Maddie James
Candle 79 was a vegan restaurant located at 154 E 79th St in New York, NY. It served a variety of vegan dishes, including seitan piccata, vegetable paella, and chocolate brownie sundaes. The restaurant offered brunch, lunch, and dinner options, with a separate menu for brunch that included vegan pancakes and waffles. Candle 79 also featured an eco bar that stocked completely organic and sustainable liquors. Unfortunately, Candle 79 is now permanently closed. The Candle franchise has since reopened in a new location in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood, serving a menu that merges the best dishes from Candle Cafe and Candle 79.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Candle 79 |
| Location | 154 E 79th St, New York, NY 10075, United States |
| Cuisine | Vegan, Vegetarian |
| Menu | Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Drinks |
| Brunch Menu | Vegan pancakes, waffles, organic sake, and champagne cocktails |
| Drinks Menu | Beer, Wine, Full Bar, Cocktails, Mocktails |
| Features | Credit Cards, No Wi-Fi, No Outdoor Seating, Street Parking, Restroom |
| Founders/Owners | Bart Potenza, Joy Pierson, Andy D'Amico |
| Chefs | Angel Ramos, Jorge Pineda |
| Status | Permanently Closed |
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What You'll Learn
Candle 79 served vegan cuisine
Candle 79, located at 154 E 79th St, New York, served vegan cuisine. The restaurant was opened in 2003 by Bart Potenza and Joy Pierson, who also owned the Candle Cafe. Candle 79 was an upscale vegan restaurant that served organic, local, and sustainable food and drinks. The menu included dishes such as seitan piccata, vegetable paella with smoky seitan sausage, inventive seasonal salads, and chocolate brownie sundaes with house-made vegan ice cream. The restaurant also had a full bar with an impressive cocktail list, including the Tree Hugger cocktail, made with Veev, an alternative to vodka. For every Tree Hugger cocktail ordered, a meter of rainforest was saved.
Candle 79 was known for its delicious, creative, beautifully presented, health-conscious, and plant-based food. The restaurant had a chic and relaxing space, including touches of feng shui, and live music on Monday and Tuesday evenings. It was a favourite spot for neighbourhood regulars and celebrities like Sir Paul McCartney and Alicia Silverstone.
The Candle franchise, which included Candle Cafe and Candle 79, closed in 2024 after nearly three decades in business. However, in spring 2025, the business reopened a new 52-seat location in Manhattan simply called "Candle." The new restaurant serves many of the iconic dishes that made the Candle franchise a longtime favourite, including the signature seitan piccata, chimichurri skewers, mezze platter, grilled kale salad, and polenta fries. The menu also includes a brunch menu with dishes such as vegan pancakes and waffles, as well as mocktails and alcohol versions of cocktails.
The culinary team behind the Candle franchise, including owner/chef Jorge Pineda and executive chef Angel Ramos, are dedicated to serving delicious, cruelty-free, and gourmet vegan cuisine. The chefs have honed these healthy-but-delicious dishes for decades, reflecting the pinnacle of vegan cuisine before the emergence of packaged plant-based meats. The dishes are decadent yet wholesome and are reflective of the "mindful eating" message of the restaurant. Tofu and seitan are the primary proteins, with a focus on vegetables, beans, and grains.
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The restaurant is now closed
Candle 79, the beloved vegan restaurant in New York City, is now closed. The restaurant was a pioneer in the city's vegan culinary scene, serving delicious and healthy plant-based cuisine for nearly three decades. Candle 79 was known for its creative and beautifully presented dishes, as well as its commitment to using fresh, local, and organic ingredients.
The restaurant was founded in 2003 by Bart Potenza and Joy Pierson, the proprietors of the famous Candle Cafe. Candle 79 was an ""upscale vegan" oasis, combining delicious food with a chic and eco-friendly atmosphere. The menu featured specialties such as Chef Angel's interpretation of classics like seitan piccata, vegetable paella with smoky seitan sausage, inventive seasonal salads, and decadent chocolate brownie sundaes with house-made vegan ice cream. The restaurant also offered a brunch menu, including vegan pancakes and waffles, as well as a full bar with organic and sustainable liquors.
Candle 79 was a favourite spot for neighbourhood regulars and celebrities alike, known for its gracious and knowledgeable service. The restaurant was also committed to activism and positive change, with every drink sold supporting organisations dedicated to making a difference. The closure of Candle 79 is a loss for the community, but the legacy of the restaurant lives on in the hearts of those who dined there and in the evolution of New York City's vegan food scene.
While Candle 79 may be closed, the spirit of the restaurant continues. The owners have since reopened a new location simply called "Candle", serving many of the iconic dishes that made the original Candle 79 a longtime favourite. This new restaurant in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighbourhood marks the rebirth of the franchise, with plans for additional locations in the works, including one focused on vegan Thai food.
In addition to the new Candle location, the owners have also merged the best of Candle Cafe and Candle 79 into a unified menu, offering the most-loved dishes from both restaurants. This includes signature items such as seitan piccata, chimichurri skewers, mezze platter, grilled kale salad, and polenta fries. The new menu is available at the Candle location in Manhattan, carrying on the tradition of delicious and decadent vegan cuisine that Candle 79 helped to establish.
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It served brunch, lunch and dinner
Candle 79, a vegan restaurant in New York City, served brunch, lunch, and dinner. The restaurant was located on the Upper East Side at 154 E 79th St. It was opened in 2003 by Bart Potenza and Joy Pierson, who also own the Candle Cafe. Candle 79 was an upscale vegan restaurant, serving organic and locally sourced food with an emphasis on health.
The brunch menu featured vegan pancakes and waffles, as well as cocktails made with organic sake and champagne. The restaurant served a variety of vegan dishes, including seitan piccata, vegetable paella with smoky seitan sausage, inventive seasonal salads, and chocolate brownie sundaes with house-made vegan ice cream. The menu also included a range of gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free options.
Candle 79 was known for its impressive cocktail list, including the Tree Hugger cocktail, made with Veev, an alternative to vodka. The restaurant also had a commitment to sustainability, with an "eco bar" that only stocked organic and sustainable liquors. In addition to its alcoholic offerings, Candle 79 also served a variety of mocktails.
The restaurant was open Monday through Saturday from noon to 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm, and on Sundays from noon to 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Unfortunately, Candle 79 is now permanently closed. However, the Candle franchise has reopened with a new location simply called "Candle," serving many of the iconic dishes that made the original restaurants a favorite among foodies.
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It had a full bar and served cocktails
Candle 79, a vegan restaurant in New York City, offered a full bar and served cocktails. The restaurant was located on the Upper East Side and was known for its delicious organic vegan cuisine and intimate romantic wine bar.
The restaurant's bar featured an "eco-bar," meaning it only stocked completely organic and sustainable liquors. This set Candle 79 apart from other restaurants in New York City. The bar also offered a variety of cocktails, including the Tree Hugger, made with Veev, an alternative to vodka, and the Spiced Pumpkinhead, made with Crop Pumpkin vodka, apple, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
In addition to its unique cocktail offerings, Candle 79 also served brunch, with options such as vegan pancakes and waffles, as well as organic sake and champagne cocktails. The restaurant was highly regarded for its food and service, with many customers praising the dynamic flavours and stylish presentation of the dishes.
The restaurant was also known for its chic and relaxing space, which included touches of feng shui and live music on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The owner, Johnny, once held a two-hour open bar as a way of "giving back" to the neighbourhood, surprising many of his bar regulars with the quality of the food.
Candle 79 was established in 2003 by Bart Potenza and Joy Pierson, who also owned the famous Candle Cafe. The restaurant aimed to provide an upscale vegan experience and quickly became a favourite among neighbourhood regulars and celebrities alike.
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It was located on 79th Street, New York
Candle 79 was located on 79th Street in New York. The upscale vegan restaurant was situated in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, at 154 East 79th Street, to be precise. It was established in 2003 by Bart Potenza and Joy Pierson, who also ran the famous Candle Cafe.
Candle 79 was known for its delicious organic vegan cuisine, with a focus on local and seasonal ingredients. The menu included creative interpretations of classic dishes, such as seitan piccata, vegetable paella with smoky seitan sausage, inventive seasonal salads, and decadent desserts like chocolate brownie sundaes with house-made vegan ice cream. The restaurant also offered a brunch menu, featuring vegan pancakes and waffles, as well as a variety of cocktails and mocktails.
The space itself was described as a "gorgeous duplex" with a chic, relaxing atmosphere, including touches of feng shui and live music on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The restaurant was a favourite among both neighbourhood regulars and celebrities.
Unfortunately, Candle 79 is now permanently closed. The Candle franchise, which included Candle Cafe and Candle 79, closed its three restaurants in 2024 after nearly three decades in business. However, the owners have since reopened a new location simply called "Candle" in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighbourhood, serving many of the iconic dishes that made the original restaurants so popular.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Candle 79 is permanently closed.
Yes, Candle 79 served a delicious Saturday and Sunday brunch, featuring vegan pancakes and waffles and organic sake and champagne cocktails.
Candle 79 served organic vegan cuisine, fresh from local farm to table. The menu included specialties like Chef Angel's interpretation of classics like seitan piccata, vegetable paella with smoky seitan sausage, inventive seasonal salads, and decadent chocolate brownie sundaes with house-made vegan ice creams.
Yes, Candle 79 had an "eco bar" that only stocked completely organic and sustainable liquors.
No, Candle 79 did not have outdoor seating.
