Green Symphony
“Green Symphony has such a great variety I went for lunch and dinner during my brief stay in NYC in Times Square.”
“The relatively small storefront packs a surprising number of rotating healthy options to choose from at a reasonable price.”
“I have had the Butternut Squash Soup and New Yorker Bowl, and both were delicious and filling.”
Green Symphony
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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Once again, my preconceived notion for this vegan place did not match my experience. Decided to grab dinner here with my vegan friend right before seeing the Book of Mormon. The menu includes non-vegan items. Since we were in a rush, I didn't end up ordering vegan food, mostly because I didn't wanna think too hard about what would taste good. So I ordered a Bombay Wrap and picked up a few samosas from their hot buffet.
The Bombay Wrap took a bit longer to come out than I had expected, but then, it was made to order. The ingredients were fresh and prepared well. Samosas were charged by weight, so they ended up being fairly expensive.
The real downside to this shop is the inadequate seating. There really isn't much of a dining area, you're much better off doing take out. The overflowing trash bin was a bit of a turnoff too.
If you're ever craving healthy food in Times Square, this is your best bet. Although they have a lot of vegan/vegetarian options, they aren't afraid of meat! They are also gluten free conscious, if that's what you're into.
Such a small space packs a punch with homemade juices and smoothies, hot/cold prepared foods, healthy baked goods, chips, snacks, cookies, a salad bar and two, count 'em, two full cases of juices and drinks ranging from Arizona iced tea to kombucha.
While not my favorite place for BYO salad bowls (Maoz holds that spot in my heart), Green Symphony definitely beats out similar establishments like Chop't or Fuel. My boyfriend and I decided to order delivery one evening since we were feeling a bit healthy. He got a standard Green Symphony salad (he lacks creativity) and I decided to create my own. Mixing and matching is the funnest part of eating healthy in my opinion.
I decided to get something similar to a Chop't salad I had a few days before, just to get a clear grasp on which establishment was better. I got a salad bowl with mixed greens, grilled chicken, chickpeas, egg, eggplant, mushrooms, and avocado. As well as a cucumber dressing. Portion-wise the bowl was about twice the size of the Chop't salad I'd ordered. Green Symphony PACKED it with items. Considering it was less than $15 i was completely surprised by how much they'd put in. A very hearty amount of chicken and mushrooms.
The dish was totally filling and all the items were fresh, I just didn't think it was the tastiest salad I've ever had. It had a very "healthy" taste, which while okay every once in a while, I don't think I could do day after day.
Green Symphony is a great little hole in the wall deli/bodega that's definitely more on the healthy/natural side of things. I've been coming here for a few years and I love it. I love their hot bar, I've also ordered off their menu a few times and I've loved everything I've had. Their food takes a few minutes for them to make, so I recommend ordering ahead if you're picking up. Also, it gets quite busy during lunch, so again, call ahead. I love Jae, he owns the place and he is awesome. My only beef with Green Symphony is that their credit card minimum is So high ($15!!!) and I never have cash. Honestly, I would probably go to Green Symphony all the time if they didn't have a card minimum, so I guess in that way they have saved me money.
I tried the hot food bar here today. I had the chicken enchiladas which are supposed to be made with free range chicken. Who really knows though? The food itself was good, but they have limited selection. They definitely focus on more health conscious foods which is great. $10 minimum on card which is quite high.
This place has become a bit of an oasis for me in the Times Square desert of obscenely overpriced, unhealthy, crowded takeout/delivery joints. Their juices and smoothies are particular favorites – generally in the $4.50-7 range, which is almost unheard of these days – they are generally excellent. I love the Almond Greens smoothie, and their new Avocado Fiesta (avocado, banana, coconut, spinach, pineapple) is incredible. They make a nice, fresh salad and have some great sandwich options – again, for quite reasonable prices (e.g., 6.00 for tuna and avocado!).
Friendly, efficient service – if you drop in, they will get you in and out quickly and efficiently. They have a few seats for drop-ins – it's a bit cramped, but not unreasonable if you want a quick sit-down meal. They also have almost a mini-supermarket area, where you can just grab a power bar or some healthy cracker/chip options (Mary's Gone Crackers, etc.), so I also like to drop in a grab something if I've brought in lunch and just need a little snack of some kind. There is a hot and cold salad bar as well – my friend swears by this, but healthy restaurant or no, I just can't handle food that's been sitting out in trays… bad bodega memories of a lifelong New Yorker, you know. Not everything is wonderful – the veggie fuel bowl was a minor disappointment – a bit dry/overcooked, with a boring hard boiled egg on top – I think I was expecting too close an approximation of bibimbap – but overall, I find their commitment to healthy ingredients and great service – in an area sorely lacking in both – a great relief.
Those who want to take a healthy lunch break should consider Green Symphony. A super tiny, independently-owned salad bar/smoothie bar/deli that packs a great selection off their menu and buffet stations. They offer a ton of natural fruit and vegetable smoothies and drinks. If you check out their full menu, they have specialty items like rice bowls (containing brown rice only), creative wraps, creative salads, and so forth. The options are simply great. They offer delivery and pick-up for your convenience.
While they have their buffet stations, I just go straight to ordering off their menu. I've tried a good share of their options which includes the Sesame Tofu Steak Salad, Tofu Mania Bowl, Chicken Bowl, New Yorker Bowl, and the Dalai Lama Bowl. Their salads range about $7-10, and I think they are pretty fair price-wise. The portions are very good, and they come with plenty of the toppings that are being offered. Regarding the 'Bowls', they are simply rice bowls that come with a variety of different toppings (much like bibimbap). They strictly use brown rice for these, and none of the ingredients are fried. It's my personal favorite to order when I get lunch from here, if not the wraps. The smoothies and speciality mixed drinks packed with only healthy ingredients are also worth the try. They have an extensive smoothies menu that is probably the best I have encountered around here.
Green Symphony is definitely one of my favorite hidden deli spots. Vegetarians/vegans would particularly love this spot because they offer so much in terms of non-meat options. Good, healthy and reasonably priced food does exist in Times Square, and this spot has consistently proven that on my several visits for lunch.
I wanted to like this place but don't think I'll be going back. It is buffet style (hot and cold lunch), salad bar, and cafe. There's a lot going on so you definitely need to know what you came in for.
I got a mix of the hot buffet but with so many options you don't know what to get! The masala vegetables I tried were pretty good but several raw, healthy verge options to top off my meal. I also picked up a sweet treat at the end by the counter. The banana bread was average- nothing great. The total for both of those ran me over $13. For an assortment of lunch food it's slightly on the pricey side. Maybe this style of restaurant isn't my thing since I can't really put together what I want from a buffet if I'm paying by weight.
Everything looked yummy- but I would suggest sticking to 1 or 2 dishes in the buffet line.