Spicy Moon: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Spicy Moon is an all-vegan Szechuan restaurant with five locations in New York City. Every dish is plant-based, so you can order anything on the menu without asking about eggs, dairy, or fish sauce. The example address for this profile is the West Village spot at 68 West 3rd Street.

The brand opened in 2019 and grew from the East Village into a small group. You’ll find the other locations at 265 Bowery, 328 East 6th Street, 232 Eighth Avenue in Chelsea, and 45-04 Pearson Street in Long Island City. A Brooklyn spot with coffee, pastries, and sandwiches is on the way. The restaurant sells its Vegan Chili Crisp and a Dan Dan Noodle Set through its website, and it ships nationwide through Goldbelly.

Szechuan food depends heavily on chili oil, numbing peppercorns, and fermented bean paste, and Spicy Moon builds those flavors without meat. Reviewers at Time Out and The Infatuation both single out the Dan Dan Noodles and the Mapo Tofu. Dumplings in chili oil, with the house Vegan Chili Crisp on top, are another reliable order, and so are the thin, crisp Scallion Pancakes. The Infatuation also recommends the spicy curry buns and fried dumplings stuffed with chives and Just Egg. Time Out praises the Crabless Rangoon, a salt-and-pepper “big bite” of fried vegetables and tofu, and spring rolls filled with a faux chopped cheese. The menu also includes Crispy Duck Pancakes and a Vegan Duck Wrap for anyone who wants a plant-based version of a Chinese-American classic.

Plan the meal as a table. Order two or three noodle and dumpling dishes, one tofu dish, and something fried, then share it all. Szechuan cooking leans on chili and peppercorns, so expect heat. Pace yourself. If you’re cooking for a mixed crowd, the fried vegetables and tofu and the spring rolls give milder spice-lovers somewhere to land.

The kitchen is fully vegan, so meat, dairy, and eggs never touch your food. Spicy Moon is an easy pick for a group that splits between vegans and vegetarians, and for anyone who avoids animal products for religious or health reasons. The main site lists no allergen chart. If you avoid soy, wheat, peanuts, or sesame, ask your server before you order.

The West Village location serves food from 11:30am to 11pm Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Happy hour runs Sunday through Thursday from 4pm to 6pm and again from 9pm to 11pm. You can reserve through Resy, order pickup online, or call the West Village location at 646-590-1390. Other locations keep their own hours, and the Long Island City spot closes on Mondays. The Bowery location also brews its own beer, including gluten-reduced options, and hosts private events and weddings. Catering is available from the Bowery, Chelsea, and West Village locations.

The main website lists no prices, so check the online ordering menu for current numbers before you go.

Start with the Dan Dan Noodles and the dumplings in chili oil, then add the Mapo Tofu. Finish with a pint at the Bowery location if you’re nearby, or take some Vegan Chili Crisp home.