Govinda’s Vegetarian

The place was pretty nice lol. When I saw that the place was described as a cafeteria, I was worried that it was gonna look like those cafeteria’s from my high school years. Those brought horrid memories especially with the food. CRY. Fortunately, it wasn’t like that, phew
Atmosphere: The restaurant is at the basement [lol, dont be creeped out]. It has a classy, nice yet casual cafeteria-​ish type of dining area. There is a wall painting of a Hindu god, a few chandeliers, a couple of cute flower decorations! Hahaha, see? Now that’s seems pretty nice.
Food: Everything is VEGETARIAN! Their small menu changes daily. However, their menu items range from decent-​delicious. It’s also very recently-​good priced ESPECIALLY THE WHOLE MEAL VERSION! Ooh, btw get the FREE drinks at the end of the food ordering line: i love the green mint iced tea [trust me so refreshing!!!]
Price: Very cheap-​reasonable! At most, for a whole meal, you’ll probably pay like around $ 13 for a huge meal! The whole entre came with a salad too. ;D
Workers: The servers are really nice and friendly. They are willing to answer any questions you have!
End: If I’m in the area [btw very nearby the Brooklyn Bridge Park, so if you wanna hang around there, definetly drop by], I will drop by!

My favorite types of restaurants in Brooklyn are those that you can walk right past and not even know they were there. Govinda’s takes that a step further; you can walk inside and STILL not realize that a buffet of delicious vegetarian food is waiting for you just below your feet.
As the second most hipster thing I’ve ever said (refer to Bunna Café in Bushwick for the first), Govinda’s is some of the best (and only!) vegetarian food I’ve had in the basement of a Hare Krishna temple. Say what? Thank god I had Unilocal lead to me this place, as I’d never discover it otherwise.
Each day, they offer a completely different menu of vegetarian mains, sides, salads, and desserts. If you are terrible at making decisions like me, or just want to try everything, definitely get the complete meal for only $ 12. There is literally nowhere else in the city that you can get amazing food in epic proportions for such a low cost.
It always includes a curried type of light soup with a fresh salad, and AMAZING freshly baked bread. From there, the possibilities are endless; the menu changes every single day and is usually updated on their Facebook page. Once I had pasta salad, mixed vegetables, veggie keftas, and chickpeas, while today I had a tofu fillet, rice with chili, broccoli, and cabbage with potatoes. Their meals tend to have a lot of curry flavors and lean heavily on carbs/​starches, but I’m not complaining one bit.
And whatever you do, do. not. skip. dessert. If there is cheesecake available, get it. It’s a huge slice for $ 4, but perfectly rich, creamy, and decadent. All said and done, you’ll probably get 3 meals out of the complete set with your leftovers, and you’ll still never get tired of eating.
The food is really simple and definitely tastes homemade, but I mean that in the best way possible. The lines at prime lunch hours definitely attest to Govinda’s popularity, but everyone is really nice and the line moves quickly. Keep your eyes peeled for the sign on street level and be prepared to eat your weight in vegetarian goodies.

From bread to salad to main dish, they don’t cut corners. Everything is extremely flavorful, and the kitchari with yogurt is the creamiest and richest version of the dish I’ve ever had. The only thing I don’t like is their free «juice» — it’s too sweet and artificial. But the free infused water is great. Restrooms are clean and the staff here is sooo friendly. Here is the weekly menu on rotation:
Monday — kitchari
Tuesday — tofu
Wednesday — nut loaf
Thursday — eggplant parm
Friday — parm and whole wheat pasta

I have been to Govinda’s Veg a few times. The food here is super amazing. And tye stuff are very friedly. In addition, they give you more than enough food. I highly recommend this place.

So delicious and all vegetarian! Absolutely loved it. The full meal is so much good you can easily share. Although I didn’t and almost ate everything just because it was delicious.

Incredible food for a great price. A miracle and so delicious!

Perfection. The food is amazing and the people are great. Only issue is eating too much! Best kind of problems anyone can have.
Try the cheesecake!!! A must have.

I’m vegetarian and have lived within walking distance of Govinda’s for about seven years now. I don’t know why I waited so long, except I was a little intimidated to walk through the Hare Krishna temple to the basement, which sounds ridiculous even as I type it …
Thankfully, I am totally over that after my first visit. I got the $ 10 full meal deal, which was fully twice more food than I needed and I am not a dainty eater. Rice, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas in a spicy sauce, a sort of grain meatloaf, greens with cauliflower, two kinds of salad, soup, bread and lemonade. I think my favorite was the grain loaf, but really I loved the whole absurd array because of all the different textures, colors and flavors.
Which is good news, because I will be eating it again tomorrow.
Friendly and quick, it’s one of the best lunch deals in the neighborhood.

Not the type of place you would expect in the heart of Brooklyn, but surprisingly one of my favorite lunch spots in the city. They offer cafeteria style dining, nestled in the basement of a Hare Krishna Temple. The space is very peaceful, and the people working are especially kind. The food is out of this world — all vegan or vegetarian — with a changing daily menu. I’ve been here many times and I’ve never been disappointed. The portions are generous and all for around $ 6-​$ 8. Give it a try, you will be hooked!

Great place, and great alternative atmosphere to the pretentious places popping up all over the place along with the new skyscrapers. Staff and food are excellent, even the free side of bread is great. Hearty meal for $ 7, or really stuff your face for $ 10 and spicy aromatic food that I could eat every day. Nice big tables for groups, and the line isn’t that long after the intiall 12 – 12:30 rush.

I love their lunch, it is always tasty, the eggplant parm is really good. Another plus is the free juice. I definitely recommend, and it is healthy

Great find thanks to Unilocal!Completely unexpected place to eat, hidden underground of a Hindu temple. They serve very good quality vegetarian food in nice quantities and pretty cheap! It is $ 7 for 3 items, $ 8 for 4 and 10 for a complete meal. I was full with 3 items and the free bread ! Also the people serving are very welcoming. Lots of space and cosy feeling. Very relaxing oriental/​Asian music. I highly recommend !!

Very tasty food. Happy i stumbled on this spot. MY only qualm is sometimes they be trying it during the end of lunch hour when they barely fill ya plate up! Or when i be getting burnt food sometimes but other than that i love it!

This place is AMAZING!!! The food is GREAT! The prices are fantastic! The staff is AWESOME!!! I had water, two salads, soup and a full meal for $ 11 and they have free juice in a cup if you drink juice. So yummy! I had the cheesecake… OMG. yummers! The guy told me that the «crust» is made from cupcakes. DELICIOUS!

Came here one time over a year ago for lunch with a friend. It was a bit hard to find cause its in the basement of a Buddhist temple but I loved the down-​to-​earth, no frills vibe of the place.
To order: Walk up to the cafeteria-​style counter. Tell the dude how many items you want. Pick and choose your items. He’ll place your food in a Styrofoam tray. You pay and then, you’re good to go. Make sure to get the free spicy pickled veggies near the cash register. They also have complimentary water and some type of sugary drink in self-​serve orange containers.
Love the perfectly fluffy texture of their jasmine rice. And the fake meatloaf. Good quality vegetarian food near downtown Brooklyn.

Excellent dal, beans, nicely cooked rice, amazing bread and wonderful vegetarian options. Had an amazing meal for only $ 7 (2 veggie + bread + rice + dal)
The eating area is a little dark, very simple, it’s perhaps a bit closed in as there’s no natural light, but the food is so delicious that it is ok and you will forget about it.
I also wish they served in environmentally healthier plates for the «eating to stay» clients as I really hate styrofoam. wish they use paper instead or perhaps some stainelss steel dishes… hope they will consider as suggestion.
I will go back when in the area.
Thank you!
Namaste :)

Oh. My… Gosh. Best $ 10 lunch option in the area. SO GOOD. Seriously i’m hooked. The bread was fresh baked, light n fluffy. The sauce that came with the breaded tofu was incredible. even the «refried» beans had a great flavor, nothing too spicey and enough food for leftovers!!.‘
Not thrilled about the Styrofoam packaging for «to go» meals but oh well.

So delicious and totally affordable! You can get a «complete meal» for only $ 10 and it’s a lot of amazing food! This place feels so communal, you sit at open tables with strangers in a cafeteria like setting. The servers are so friendly. My new favorite spot. I will have to go back and try a $ 1 cookie!

I got an allergic reaction from something I ate there and wrote them a message on Facebook politely asking for the ingredients to try to identify what the culprit could be as per my doctor’s orders. UPDATE: They did get back to me.
As for the review of the place/​food itself — as everyone has noted its in the basement of a temple. Very plain and almost cafeteria /​soup kitchen setting. There’s a small section with the food that is served buffet style (CASH ONLY). Everything is vegan/​vegetarian and the menu changes daily. Thursdays and Fridays are the most popular days because those are the days they serve eggplant parmesan.
The food itself is affordable — $ 4 for one item, $ 6 for 2 items and $ 7 for one item with 3 sides. There’s an $ 8 and $ 10 option as well and they give you a good amount of food. $ 4 for cake and $ 1 for cookies
It was a little confusing though because given their menu I should’ve been able to get 2 eggplant parms for $ 6 but was told I would have to pay $ 8 if I did that. The wording of the menu did not make that clear at all.
SERVICE:
There’s a woman there who was very friendly and pleasant, but there was also a guy there helping her who had a sourpuss face, unfriendly demeanor and nasty attitude. He made me feel uncomfortable every time I went up to look at the food (I got some food to go at the end of my meal) and made me not want to go back.
While he was already in a sour mood before I had any interaction with him, I think the later bad vibes he sent my way stemmed from the fact that I handed him money over the counter and instead of him looking to see that there were quarters in my hand he simply dragged the money out of my hand, which resulted in some quarters ending up in the quinoa.
He looked annoyed at me even though had he been paying attention he could have avoided that accident. (p.s. — he didn’t change the quinoa container after picking the quarters out. EEK!)
TIP #1: If you have t-​mboile there’s no internet connection in the basement
TIP #2: CASH ONLY!
TIP #3: Go on eggplant day (Thursday and Friday) but go early because it’s their busiest day and they do sell out
Major gripes — very short operating hours, they do run out of the stuff you want, and the line can get really long

This place is truly amazing! When Unilocal came up with Govindas while searching for food near work, I was not entirely sure what to expect since even though the name suggested an Indian place, the food pics suggested a varied cuisine (eggplant parm, cheesecake?!)It was a pleasant surprise to find out it was in the basement of a temple, giving me an opportunity to visit both the temple upstairs and sample the tasty fare downstairs.
Every morsel here is seasoned to perfection. The salads and side dishes with zucchini and quinoa are not exactly Indian food but they have managed to combine the best flavours of both Indian and western cuisine to create an extraordinary fare equally palatable to everyone. My favorites are the eggplant parm and the delicious salads.
The desserts look heavenly (I am yet to try those since sugar highs in the middle of the day are not good for the rest of my work day).The best part is that they have managed to make the food light and non greasy while still retaining the taste, making this a perfect place to hit up for lunch.
The free pickles and lemon flavored water are a nice touch to make you fall even more in love with this unassuming place. The prices are really low and you kinda get the feeling that here, it’s more about people enjoying the food than actually making a profit. The people serving the food are super nice as are those who come to eat here. Many a time, total strangers who seem to be regulars here have offered tips on what to get. I guess good food brings out the best in people. Definitely unique and hugely satisfying!

By now my fiancé doesn’t bat an eye when we’re in NYC for a wedding, and I tell him that after we pick up his tux, there’s a Hindu temple that serves a cash only vegetarian lunch in the basement around the corner and this is probably where we should go eat. Like of all the places we could go to eat, I’m walking him down stairs to what looks and feels like a soup kitchen for those without a place to call home.
Of course everyone there is super pleasant. I mean like, when we asked if was cash only, we were told «it is, but if you don’t have it, you can pay us some other day.» The two of us shared a $ 10 platter which pretty much got us everything that was left on the buffet (getting there later in the day means that some items are gone already!) and then ordered some other misc stuff too. Seating is family style at round banquet tables, so buddy up with anybody among the mix of people and families that only a vegetarian lunch in the basement of a hindu temple would be able to bring together.

You’ll be hard pressed to find better tasting vegetarian dishes served from a friendlier staff.
Would definitely recommend and try again.

Govinda’s is the type of place you’d never expect to find in NYC, with the added benefit of actually being *IN* NYC.
A true hidden gem, nestled in the basement of a Hare Krishna temple in downtown Brooklyn, Govinda’s offers top notch food made with love at prices fit for a pauper’s wallet.
GV has a constantly revolving menu, so don’t expect the same thing twice! Fret not, because everything here is crafted to perfection reminiscent of your mother’s kitchen, with an environment just as peaceful and loving.
I come here as often as I can, which is still not often enough!
Tip: Free flavored water and teas!

I have been eating at this place for a long while now and let me tell you, these guys are great!!!
I would eat here every day if I could! The food is delicious, inexpensive, the portions are big and you don’t feel guilty afterwards. Honestly the best and most consistent vegetarian food in Brooklyn.

Pure magic!
Orange! pink! mint!
Plant based & delicious!
No dead animals
Happy plants
Happy belly
$
Friendly staff :)
Blue gods playing flute under paradise Apple tree
Will be RIGHT BACK HERE !!!

I’m so glad I finally had a chance to come by. I came here earlier this week after running some errands on a rare weekday off work. I’ve been to a Govinda’s in Dublin, so I assumed this location would be similar. Indeed, this place is pretty similar to the canteen in Dublin: for a small sum of money, one can get a heaping pile of food that will nourish your soul and your body (or so I like to think).
The server was a sweet young woman who was happy to hear that I’ve been to another location. After I told her I wanted to try their full meal set, she gave me my food in a to-​go box, just in case I couldn’t finish everything. Good call on her part because I didn’t end up finishing everything and I did have to bring some of it home. The menu changes daily and on the day I went, there was a black-​eyed peas dish, a paneer dish, and a cauliflower dish. The salad had lentils in it and everything was fairly light and not heavy tasting. Which is good, considering how much they heap onto your plate.
I wish they were open at other hours, but I’m just glad that they exist within NYC. Will definitely consider coming back here if I happen to be even remotely in this area during their open hours.

I love this place! Part of me wants it to remain it’s beautiful little secret. However, I’m on Unilocal to share the secrets with my friends.
I am a pescatarian but love going strict vegetarian. Govinda’s is the best place to be vegetarian. Vegetarian here does not mean grease, cheese or processed. Quiet the contrary, everything I have here taste delicious and utilizes, grains and vegetables with spices. You will find some cheese sometimes and it is still delicious!
The portions are always generous. I do 3 sides and sometimes I can’t even finish my plate. I always do 2 warm sides and a salad. The salad always has options of toppings such as beets with feta. Yes and Yes! One Friday I came and as if they were waiting for me. I ordered the eggplant parmesan. There was a roasted cauliflower side and the salad with beets and feta. All ingredients I love! The eggplant was perfection! Sometimes I come here specifically for eggplant.
The menu is always changing. I have been there a number of times and still manage to try something new. It’s delicious, cheap, filing and you will leave here happy!
The secret is officially out!

I feel like I’ve just hit the jackpot.
And by jackpot, I mean I’ve discovered delicious, cheap, fresh food in the most unexpected place imaginable. Yes, I’m talking about in the basement of a hare krishna temple. Don’t you just love that?
You can wander past this place without doing a double take. There’s no large neon sign. No flyers. No people advertising outside. It’s good ol’ fashioned word-​of-​mouth marketing and of course many thanks to all of you. When you walk in, look past the man that sits by the door and past the temple services and to your right you will find Govinda’s. Picture this: Walk down a flight of stairs into what looks like a much-​needed-​rennovation space that reminds me of an older catering hall/​cafeteria. The walls are a interesting shade of green and it’s a veryyyy casual atmosphere. And… I love all of it.
The staff here is incredibly friendly and always have a smile on their faces. If you look at the sign on the wall (see picture) it’ll tell you the price breakdown. Everything is made that day (buffet style) and fresh out of the kitchen. Their desserts for the most part are vegan so if you have dietary restrictions, always ask! They’re very accommodating.
As for the food. Holy cow (irony, I know) this stuff is GOOD. No GREAT. They offer vegetarian/​vegan options without sacrificing any flavor. I’ve been able to each lunch here (Mon-​Fri 12:00 — 3:30pm) a few times and their star dish IMO has to be the eggplant parm. It’s not your traditional eggplant parm by any means in that there’s a underlying hint of curry with every bite. Super «meaty» and cheesy. I’ve also had their: pumpkin soup, quinoa salad, curry chickpeas, roasted curry potatoes/​veggies, vegan cookies and cupcakes. Their meals come with their own homemade multigrain bread which is pretty stellar like everything else.
Not only are the portions pretty hefty (I have yet to finish my full lunch), but they’re very reasonably priced. Everything I’ve had here has been nothing short of amazing. I’m looking forward to becoming one of their «regulars».
***TIP! Their daily offerings are usually posted on their facebook page. So check that out: