A Legal Guide to Eating Great Vegetarian Meals near Kings County Housing Court

I was a few blocks from the Livingston St Courthouse

last Thursday, yelling into my phone, "No, Steve*! The Police's Every Breath You Take is not a stalker anthem, it's about the pervasive surveillance of the modern police state! You idiot!" when I looked up to see Vinnie (not his real name), a lawyer I often see in court, standing timidly outside a Chipotle.

I hung up on Steve mid-sentence. "Vinnie, what’s wrong?"

He looked haunted. "Jay, if I have to eat another burrito bowl, I think I will actually die."

He was making Kings County Housing Court Face.

The face you make after navigating a mental labyrinth designed to wear you down and make you feel powerless. After a morning spent in a place like that, the last thing you need is a meal that tastes like… well, Chipotle

"We'll all die someday," I go. "But come with me. I'm heading to Next Stop Vegan."

He made an even worse face. "No offense, but if that's my other option... I'd rather die."

I chuckle and go "Look, Vinnie, I get it. You're an elder millennial whose weird aunt ruined Thanksgiving once with a Tofurkey, and now you have trust issues. But scientists made computers the size of your hand; they can make a decent damn burger out of plants."

"I don't care!"

I sighed. "I'll pay."

He perked up. "Okay, but are there any other options?"

And that's when I hit him with this info dump

I stole this meme

my tactical guide for decompressing and refueling within a 10-minute walk of the

Next Stop Vegan (1-minute walk) | 88 Livingston St | (917) 966-6066

• La Bandera: A plant-based version of the Dominican national dish, featuring rice, stewed beans, and stewed plant-based steak.

• Sweet & Spicy Oyster Mushroom Sandwich: A fried oyster mushroom with chipotle sauce and sweet plantains on a pretzel bun.

• "The Chimi": A vegan take on the classic Dominican sandwich with a black bean and brown rice patty.

Ten Ichi Mart (5-minute walk | 118 Smith St | (347) 457-5055

• Onigiri: Japanese Rice Balls wrapped in seaweed and filled with tasty options. (This gets a thumbs up from me AND our Law Clerk Samantha)

• Veggie Bun: Japanese bun also filled with tasty options.

Bedouin Tent (10-minute walk) | 405 Atlantic Ave | (718) 852-5555 | bedouintentny.com/

• Falafel Sandwich: Crispy chickpea croquettes served either in a fresh pita or as a platter with hummus or babaghanouj.

• Vegetable Pitza: A 10-inch pitza topped with fresh tomato, green pepper, olives, and fresh mozzarella cheese.

• Appetizer Mezze: A selection of vegetarian starters such as Hummus, Babaghanouj, Stuffed Grape Leaves, and Zaatar Bread.

Hanco's (6-minute walk) | 134 Smith St | (718) 858-6818 | hancos.com

• Tofu (or Veggie Chicken/Pork) Banh Mi: A Vietnamese sandwich featuring soy bean curd or plant based protein

• Vegetarian Broth Pho: A classic Vietnamese noodle soup made with a vegetable-based broth.

• Tofu Roll: A fresh roll with tofu, lettuce, mint, and rice vermicelli wrapped in rice paper.

DeKalb Market Hall (4-minute walk) | 445 Albee Square West
This food hall has so many great restaurant options

Pierogi Boys: (in Dekalb Market Hall) | (929) 368-2768 | pierogiboys.com

• Vegetarian Platter: A combination platter with both potato & cheese and sauerkraut & mushroom pierogi, served with cucumber salad, beet salad, and a pickle.

• Sauerkraut and Mushroom Pierogi: A classic vegan pierogi served with mushroom sauce.

• Potato and Cheese (Ruskie) Pierogi: Traditional vegetarian pierogi with farmer cheese, served with sour cream and caramelized onions.

Daigo Handroll Bar: (in Dekalb Market Hall) daigobrooklyn.com

• The Vegetarian Bowl: A rice bowl topped with seaweed salad, pickled beets, Japanese squash, roasted red pepper, avocado, and cucumber.

• V-2 (Vegan Roll): A gluten-free hand roll with pickled beets, avocado, cucumber, and vegan spicy mayo.

El Punto Cubano: (In Dekalb Market Hall) | (305) 956-6053 | elpuntocubano.com

• Mushroom Ropa Vieja: A vegetarian version of the classic Cuban shredded beef dish.

Dekalb Pizza: (in Dekalb Market Hall) | dekalbpizzeria.square.site | (718) 916-8271

• Cheese Slice

• Broccoli Ricotta Slice.

Vinnie chose Hanco's Tofu Banh Mi and he loved it. We had a great talk about 80's Post Punk and Dark Wave Music, and I told him about Steve who he agreed is probably an idiot.

Spending your day in housing court, whether you're a lawyer or a tenant representing yourself, is a grind. It’s stressful, confusing, and designed to wear you down. But you have to fight for your home, one busted boiler at a time. Taking a real lunch break isn't an indulgence; it's part of a winning strategy.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the process and the thought of facing your landlord in court is costing you your appetite, you don't have to do it alone. The system is rigged, but we can learn the rules to win anyway.

Give the Law Office of Jason Browne a call at (347) 669-3256 for a free, 30-minute consultation. I'll feed you with info.

*Steve is my best friend and yelling is our love language

This face but with less pixels

I am in love with you Veggie Banh Mi