New Peace Garden Café Brings Vegetarian Flair To United Nations, Midtown East Neighborhood
Credit: By Gary Raynaldo / Ribbon cutting at official opening of new Peace Garden Café July 18, 2019 on Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at East 47th Street and First Avenue across from United Nations world headquarters in Midtown New York. From left to right: David Cerron, Assistant Commissioner for Concession & Audit, NYC Park Department, Shashanka M. Karlen, Owner of Peace Garden Café , Sherrill Kazan, President of the Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, (front center with ribbon).
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
NEW YORK – A new vegetarian Café has moved into the Turtle Bay neighborhood, taking over the concession on Dag Hammarskjold at East 47th Street and First Avenue. The Peace Garden Café will offer innovative vegetarian and vegan food and drinks, plus coffee and tea drinks, to the United Nations diplomatic and Midtown East community.
“We hope we can create a little oasis of peaceful dining for busy diplomats and staff from the United Nations and nearby offices, as well as for families and residents of the neighborhood. And that we can show them that vegetarian and vegan food can be delicious as well as good for people and the planet.”
-Shashanka Karlen, the owner of the new Peace Garden Café
Credit: By Gary Raynaldo / Shashanka Karlen, the owner of the new Peace Garden Café, explains the concept of his vegetarian establishment located on Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in Midtown Manhattan at official opening Jul 18, 2019.
The Café will feature a variety of vegetarian burgers, which Karlen says has proven wildly popular in the mainstream food scene. Other crowd-pleasers include veggie Southern Fried Chicken, Korean Spare Ribs, “Neatloaf”, Souvlaki, Nachos and Sweet Potato Fries, as well as flavorful salads and bowls, with soft-serve gelato as a sweet treat. Thirst-quenching and healthy drinks include Ginger Mint Cooler, Pina Colada and Super Spirulina.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES Video / Shashanka Karlen, owner of the Peace Garden Café, explains concept of his vegetarian establishment located on Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in Midtown Manhattan at official opening Jul 18, 2019.
Credit: By Gary Raynaldo / Members of nearby UN Diplomatic Community pay a visit to Peace Garden at grand opening Jul 18, 2019.
Credit: By Gary Raynaldo / It was a festive day as the new Peace Garden Cafe opened with many coming to sample the vegetarian treats.
Karlen has owned two successful vegetarian restaurants in Queens, and heard about the opportunity on Dag Hammarskjold Plaza just as his popular Flushing restaurant was losing its lease after 21 years, with a new apartment building going up in its place. “I have a lifelong interest in diplomacy as well as good food,” Karlen said, who has also edited several books on groundbreaking political figures such as Mikhail Gorbachev. “So this Peace Garden Café brings together two of my passions in a fortuitous way,” he said. Situated across from the UN garden, the Café aims to support the UN goals of creating a more peaceful and sustainable world, Karlan said. Karlen is is from Switzerland, and has been vegetarian since the 1980s. Karlen has promoted vegetarian food in his homeland of Switzerland for many years. Karlen’s goal is to prove that not only is vegetarian food healthy, it can be very tasty as well.
Credit: By Gary Raynaldo / Patrons of the Peace Garden enjoyed the good music and tasty vegetarian treats.
Credit: By Gary Raynaldo / Relaxing with good music in the background at the Peace Garden.
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / Inside the Peace Garden where the food is cooked, and customers can order meals to go.
The New Peace Garden Replaced Dag’s Patio Cafe Which Closed Last Winter
Credit: nycgovparks.org / Dag’s used to be in the concession site at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza where the Peace Garden has now opened.
Dag’s, which served up fast-food including burgers, hot dogs & breakfast in nondescript digs across from the UN, closed last winter.
The new Peace Garden Café will be open in its start up phase this summer from 11 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday, closed Sundays. Evening hours featuring music and cultural events will be announced.
