Bliss Café

Profile

Possibly the most earnest establishment in Williamsburg, Bliss offers simple, well-prepared vegetarian and vegan food in cramped, boho-shabby quarters. Though unselfconsciously hip itself, it’s a perfect antidote to hipster-saturated Bedford Avenue. With a basic herbivore menu–tofu, hijiki, seitan, beans, greens–the tiny open kitchen here turns out flavorful plates that arrive with thoughtful little touches. The wheat roll that accompanies a bowl of sturdy chili comes jauntily wedged on the rim of the bowl. Vegetables in entrées such as curried tofu and seitan in sweet citrus sauce are just this side of overcooked, but firm, fresh proteins provide good balance. Delicious maple-sweetened desserts are all house-made but sometimes MIA; if it’s the pastry chef’s day off, you’ll be lucky to get a vegan muffin left over from breakfast. The mostly local crowd (a veritable parade of hats, bangs, leggings, body modification, and oversized glasses) seems right at home with spacey service, mismatched wooden furniture, a wall of band flyers, and homegrown art. — Michael Kaminer

Chili, $4; Portobello zucchini sandwich, $8; orange citrus sensation, $11