The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant 佛菩提 Introduce
Welcome to The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant, a true culinary institution nestled in the vibrant heart of New York City's Chinatown. This establishment is a rare and wonderful find, seamlessly blending the rich traditions of Chinese cuisine with the principles of kosher, vegetarian, and vegan dining. Buddha Bodai offers a remarkable dining experience that proves plant-based food can be just as, if not more, delicious and satisfying than its meat-based counterparts.
Buddha Bodai has earned a reputation for being the "real deal." Their menu is a testament to the creativity and skill of the chefs, with a vast array of dishes that replicate classic Chinese flavors and textures using only plant-based ingredients. From incredibly realistic mock meats like "Vegetable Chicken" and "Vegetable Duck" to fresh, flavorful vegetable dishes and an extensive dim sum menu, there is something for every palate. The restaurant is super clean, the staff is cool and accommodating, and the portion sizes are generous, ensuring that every customer leaves feeling full and happy. Whether you're a devout vegetarian, a curious carnivore, or someone with specific dietary restrictions, Buddha Bodai offers a welcoming and delicious dining experience.
The Original Buddha Bodai is located at 5 Mott St, New York, NY 10013, USA. Situated on one of Chinatown's most iconic streets, this restaurant is easy to find and serves as a fantastic destination for both locals and tourists. Mott Street is a central hub of activity, with easy access to all the sights and sounds of the neighborhood.
Accessibility is a key feature of Buddha Bodai. The restaurant has a wheelchair-accessible entrance, wheelchair-accessible seating, and a wheelchair-accessible restroom, making it a comfortable and inclusive dining spot for all patrons. Public transportation is highly recommended, as the restaurant is just a short walk from several major subway stations. While there is free and paid street parking available, spots can be difficult to find. The restaurant’s commitment to providing a welcoming space for everyone, including being a recognized LGBTQ+ friendly and transgender safe space, further enhances its appeal as a community-focused establishment.
Buddha Bodai offers a variety of services designed to accommodate every dining preference.
Dine-in and Table Service: Enjoy the cozy and casual atmosphere with full table service. The restaurant provides a comfortable setting for groups, families, and solo diners, with high chairs available for children.
Takeout: For those on the go, the takeout service is a quick and efficient way to enjoy your favorite vegetarian dishes at home or the office.
Delivery and No-contact Delivery: The restaurant offers both standard and no-contact delivery, so you can have delicious, hot food brought right to your door with ease and convenience.
Curbside Pickup: A convenient option for a quick and seamless experience. Simply place your order ahead and pick it up at the curb without needing to go inside.
Reservations: Buddha Bodai accepts reservations, which is a great option for planning meals with larger groups or during peak dining hours to ensure you have a table waiting for you.
The Original Buddha Bodai is known for a number of standout features that make it a favorite in the vegetarian dining scene.
Extensive Vegan and Vegetarian Menu: The menu is massive, featuring hundreds of dishes that are all vegetarian and vegan. This includes plant-based versions of classic Chinese dishes, ensuring that there’s a familiar favorite for everyone.
Incredible Dim Sum: The dim sum menu is a major highlight and a local specialty. Customers rave about the variety and authenticity of the dim sum, from sticky rice to dumplings and rice rolls. It's an entire experience on its own.
Serves Local Specialty: Buddha Bodai serves kosher and vegetarian Chinese cuisine, which is a local specialty in New York's diverse and multicultural food landscape. It fills a unique niche and provides a genuine taste of a specific cultural fusion.
Healthy and Organic Options: The menu includes a variety of healthy and organic dishes, catering to health-conscious diners. The focus on fresh ingredients and well-balanced flavors is a major draw.
Accommodating and Friendly: The staff and management are noted for being very accommodating, especially with dietary restrictions. The atmosphere is casual, cozy, and family-friendly, making everyone feel at home.
Diverse Crowds: The restaurant attracts a diverse crowd, including families, groups, and tourists, and is a welcoming and safe space for the LGBTQ+ community.
For more information or to make a reservation, you can contact The Original Buddha Bodai using the details below.
Address: 5 Mott St, New York, NY 10013, USA
Phone: (212) 566-8388
With a menu as extensive as Buddha Bodai's, deciding what to order can be a challenge, but a few dishes are consistently recommended. The Dim Sum menu is where it’s at, according to one happy customer. Must-tries from this section include the "Shark Fin" dumplings, mushroom rice rolls, and sticky rice lotus leaf, all of which are plant-based and incredibly delicious. The dim sum is so good that it’s often what patrons return for.
For appetizers, the Fried Crispy Vegetable Duck and Vegetable Jellyfish are highly praised for their authentic textures and flavors. The "jellyfish" is described as being "so bouncy" and is a great way to start your meal. On the main course menu, the "lamb" and mixed vegetables in garlic sauce is an absolute winner. Its on-point texture and flavorful preparation make it a standout dish. For those who love a bit of heat, the Chef's Special is worth ordering "very spicy" as it "did not disappoint." Other popular items include the classic General Tso's Vegetable Chicken and the Orange Flavored Vegetable Beef, which offer familiar and comforting flavors in a new, exciting way. The generous portions mean you'll be able to try a variety of dishes, and with the high quality across the board, you truly can't go wrong with anything you order here.
The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant 佛菩提 Menu
Appetizers
- Fried Spring Roll 3 Pcs
- Dumplings 6 Pcs
Steamed or pan-fried
- Steamed Dumpling Plater
- Vegetable Jellyfish
Made from taro
- Vegetable Chicken
Cold
- Fried Crispy Vegetable Duck
- Shitaki Mushroom Duck
- Fried Bean Curd Roll
- Bar-B-Q Vegetable Meat
- Lettuce Song
Water chestnuts with lettuce
- Seaweed Sesame Roll
- Five Color Appetizer
- Fried Cumen Vegetable Chicken
- Fried Cumen Veg Lamb
- Chicken Nugget
Soups
- Triple Mushroom Spinach Soup
- Pumpkin Mushroom Veg. Seafood Soup
- Vegetable Shark Fin Soup
- Hot and Sour Soup
- Vegetable Chicken and Corn Soup
- Shredded Meat & Bean Curd Soup
- Mixed Vegetable Tofu Clear Soup
- Wonton Soup (Per person)
Main Course
- Vegetable Straw Bass with Black Bean Sauce
Steamed or fried
- Vegetable Whole Fish in Spicy Sauce
- Laksa Vegetable Fish
Steamed or fried
- Sweet & Sour Vegetable Fish
Steamed or fried
- Sliced Vegetable Fish with Black Bean Sauce
- Soybean Skin in Cedar Sauce
- Shredded Shiitaki Mushroom with Broccoli
Fried
- Taro Fish
Fried
- Sliced Vegetable Fish with Mixed Vegetables
- General Tso's Vegetable Chicken
Fried or not fried
- Sesame Vegetable Chicken
Fried or not fried
- Orange Flavored Chicken
Fried or not fried
- Lemon Vegetable Chicken
Fried & Sweet
- Sweet and Sour Vegetable Chicken
- Vegetable Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce
- Three Cups Vegetable Chicken
- Kung Pao Vegetable Chicken
- Sesame Vegetable Chicken
- Orange Flavored Vegetable Beef
- Vegetable Prawn with Walnuts
Fried
- Vegetable Prawn in Garlic
- Vegetarian Crab Meat
With Egg White
- Fried Vegetable Ribs with Salt and Pepper
- Sweet & Sour Vegetable Ribs
- Stuffed Tofu Eggplant and Green Pepper
Fried
- Vegetable Chicken with Mixed Vegetables in Curry sauce
- Shredded Vegetable Meat with Hot Green Pepper
- Shredded Vegetable Meat in Peking Sauce
- Tofu in Cedar Sauce
- Tofu with Organic Mushrooms and Basil
- Vegetable Lamb and Mixed Vegetables in Garlic Sauce
- Vegetable Lamb Stew in Casserole
- Lamb & Green Pepper in Brown Sauce
- Bi Chi Mushrooms with Pea Pod Leaves
- Stir Fried Pea Pod Leaves
- Vegetable Fillet Mignon Sizzling Style
- House Special Tofu
With egg whites
- Vegetable Steak with Chinese Broccoli
- Fresh Shitaki Mushrooms with Pine Nuts
- Steamed Vegetable Meat Chop & Taro in Fooyu Sauce
- Mixed Vegetable Meat with Basil in Taro Bowl
- Portabello Mushroom in Black Pepper Sauce
- House Special Buddha's Delight
- Braised Soybean Skin with Vegetables
- Sauteed String Beans
- Shredded Gluten with Pickled Vegetable
- Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy
- Eggplant in Garlic Sauce
- Stir Fried Spinach
- Stir Fried Choy Sum
- Stir Fried Chinese /American Broccoli
- Shredded Meat with Garlic Sauce
Noodles & Fried Rices
- Sauteed Thin Rice Noodle Fookiness Style
- Sauteed Thin Rice Noodle Singapore Style
- Sauteed Thin Rice Noodle with Eggplant
- Soy Sauce Noodle Hong Kong Style
- Dry Sauteed Vegetable Chicken Chow Fun
- Lo Mein Shanghai Style
- Shredded Vegetable Chicken Pan Fried Noodle
- Shredded Vegetable Chicken Lo Mein
- Mushroom Braised E F Noodle
- BBQ Meat Chow Fun
- Buddha's Delight Pan Fried Noodles
- Vegetable Seafood Pan Fried Noodle
- Mixed Vegetable Fried Rice
- Young Chow Fried Rice
- Cedar & Pine Nut Fried Rice
- Vegetable Bar B Q Meat Fried Rice
- Vegetable Chicken Fried Rice
- Salty Fish Flavored Vegetable Chicken Fried Rice
- Vegetable Shrimp Fried Rice
- Bar B Q Meat Noodle Soup
- Duck Noodle Soup
- Mixed Vegetables Curry Noodle Soup
- Soybean Paste Noodle
- Twin Rice Noodle with Vegetable Chicken
- Vegetable Beef Noodle Soup
- White Rice
- Brown Rice
Desserts
- Mango Pudding
- Tofu Cheesecake
Beverages
- Sweet Mango
- Kiwi Kooler
- Strawberry
Appetizers
- Seaweed Sesame Roll
- Fried Cumin Vegetable Lamb
- Fried Cumen Vegetable Chicken
- Vegetable Jellyfish
- Steamed Dumpling Plater
Soups
- Vegetable Chicken Corn Soup
For four people
- Vegetable Seafood Pumpkin Soup
For four people
- Fresh Triple Mushroom Spinach Soup
For four people
- Vegetable Tofu Clear Soup
For four people
- Tomato Tofu Clear Soup
For four people
Maine Course
- Mixed Vegetable Meat with Basil in Taro Bowl
- Shredded Shitaki Mushroom with Broccoli
Fried
- Vegetable Straw Bass in Black Bean Sauce
Steamed or fried
- Sweet and Sour Vegetable Fish
Steamed or fried
- Sweet and Sour Vegetable Ribs
- Tofu in Cedar Sauce
- Tofu with Organic Mushroom & Basil
- Bi Chi Mushroom with Pea Pod Leaves
- Fresh Triple Mushrooms with Basil
- Vegetable Steak with Chinese Broccoli
- Vegetable Lamb Stew in Casserole
- Vegetable Lamb & Mixed Vegetables in Garlic Sauce
Spicy
- Sliced Vegetable Fish with Mixed Vegetables
- Shredded Vegetable Meat with Hot Green Pepper
- Cedar & Pine Nut Fried Rice
- Vegatable Fried Rice
- Vegetable Chicken with Twin Noodle
- Chicken Chow Fun
- Stir Fried Pea Pod Leaves
- Stir Fried Chinese Broccoli
Small
- Sweet Malay Roll
- Pan Fried Turnip Cake
- Sticky Rice Shumai
- Steamed Vegetable Bun
- Sweet Sticky Rice with Coconut with Peanut
- Sweet Sticky Rice Sesame Ball
- Sticky Rice Dumpling
- Fried Taro Dumpling
- Sweet Tapioca Dumpling
- Sweet Green Tea Flavor Sticky Rice Ball
Medium
- Vegetable Meat Rice Roll
- Cruller Rice Roll
- Vegetable Shrimp Rice Roll
- Spinach Rice Roll
- Vegetable Ham Rice Roll
- Vegetable Meat Pastry
- Turnip Pastry
- House Special Congee
- Mushroom Congee
- Vegetable Chicken Bean Curd Roll
- Cha Shui Bao
Steamed Vegetable Meat Bun
- Baked Vegatable Meat Bun
- Sweet Lotus Bun
- Pan Fried Bun
- Steamed Taro Dumpling
- Steamed Bamboo Pith Dumpling
- Steamed Parsley Dumpling
- Steamed Homemade Dumpling
- Steamed Vegetable Shrimp Dumpling
- Steamed Lucky Dumpling
- Steamed Watercress Dumpilng
- Steamed Green Jade Dumpling
- Steamed Cantonese Dumpling with Peanut
- Fried Buddha's Spring Roll
- Steamed Buddha's Bean Curd Roll
Large
- Steamed Pea Leaf Dumpling
- Steamed Triple Mushroom Dumpling
- Pea Leaves Rice Rolls
- Buddha's Rice Roll
- Bee Chi Mushroom Rice Roll
- Durian Pastry
- Sticky Rice & Lotus Leaves
- Vegetable Shark Fin Congee
- Pan Fried Dumpling
6 Pcs
- Steamed Dumpling
6 Pcs
- Steamed Watercress Dumpling
6 Pcs
Special
- House Special Sticky Rice in Bamboo Leaves
- Vegetable Ribs in Black Bean Sauce
- Vegetable Ribs with Salt & Pepper
- Fried Vegetable Chicken Nuggets
- Fried Vegetable Shrimp Ball
- Steamed Vegetable Fish Ball
- Steamed Vegetable Meat Ball
- BBQ Vegetable Meat
- Steamed Soup Dumpling
Entrees
- L1 General Tso's Vegegatble Chicken
Fried or not fried
- L2 Sesame Vegetable Chicken
Fried or not fried
- L3 Sweet & Sour Vegetable Chicken
Fried or not fried
- L4 Vegetable Chicken with Chinese Green Vegetables in Black Pepper Sauce
- L5 Vegetable Steak with Chinese Broccoli
- L6 Vegetable Lamb with Mixed Vegetables in Garlic Sauce
- L7 Shredded Shiitake Mushroom with Broccoli
- L8 Lamb with Green Pepper
- L9 BBQ Vegetable Meat with Cabbage
- L10 Bean Curd in Cedar Sauce
- L11 Bean Curd with Organic Mushroom & Basil
- L12 Vegetable Chicken in Curry Sauce
- L13 Mixed Vegetable Meat in Basil Sauce
- L14 Shredded Gluten with Pickled Vegetables
- L15 Sliced Vegetable Fish in Black Bean Sauce
- L16 Sweet & Sour Ribs
- L17 Vegetable Lamb Stew
- L18 Braised Bean Curd Skin
- L19 Chicken Chow Fun
- L20 Chicken Lo Mein
- L21 Vegetable Chicken or B.B.Q. Meat Fried Rice
- L22 Sauteed String Beans
- L23 Eggplant with Garlic Sauce
- L24 Mapo Tofu
- L25 House Special Tofu
The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant 佛菩提 Details
Service options
- Curbside pickup
- No-contact delivery
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Great tea selection
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
- Wheelchair accessible restroom
- Wheelchair accessible seating
- Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Offerings
- Comfort food
- Healthy options
- Organic dishes
- Quick bite
- Small plates
- Vegan options
- Vegetarian options
Dining options
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Gender-neutral restroom
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Trendy
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Groups
- LGBTQ+ friendly
- Tourists
- Transgender safespace
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
- Debit cards
- NFC mobile payments
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
- High chairs
Parking
- Free street parking
- Paid street parking
The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant 佛菩提 Photos










The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant 佛菩提 Location
The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant 佛菩提
5 Mott St, New York, NY 10013, USA
The Original Buddha Bodai Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant 佛菩提 Reviews
dim sumdumplingstipbbq porkrice rollsturnip cakessesame chickenblack bean saucewatercressbean curd rolls
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1This place is the real deal. Great food. Great portion sizes. Always end up ordering too much, but always end up finishing everything because the food is great. Super clean restaurant. Cool staff. Dinner menu is awesome, but the Dim Sum menu is where it’s at. Shark fin dumplings, mushroom rice rolls, sticky rice lotus leaf are favorites of mine but you can’t go wrong with anything.
August 15 · Robert VilchesFor an appetizer, we got the jellyfish. It was so bouncy. The daikon and carrot slaw cut the saltiness nicely. For an entree, we got the chef’s special and asked for it very spicy. It did not disappoint!! We also got the lamb and mixed vegetables in garlic sauce. The lamb texture was on point, and the dish was very flavorful. Would absolutely recommend if you have dietary restrictions, they’re very accommodating!!
May 20 · Isabella FurrickBeen eating here for years, a must visit restaurant for me on every trip to NYC. clean, delicious, consistent experience every time. Prices seem to have come up a bit, but I guess that’s true to every place around here. still my number one choice for a meal in NYC.
May 11 · Vegan Destination TravelThis is my favorite vegetarian Chinese restaurant. We ordered pan fried dumplings, tofu skin with cedar sauce, mixed sea food with cedar sauce in taro bowl, eggplant in spicy laksa sauce, Buddha’s delight pan fried noodles, and Fujian fried rice.Everything was so delicious. I love their cedar sauce. It goes so well with everything, and it’s so fragrant and savory.My favorite dish was the mixed seafood with cedar sauce in taro bowl. It has been my no. 1 for a long time. I have to get it whenever I’m here. I also love the Buddha’s delight pan fried noodles. The crunchy noodles with slightly gluey sauce were just perfect. Especially when the noodles were mixed with the sauce and got a bit saggy, it was the most delightful texture. The braised tofu skin with cedar sauce was also very good. I especially love the cabbage they put in the bottom of the plate. It absorbs the flavor and with the sweetness of its own.It was my first time trying their Fujian fried rice. The idea was very similar to the Buddha’s delight pan fried noodles, but replaced the noodles with fried rice. I love the bits of the ham in the sauce.Everything was simply delicious, but just like almost all Chinese food, it’s a bit greasy. Good thing was they had some tea to go with it. The servers were also pretty pleasant and friendly.
May 17 · Bradley CWe got the gluten free beef chow mein and it was a very underwhelming dish. They straight up brought exactly that and nothing else. No vegetables in the dish, no soy sauce and no chili sauce. For the cost, a little crazy. We had to channel the vegetables previously cooked in the same work through the noodles to pretend to enjoy it. A little effort in dish would have gone a long way. When you order ask what else is in your dishes before trusting the menu. I get simplicity but for $20 bucks that was under simple.
August 29 · Adnan Jehan
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