Culinary Cool: Paris Restaurants with Vegan Appeal

A new wave has rolled onto the Parisian culinary landscape, born as if by miracle from the carnivorous miasma of foie gras, escargots and tête de veau. Plant-based foods—yes, those humble and familiar vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes—are the new darlings of the local dining scene. Each arrondissement boasts its own special spot where in-season produce and unexpected flavor combinations beckon. Whether your palate tends toward clean and healthy or deep-fried and delicious, the meat- and dairy-free delights are yours to discover in this vegan guide to Paris restaurants.
Café Pinson
Neighborhood: Marais
Ambience: Cozy chic

When it first opened, smack in the middle of a bitter Parisian winter, you couldn’t dream of getting a table at this 90 percent vegan, 100 percent delicious restaurant in the hip northern Marais. Several months in, reservations are still recommended, especially if you want to try the festive Sunday brunch. Start with the jus du jour, then sink your teeth into a savory tart or crumble served with a colorful salad. Indulging in dessert is encouraged.
Gentle Gourmet Café
Neighborhood: Bastille
Ambience: Discreet sophistication

The Franco-American Brown-Pivain family made a splash in 2009 when it launched the first-ever vegan B & B in Paris. In 2012 the brand expanded with the Gentle Gourmet Café, where newcomers and repeat customers alike are enticed by warm-from-the-oven croissants, meat-free burgers and tempting sweets based on traditional French recipes. Hint: the only thing missing here is a license to serve alcohol, but BYOB is welcomed.
My Kitch’n
Neighborhood: Batignolles
Ambience: Trendy takeout

Many Paris restaurants promise healthy, delicious food, but My Kitch’n really delivers. Green smoothies, fair-trade coffee and imaginative sweet and savory dishes like raw key-lime pie and veggie pad thai are the main reasons to make a detrip to this fast-casual spot inside the Batignolles covered market; the superfriendly service is another.
Pousse-Pousse
Neighborhood: Grands Boulevards
Ambience: Fresh cosmopolitan

Paris restaurants come and go, but this mostly raw eatery has cultivated a faithful following over the years. It’s no wonder; the food is healthy, revitalizing and lip-smacking good. Lawrence, the flame-haired proprietor, is often on hand to make guests feel at home in French and in English, and to answer questions about her creative carte. Vegan cooking classes are also on the menu.
Sol Semilla
Neighborhood: Canal Saint-Martin
Ambience: Urban cool

A hybrid restaurant/boutique specializing in organic edibles from the Amazon? Yes, such a place really exists, right in the heart of the too-trendy canal Saint-Martin neighborhood. Try the special milkshake, made with energizing South American superfoods, or feast on the hearty assiette du jour, which includes an interesting and delectable mélange of grains, cooked vegetables and fresh crudités.
Tien Hiang
Neighborhood: Canal St. Martin
Ambience: Relaxed casual

If the thought of steamed dumplings, spicy noodle soups and faux-meat stir-fries whets your appetite, Tien Hiang is a must-try. The vast menu covers the most flavorful regions of Asia, from Chinese dim sum to Vietnamese crêpes. The bo bun—a cool rice-noodle salad topped with deep-fried (eggless) egg rolls—makes the perfect warm-weather lunch.

Related Links
Café Pinson
Gentle Gourmet Café
My Kitch’n
Pousse-Pousse
Sol Semilla
Tien Hiang
Editor’s note: For a gourmet walking trip, check out our DIY downloadable Paris trips.