One day I told a friend that I knew a woman whose trip to Paris turned her into a vegetarian. He was understandably puzzled, and asked how a city where every market, restaurant and street corner serves delicacies like foie gras, escargots, Bresse chicken and more could possibly turn anyone vegetarian. “The answer is simple, my friend,” I said with a mischievous smile. “Before the trip, she was vegan.”
And indeed, until fairly recently, life for a vegan traveler in the City of Light was difficult bordering on impossible. French cuisine is built around an endless variety of meats, shellfish, fish and animal products like milk and eggs. Add to that the fact that the French, generally speaking, aren’t exactly patient with people trying to change their cuisine, and you get a serious shortage of places serving vegan food in Paris, and in France as a whole.
The good news is that the vegan trend that started picking up steam a few years ago eventually reached the City of Light, and as a result there’s been a rise in the number and quality of restaurants serving good vegan food. Yair Shagiv, a committed vegan, came back from a trip to Paris with a few recommendations for me.
For more vegan recommendations in Paris, you can read this article: Vegan Food in Paris: A Foodie’s Recommendations.
MESA: Vegetarian-Vegan Restaurant at the Hoy Hotel
A vegetarian/vegan restaurant offering a plant-based menu with Latin American influences. The restaurant prides itself on quality, local ingredients and works mainly with small suppliers. MESA is a farm-to-table restaurant, with an emphasis on fresh, healthy, seasonal and sustainable food. You won’t find eggs, meat, fish, milk or cream here.
The menu changes according to the season and available ingredients, so you’ll get something new every time you visit.
You can sit in at the restaurant or order a takeaway basket.
Address: 68 rue des Martyrs
Website: https://www.hoyparis.com/mesa-restaurant
Végébowl: Vegan Food from the Far East
This is a small, clean Chinese-vegetarian restaurant (almost entirely vegan), located at 3 Rue de la Boule Rouge. The dishes are sophisticated and refined, and the restaurant specializes in vegan meat substitutes. The staff is very friendly but doesn’t speak English, so come prepared. Recommended dishes: fried dumplings, sweet-and-sour “pork,” noodles and vermicelli.
Address: 3 Rue de la Boule Rouge
Website: https://www.vegebowl.com/index.php
HANK: The Best Vegan Burger in Paris
A vegan burger joint located at 55 rue des Archives. The cool name stands for “Have A Nice Karma.” The restaurant is committed to food that is 100% vegan, with no products tested on animals, a preference for local ingredients, and everything made on site. The menu features a few fantastic burgers in different flavors, sandwiches, a variety of sides and some excellent sauces. There’s also a “burger of the month” that changes regularly to keep things interesting.
The staff speaks English, and set lunch menus are available too. You can add vegan cheese or make your dish gluten-free. Recommended dishes: the l’Allumé burger, a side of fries, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate mousse.
Address: 55 rue des Archives
Website: https://hankburger.com/
SOYA: Between Paris and New York
An organic restaurant with vegan and gluten-free options, with a New York industrial vibe and a wide variety of vegetable dishes. The restaurant is located at 20 rue de la Pierre Levée, with a second location at 106 Quai de Jemmapes. Prices here are on the higher end too, in line with Paris prices overall.
The place specializes in brunch dishes and offers an all-you-can-eat buffet option. There’s a convenient menu in both French and English, with non-vegan dishes clearly marked. I recommend calling ahead and asking for a vegan dessert. Last-minute reservations are generally accepted. Recommended dishes: the lasagna, the curry, the couscous dish, the mezze platter (Grand Mezze), chocolate-tofu mousse or chocolate cookies for dessert.
Address: 20 rue de la Pierre Levée
Website: https://www.soya-cantine-bio.fr/en/
Brasserie Lola (recommended by Ronit Mussan)
A small, fantastic brasserie in the 15th arrondissement. Their pad thai and risotto, as well as the vegetarian spaghetti bolognese, are amazing! On top of that, the restaurant is beautifully decorated and a real pleasure to sit in, with lots of young people and an excellent wine list for happy hour. I make a point of coming here at least three times during my trip. Highly recommended!
Address: 99 rue du Théâtre
Website: https://brasserielola.fr/en
Wild & the Moon
A chain of cafés offering vegan food that Parisians love, with multiple locations around the city. The chain specializes in health juices and organic food, and also offers superfoods. You can find a variety of snacks here, like spirulina popcorn, and enjoy granola bowls, pastries, healthy bowls, Italian-style food and more.
Website: https://www.wildandthemoon.fr/en/
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Land&Monkeys: Paris’s First Vegan Patisserie
A patisserie where all the pastries are plant-based? It’s possible, even in Paris. Land&Monkeys has several locations around the city, and uses no butter or eggs. Everything is organic and seasonal, and even the flour is carefully chosen (and organic too). Here you’ll find a variety of breads, pastries, snacks and other deli items.
Website: https://www.land-and-monkeys.com/
Spread the Vegan Love
If you’ve eaten at a vegan restaurant you loved, I’d be happy if you wrote its name in the comments, along with a short note about what you ate and what you liked about it, and I’ll add it to this post. And finally, Paris is known not just as a culinary capital but also as a capital of love.
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