Le Botaniste, 11 W. 42nd St., New York, N.Y.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Menu: https://lebotaniste.us/menu/
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, lovers of fresh healthy food
LeeLee and I rolled into New York City on a Friday morning a couple of weeks ago for a whirlwind long-short weekend (the weekends always feel short in New York!), and as soon as we dropped our bags at the hotel I popped open my trusty HappyCow app to see what all was open around us. It always amazes me that no matter how often we visit New York, there’s always something new to see, and always something exciting to eat! Granted, we do have our favorites, curated over years of visits, but we try our best to branch out and see new sights – and new restaurants.
And so it came to pass that we had our first encounter with Le Botaniste, a brand I’d known of for a long time but who just moved in to the Bryant Park area last year. We hadn’t visited yet – and it was time to change that!
We popped over to give it a try and were immediately overwhelmed with the menu (as most all-veg places tend to do to us). But we needn’t have worried. The staff were all so helpful and friendly, letting us peruse while standing by to make suggestions as needed. After a bit of prayerful consideration, we landed on our selections and ordered at the counter (adding a glass of wine apiece for good measure).
One thing I love about the décor is the old-style pharmacy-like nature of the counter. The wood adds an air of class to the place and the headers above the menu boards (“Prescriptions,” “Botanicals,” etc.) really gave the counter a fun feel. And it made me feel a bit healthier for what I was ordering, as well – always a bonus when we know we’re eating waaaaay too much in NYC.
LeeLee had the Tutti Veggie Salad and really enjoyed the freshness of it, the bright green kale leaves giving a pop of color and texture to a gorgeous dish that was awash in flavors.
I, meanwhile, had the Magic Miso Soup, which came teeming with quinoa noodles, green peas, pea shoots, what the restaurant calls “free-range tofu,” and a ginger-laced broth that made the whole dish sing.
We split an order of green pea hummus (pictured with my meal), as well, which I adored, but LeeLee wasn’t as fond of. No matter – more for me! I would have licked the bowl if I’d been in private. ;)
I can already tell that Le Botaniste is going to become a go-to when we’re in the city! Fresh, healthy fare with high-quality wines in a welcoming, relaxed environment? You can’t go wrong. We’ll definitely be back.
:)