The Kitchen
abcV is Jean-Georges Vongerichten's vegetarian restaurant, opened in 2017 inside ABC Carpet & Home at 38 East 19th Street in the Flatiron. Executive chef Neal Harden runs the kitchen. It holds a Michelin Green Star for its sourcing — not a one-to-three star rating, and worth being precise about. This is a vegetable restaurant taken as seriously as a meat one.
Order the whole roasted cauliflower. It is the signature: slow-roasted, turmeric-tahini, brought to the table whole to share, and the clearest argument the kitchen makes. The dosa with seasonal chutneys and the dates with stracciatella are the other two to build a table around. Plates start around $28 and are designed to share, so two people can eat well without a tasting-menu bill.
The cooking is precise rather than showy — classical Jean-Georges technique pointed at the plant kingdom instead of premium protein. Nothing on the menu reads as a vegetarian substitute for something else. That is the point, and it is rarer than it sounds.
The Room
The room is the best-looking vegetarian dining room in New York, and among the best-looking rooms of any kind. It borrows the ABC Carpet & Home aesthetic above it — textiles, pale wood, hanging lights, a calm that most Flatiron rooms never reach. It is bright enough to read a menu and quiet enough to hear your date. Dress is smart casual; nobody is checking.
Best for a First Date
Book abcV for a first date for three reasons: the room flatters everyone in it, the shareable plates give you something to do with your hands and your conversation, and the plant-forward menu keeps the meal light enough that nobody fades by nine. It is not cheap, but it is not ruinous either, and it signals taste without trying too hard.
Not for
Skip abcV if you want meat — the menu is entirely vegetarian and there is no off-menu compromise. Skip it too if you are after a long, formal tasting-menu evening; this is a sharing-plates room, bright and relatively quick, not a three-hour occasion. And don't come expecting a Michelin star on the wall: it holds a Green Star, which is a different thing.
Also in New York City
Explore the full New York City restaurant guide, or see the first-date and impress-clients picks for more rooms in this register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does abcV have a Michelin star?
No. abcV holds a Michelin Green Star, awarded for sustainability rather than a one-to-three star rating, and appears in the Michelin Guide. It is not a starred restaurant in the conventional sense. The Green Star recognizes its sourcing and vegetable-first cooking, not a place in the star hierarchy.
What should I order at abcV?
The whole roasted cauliflower is the signature and the dish to order — turmeric-tahini, slow-roasted, meant to share. The dosa with chutneys and the dates with stracciatella are the other two to build a table around. Most plates run from about $28; order three or four across the table.
Is abcV good for a first date?
Yes. It is one of the better-looking rooms in New York, set inside ABC Carpet & Home, and the shareable plant-forward menu gives you something to talk about without a heavy meal. It is bright, calm enough to hear each other, and not ruinously expensive. Book one to two weeks ahead for a weekend table.
How expensive is abcV?
Moderate by Jean-Georges standards. Plates start around $28 and the meal is built to share, so two can eat for well under a tasting-menu bill. There is no forced prix fixe at dinner. Expect roughly $60 to $90 a head with a drink, more if you order widely or add wine.