Karma Road: You'll Definitely Come Back Around

Anyone who is familiar with New Paltz knows that it is a ‘hippie town’. You can’t walk around campus or down Main Street without seeing someone in tie-dye or walking barefoot. Both the college of SUNY New Paltz and the village itself are extremely liberal, and inconsequently host many vegans and vegetarians. 

One restaurant in the town that really caters to this prominent group of people is Karma Road, located at 11 Main Street. Karma Road prides themselves on their menu being “lovingly built out of fresh, organic ingredients from the plant kingdom”.

Though I feel that I am somewhat of a minority in New Paltz, being that I steer clear of tie dye and always wear shoes, I was curious about Karma Road and decided to give it a whirl. I am a big meat eater, but I figured I’d step out of my comfort zone and see what all the hype was about.

On a sunny late Tuesday afternoon, my good friend Anne and I sprinted across Main Street, dodging cars and giggling, to Karma Road. Strangely enough, the first thing that caught my attention about this organic eatery was the door. The quick swing of the wooden screen door reminded me of my back door at home, which was constantly swinging back and forth during the summer months.

Photo Compliments of localeats.com

Karma Road is a relatively small place, and though there were other customers when we arrived, it didn’t feel crowded. The walls are painted light green, blue, and yellow, which you might think would look like a baby boy’s nursery but was actually bright and uplifting. There are plenty of large windows which allow the sunlight to spill in, and for a view of the busy little village of New Paltz. The atmosphere of this restaurant is fresh and organic, which is how they advertise their food. 

Before arriving at the restaurant, I had quickly scanned the menu that is available on their website (Karmaroad.net) but was still unsure of what I was going to order. While I was intently staring at the hand-written blackboard menu, the earthy-looking girl at the counter gave us a friendly smile and told us, “Take your time and feel free to ask me any questions.” 

The menu wasn’t too extensive, mostly fresh squeezed juices and smoothies with a few salads and sandwiches. The sandwiches, salads, and smoothies all had their ingredients listed right on the menu, which I found very helpful.

Photo Compliments of italktofood.com

It didn’t take us long to decide on an “Avocado Explosion” sandwich for me, and a blueberry chocolate muffin and a strawberry colada smoothie for Anne. After ordering, we were told to sit wherever we’d like. There was outdoor seating, but the tables inside had pictures of baby farm animals on them which attracted us to them. The pictures of the adorable lambs, pigs and calves was a definite plus for us.

While waiting for the food, we noticed lots of art pieces hanging on the walls made by local artists which were available for purchase. In addition to the art, there were framed reviews of Karma Road on the walls. I really liked the presence of the community that Karma Road holds. The combination of the organic atmosphere and the presence of the community in Karma Road represents New Paltz perfectly.

When we got the food, I was excited to dig in. I took a bite into the healthy looking sandwich. The sandwich consisted of multi-grain bread, mashed avocado, vibrant carrot shreds, plenty of bean sprouts and was drizzled with tahini sauce (a thin sauce made from ground sesame seeds). I was extremely pleased with the incredibly fresh taste of this sandwich. The avocado was at its peak of ripeness and they were not stingy putting it on. The carrots were crisp and sweet. Delicious.

Had to get a picture of the baby goat..

Anne described her muffin as being “well-made and filling, but the flavors of blueberry and chocolate didn’t quite sit right”. I tasted the muffin and had to agree with her. Her smoothie, on the other hand, was perfect. The smoothie was made with fresh strawberries, pineapple, coconut and soy milk. It was sweet but not sickeningly sweet. Between the both of us, it was gone in less than 10 minutes.

The only problem I encountered at Karma Road was the prices. As a broke college student, I don’t see myself eating there too often. Between my sandwich, the muffin and the smoothie it came to about $22. It isn’t ridiculously expensive, probably something I’d get if my parents were visiting and paying. Though, it will be hard to stop thinking about that smoothie.. I might have to splurge on one every once in a while.

All in all, Karma Road is something you must experience in New Paltz. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, which makes vegan and organic eating less intimidating to those who do not usually do so. And the food, like they say, is absolutely fresh, organic, and delicious. So head over to Karma Road next time you go to get your boring slice of pizza, you (and your body) won’t be disappointed!