Willow Vegan Bistro: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Willow Vegan Bistro is an entirely vegan, kosher-certified American restaurant in Chelsea, and a vegetarian can order anything on its menu. Chef Guy Vaknin leads it as part of City Roots Hospitality, the group behind Beyond Sushi. The room sits at 199 8th Avenue.

The pitch is bistro comfort food with plant-based ingredients and an upscale finish. Many dishes borrow meat and dairy names, and the kitchen builds each from vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, and plant-based products. The restaurant says its menu is entirely vegan, and the website repeats that on each menu.

Start with breads, served warm with a housemade butter. Choose from garlic thyme, caramel olive, or bacon chili. Sweet Cornbread, Focaccia, and Baguette cost $10 each. The Willow Cheese Plate at $29 brings whipped ricotta with truffle honey, smoked chili goat cheese, garlic dill chèvre, aged blue cheese, and manchego, all plant-based. The New England Clam Chowder at $14 uses oyster mushroom, and the Crispy Calamari at $19 is panko-crusted king oyster mushroom with horseradish aioli. Smoked Mac & Cheese costs $17.

Sandwiches and burgers cost $27 to $30. The Pulled BBQ Brisket Sandwich, the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, and the Crispy Gochujang Mushroom Burger all run $27, and the Double Smash Burger sits at the same price. The Double Smoked Cheese French Dip at $30 uses Chunk Foods grilled steak and comes with au jus. Choose fries or a side salad.

Entrees run $27 to $43. The Whiskey BBQ Brisket Frites reaches $43. The Dijon Pepper Flank Steak is $37 with beluga lentils, and the Ponzu Glazed Salmon is $33 over red quinoa. Not every entree leans on mock meat. The Cheese Grits & Hen of the Woods at $27 pairs creamy grits with crispy mushrooms in a lemon beurre blanc, and the Butternut Squash Ravioli at $27 is housemade with sage and hazelnuts. For dessert, order the Banana Pudding at $16 or the Chocolate Hazelnut Dome at $18.

Weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it includes Eggs Florentine at $24 and a Big Boy Brunch at $32. The eggs and bacon are plant-based, because the whole menu is vegan. The cocktail list runs $16 to $19, and the bar also pours beer, wine, and mocktails.

The kitchen is vegan, so cross-contact with animal products isn’t a concern. The restaurant asks you to tell your server about any allergy or intolerance. It doesn’t publish a nut or gluten policy, and several dishes use cashews, hazelnuts, and wheat bread.

Hours are Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 10 p.m., Friday from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call (212) 929-2889 or book online. Parties of six or more pay a 20 percent gratuity. Large groups reserve online with a deposit.

Willow suits a birthday dinner with a mixed table. The omnivores can order the brisket sandwich, the vegetarians can order anything, and nobody has to negotiate the menu. Book online for a group, and bring an appetite for the Cheese Plate.