At kosher restaurant SHŌSH, vegan food finally gets the attention it deserves

Usually, the more restrictions you place on cooking, the harder it is to deliver a truly great product. Almost counterintuitively, though, at SHŌSH—a kosher vegan restaurant that opened at 41 Greenwich Avenue in the West Village of Manhattan at the beginning of the year—the restrictions on offer (veganism! Kashrut!) are exactly what make the menu shine. In the vein of “I can’t believe it’s not butter!,” a meal in this beautiful, cozy space might make you exclaim: Wait—this is vegan? Kosher?

The experience comes courtesy of Anat Sror, the Israeli chef who named the eatery after her own mother, Shoshana, and is no stranger to vegetables: she previously owned vegan destination Cafe Petisco on the Lower East Side.

Before diving into specifics, here’s the big takeaway: the food at SHŌSH doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not. You won’t find fake cheese, imitation meat or tofu disguised as something else. The vegetables—and other plant-based ingredients—are the stars of the show. The goal isn’t to make vegan food that mimics non-vegan dishes. The point here is to prove that vegan food is the real thing. Bold, flavorful and, frankly, delicious—starting with the shawarma.

Although it’s listed mid-menu, it deserves a first mention: made from celeriac (that’s celery root, for the uninitiated), the shawarma is a standout. Basted in spices eerily reminiscent of its meat-based counterpart, the celeriac is skewered and kissed by smoke on the restaurant’s citrus-seasoned grill. Add a bit of hummus and you’ve got yourself a dish that’s not only vegan but a lighter, brighter take on the classic Israeli staple… and tastes just like the shawarma you have in Israel.

But let’s start at the beginning of the dozen-or-so-item menu, which is designed for sharing. The focaccia is a must: handmade daily, the elongated bread is the perfect companion to just about every small plate. Somehow both substantial and airy, it’s the kind of bread you’ll want to keep eating long after you’re full—ask for some to go, maybe?

Start with the tzatziki and olives that it is served with, but make sure to dunk that focaccia into everything: it’s particularly revelatory when paired with the smoky eggplant dip, which pops with chili oil, pomegranate and pistachio. It also works beautifully alongside the falafel—“the best falafel I’ve had in New York,” according to my dining companion—served with a fresh-chopped Israeli salad that honestly deserves its own spot on the menu.

For something heartier, the tagliatelle with black truffle and the risotto absolutely deliver. But singling out dishes here feels unfair—everything is good. And it’s all enhanced by the relatively eclectic list of kosher wines, including a non-alcoholic rosé that tastes shockingly like the real thing, minus the hangover.

When dessert hits, don’t skimp: the oat-based ice cream with halvah (general rule: if halvah is on the menu, order it) comes topped with candied pecans, and the malabi—a milk-based pudding prepared with rose water and orange blossom—pairs perfectly with it.

While indulging in sweets, take a moment to look around. The restaurant is small, yes, but elegantly designed—absolutely worth a visit from kosher and non-kosher diners alike. It’s a little pocket of calm in the middle of downtown Manhattan, easy on the stomach and guided by a clear culinary vision—something that, sadly, too many kosher restaurants in New York still lack.