Zen Palate got its start in 1990 by a group of Buddhist vegetarians living in New York who noted the absence of any quality Asian-based vegetarian restaurants in the city. Believing that great health, great taste and great dining experience could all be obtained at the same time, they opened the first Zen Palate at 46th street and 9th Ave. in the year 1991 in the hopes of promoting a healthy lifestyle.
The restaurant did not offer any alcoholic beverages based on the owners’ Buddhist belief not to make profits on items that may cause harm to its patrons. The restaurant struggled through its first six months, but after much publicity from the media, coupled with a growing, favorable trend towards healthy, vegetarian dining, it finally began to see its first profits.
Three years later in 1994, the Union Square location was opened. This award-winning location designed by internationally renowned architect—Tony Chi—has been hailed as “the Rolls-Royce of vegetarians restaurants" with 3 floors (7,000 sq ft. of space) and a spectacular view of the Union Square Park. The 1st floor caters to those interested in café-style dining while the 2nd and 3rd floors cater to those looking for a more fine-dining experience.
Zen Palate's menu is composed of a diverse mixture of Eastern and Western ingredients and New York fusion cooking. Rather than buying processed ingredients from manufacturers, we produce most of our foods on site from daily-fresh, top quality vegetables and fruits.