By CHLOE, NYC

NYC -- the city that never sleeps. It had been five years since my last visit to NYC and how I've missed it so. Anxious to hit a few of the new restaurants on my visit, my first stop was by CHLOE, a vegan cafe. Chloe Coscarelli, a graduate of the acclaimed Natural Gourmet Institute, opened this cafe after gaining national attention by winning Cupcake Wars on the Food Network.

I arrived on a Friday night and it was packed. I wasn't super hungry so I asked them what the most popular items were. They mentioned a few burgers and the mac and cheese and after some thought, I placed an order.

The cafe has a cool vibe with black and white awnings outside and colorful seating inside including a funky hanging seat. There is a HUGE communal table and smaller tables against the wall. There was almost no seating so I took my order to go.

The Guac Burger is a patty made of black beans, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. Topped with onions, corn salsa, guacamole, tortilla strips, and chipotle aioli, it was so delicious. The whole grain bun was toasted perfectly and it just melted in my mouth. The burger had tons of flavor, but the chipotle aioli made it go from good to great. Be sure to get extra from the dispenser too!

The Mac n Cheese, however, was not nearly as good as everyone said it would be.  In fact, I didn't like it at all. To me, it tasted like butternut squash was mashed up, blended, and put over noodles. The vegan bacon was tasty, but it didn't fix the yuckiness of what was already happening in the bowl.

I also picked up a kombucha from their great drink selection of kombuchas, teas, and coconut water.

Other items on the menu include Pesto Meatball Sub, Whiskey BBQ sandwich, and Kale Caesar salad. It's a simple menu that is available most of the day seven days per week.  The burgers are $10-$11 each, so not cheap, but totally worth it. And I absolutely love the atmosphere. I'd definitely recommend this place as a hip lunch spot.

by CHLOE
185 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 290-8000