Franchia Vegan Café

I would highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you follow a vegan or gluten-free diet. They offer a comprehensive and diverse vegan menu, with most dishes featuring a Korean foundational element.

wow what a heavenly, amazing place!! my wife and i came here for our honeymoon and were absolutely blown away. it's amazing to find a place that is all vegan, especially with such a varied and extensive menu. it's a very cute spot, close to grand central station.<br><br>for entrees, my wife got the pork fried rice and i got the crispy eggplant. both were very yummy. but the SUSHI is what amazed us; we shared the tempura roll and the chicken teriyaki roll. oh my god, the tempura roll is the single best tasting piece of food i put in my mouth on my honeymoon. and we ate A LOT.<br><br>i also have to say that as a vegetarian, i was so excited about the many fake meat options here; the vegan shrimp was to die for.<br><br>i will say it is a bit pricey, but no more expensive than other comparable places in the city. it's worth the splurge for sure, more than many other places.<br><br>we loved this place so much, we came here for our final sendoff meal before heading back home. it's 10000% on the list of places to eat next time we're back in the city.

It’s great just extremely pricey for the portions. My food was 26 bucks and they didn’t even fill the rice to the top. A little stingy if you ask me. The food is more sauce than there is food.

It's long overdue that I leave a review for Franchia. I've been there many times over the years and personally I feel like it is the best vegan restaurant in NYC and it's easily my personal favorite! The people that work there are so friendly, and at this point they remember my face and my go to order. :) If you're looking dish recommendations, #1 is the Crispy Korean Chili Tofu entree (great if you like spicy foods). Other recommendations:<br><br>Appetizers I'd Recommend:<br>- Crispy Scallion Pancake (my favorite!)<br>- Baby dumplings<br>- Japchae dumplings<br>- Spring Rolls<br>- Peking Duck Baos<br>- Fried Manchurian Cauliflower<br><br>Entrees I'd Recommend:<br>- Crispy Korean Chili tofu (A must for spicy food lovers)<br>- Crispy Eggplant (Really good and savory!)<br>- Spicy Franchia Noodles<br>- Katsu Curry Udon<br><br>Drinks I'd Recommend:<br>- Thai Iced Tea (it's so good!)<br>- Korean Plum Sparkling Soda<br>- Omija (Schisandra) Tea (Hot)<br>- Lychee Wine<br><br>Soups I'd Recommend:<br>- Creamy Cauliflower (definitely get it when they have it)<br><br>Dessert I'd Recommend:<br>- Chocolate Fudge Cake

We went to Franchia Vegan Cafe at 12 Park Ave and it was absolutely top notch. The restaurant is in Murray Hill, and it feels like such a great find if you’re looking for a really special vegan Korean / Asian-inspired restaurant in Manhattan. <br><br>The space was super clean, calm, and had a vibe that felt authentic to the cuisine. The staff was also incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and fast, which made the whole experience even better.<br><br>But the food is what really blew me away. I got the Korean Wild Green Tea First Picked, and it was unreal. Yes, it had that beautiful green tea character, but it was so much more layered than that—smooth, complex, almost naturally sweet, and honestly one of the most memorable teas I’ve had anywhere. I also ordered the iced matcha latte, and it was easily the best matcha latte I’ve ever had: no grittiness at all, just incredibly smooth, creamy, and perfectly balanced.<br><br>We also had the baby dumplings in spicy sauce, popcorn shrimp, fried Manchurian cauliflower, spicy kimchi pancakes, Peking duck baos, and the duck rice bowl. Every single dish was excellent. I’m still baffled by how well they nailed the shrimp texture—seriously impressive. The flavors across the board were rich, creative, and satisfying without feeling heavy.<br><br>If you’re in Murray Hill and want a standout vegan lunch or dinner, or you’re just looking for one of the best plant-based restaurants in Manhattan, Franchia is absolutely worth going out of your way for. Highly recommend.

My mom and I went here not too long ago and the food was AMAZING! The teas were also the best tea I've ever had in my life. Please if you go try the korean plum tea, my mom tried the omija tea and also loved it. Service was also so friendly and gave great recommendations. Can't wait to come back!

I've been to Franchia several times and the food keeps getting better and better. The Lion Mane mushroom bites were so tasty. I woke up this morning thinking about them. I tried the Dubai chocolate cheesecake and all I can say is wow! I woke up this morning thinking about the food. This is one of my favorite restaurants in NYC.

Best vegan restaurant I’ve been to in Manhattan so far. All the dishes were incredibly flavorful. The depth of flavor was really surprising and all the flavors were clean and perfectly seasoned. I was pleasantly surprised.

Delicious food in a serene environment. Refreshing that the entire menu is vegan and there are so many authentic options. Anyone who enjoys Korean food (vegan or not) would love it here. I had ginger tea, vegetable buns, spicy kimchi bibimbap, and the ube coconut custard. Everything was flavorful and satisfying.

The food was good, but it felt a bit bland overall. The spicy noodles were the standout, with a delicious smoky flavor. The kimchi pancakes were also quite good. However, the bao and fried cauliflower were a bit too bland.

This review is a long time coming. I'm born and raised in NYC and have been vegan for 16 years. I've tried vegan restaurants all throughout the city, probably all the major ones. Franchia Vegan Café is definitely in my top 2 for my favorite vegan restaurant of all. The portions are fantastic—during a time where most high end restaurants are serving tiny dishes and charging an arm and a leg—but most importantly, the flavors are amazing every single time! I brought my mom here recently for her birthday, she's Hispanic and had never tried this kind of food before, and she was obsessed! I do need to try more of the menu, but my all time favorite entree is the Penang Noodles. It is literally the best vegan noodle soup bowl in this entire city! Love the creamy curry and spicy flavors as well as the toppings with tofu skin, tofu chunks, eggplant and vegan chicken. Also obsessed with the volcano roll, dragon roll, and tofu skin rolls. Their rolls in general are fantastic and in my opinion, better than a certain vegan sushi restaurant that will not be named. The baby dumplings are another great item, the scallion pancakes, the braised tofu with kabocha pumpkin, the hot stone chicken teriyaki plate, and more! They have an incredibly extensive menu so you're sure to find something you love! And lastly, the atmosphere is so calming with its low lighting and calm zen like music. They truly offer a nice respite from the chaos of the city.

First of all, this is a restaurant, not a cafe. I liked everything i had there and all staffs are very nice. I drank Saratoga still water, Chungha, and sparkling water with lemon slices for drinks and had Jeon combo, vegan gluten free chicken curry with rice in a stone bowl, fried cauliflower, fried string beans, fried carrots, fried mushrooms, penang noodles, and vegan dubai chocolate ice cream. It’s a good place for non vegan as well. I was impressed by their Korean authentic and nice tea menu, also. I strongly recommend you to visit Franchia.

Amazing food and great ambiance. The vegan chicken curry was incredible. Dined with 2 non vegans and we all enjoyed it equally. I will definitely come here every time I get to NYC.

Haven't been in nearly a year and I have always loved this place and it's even better compared to last time I went.<br>I loved the vegan sushi, the buffalo wings were so delicious and the dessert was great (got the ube creme brulee and pumpkin tiramisu)

Absolutely incredible! This vegan restaurant has completely redefined plant-based dining for me. Every dish was bursting with flavor, beautifully presented, and clearly made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The staff were warm, knowledgeable, and happy to make recommendations. I especially loved the "Penang Noodles"—seriously next-level. Whether you're vegan or just curious, this place is a must-visit. I’ll definitely be coming back soon!