Set in the Meat Packing District a mile or so south of downtown, the Vertical Diner is a recycled space with a  comfortable retro-post-punk vibe and uncompromising vegan diner-style food. A large part of the success of this place, for me, is that it doesn’t feel preachy about its do-gooder agenda. Being vegan requires a  strict set of principles, but Vertical Diner doesn’t radiate any angry or groovy moral attitude. It's like an artsy diner from the ‘80s in a big city like Kansas City or San Francisco.