The Bronx Vegan Eats: Pizzaniste

Undoubtedly, the one food I missed most when turning vegan was the glory that is pizza. I tried pizza without cheese from Papa Dominoes and neither really lived up to my high NYC dwelling standards (although I hear Dominoes is offering vegan cheese in the U.K.! U.S. next Dominoes?) but it was enough to make me search more. Using my trusty food ordering app, I took a chance and searched for vegan pizza. To my surprise, I found a spot that was in The Bronx and in delivering distance! Hallelujah!

When I found out there was vegan pizza in The Bronx, I thought it was too good to be true. I never thought I'd have it again so soon! Pizzaniste is located East Tremont Avenue right next to the beloved Frank Bee. The building is a beauty, having that aesthetic I, as a millennial, love. Walking inside, I was surprised to see that this isn’t set up like any ordinary pizza shop. With a long counter filled with fresh toppings, you have the opportunity to watch your pizza as it’s made! Fresh, vegan, and pizza was all it took to make me love Pizzaniste.

Walking into the spot, you feel like a superstar with their literal red carpet entrance. Inside, you're met with smiling faces, beautiful decor, and a long line of fresh toppings. At Pizzaniste, they make your pizza FRESH! I usually create my own pizza for $9.50 with vegan crust for $4 extra. What I love about Pizzaniste is the seemingly endless topping options. As you can see, I piled my pizza with a ton of veggies and a lovely amount of vegan cheese!

As I waited for my order, I found myself mesmerized by the interior layout. It was beautiful and simple, making the wait for pizza a surprisingly peaceful one. Once the pizza was done, it was delivered to my table on a round metal serving plate and some standard cutlery. I have never used cutlery to eat my pizza, but honestly, it didn’t matter.

The personal pizza was larger than I thought it would be and made me wonder if I could finish it all in one sitting. Plot twist: I did. While the taste wasn’t exactly that of an NYC pizza, it was a delicious alternative. For having vegan cheese and crust as well my assorted choice of vegetables, I was honestly surprised by how good it was. Even better, Pizzaniste serves regular pizza as well, making this a great place to go to with non-vegan friends! After my first visit, I couldn’t help but order it again and again and again. I highly recommend checking out Pizzaniste and trying their vegan selection for yourself.

The Bronx Vegan continually aims to highlight vegan resources like Pizzaniste and more. I know I’m not the first vegan to exist in the Bronx, and I won’t be the last! Having access to simple comfort foods within distance is so important, especially for Bronxites who need to get food fast for themselves and their families. When you think of mainstream vegan lifestyles, the Bronx isn’t typically the first place that comes to mind. My mission is to change that by sharing different ways to thrive as a vegan in the Bronx.

One way I’m working towards my goals is through a segment called "Everybody Eats!", which I've been contributing to on Veggie Mijas's platform for a while now. My goal is to find vegan meals in non-vegan restaurants in the Bronx that are affordable and delicious! If you look through Veggie Mija’s Instagram (@veggiemijas) you can find all of my submission as well as tons of other recipes and inspiring content from women of color all around the world.