County:

    1 - Veggie Heaven (mostly vegan)
    2 - The one in Cherry Hill that I forget the name of! Good food though!

    NY:

    1 - VegCity Diner (RIP and no longer there!)
    2 - Candle Cafe

    Took a trip to San Francisco and ate at:

    1 - Millenium (OMG SOOOO GOOD!)
    2 - Greens

  13. #13
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    I just went to Down to Earth for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I really enjoyed the food there. I had a plate of nachos for the first time in years. That was the first time I had been to Red Bank and I had a good time there.

  14. #14

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    I was just there on Thursday! I LOVE Red Bank...did you go into any of the specialty stores? They have awesome vintage products at this one store...I forget the name of it though.
    "May your life be a reflection of what you believe...be the change you want the world to be". -Ghandi

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    The chocolate chip hemp seed cookies at Down to Earth are phenomenal as is the chickpea socca and tomato pudding. The owner is also the mom of a vegan baby, thanks to her we have a great vegan-friendly pediatrician.

    Anyone ever go to the vegan potluck held monthly in Lincroft NJ? I think it's Lincroft, it's at a church there. I was wondering what it was like.

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    I didn't get to check out the stores in Red Bank. I had a beer at a bar, went to Down to Earth, and went down to a park by the water. It's good to know that there is a vintage shop there. Lately I've been checking out towns I've never been to. I recently visited New Hope, PA. There was a small vegetarian juice bar where I had a wrap which was pretty good.

  17. #17

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    There is a lot of awesome vintage stores and also juice bars in Red Bank...I love that town! They have a holistic medication place where you can go get aromatherapy done. There is this place called Java Moon Cafe that is awesome too next time you're in the area!
    "May your life be a reflection of what you believe...be the change you want the world to be". -Ghandi

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    Vegan potluck? Wow, I'm going to have to find out where Lincroft is.

    I always thought that it would be cool to do aroma therapy. Sitting around smelling good-smelling stuff.

  19. #19

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    I wanna go to a vegan potluck!!!!!!!!!!!!
    "May your life be a reflection of what you believe...be the change you want the world to be". -Ghandi

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    I got the info about the vegan potluck in my NJARA (NJ Animal Rights Alliance) newsletter. Next time I receive it, I'll post the information here. If anyone goes, please let me know how it is. I don't want to drag little babies to something that might suck.

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    I had mentioned this vegan potluck before but I just received my NJARA newsletter with the information. It's held the first friday of each month at 6:30pm at Unitarian Universalist Meeting House, 1475 W. Front St, Lincroft NJ and you need to bring a vegan dish to share. The contact is Carol Ann at carolannlee@comcast.net. I have never been to this, just wanted to share. If anyone goes, please let me know how it was.

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    Cool, thanks! It would have never occured to me that there might have been a vegan potluck somewhere.

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    North Jersey Vegan here! currently in Hawthorne, moving back to Bloomfield soon hopefully, and i go to school in Cranford.

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    Hi. We're practically neighbors. I went to school in Cranford too, but that was kindergarden.

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    i had never even heard of cranford before i started at ucc. but yeah, i'm way more of a bloomfield girl. cant wait to escape hawthorne.

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    How funny, I went to school in Cranford as well. Graduated Cranford High. I guess it is a small world.

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    Cranford must be a vegan-energy-nexus.

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    Doubt it, no vegan restaurant and one unfriendly health food store.

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Hi! I know this thread is old but I'm new so it's new to me! I live in New Brunswick and go to Rutgers. I went to Zafra's once ages ago but I'll have to check it out again. My sister and I also really like this newish (2yrs) little Indian/Indo-American takeout place in NB called Thinisu that is mostly vegetarian and has many vegan dishes.

    We just went to Veggie Heaven in Parsippany a couple nights ago - i had the almond "chicken" - it was so good!!

    And thanks for the tip about the potluck in Lincroft - we're gonna try to check it out next month!

  30. #30
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Hi Tofutti. Thanks for introducing yourself. There's a new Veggie Heaven in Montclair. That makes three. Happy to see another New Jerseyan here.

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Hi Tofutti,

    Welcome to New Jersey. Yes, try Zafra again. It's a nice place. If you cross the bridge and go into Highland Park, there is a great Thai resturant on the main drag there (don't know the name of it). My boyfriend and I go there pretty frequently. It's not totally veg, but there are many veg options. Also, there are a number of Indian resturants in the area, and they are bound to have options. One is even called Vegetarian Indian. I haven't eaten there yet, as the boyfriend is not a fan of Indian food.

    If you've checked out the rest of this thread you will have seen the recommendations for VeggieWorks and Down to Earth. I concur with the praise. However, VeggieWorks is now Kaya's Kitchen. Almost the same, but lacks the kick ass salad bar.

    There is also a great Asian market, Hong Kong Food Center on rte. 18 in East Brunswick, I think. They have vegan versions of many meat products: scallops (divine!), duck, shrimp, abalone, salmon, and other stuff, plus a zillion varieties of tofu. Of course, you do have walk past lots of carcasses and read the labels carefully. Otherwise though, it's a good place to get some veggie meats.

    Maybe we Jerseyans should think about holding a once-a-year meeting or something. Just a thought.

    Cheers,
    rant

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Just found out that Danielle, from www.vegantreats.com is now selling her amazing desserts at a place in Montclair called Energy Bar at 307 Orange Road. I have no idea what that place is like but if you've ever had the desserts at Veg-City Diner (RIP) or Red Bamboo, then you've had Danielle's desserts.

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Quote feline01
    Just found out that Danielle, from www.vegantreats.com is now selling her amazing desserts at a place in Montclair called Energy Bar at 307 Orange Road. I have no idea what that place is like but if you've ever had the desserts at Veg-City Diner (RIP) or Red Bamboo, then you've had Danielle's desserts.
    My vegan coworker went to this place last night. Said it was really good and the owners were very nice. Almost everything is vegan, 2 dishes have honey in them. Their website is: www.energybarcafe.com

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Quote rantipole
    Hi Tofutti,

    Welcome to New Jersey. Yes, try Zafra again. It's a nice place. If you cross the bridge and go into Highland Park, there is a great Thai resturant on the main drag there (don't know the name of it). My boyfriend and I go there pretty frequently. It's not totally veg, but there are many veg options. Also, there are a number of Indian resturants in the area, and they are bound to have options. One is even called Vegetarian Indian. I haven't eaten there yet, as the boyfriend is not a fan of Indian food.

    If you've checked out the rest of this thread you will have seen the recommendations for VeggieWorks and Down to Earth. I concur with the praise. However, VeggieWorks is now Kaya's Kitchen. Almost the same, but lacks the kick ass salad bar.

    There is also a great Asian market, Hong Kong Food Center on rte. 18 in East Brunswick, I think. They have vegan versions of many meat products: scallops (divine!), duck, shrimp, abalone, salmon, and other stuff, plus a zillion varieties of tofu. Of course, you do have walk past lots of carcasses and read the labels carefully. Otherwise though, it's a good place to get some veggie meats.

    Maybe we Jerseyans should think about holding a once-a-year meeting or something. Just a thought.

    Cheers,
    rant
    Rant-
    That Hong Kong food center sounds AWESOME! I've never heard of a place where you could buy all the vegan meats served in restaurants! And I didn't realize there were that many different kinds of tofu (a zillion? really??).

    The main drag in Highland Park is Raritan Rd/Rt. 27. You go to that Thai place a lot? How far is Asbury Park from Highland Park/NB? You seem to know this area very well. Did you used to live here?

    I think a NJ get-together sounds lovely, because A, I don't know any other vegans, B, it would be nice to meet people from this board, and C, I love to eat good vegan food! With other people who enjoy it!

    John - When I'm home at my parents I'm 5 minutes from Montclair. It'll be nice to be able to go to that Veggie Heaven now rather than go all the way to Parsippany. There are probably other vegan-friendly restaurants in that town but I can't think of any besides Indian.

  35. #35
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    The Veggie Heaven in Montclair is on the corner of Valley and Lorraine. There's a new vegetarian deli in Montclair on Bloomfield Avenue called Simply Zen. They've got those Chinese fake meats there. Not everything there is vegan, of course, and it is a little expensive. There is also a family-run health food store with vegan food on Church Street called Over the Rainbow. I'll have to check out Energy-Bar-Cafe, Feline.

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Hello Everyone who stops by,

    This thread is great I am a Millburn area Vegan. I did know about Veggie Heaven in all it's locations and love it, but I didn't know about the others. I also think I am the only one in town! I know lots of vegetarians which is close, although no other Vegans.

    If there are any other local Vegan events, please do post and tell. Nice to know that there are others nearby.

    VeganJane

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Quote Tofutti
    Rant-
    That Hong Kong food center sounds AWESOME! I've never heard of a place where you could buy all the vegan meats served in restaurants! And I didn't realize there were that many different kinds of tofu (a zillion? really??).

    The main drag in Highland Park is Raritan Rd/Rt. 27. You go to that Thai place a lot? How far is Asbury Park from Highland Park/NB? You seem to know this area very well. Did you used to live here?
    Well, not a zillion, but lots. There is this form of tofu called stiped tofu. It's actually tofu that has been seasoned and shredded into long threads. I guess it is kinda like noodles made of tofu. I just eat it right out of the package, but it is also good in soup and stirfry.

    I've gone to the Thai resturant three or four times. I actually don't know the New Brunswick/Highland Park area that well. I've been dating a Highland Park resident for about 8 months, so I've learned my way around a bit. It takes me about 45 minutes to get to Highland Park from Asbury.

    Cheers,
    rant

  38. #38

    Default harmony

    did any of you ever get into philly to the harmony restaurant (in chinatown)? it's been taken over by the kingdom of vegetarians people and they now call it the new harmony.

    i used to buy the huge frozen logs of frozen vegan ham from the couple that ran harmony. (they were the nicest people ever, though the new people are really nice, too, i don't think they're allowed to sell the stuff.) anyone know where to get that? we tried to track some down on the internet once but the label was in chinese with just the ingredients and nutrition info in english. but we weren't able to.

    i'm a bit desperate to find some in the philly area.

  39. #39
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    I don't know anything about the Philly area but I am familiar with those vegetarian ham loaves.

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    I don't know about Philly either, but hopefully someone here will. Perhaps if you start a Philly thread off of the main board you'll find a few people.

    I did visit the energy bar yesterday, they were very nice there and the food was great. Seems like Montclair has a couple of good places, too bad I'm 30 minutes away, it can't be a very regular thing for me.

    VeganJane

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Hi everyone - old thread, new poster

    Been vegan now for about 3 months and I live in the Bloomfield/Montclair area. EnergyBar is FANTASTIC. They may have cooking classes soon, I'm waiting for that.

    Kristin

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    OO! I'm a jersey vegan too! exit 137!

  43. #43
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    I think we should try to have an NJ get together. I live in Asbury Park and date someone in New Brunswick, so any central Jersey location works.

    Have any of your tried Down To Earth in Red Bank? It's totally vegan and ~75% organic. Very tasty stuff.

    Cheers,
    rant
    "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." --Yoda

  44. #44
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    I'm in NJ!!

    I'm going to go to Down To Earth for my birthday this winter- I've never been there, and my friend who lives near there told me it is so great.

    I also tried out Kaya's Kitchen recently, which is in Belmar. The food is so good.

    I very frequentyly go to Vasanta Bhavan, a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Hamilton. They have an inexpensive buffet ($7) and its mostly vegan. I always eat sooo much!
    I eat nutritional yeast by the spoonful.

  45. #45
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Quote thecatspajamas1 View Post
    I'm in NJ!!

    I'm going to go to Down To Earth for my birthday this winter- I've never been there, and my friend who lives near there told me it is so great.

    I also tried out Kaya's Kitchen recently, which is in Belmar. The food is so good.

    I very frequentyly go to Vasanta Bhavan, a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Hamilton. They have an inexpensive buffet ($7) and its mostly vegan. I always eat sooo much!
    Yes, Down to Earth and Kaya's Kitchen (formerly Veggieworks) rock! I've never had a bad meal at either one.

    Can you give me a clearer idea of where Vasanta Bhavan is? It sounds great. I recently tried Udipi, which is in or around New Brunswick (not sure; it's on rte. 27). It's vegetarian South Indian. It was very good and inexpensive.

    Cheers,
    rant
    Last edited by rantipole; Nov 13th, 2006 at 05:09 PM. Reason: typo
    "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." --Yoda

  46. #46
    vegan pizza! thecatspajamas1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Quote rantipole View Post
    Yes, Down to Earth and Kaya's Kitchen (formerly Veggieworks) rock! I've never had a bad meal at either one.

    Can you give me a clearer idea of where Vasanta Bhavan is? It sounds great. I recently tried Udipi, which is in or around New Brunswick (not sure; it's on rte. 27). It's vegetarian South Indian. It was very good and inexpensive.

    Cheers,
    rant
    I think I've been to Udipi (or maybe it was a place with a similar name)

    Vasanta Bhavan is on Quakerbridge Road. (the road is sort of near quakerbridge mall- do you know where that is?) If you are on Route 1 you turn onto Quakerbridge Road and keep driving and it's at the 7th light, in a plaza on the right. Here is their website, they must have better directions:
    http://www.vasantabhavan.com/dynamicdata/home.asp
    I eat nutritional yeast by the spoonful.

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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Exit 148 : )

    I'd be up for a get together, winter is best for me as I do wedding photography so my weekends are usually shot in the nicer weather months! I keep hearing about Down to Earth, would love to try it. Red Bank is about 45 min for me

  48. #48
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Quote thecatspajamas1 View Post
    I think I've been to Udipi (or maybe it was a place with a similar name)

    Vasanta Bhavan is on Quakerbridge Road. (the road is sort of near quakerbridge mall- do you know where that is?) If you are on Route 1 you turn onto Quakerbridge Road and keep driving and it's at the 7th light, in a plaza on the right. Here is their website, they must have better directions:
    http://www.vasantabhavan.com/dynamicdata/home.asp
    Thanks! I'll check them out. Udipi is a small place in a strip mall. It has no atmosphere, but the food is good and cheap.

    I'm all for an NJ vegan forum get together at Down to Earth. Perhaps we should plan it for after the holdiays--sometime in January/February? That might help us shake the winter blues.

    Cheers,
    rant
    "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." --Yoda

  49. #49
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    I went to Down to Earth a couple of years ago when I had a girlfriend who lived down the shore. The food was great. I stuffed myself. I think I remember having nachos and chocolate cake among other things. And it's a pleasant stroll to the water.

  50. #50
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    Default Re: Vegans in the Garden State

    Quote John View Post
    I went to Down to Earth a couple of years ago when I had a girlfriend who lived down the shore. The food was great. I stuffed myself. I think I remember having nachos and chocolate cake among other things. And it's a pleasant stroll to the water.
    Yes, they have great dessert. I've never tried their nachos. My favorite dish (although they have many good ones) is the chick pea socca. It's a layers of pan-fried chick pea patties, white bean pate, and collard greens all covered with a yummy tomato sauce. Sooo good.

    And, Red Bank is a nice little town on its own, so you can wander, shop, take in the sights, and finish with a fabulous vegan dinner.

    So, when are we all going?

    Cheers,
    rant
    "Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." --Yoda

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