Spinach Pie with Spicy Ginger Sauce, Tree Fish and Salad Combo Platter from Green Paradise.    (Photo: Courtesy of Live-Food.com)

1. Bliss

Solid organic vegan fare in a cozy café atmosphere has made this a Williamsburg staple. A recent special: fettuccini with vegan “butter” sauce and blackened tofu. (191 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg; 718-599-2547.)

2. Green Paradise

Raw food and only raw food (nothing’s heated above 108 degrees) is served in this small shop with a bamboo motif. For brunch, there are banana pancakes and crêpes; for dinner, falafel and “pasta” made from zucchini. Don’t miss the mango-coconut-cream pie. (609 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights; 718-230-5177.)

3. Imhotep

Named for an ancient Egyptian priest said to be the “father of medicine,” it’s the oldest veggie restaurant in Brooklyn. Fresh coconut water is available, everything’s organic, and there’s a thriving takeout business. (734 Nostrand Avenue, Crown Heights; 718-493-2395.)

4. Veggie Castle

Housed in a former White Castle, with décor intact. The buffet bar has collard greens, sweet-potato pudding, and too many kinds of tofu to count. Wide variety of juices, baked goods, and patties, too. (2242 Church Avenue, Flatbush; 718-703-1275.)

5. The Greens

A classic Asian mock-meat restaurant. The “Yin Yang,” a veggie version of beef with broccoli, bears an uncanny resemblance to the real thing. If you live in the neighborhood, the takeout can be addictive. (128 Montague Street, Brooklyn Heights; 718-246-1288.)

Related:

• Archive: “Top Five”
• Table of Contents: May 12, 2003 issue of New York | Subscribe!