On any given night, New York City’s East Village is buzzing. It’s alive in a pandemic world and filled with people of all ages and nationalities exploring what was once home to the Lenape Native Americans, and later immigrants that made up Little Germany, and even later, the birth of the counterculture movement where artists, hippies, musicians, and students came together in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Today, the gentrified streets are laden with brownstones and tiny bars, shops, and restaurants tucked into their first floors.
Something else the neighborhood is quickly becoming known for? Being one of the most vegan-friendly enclaves in Manhattan—due in large part to Ravi DeRossi.
The East Village restaurateur—who has built an impressive portfolio of restaurants including Ladybird, Avant Garden, Soda Club, and Etérea—lives by a simple mantra: “Eat. Drink. Start a revolution.” He does this by teaming with rising stars, tapping into his abstract art background, taking the blank canvases of restaurants, and building them into something grand. And nowhere is this magic formula more apparent than in what’s become a crown jewel in his empire—Cadence, a vegan soul food restaurant.
Despite New York City being ravaged has called one of the “50 most exciting restaurants in the country.” Since then, the restaurant has racked up an impressive list of accolades, including being named one of the best new restaurants in America by and garnering rave reviews from the likes of .
