Temple In the Village

I ate here a million times when I went to NYC and sometimes before sangha night. I love this place! Are they really closed?

Healthy, simple delicious food. I was raised Vegan and part of the time, on a macrobiotic diet. So this place is right up my alley! They have a nice selection of hearty greens and asian inspired ‘health food’ type dishes. This is for people who want to eat well, take care of their body, understand the subtleties of fresh veggies and want to feel great after eating a full meal. Definitely give it a try.
The only thing — I wish the interior was kept up a bit better, but you can’t have everything!

I’ve been going here since college (a long, long time ago in what seems like a galaxy far, far away). Love ALL of the food here, super fresh and amazing. Make sure you try the pancakes and the garlic sauce.

Delish! I ate here almost every day while I was studying for the bar at NYU. There’s enough variety that I didn’t get bored. One day I’d put together a Mexican themed plate of rice and beans… the next day Korean… and so forth. Sure, there were days when I was famished and forking over $ 9 kind of hurt — but you’re also talking about over a pound of food! It kept my belly happy for several more hours of studying. And it’s not much more than you’d pay for a deli sandwich.

Very low-​key, very underrated. This place looks like nothing special from the outside (and even the inside), but don’t be fooled – they have some of the best, and healthiest, vegetarian food in N.Y. You can find things here that you can’t find anywhere else, like various varieties of beans and sprouts, tofu prepared in many different ways, and lots of exotic greens. The food is *DELICIOUS*, not bland at all. If I lived or worked near this place I’d rarely eat anywhere else. (I ate here often when I was a student at NYU.) Prices are very reasonable – I’ve eaten an absolute mountain of food for $ 13, but a normal-​sized portion will cost you much less. Check it out, even if you’re not a vegetarian.

Great vegan food with helpful labels as to what is macrobiotic, vegan, vegetarian, etc. You pay by the pound. There is a Korean bent to some of the dishes, and there are some potent Kimchi and pickled daikon choices. The food is very healthy and they are very friendly here. The tables and chairs and floors have seen a lot of use, so it comes across slightly shabby in comparison to the chains and over-​designed bars in the area. I prefer it that way; it scares away fussy people and tourists and I prefer knowing that I’m not paying for the décor. The customers are a bit kooky and scrappy; a mix of arty NYU students, health food fanatics, and long-​time neighborhood residents. I like the vibe of the place and the couple that runs the place are delightful people.

Pick and choose veg*n foods — yay! This is exactly the kind of food I need for lunch — lots of greens and some non-​animal protein.
Don’t listen to people who say it is bland and overpriced — that is simply not true. Maybe people think it’s bland because it is not fried or over-​sauced … but honestly there is nothing bland about kale, carrots, and thick mushrooms! (There is sauce available if you can’t handle the deliciousness, though.) Also, the price is right.

Those who give low marks to this peaceful, macrobiotic gem of a restaurant just don’t get it.
It’s run by a kindly old Buddhist Korean couple and everything they offer is fresh, clean, and vegetarian. You can also find a number of veggie home-​style Korean dishes here too.
Plus they make their own barley tea and corn tea which you can buy chilled and bottled.
If you find it «flavorless» you need to reacquaint yourself with the flavor of fresh al dente veggies. Or chose from the dozens of sauces and sprinkles at the back to amp up the taste.
Temple in the Village is simple, inexpensive, and healthy, and I love it. There is nothing to compare in the whole city, and if it ever closes it will be a dark day for NYC cuisine.

How could anyone possibly like this place? It is a buffet, and at anytime after 1 pm the food is cold and has been sitting out for too long. Not that it would’ve tasted good anyway, because it is bland and underprepared.
Think you will get a good, healthy meal here? NO, because even though it is vegan, everything is deep fried and oily. Be prepared to spend at least 12 dollars on lunch if you want to get full.

this place is a great little salad bar for the health conscious and those who love greens (vegetarian, macrobiotic etc.). The first time I ate there I thought it was super bland though (because it’s so healthy) but now I CRAVE it (since I’m trying not to be a fatass). For the first time in my life I’ve actually looked forward to eating brocolli! They make it taste all gooood with some sesame oil and seeds. The veggies are always very fresh and crisp. They also have a hot bar with stuff that’s not sooo «goody-​two-​shoes» like fried vegetable or Kimchee pancakes. I love their multi-​grain rice and bean stew, they also have great macrobiotic sushi rolls. My only complaint is that it’s somewhat limited in size and there’s not much variety; I actually wish there were a few more options (especially in terms of leafy salad greens).

I found some good food here, but most of it is completely flavorless. The stuff that actually has a taste:
Vegetable soup: It’s filling and loaded with all sorts of vegetables, plus tofu. The broth is pretty tasty, too.
Rice: I like the multi-​grain black rice, but it takes a bit of effort to chew and makes my jaws tired. At least I know I’m getting tons of fiber.
Sweet potato tempura: Okay, this is something hard to mess up (unless you’re Village Natural), but it’s good nonetheless. And the batter is made with wheat as well … wow, healthy tempura.
Korean pancakes: They’re decent, but I can find good Korean pancakes much closer to home.
Steamed pumpkin: Who in the world can do a bad job on steamed pumpkin. But it’s one of my favorite foods, so this place gets points for serving it.
Seitan stew: I think this is one of the best things they have here.
Dumplings: These are stuffed with mashed tofu and have a unique green skin. They would be much better if they weren’t so dry and rubbery.
Another thing… every time I came here it was totally empty, and for some reason it makes me uneasy to eat in an empty restaurant. I wish there would have been some people around.

Basically this place is about Korean and Buddhist food. Priests in the Buddhist temple are basically vegan in a dietary term. I must say this place presents that temple food very good despite of difficulties to have same ingredients in U.S.
I’m a Korean and was raised by my grandma who is a very serious Buddhist. I’ve gone to most of Buddhist temples in Korea and have gotten used to eat that way which why I naturally became Vegan. Since I’m far away from home, I missed those food and never satisfied with 34^st Korea town foods.(just pricey and not so authentic… too much MSG I guess.) and now I’m so happy I coincidentally found this place.
Kimchi is just like the one my grandma used to make all the time, and other veggies of course. Multi-​grain rice with black rice tastes just wonderful too. Veggie pancakes are well cooked and taste like home pancake. I’m literally going to this place whenever I go to school, NYU.
I’m also kinda allergic to animal fat and oil but whenever I eat veggies and pancakes there I’m fine which means it’s all cooked, marinated with sesame oil that often used in Korean dishes.
The owner is also another charm of this place. He is very friendly and always smiles with such a grandpa-​like vibe.
It’s not fancy buffet place but with calm classical music they always play in the place, you can almost find yourself doing yoga with a healthy food.

No, no. No, and um… no.
My first critique was of their need for less signage, but more informative ones. They have makeshift labels saying a lot without saying anything and no labels describing the dressings. The latter ended up messing up my rice. I poured what I thought was tahini sauce on my rice, as it tastes wonderful, and when I bit in, found out it was some horrifically spicy and almost minty? tahini. Horrifying. Also, if you are going to be open for late dinners, mind you we were there at 7, then the food should be turned over. Everything was dried out on the edges and gummy in the center. I love me some macro food, but nothing in the that says when something isn’t cooked it has to be under room temperature! Eating some limp frozen seaweed is very unappetizing. The only redeeming food was the sliced pumpkin… but how can you screw that up?
Lastly, we paid $ 25 for two people, which would normally be a steal, but figuring there is no service and the food is blah I feel ripped off.

There are times when I actually care about the fact that my arteries are probably clogged with Nutella and chicken wing fat, and it’s during those times that I swing by Temple in the Village. The best thing about this place is the owner: he’s so polite and jovial, I’d love to just sit and talk with him for hours about what prompted him to open a vegetarian, macrobiotic buffet on what used to be my old block.
The food here is decent, but since it’s super-​healthy, some dishes are a little bland and lack the zing that accompanies greasier, more MSG-​laden pan-​Asian fare. The selection is pretty good, with a heavy reliance on veggies and different types of noodles; not surprisingly, the heaviness of these foods considerably add to the price tag, which is dependent on weight. Everything is relatively fresh and hot, though since the supplies aren’t replenished very often, sometimes there is much less to choose from.
Although Temple in the Village is pretty small, there’s ample seating, and since the regulars who come here tend to be older and very health-​conscious, the atmosphere is conducive to de-​stressing, of all things.
Bathroom Grade: N/​A. I am 99.3% certain there isn’t a bathroom here.

Ehhhhhhh I mean, it’s all right.
The ambience is pretty non-​existent but the food is indeed plentiful; I’ll admit to feeling a bit jipped by the 6.99 per pound, considering many of the dishes are Asian and could be acquired for a cheaper place in Chinatown.
I had a seitan stew, which was very good, steamed kabocha, cellophane noodles, and a bunch of steamed greens that, due to their health, are not particularly tasty.
Service was nice enough… I just don’t find this place special enough to return to multiple times over.

I’ve been getting tired of my regular lunch spots recently, so I decided to give Temple In The Village a try… I’d walked past the place many times but had never been inside. All they really have is a buffet: all the food is vegetarian and vegan, and the buffet is $ 6.95/lb. Not very cheap, but not excessive either. The food was pretty good, especially considering that I went in the middle of the afternoon so it probably had been prepared several hours before. I like how each food item has a detailed label explaining if the dish is vegan, vegetarian, macro-​biotic etc… (half of the entries made no sense to me). They also sell fresh fruit juices.

A pricey vegan/​macro-​biotic, pay-​per-​pound buffet near NYU. Food’s good, but something like $ 6 for, like, steamed vegetables. Still, I stop in every now and then when I feel the need to detox.

I give the Temple 5 stars because:
1. The owner is very friendly and is very happy to see me, genuinely.
2. It gave me a real sense of calm within a chaotic work day (I since quit this job)
3. I can eat everything on the menu without worrying about any lingering meat broths. You meat lovers should try it too.
4. A big meal is less than $ 10.
5. The food is fresh, healthy and satisfying
I could go on in the list format, but it seems contrary to the spirit of this place. When my office first moved to the west village, I ate here for lunch every day for over two months. I ventured out a bit after that but still came here more than any other lunch spot. I even took it home for dinner sometimes.
Temple in the Village is modest in size and personality but has true integrity. The food makes you feel good about what you ate for lunch and keeps you coming back.

Besides being totally vegetarian, apparently it’s also macrobiotic… whatever that means (still don’t know).
Anyway, this was a favorite spot when I lived in the ‘hood. Like other reviewers said — very tasty, buffet style, pay by the lb. There are plenty of salads to pick from, but go for the wonderful Asian style (mostly Korean) entrees and Asian veggies, MANY tofu choices.
Only complaint — the food does seem a bit greasy (or certain dishes).

this no frills, vegetarian buffet is a savior for the hungry folks looking for a healthy fast food alternative to pizza joints and Mickey D’s that dot this divey, student-​centric side of West 3^rd street. there are hot and cold offerings (almost all of which is of asian cuisine) and although they’ve recently made room for roughly a dozen seats, most patrons take their food to go. everything is of decent quality, all freshly prepared and well-​seasoned. some favorites: sauteed baby bok choys, mushrooms tossed in sesame oil, steamed tofu, and pan fried veggie panckages. yum!