The Cinnamon Snail

A dream come true: great vegan lunch near Penn Station.

True story: I have actually dreamt that I entered some contest for a band to perform nearby because the deal came with their food truck, and in the dream, I won the contest, and the band came to talk to me and I was like, you're in the way of the food truck.
Their donuts are the best.
Their savory food is good, too.
But really, their donuts.

First time eating at Cinnamon Snail. I take the train in and out of Penn Station frequently and am going to make this a go-to spot for a quick bite when time is short. The cashier recommended the Beastmode Burger Deluxe: ancho chili seitan burger grilled in maple hickory bbq sauce with jalapeno mac n cheese, arugula, smoked chili coconut bacon, and chipotle mayo on a grilled pretzel bun. It was very flavorful -- spicy but not too spicy. Next time I try the sweets. When I was there mid-day there was no line and seats to be found. A good, quick place for vegan food.

The cinnamon snail is very well located in Madison Square Garden. They offer amazing vegan donuts and a few burgers. I took the Deluxe one. It was good but I expected more: the steak was a bit dry and the burger is relatively small. I liked it but it was not my favorite in NYC. I hope they will develop more burgers and keep doing their tasty donuts. The staff is friendly and the service is quick. You should try it at least once!

I had the beast mode burger, and was not disappointed. Cinnamon snail has some of the best vegan doughnuts I've ever tried. I kept coming back for the doughnuts alone, location is perfect right next to Madison Square Garden.

great location next to madison square gardens. we had red curry grilled tofu burger and tortilla wrap with korean bbq seitan and kale. was lovely. finished with two donuts (choc and raspberry)

Made this a stop a point in my travel itinerary! I was not disappointed. The donuts and the cinnamon snail was amazing!!!

Updated from previous review on 2016-10-27

I visited here twice and it was amazing! My friend and I tried various burgers/sandwiches and both tried different baked goods and had nothing but good things to say. Will definitely visit here again and again and again

We unfortunately only had time for a quick snack, so we grabbed a seitan tart and two donuts. Wow! Everything was delicious, and the tart was especially memorable - flaky crust, savory filling, creamy cashew cheese. Will definitely go out of my way to eat here again next time I'm in NYC.

Very good burgers and dougnuts. Watch out if you don't like spicy food though, one of their burger is.

The cinnamon snail is one of several resturants and bars that share dining space inside the Pennsy which is the food court area of Penn Station in NYC.

Cons:
Not a complaint or con really, but I would like a spiciness chart or some indicator so we can order a mild dish easily.
When we have gone most of the food/meals have been on the spicier sounding side as a whole dish on the consistent (I think it's actually per season): they really love flavorful spicy foods. But if you can't do spicy you are left with the baked goods- a few of which are usually savory and most of which are sweet. I am sure there are middle of the road treats (ask). I love spicy but can't do it for medical reasons.
The "cinnamon snail" is the only treat we really haven't enjoyed as much (dry). :(

Pros:
The sweets are really great, though we have found they lean on the sweeter side (we like, others may not).
It's all vegan.
The staff are really nice.
Even when the lines are long the service is really fast typically because they make the goodies ahead of time.
Prices aren't bad for NYC or even most vegan bakeries.

Other:
Last time we were there they had a 10$ minimum for credit card purchases which is pretty standard.
Their meal menu and sweets menu are somewhat different every time we have been, we go every few months so they are likely seasonal or similar.

The dining area/Pennsy-food court area:
Is fairly spacious, offers several different types of seating from small raised tables for 4 or less, to a large table lower to the ground, to the bar (likely requires purchase from the bar itself which isn't vegan) in the corner with bar stools and a counter.
There is also some outdoor seating for Pennsy customers.
The court opens fairly late in the morning, and is one of the few things I dislike about this place. The other is if you are squeamish- a seafood resturant and a dedicated meat resturant share the dining space right as you enter or leave the area.
Convenience if you are traveling via Penn station, it's on the ground level so it isn't far at all to travel.
It is accessible to wheelchairs and also has a (small) nicer bathroom (then in the train station itself) on the floor above it just for customers of the Pennsy resturants via elevator and escalator, tucked around the corner.
It's been very clean every time we have been.
The atmosphere is nice- not too bright or dark, there's some natural light from windows and glass doors.
Not too loud, but there are TVs and talking patron

Love that you are holding your own in the Pennsy!!
I only had bakery items as had eaten earlier, but the 3 items I purchased were very good. Thank you!!!! For Being Vegan. #saveeverythinggovegan

this place is great. i have only been to it once but it was busy. they are very popular, but my wait was not long at all. the food is so good. i need to come here more often!

Updated from previous review on 2016-09-20

Short, fast line, AMAZING risen donuts (had the pumpkin pie and chocolate peanutbutter), and the Beastmode Burger. Wish the burger were a bit bigger for $11+, but delicious enough to make me buy again. I would be happily fat living in NYC by this place!!

My sister and I ate lunch here after having heard about their famed food truck. We went at about 3pm on a Wednesday and didn't have to wait in line at all. My sister are the beast burger and I had the red curry tofu - both were delicious and what incredible flavors for vegan fast food!!! We tried the donuts too and our favorite was the blueberry rhubarb. Definitely eat here, really delicious and great flavors.

Great food, friendly staff, just great!

Mind blowing out of this world delicious incredible but I almost had no idea it was there because it's not a food truck it's connected to Madison Square Garden and food mall to the right with a big red neon sign PENNSY.


Walk in and it's on your left about three food places up and it's delicious mind blowing I had a cinnamon bun and a sandwich

We tried both their burgers, my fav and also the most popular was the beastmode burger deluxe.
We also tried the cinnamon roll (amazing and better than at by Chloe, we got some more to go) and donut and croissant (both good).
The burgers were too spicy for me but otherwise absolutely delicious, filled with lots of greens and a large patty.
They are located in a food court called Pennsy, lots of seating and restroom available.
They had the biggest queue in the food court, other fast foods were empty.

My husband and I recently visited New York and went to the cinnamon snail for lunch .
My husband had the tempeh bbq gluten free burger which he just gobbled up. It was very good.
I had
Gouchujang Burger

with sautéed kimchi, arugula, pickled red onions, black sesame gomasio and sriracha mayonnaise on a grilled pretzel bun, I did not have the pretzel bun as I wanted it gluten free - so it came on greens and quinoa.
All very huge and yummy.

We came here twice during our visit to NYC and the service was amazing both times. The beast mode burger was off the chain. We also tried the Korean joint, but preferred the burger for sure.

Well. Big shout out to Happy Cow for leading me to Cinnamon Snail. I know I know, vegan food isn't hard to find in NYC but I wanted GOOD vegan food. The line at the Cinnamon Snail was so so long and the other counters, not so much which makes me psyched that so many people are eating vegan. I had a Beastmode Burger, sooooo good!!!! Not the healthiest lunch in the world but really satisfying and delicious. I also took 6
Donuts to go!

Inventive handheld food in the Pennsy. Both sandwiches & baked goods were really good.

It was so nice to see the longest line outside the Cinnamon Snail!! The meals are so imaginative and tasty. I had the weekly special which was a miso teriyaki sea veggie burger with wasabi Mayo and arugula. Delicious and the patty was very solid and filled with flavor. I wasn't as impressed with the Cinnamon roll but that could be because I had Dun Well donuts that morning (best donuts ever!). Despite the long lines, service was fast and lots of seating since most people left with their food. Love it and now I want the cookbook.

Beastmode burger is delicious! Burger patty texture a bit mushy, but sauces, toppings and bun made for a great sandwich. Omnivore cinnamon roll lover eating with me liked the cinnamon roll too.

The sandwiches and burgers are amazing here, and some of the best in the city. The real treat though are the doughnuts, which are absolutely otherworldly! Seriously the best doughnuts you will ever eat in your life whether you are vegan or not. I can't say enough good things about this place! I bought the cook book and you should too. My only complaint is that in their new permanent location they don't offer breakfast. I visited the food truck the last time I was in NYC and had the greatest breakfast of my life. Anyway, one of the best vegan joints on the planet!

I got a burger with coconut bacon and Mac and cheese so it will make me gain 5 pounds, but totally worth it. I've been off sugar for a while but I just had to try their doughnuts. I had maple bacon and it was definitely overpoweringly sweet. My taste buds must have adjusted because image doughnut was a bit too much for me, but still fantastic. I'm so happy they have a permanent location now because I kept missing the food truck when I came to town but this was right by my hotel.

First time eating at the Cinnamon Snail was definitely not a disappointment. We got the beastmode burger, an open-faces Korean seitan sandwich, and a cinnamon role. All were great. The current location at the Pennsy makes this place easy to track down, so you have no excuse to not go.

After I heard the Cinnamon Snail would be closing at the end of the month, I knew I had to visit it. They said they would be in the Financial District today but ended up having to go to Flatiron because of mechanical problems. Ended up going there anyway because I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I got the 5 spice lemongrass seitan sandwich & a couple donuts. The sandwich was really delicious but covered my hands in grease. The donuts were good but really rich and thick. I'd definitely pay it another visit if it weren't closing so soon.

A wide variety of pastries and delicious sandwiches prepared by a wonderfully friendly staff. The long lines populated by people who don't appear to be vegan are a testament to the delicious food.

SO GOOD! It was a rainy day so there was only 2 people in front of me. The service was quick and friendly. I got the Korean BBQ with greens. Yummy and not too spicy...but I like spice and flavor. I also tried the Thai Basil donut= YUM.

Since July now, me and my boyfriend go every Sunday for cinnamon snail! They're so friendly! Theirs not one thing their that you will not like! It's so good!!!

The food was good and filling. My girlfriend can't handle spicy foods, and the item she ordered wasn't marked "spicy," but was actually quite spicy, so she had to throw a lot of it away.

The desserts were OK, but not too spectacular.

Overall, I'd go again, but I wouldn't extend a ton of effort to find it, if there's something else available.

These guys have had a tough time of it the past couple of months....Since we ate there in March, they've had to replace their van (crowd funded I may add, how awesome) and now new strict parking regulations are making life incredibly difficult for all food trucks in NYC.

So, it is even more important that where possible, you track down the snail and go support them! Their food is fantastic, the menu is different and interesting....I tried things I have never eaten before and haven't been able to find since!

Their treats/donuts are delightful too, you can't queue up all that time and just get one thing, haha!
The staff are so enthusiastic as well, I admire their passion. They even remembered my friend's name who had been out the country for several months!

Only downside as a customer is the queue- but this is great for them and just shows why they have been voted one of the best places to eat in NYC- it is well deserved!

Vegans in New York and New Jersey's hearts skip a beat when they find the elusive Cinnamon Snail. The truck drives to different locations in Manhattan throughout the week to deliver vegan goodness to its various constituents. If you follow the Snail on Twitter or Facebook, you can find out where the truck will be on any given day. The Snail also usually makes a stop in Jersey City on Thursdays by the Grove Street PATH in the Spring and Summer months. The truck is based out of Manalapan, New Jersey, I believe.

The sandwiches are absolutely delicious! They have sandwiches made with tempeh, seitan, and tofu. The flavors are wild as well, and include truffle, Korean BBQ, etc etc. Often, though, the sandwiches share ingredients that can detract from the experience if you are crazy like I am and chase the truck for a week to try a different sandwich each time. They use arugula in most sandwiches, so it's almost like many of the sandwiches share a common flavor, even if they are very different sandwiches.

Their desserts are absolutely delicious! I highly recommend the donuts they make with Makers Mark. Their brownies, cookies, and other sweets are also absolutely decadent. I haven't yet had breakfast at the Snail, but I bet it's great, too.

The Cinnamon Snail also bakes beautiful custom cakes and caters parties/weddings. I once ordered a custom cake for a birthday from the Snail. The cake was absolutely gorgeous, but I think it was prettier than it was delicious due to the heavy use of fondant.

So good! Just very expensive. Donuts are FANTASTIC.

I've been eating snail since you had to take the PATH to Hobokken to hit them up but now that they are in NYC full time there are a lot of opportunities to eat with them. They have rightfully become quite popular which mens long lines.

I just visited this food cart at Wall St and Water St. I ordered a breakfast platter with delicious blue corn pancakes, bland tofu scramble, blah mustard tempeh and a tasty green salad. As you can see, I liked some of my food, but not everything. The flavors of their baked goods look amazing. I bought a Meyer lemon twist and a mango lemongrass glazed donut. I am taking those to San Francisco with me. They are for my hubby. I also tried a raw chocolate jalapeño bar, which did not impress me. I was barely able to taste the jalapeño. I have to go back to try the sandwiches. They are supposed to be spicy. We'll see..,

I was quite excited to finally make it to The Cinnamon Snail and as it turns out, my expectations were met with the delicious food I ate today. The line when I was arrived was eight-people long and by the time I ordered another eight people were behind me. After going back and forth about what to order, I landed on the Ancho Chili Seitan burger with beer simmered onions and garlic. Wow! I finished off my way-too-big sandwich with an amazing blueberry Hibiscus glazed donut. I don't even like donuts ordinarily, but this was just so sweet and slightly tangy. Can't wait to return! Everything on the menu looked super.

In a short break from all the sight seeing around New York City, I chose to go on Twitter, and I saw that the Cinnamon Snail was only a few blocks from my hotel! I went down there and bought a couple of donuts and a cinnamon roll with me to enjoy later with my family. You could see from the long queue along the sidewalk how popular it was, but fortunately the nice staff was really quick at serving the food.
All of these cakes were amazing and tasted just how real donuts and cinnamon rolls should.
I wish I had the chance to try some of their breakfast or lunch items as well, they had a pretty large selection of different yummy-looking sandwiches etc.

We were able to check out The Cinnamon Snail during our trip to NYC at the Vegan Shop Up event held at Pine Box bar in Brooklyn. So awesome to be able to order anything from a food truck. We tried the maple Dijon mustard tempeh sandwich and the bourbon seitan sandwich. Delicious! Such great flavor combos. I wish I could have tried more stuff. They generally go to the same spots each week, but definitely follow them on Facebook or Twitter for exact locations.

Cinnamon Snail is a really fun place to eat - check out their Facebook for the week's daily changing location. They specialize in burgers, sandwiches, donuts and pastries. I ordered the creole BBQ tofu - super flavourful in a big fluffy baguette. Unfortunately, I decided to eat the PB choc pop tart I ordered untoasted - next time, I'd go for one of their dozen flavours of donut (especially if you don't make it to Dun Well in Williamsburg).