In typical New Yorker fashion money is not mentioned, although money is the driving agent here. Her rent was $450 a month when she opened in 1976. You’d think that now that the culture has caught up to her and veganism has become such a thing that business would be booming - and in fact, it is. But since her rent has now gone up to $25,000 a month (not a typo) I can’t imagine how much brown rice and kale she’d have to sell to pay that.
This makes me sad. I loved going there when in NY in the middle of the afternoon when it wasn’t crowded and getting the mini dragon. My favorite part was their signature cornbread and spreads.
I’ve been going to angelica’s since i moved here for college! It was the first all vegetarian restaurant i had ever been to- and as a vegetarian since childhood that was a Big Deal to know i could order anything. I lived nearby in college and would go for the dragon bowl since i could get two meals from the full size one.
I have returned many many times, the hippie vegetarian menu has so many great dishes i would order one to go and bring home with me so i could have angelica’s again the following day.
Manhattan is quickly turning into luxury condos, banks, duane reades, and chain stores since the skyrocketing rents are not sustainable for the smaller unique independent businesses that actually make nyc what it is in the first place.
News like this just makes me sad.
I guess I’m part of the problem, in that it’s been years since I went there, but my brother and I used to go in the 80s. I agree with everything all of you said. And that’s one of the reasons my girlfriend and I may move to Berlin.
