Penny Licks on Bedford Avenue has opened in Williamsburg and the little shop, which aims to recreate an old-time ice cream and candy store, is loaded with vegan and organic treats. Actually, organic and vegan is the theme of the place. Among the features are the cakes (Peanut Butter Mousse Bombs, Death by Chocolate, etc.) of Vegan Treats, which is a major supplier to the NYC vegan cake and cookie market based in Bethlehem, Pa. The ice cream, on the other hand, is from Adirondack Creamery, and there are some vegan selections from another producer. Our only question is whether a Bedford Avenue Vegan Snack War is about to erupt with Vinnie’s Pizza down the block, which also stocks Vegan Moon Pies, cookies and brownies. Advantage for snack selection goes to Penny Licks whereas the Vegan Pizza edge goes to Vinnie’s.
Brooklyn Nibbles: Penny Licks Has Vegan Treats on Bedford
May 19th, 2008 · 11 Comments
Tags: Brooklyn Nibbles · Williamsburg
11 responses so far ↓
1 Cilla // May 19, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I’m always willing to try, but I’ve never once in my life ate a vegan cookie that tasted any good at all. Never ever. Baked goods are all about texture. No dairy, no texture.
If I were vegan, I’d stick to non-baked desserts like sorbet with berries. Which is plenty tasty!
2 Jason Das // May 19, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Have you tried Vegan Treats goodies, Cilla, or anything from ‘sNice or Red Mango?
Also, taste = texture? Really? (Regardless, plenty of vegan baked desserts have both; sorry you’ve only eaten crappy ones.)
3 amy // May 19, 2008 at 5:55 pm
i’m more confused by the “dairy=texture” idea.
i’ve made more than my fair share of vegan cupcakes and cakes and such and have never found them (nor have i heard complaints of them) wanting in the texture department.
and they weren’t no vegan treats, either. i’d like to drown in a truckful of VT whoopie pies. i can’t wait to check this place out!
4 katrina // May 20, 2008 at 1:47 pm
yeah, “dairy=texture”???
For store bought vegan snacks, Vegan Treats are super indulgent and amazingly good. Try to Peanut Butter Bomb, and I dare you to deny it’s superiority to dairy deserts. Plus you can feel good about not supporting an industry that tortures innocent creatures for your sugar fix.
As a recently converted vegan, I’ve been a baker all my life, and was scared I would have to give it up, because I too have had some dry boring (usually prepackaged) baked goods. Since baking vegan, and having a ton of non-vegan friends try my goodies, with thanks to cookbook extraordinaires Isa Moskowitz, Terry Romero, and Hannah Kaminsky, and they almost always rave about them being better tasting than dairy baked goods. Even my mother is asking me for recipes.
5 Kyle // May 26, 2008 at 11:59 am
Though I do enjoy vegan treats much more than I used to enjoy dairy treats, you have to admit there is a difference in both taste and texture that can sometimes turn a non-vegan off. A lot of the times vegan people can’t understand why non-vegans have strong reactions to vegan treats without remembering that the treats they are used to are dairy and thusly very different.
Our choices are limited in terms of what we can and can’t have especially in the treat department, and while I fully welcome another establishment full of vegan treats, I also ask that my fellow vegans not forget that we make heaven out of good treats because they are heaven compared to the bad ones.
It makes sense to me that a non-vegan would take issue with vegan treats since the taste and texture is oftentimes different than that of a dairy treat. Questioning that opinion often seems patronizing and a little uptight.
So Cilly, I hear your pain. But keep at it. Eventually you’ll find a vegan treat that suites your needs.
6 brady // May 28, 2008 at 12:34 am
i went there the other day, excited to finally have some non-dairy ice cream in a cone as i walk down the street… however the novelty quickly wore off when i was charged $3.50 for ONE scoop! a little silly that businesses still think it is still ok to over charge for non-dairy items…
7 jane // Jun 27, 2008 at 5:17 pm
tastes like poopy
looks like dooty
not so yummy
in my tummy
thats what i thought of this shithole
8 Sabrina // Jul 19, 2008 at 8:53 am
Penny licks has wonderful cakes and ice creams. I live a half block away and it’s always packed in there. Some of the ice creams are a little grainy, but others are creamy. And the cakes are all made with white flour and white sugar. They taste similar to non vegan birthday cakes. I wouldn’t eat there every day, but only because the food is junky, just like real cake and ice cream. I give them 3 out of 4 stars. The atmosphere is really cute. It feels like an old fashioned candy store.
9 Corey // Jul 19, 2008 at 10:26 am
I loved the german chocolate cake. Veryyyyy sweet though. Almost too sweet.
10 Damaris Miranda // Jan 30, 2009 at 11:26 pm
WOODBRIDGE NEW JERSEY NEED STORES LIKE YOURS PLEASE …OPEN ONE HERE
WOODBRIGE NJ . 07095
11 Lent Weeks 5 & 6, or I am a Human Chain Letter « Ms. Cleaver Chronicles // Apr 9, 2009 at 9:29 am
[…] stopped in Penny Licks bakery for a cookie and found their bathroom out of order. We kept peeking into shops hoping […]