Le Botaniste

We stopped in after a nearby evening event. They were only 30 minutes from closing, but they had no shortage of all of the menu items. We chose the botanical therapy, 3 half-portion bowls to share. The bowls were prepared to order and each one was packed with flavor. Sometimes vegetarian meals are served with too much pasta or rice. This was not the case. The bowls were full of vegetables and sauces. Very tasty! The decor looks like an old apothecary or pharmacy. Simple, clean, and welcoming. The staff were all friendly and helpful. As vegetarians, this type of restaurant is a great addition to the New York food scene. Wish there were more of them and more similar choices of places to eat.

We stopped in after a nearby evening event. They were only 30 minutes from closing, but they had no shortage of all of the menu items. We chose the botanical therapy, 3 half-portion bowls to share. The bowls were prepared to order and each one was packed with flavor. Sometimes vegetarian meals are served with too much pasta or rice. This was not the case. The bowls were full of vegetables and sauces. Very tasty! The decor looks like an old apothecary or pharmacy. Simple, clean, and welcoming. The staff were all friendly and helpful. As vegetarians, this type of restaurant is a great addition to the New York food scene. Wish there were more of them and more similar choices of places to eat.

We stopped in after a nearby evening event. They were only 30 minutes from closing, but they had no shortage of all of the menu items. We chose the botanical therapy, 3 half-portion bowls to share. The bowls were prepared to order and each one was packed with flavor. Sometimes vegetarian meals are served with too much pasta or rice. This was not the case. The bowls were full of vegetables and sauces. Very tasty! The decor looks like an old apothecary or pharmacy. Simple, clean, and welcoming. The staff were all friendly and helpful. As vegetarians, this type of restaurant is a great addition to the New York food scene. Wish there were more of them and more similar choices of places to eat.

From the lay-out of its website to the layout of its Lexington Ave. restaurant interior, Le Botaniste creates warm and inviting digital and real-life environments that reflect its emphasis on interconnected sustainability. On the website the company is open and transparent, from the philosophic values of its founders to the caloric count of its dishes. And when you walk into the restaurant, the space invites you in down a wide set of rounded stairs onto a black & white patterned floor with warm wooden cabinets and panels rising from it and boasting detailed carvings and scrollwork. Large, colorful pots sit on warmers next to tins of fresh fixings for grain bowls and salads, and the serving staff is extremely friendly and enthusiastic. My wife and I appreciated that we didn’t need to ask what was strictly plant based and what was gluten-free, since everything is! It was easy to place our order and the food was served quickly. The dining area is relaxing and inviting; my wife and I sat in the back section bound by white, brick walls and potted plants, and lit by a ceiling of skylights. Given all the positives mentioned above, I thought the food could have been better. The squash soup and the tomato sauce in the Spicy Chili Sin Carne each tasted like it came from a jar and, although it can be subjective, I felt the chili wasn’t at all spicy. The ingredients were fresh, but they just didn’t come together in a cohesive, flavorful way. I thought the same of the veggie balls, which lacked a definitive flavor. The chocolate pecan cookie was a little too sweet for me, and the omega 3 brownie a little too dry, although I did like the taste. Once Le Botaniste dials in its dish recipes, it will be firing on all cylinders!

From the lay-out of its website to the layout of its Lexington Ave. restaurant interior, Le Botaniste creates warm and inviting digital and real-life environments that reflect its emphasis on interconnected sustainability. On the website the company is open and transparent, from the philosophic values of its founders to the caloric count of its dishes. And when you walk into the restaurant, the space invites you in down a wide set of rounded stairs onto a black & white patterned floor with warm wooden cabinets and panels rising from it and boasting detailed carvings and scrollwork. Large, colorful pots sit on warmers next to tins of fresh fixings for grain bowls and salads, and the serving staff is extremely friendly and enthusiastic. My wife and I appreciated that we didn’t need to ask what was strictly plant based and what was gluten-free, since everything is! It was easy to place our order and the food was served quickly. The dining area is relaxing and inviting; my wife and I sat in the back section bound by white, brick walls and potted plants, and lit by a ceiling of skylights. Given all the positives mentioned above, I thought the food could have been better. The squash soup and the tomato sauce in the Spicy Chili Sin Carne each tasted like it came from a jar and, although it can be subjective, I felt the chili wasn’t at all spicy. The ingredients were fresh, but they just didn’t come together in a cohesive, flavorful way. I thought the same of the veggie balls, which lacked a definitive flavor. The chocolate pecan cookie was a little too sweet for me, and the omega 3 brownie a little too dry, although I did like the taste. Once Le Botaniste dials in its dish recipes, it will be firing on all cylinders!