Franchia Vegan Cafe
“Topped everything off with the blueberry coconut cake and gluten free black forest cake – again….delicious.”
“I love Korean food but it is extremely difficult to find veggie Korean food anywhere other than Franchia and Hangawi.”
“It's fresh California vegan, with little reliance upon tofu or seitan, and none upon faux flesh.”
Franchia Vegan Cafe
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
It's so dark inside. In terms of food, it's alright. It's just like any other Asian fushion restaurants. Not bad choice for vegan. Kimchi pancakes are kinda of overcooked. Bibibimp is alright. I got vegetables tofu clay pot with ginger sauce for $18. It's better for the winter! I feel like I can get these vegan items at ktown anyway with better taste and free food tapas. For dessert, the soy cheese cake is way tooooo sweet, and coconut cake is alright.
What annoys me at this place is that waiters keep coming to get our food out of our way even when we are not finishing! It's super annoying! They also give us check even when we are having our dessert. What's the rush?!!! I'll probably still prefer ktown like tofu house! The tofu soup and veggie bibibimp are way better and cheaper
I was pleasantly surprised to find a delicious vegan place. Ordered the Kale "scallops" salad, combination pancakes (cilantro, kimchi, scallion) and the shitake n button mushrooms. All to share. Eclectic flavors. The soju mojitos were too light.
Franchia has great fare for those vegans and vegetarians who are looking to satisfy some Korean cravings. I had made a reservation for four earlier in the day and Franchia was more than accommodating for Saturday night plans before a Broadway show.
FOOD: For appetizer, we got the steamed kimchi dumplings. Not my favorite and maybe we should have gone with fried. There was something about the skin that was sort of falling apart. It was definitely not worth the price for such few dumplings they gave. For the entree, I got the tempeh bulgolgi. For something vegan, it was definitely noticeable with the tempeh. Nothing really resembling that of bulgolgi that I know (and love), but at least the tempeh was nothing to rave about. For something that is so central for the dish, the tempeh was meh. The sauce on the other hand was great! Tasty and well-flavored, to accompany the other vegetables in the dish.
Overall, the food to me was so-so, but the experience and the service was great. The inside of the restaurant is done very well and feels very calming and the attention to service was great! If I came back, I would try the scallion pancakes instead of dumplings and something else.
I don't often go to Midtown East – that is, unless it's to go to Francia, a fantastic Korean spot that is also vegan. Yes, you heard me, Vegan Korean – it may sound strange first, but at Franchia it's a bona fide, legit cuisine. Everything on its menu is a great choice, delicious and uncompromising with authentic flavors. Plus, the atmosphere in the eatery is very tranquil and zen with the tiered seating and Asian feel to the décor.
The last time I went here, it was with a dinner party of four – my boyfriend, his sister, her boyfriend, and me. It was a busy night, so we waited for a table for about 15 minutes or so. When ready, the hostess led us up to our table at the top level. There are a few short flights of steps that you'll need to walk up.
For appetizers, we shared Crispy Scallion Pancakes and Spicy Kimchi Pancakes. For my entree, I had the Vegetarian Duck Stone Bowl. It was so good!
I highly recommend this place, especially for smaller parties of 2 to 4.
Wow, I'm really surprised Franchia has such high marks. Staff is nice but a little awkward — like they open last week not 2003. The photos of the food looked REALLY good. I was especially psyched to try the dumplings because they looked similar to the ones from Josie's (which has sadly closed). They weren't even close. We ordered the assorted dumplings and they were all mushy inside — zero texture. I emptied them out just to eat the skin. Photos of the scallion dumplings looked tasty with a nice crispy crust and they came out pale and under-cooked. The spicy Franchia noodles were okay but the portion was very small for $15. We don't eat a lot but this was ridiculous. We ended up adding an order the Singapore noodles which were much better than the rest of the dishes. I'm happy we ended wit the best dish, but needless to say, I won't be coming back. I'll be getting my vegan Korean fix at Hangawi.
this place is so serene and calming and it's just perfect for a relaxing meal after yet another medical test! i had been fasting for an ultrasound and have intense food restrictions with dairy free, gluten free, and FODMAP friendly eating requirements.
The waiter was amazingly accommodating and courteous! So much so that he went through several solutions to help add heat to my meal without garlic.
The dish is so fresh and clean tasting and savory and yummmmy.
this place is moderately priced but know that your price includes a swanky atmosphere, spa-like service, thoughtful food offerings, and a convenient midtown location!
We came here for drinks and appetizers after a long day of walking through various neighborhoods; Chinatown, Little Italy, East & West Village, The Highline and Chelsea.
We were tuckered out and this was a nice place to take a breather before our next stop, Bryant Park and Grand Central.
The place was nicely decorated and clean.
It had a nice vibe.
I was happy with the food and efficient service.
I'd definitely come back and explore the dinner menu given the chance.
I'm not vegan but my friends are, so I came here with them for a friend's birthday.
Did not enjoy being asked how long are we going to stay there. I don't even think there was a reservation or anything; they just wanted to have our table freed up by the evening hour. Very unclassy.
But the food was ok, though really pricey. I liked their assorted Korean pancake appetizer — my friends who'd never had Korean pancakes really enjoyed it. The vegan pad thai was really good (not my dish, but I can't remember what I ordered).
I'd come back. It's in a quiet nice area along Park Ave but it's pretty expensive for what you get.