Candle 79
“I subscribe to Vegetarian Times, and some time ago the magazine featured a make-at-home version of Candle 79's seitan piccata.”
“For entrees, we followed tips from other Yelpers and our server and chose the Seitan Piccata and Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Cake.”
“Steamed broccoli, onion rings and polenta fries may seem like a rather eclectic mix, but we couldn't get enough.”
Candle 79
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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I think I do a good job of managing my expectations when I go to a vegan place. I know the food is going to taste weird. I accept that I'm going to consume more soy than I'm comfortable with. And I acknowledge that I'm going to be hungry again very soon after my meal.
However, my friends, Candle 79 proved me wrong. Hot damn, who knew vegan food could taste so good?! And could be so creative! And beautiful!
The ambiance is cozy and inviting. There are 2 floors: the first has a small bar and a few tables, and the second is larger with a number of booths. A very intimate, classy setting that's fit for both a special occasion or just a casual weeknight dinner. It somehow works for both.
We started with Angel's Nachos, followed by the Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Cake and Live Zucchini Lasagna, and finished off with a chocolate brownie dessert. Oh and we washed it all down with Sangria Primavera. Everything was scrumptious and filling. I actually couldn't finish mine, which is definitely a first for me! With vegan food that is…
Do yourself a favor and come here!
This is my favorite vegan restaurant! Honestly one of the best I've ever tried. We came for lunch during the weekend and was immediately seated without any wait time.
Food: delicious
Ambience: quiet and nice
Service: great
This place is fantastic. I came here with the New York Women's Culinary Alliance on an early Monday evening – around 6pm. The restaurant was busy! It was a group of 12. We were seated and served promptly. We were able to try a bunch of dishes, and even though I am not vegan/vegetarian, I always think vegan/vegetarian food is delicious, inventive and makes you feel good (it's healthy!). Such is the case here, where nothing is fried much and everything is really flavorful. We sampled to start:
– Mezze platter- WOW flavorful pita, tzatziki, hummus, salsa, yummmmmy.
– The black bean/guac timbale with plaintain chips – wow very hearty and delicious
– The seitan dumplings with tender bok choy- I'm not a HUGE seitan fan but this was good. Dumplings were well cooked.
– We had a mushroom fracasse – which was like a mushroom/stew/stock with yummy stewed greens and vegan cheese – refreshing. Not the best of the night but not bad.
For the mains, we all shared:
– The cauliflower steak with delicious salsa, fried noodles, pesto and chickpea – hearty and flavorful, my fav of the night
-Seared mushroom crepe which was so light without the egg, and a side salad – delicious
– The seitan piccata with deliciously unique capers. I don't love seitan so this was my favorite but it came with a good onion mash sort of thing.
-a side of brussel sprouts, roasted with almond cheese
For dessert we had:
– The apple cranberry empanada- delicious, with a lemon thyme vegan ice cream. Kind of like a strudel but lighter.
-The peanut butter bliss- a dense vegan chocolate cake with a thick layer of chocolate candy
I think the rest of the menu is fantastic too – the saffron pasta, namely, and things are always changing with the seasons. I assure you both vegans and non vegans will love it. Service was great; polite, prompt. The space is quiet and dim lit and accommodates both groups and dates.
Five years ago!! I cannot believe it's been five years since I've been to Candle 79, one of the top vegan restaurants in the world! I was so excited to take my boyfriend, Wes, there so he could experience it too. He is not vegan, so I was interested to see what he would think.
This quaint, unassuming restaurant on the Upper East Side hasn't changed much in the past five years. I recognized its red awning and cherry red doors upon arrival. Inside, I have to say, it feels a bit outdated. That cherry wood and olden-day color scheme feels like you are back in the 90s and seeing that the restaurant is over 20 years old, maybe it just hasn't ever been updated. In any case, a remodel is definitely overdue!
Interestingly enough, the lunch menu had some similarities as they've kept some staples on the menu for years. Before we ordered, they served little muffin bites that were tasty.
After some hemming and hawing, we we started with the Hydrogarden Farm Edamame. This edamame was topped with chili powder, sea salt and a lemon slice. Nothing special really.
Wes started with a creamy tomato soup, which was the soup of the day.
For my entree, I went with the Wild Mushroom Crepe. Oh my goodness, this was to die for. Filled with spring vegetables, wild mushrooms, spinach, tempeh, and poblano peppers, it was fantastic. And the garlic truffle aioli pulled it all together. I loved it. The salad with fennel and arugula was delicious too.
Wes went with a safer lunch — the spaghetti and wheatballs. This was a big bowl of spaghetti topped with seitan meatballs, truffled tomato sauce, roasted garlic, spinach, and cashew parmesan. For spaghetti, it was pretty darned good.
After all of that, we did not have room for dessert. Other items on the menu that sounded delish were the Angel's Nachos, Grilled Kale Salad, Black-Bean Pumpkin Seed Burger, and the ever-famous Seitan Picatta.
The service was fine. The food was great. And the prices were expensive at $20 and $23 for a lunch entree. But, hey, I love this place and I hope it is still here in 30 years — but, with a new, hip design.
I finally got the chance to see what every vegan suggested for me to try. The place seats both upstairs and downstairs. The wait staff were all very pleasant! We shared the Mezze Plate and Ravioli to start. Both were very tasty! Everyone ordered something different as a main. Seitan Piccata, Spaghetti & Wheat-balls, and I got the Chickpea Cake. The Chickpea Cake was very yummy and seemed to be the table's favorite. The Seitan Piccata was my second favorite! It had a lot of flavor. I would definitely come back here again and recommend it to all my vegan friends!
The food is really great, if I could eat here every day I wouldn't miss meat or dairy one bit. Unfortunately I can't eat here everyday bc reservations are hard to come by (even on a Monday night), the prices are quite fancy and the service is rather slow.
It's so nice being able to order anything off of a menu! I got a cocktail with gin, agave, lime, grapefruit bitters, blueberries and basil. It was super refreshing. The Moroccan spiced chickpea cake was delicious too. There is so much flavor going on. The cake comes with kabocha squash, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, jalapeño, almonds, apricot-ginger chutney, and red pepper coconut curry sauce. It was a little sweet, a little spicy and a pleasant combo of creamy and crunchy. I would order it again for sure. I had a couple bites of the spaghetti and wheat balls, which was also good but not quite as amazing as the chickpea cake. The wheat balls had more flavor than I was expecting and the texture wasn't weird at all. For dessert our waitress recommended the cannoli and that was tasty too. Crispy and creamy with a little bit of chocolate flavor from the sauce and chocolate chips. Really impressive for a vegan restaurant. The interior of the restaurant could have been a little less drab but everything else was near perfect.
One Leg Up On The Competition
Candle 79 holds a special place in my heart; as we had our pre-wedding dinner here, and what a celebration it was!
It reminded me of what the last supper might have been like.
The food kept coming, wine was poured, and the love flowed.
I'll never forget that evening.
The stellar service, quiet ambiance, warm tones, and exquisite food keep us returning to this cozy spot in the upper east side.
I highly recommend making reservations, as this is a popular spot.
As far as the seating goes, I like sitting downstairs where there is more action going on.
Speaking of action… we saw one of the "Housewives" from The Real Housewives of New York, while dining. (No tables were flipped tho)
Upstairs is fine too, but it's more private and secluded.
The appetizers do just that, stimulate your appetite for what comes next.
They are often my favorite part of a meal and we've shared multiple appetizers, making a meal of them.
The salad and entrées are creative and drool worthy with modern sensibilities.
The wine pairings recommended to us were perfection.
Save room for dessert, they have the best sweet concoctions I've ever had. Seriously!
Vegan nirvana.
This is our favorite spot to have dinner at while in the city.