HawkTalk
Ask a Wag Lauren Dewey Wagner for Dummies

A Quick Guide to Being Vegetarian/Vegan at School and in the City

Coming into my first year at Wagner, I was worried about the lack of options I would have as a vegetarian when dining in Hawks or D-Hall. However, there is always something available for students with these dietary restrictions, and I’m going to share with you some of my favorite ways to eat meatless meals on campus as well as suggest some great vegetarian/vegan places in the city.


D-HALL

When going to D-Hall (nickname for Wagner's Dining Hall), I always head straight to the vegetarian and vegan section at the end of the hot food line. Generally they will have some sort of tofu entree, or roasted vegetables and beans. If these things don’t excite you, another great alternative is to make a big hearty salad at the salad bar! I usually add quinoa to my salads to give it more substance, and there’s usually chickpeas or tofu at the salad bar as well. I like to load on the chickpeas and vegetables to kale and spinach leaves, drizzle a little balsamic on top, and I’m full until dinnertime! At the beginning of the year, I noticed that they didn’t put chickpeas out very often. Since these are a great source of protein for non-meat-eaters, I emailed dining services and requested for chickpeas at the salad bar. They were more than happy to accommodate my request, and there were chickpeas in the salad bar the next day. It’s always okay to send a quick email to dining services and make a simple request for something new you would like to see offered. Another great D-Hall option is to get a wrap from the sandwich bar. I often put hummus and loads of veggies on my wrap and it’s always delicious!

D-Hall salad with loads of veggies!
D-Hall spinach wrap with hummus and veggies!
Delicious D-Hall salad topped with seitan!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


HAWKS

In Hawks, our to-go restaurant option, you may find that there aren’t as many vegetarian/vegan options amongst all of the fried chicken and cheeseburgers. However, the grill offers veggie burgers and black bean burgers that are amazing! To keep things healthy but still filling, I generally get a black bean burger without the bun on a bed of spinach leaves. I don’t get any cheese either, just a side of guacamole and salsa and then a drizzle of hot sauce! Also, salads and wraps are easy to get without meat. They offer tofu, hummus, black beans, and quinoa amongst many veggie options to load onto your meatless salad or wrap! In the freezer section of Hawks, there are two different kinds of pre-made vegan wraps that are both delicious! There’s a vegan smoked avocado “bacon” wrap, and a vegan buffalo “chicken” wrap that both use soy protein as meat alternatives. These still provide the same flavor of your classic sandwich, but without the use of meat.


THE CITY

In the city, one of my favorite places to eat is ByCHLOE. I went here with one of my non-vegetarian friends and she loved it! They have salads, burgers, some breakfast foods––and best of all: it’s all vegan! Right next door is a bakery owned by the same company. All the treats are vegan and taste amazing. I got a coconut cupcake from there and my friend got a peanut butter cookie. Also, Screamer’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn has some amazing vegan pizza! If you go, you have to give the buffalo “chicken” pizza a try! In addition to these places, there are SO many more options like Peacefood café, Blossom du Jour, VSPOT, Champ’s Diner, The Butcher’s Daughter, Quantum Leap, etc. All you have to do is a quick google search and a variety of options will appear.

Vegan chocolate chip pancakes, tofu scramble, and vegan "bacon" from Quantum Leap!
Spicy Thai salad from ByCHLOE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I hope you enjoyed my recommendations! Even if you do eat meat, these are some great things to try regardless!