Veg in the Slope, Part Deux

Last week, we talked about the in Park Slope. Fortunately, the neighborhood is home to a plethora of restaurants that, while not strictly vegetarian, offer a solid list of options for the meat-free among us.

Bonus: while a vegetarian's omnivore friends will often get cranky about visiting a meat-free restaurant, these spots offer something for everyone.

While this list is not nearly complete, here are some of our picks for Slope restaurants with good veggie-friendly eats.

This Italian spot offers a wealth of options for the meat-free. Start with a rich assemblage of eggplant, ricotta, and tomato, or an unctuous dish of eggs baked with an oregano-heavy tomato sauce and garlic. There are four meat-free salads, including a nicely sweet-tart beet salad with cherry tomatoes, shaved pecorino, and onion, and, if you're feeling decadent, you can order an entree of beet gnocchi with cream, goat cheese, shallots and arugula.

Truthfully, Dram Shop doesn't offer a wealth of vegetarian options, but we're including it here for five simple words: deep. fried. mac. and. cheese. These starchy, gooey nuggets come with spicy ketchup or house-made ranch dressing. They're probably your entire recommended caloric intake for the day, but they're so worth it. We also like Dram Shop as a vegetarian option because there aren't that many bars where, six beers in, vegetarians can get a satisfyingly greasy bite to eat.

Fornino

Fornino's grilled pizza, simple antipasti, and creative pastas are beginning to amass a cult following and there's no need for vegetarians to be left out of the fun. You could make a very satisfying meal out of the antipasti alone: an onion, goat cheese, and olive tart, vegetable ribbons with a balsamic glaze, homemade fior di latte. Or d just order one and save room for the decadent grilled ravioli stuffed with saffron risotto and served in a sauce of asparagus, lemon, and parmesan, or for a pizza topped with black truffles, fior di latte, buffalo mozzarella, and ricotta.

This sandwich spot's menu seems dedicated to making sure vegetarians have just as many options as their meat-eating brethren. While the meat-eater munches a soppressata and fresh basil panini, the vegetarian chows down on a pressed sandwich of grilled zucchini, yellow squash, and red pepper, with fresh spinach, aged provolone, and roasted garlic and black olive spreads. Where meat-eater scarfs steak squashed between two potato knishes, the vegetarian substitutes in grilled veggies and fresh mozzarella, proving that gutbusters know no dietary restrictions.

Rose Water is probably Park Slope's best bet for vegetarian-friendly fine dining. Start with a rich and creamy pumpkin soup, clean and crisp fennel and apple salad, or roasted beets with pickled veggies, cumin creme fraiche, and fourme d'ambert cheese. Move on to crave-worthy baked polenta topped with goat cheese, mushroom duxelles, brussels sprouts, and oregano pesto. And of course, as always: dessert is vegetarian.