Profile

Pure is vegetarian and vegan. It serves "raw food"—organically grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The kitchen has no ovens, range hoods, or gas. Dishes are prepared in blenders and dehydrators, with plenty of diligent chopping and whisking. Nothing edible is heated to more than 118 degrees. Pigging out (pardon the expression) won't fatten you up, slow you down, or clog any number of things. Bet you're salivating now. But there's something seductive about being guided by an undeniably healthy looking staff cheerfully committed to a cuisine devoted to upliftment. More important, there's something life-affirming about discovering that such cuisine is not only great at wrestling deep-seated toxins, but also pretty amazing in its versatility, blasts of freshness, and its ability to both startle and gratify. You probably don't think a chocolate ganache without eggs, butter, or sugar could satisfy. But a cuisine too many assume is about denial can offer up awfully sweet rewards. — Hal Rubenstein

Weddings

This trendy restaurant, with decadent health food, has a calm backyard and a garden deck that’s perfect for small weddings. The food—organic, vegan, and raw—is prepared to perfection, and even the tap water is purified through a high-end filtration system. Prices start at $65 per person.

Recommended Dishes

Sangria, $12; spicy Thai lettuce wraps, $13; sea vegetable salad, $14; tomato and zucchini lasagne, $24; tortillas with chili-spiced beans, $24; dark chocolate layer cake, $15

Related Stories

New York Magazine Reviews

• Hal Rubenstein's Full Review (9/6/04)

Best of New York Awards

• Best Healthy Meal (2005)

Featured In

• How to Pretend You’re in Cali (7/10/06)
• 101 Best New York Restaurants for 2006 (1/9/06)

Recipes at Pure Food and Wine

• Key-Lime-Mousse Tart (2004)
• Spicy Thai Vegetable Wraps With Tamarind Dipping Sauce (2004)
• Zucchini-and-Green-Zebra- Tomato Lasagne With Basil-Pistachio Pesto (2004)
• Green-Curry Coconut Noodles With Spring Vegetables (2004)
• Pineapple-Cucumber Gazpacho (2004)