University Place is bustling with students. Turn the corner onto East Eleventh Street and the crowds disappear. In the window of one of the block’s longtime restaurants, a sign pleads, “WE NEED YOUR HELP!”
When you hear “vegan restaurant,” the first word that comes to mind is probably not “elegance.” But at Peacefood, that’s the order of the day. Velvet drapes frame a light-filled room lined with white tables and gray and red chairs. Pop-art images, abstract paintings, and charcoal sketches adorn the walls in gilded frames. The all-vegan menu includes a wide variety of beautifully plated dishes, everything from chickpea fries stacked like Jenga blocks to thick slices of lemon blueberry cake. The food’s incredible, but I suspect what keeps people like me coming back for more are the vibes.
I sat down with owner Eric Yu to learn what Peacefood’s all about. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: You and your partner, Peter Lu, opened on the Upper West Side (460 Amsterdam) in 2009, then downtown (41 East 11th Street) two years later. What was your original vision?
Do you believe in reincarnation? When I was a kid in the ’60s in Hong Kong—so poor, with plastic furniture—I knew I wanted to be an antiques dealer. How did I even know what that was? And yet I grew up to be one; at one point I had two shops. I also got a degree in hotel and restaurant management. I’ve always had the personality for hospitality, and Peter works in interior design. We both love food and making people feel comfortable. Being vegan is showing compassion for other beings. Peacefood came from that—serving food with kindness.
Q: How did you learn to cook?
I tell the cooks here: cook for people you love. You learn by inviting people over, practicing, making mistakes. For a long time, I wanted to be American, and I let go of my Chinese palate. That made my menu more global, but now my pantry gears toward Asian. Those are the ingredients I reach for. I want to cook like my mother did: simple, home-style food.
Q: I’m obsessed with the look of the downtown location: it reminds me of a 1990s art gallery. What was your inspiration?
So much of this is Peter’s vision. There’s a balance of classic elements and modern pieces. I like things that make me laugh and think. All the artwork and the way it’s arranged has a personal meaning for us.
Q: The staff is always friendly and attentive; how did you build this culture?
Having good human beings matters more than anything. Many people have been here for more than 10 years. When someone has a problem with a coworker, I say, look in the mirror––none of us is perfect. Success to me isn’t money. It’s when I see people enjoying working and laughing.
Q: What shifts in dining out have affected a restaurant like yours?
Our uptown location is more family-oriented and heavy on takeout. Post-pandemic, the traffic pattern downtown changed. A steady line of customers sustained us at our price point, since we don’t serve alcohol. Now the turnover isn’t the same. Competition is different: conventional restaurants now offer more vegan options.
Q: You launched a GoFundMe to help with rent and rising costs. What would community support make possible right now?
I’m very grateful I still have money coming in. My partner always worries about me and about money. He’d rather I step away from the stress, but I feel called to do this. Unless I’m sick—or he is—I won’t walk away. People can donate, but honestly, the best help is to come in and bring friends. The goal is to stabilize the business side so we can keep serving.
Q: What keeps you motivated after nearly two decades?
Love. I like to make people happy. I’m spiritual; I think about fear, abundance, and how our thoughts create reality. I want to help people feel less fear and more joy.
Q: What’s your hope for the future of Peacefood?
I want Peacefood to continue, but I’m also open to evolving. With support, I can keep this going and explore new ways to serve: having a clearer mission statement, holding talks, building community in a deeper way. People come for the home cooking, yes, but I hope they also feel something beyond food—less fear, more recognition of who they are. We’re part of something bigger. If Peacefood can help people feel that, even a little, it’s worth keeping. I want to be around like-minded people to light up the world.
Peacefood is at 41 East 11th Street, (2312) 979-2288
