A Local’s Guide to Vegetarian Restaurants in Paris

As one of the world’s greatest international cities, Paris hosts a wide range of vegetarian and vegan restaurants. This includes the tastiest Indian, Japanese, and African cuisine.

There are so many amazing food experiences in Paris with a vegetarian menu or vegan specials. It’s easy to feel intimidated by all the choices. So, I decided to dig a little deeper into what the City of Light has to offer.

Along the way, we’ll explore Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as humble bistros offering vegetarian menus. While also making sure to touch base with classic Parisian cuisine’s take on vegetarian dining. 

L’Arpège

Photo credit: L’Arpège

If I could only visit one Paris restaurant with a vegetarian-friendly menu, it would be L’Arpège, located near Hôtel des Invalides. It’s the brainchild of chef Alain Passard, who wanted to create a menu focused on seasonality and the French cuisine concept of terroir.

The vegetables are sourced directly from Passard’s organic gardens in Sarthe, Eure, and Manche. The finest are hand-selected for L’Arpège’s vegetable-centric menu. This level of fine-dining dedication has helped L’Arpège remain a Michelin-starred restaurant since 1996.

While the menu changes, the thing to order here is the Légumes des Jardins d’Alain, which loosely translates into Vegetables from Alain’s Gardens. You’re basically giving Passard carte blanche to create a unique vegetarian meal for you based on what arrived fresh that morning from his sustainable, organic gardens.

When I was last there, it was a plate of seasonal baby potatoes lightly poached to soften them, without dulling their earthy aroma. It included lightly sauteed pearl onions with blistered cherry tomatoes with a unique sweetness that exploded in my mouth. All delicately dressed with a seasonal thyme and tarragon sauce.

L’Arpège (€€€€) – 84 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris, France – Open Monday to Friday: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM for lunch with dinner service from 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM.

Candelaria

Photo credit: Candelaria

Candelaria is one of the top Mexican restaurants in Paris with vegetarian vegetarian options on the menu. It’s a taqueria and has the vibrant feel of Mexico City. For a moment, the upbeat Mexican music made me forget that I was actually in Paris!

Their vegetarian tacos and quesadillas are made with seasonal vegetables. I appreciated the grilled flavor that really came through in the quesadilla I started with. 

I really enjoy the Papas at Candelaria. They have a crispy exterior, with a creamy soft interior of perfectly cooked potatoes. They’re garnished with fresh herbs, and served with scintillating sauces including tangy crema, spicy salsa, and a zesty lime-infused dressing,

Candelaria (€€)  – 52 Rue de Saintonge, 75003 Paris, France  – Open Monday to Friday 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM. Saturday to Sunday 12:00 PM to 2:00 AM.

Aujourd’hui Demain

Photo credit: Aujourd’hui Demain

Aujourd’hui Demain is a combination concept store and vegetarian bistro in one. It’s only a 15-minute walk from the Louvre, which makes it a great place to enjoy a vegetarian meal before touring the museum.  

They offer a variety of vegan dishes including vegetarian burgers, specialty pancakes, and smoothies. At the same time, the concept store sells vegan products, souvenirs, and apparel.

Aujourd’hui Demain also serves an impressive vegetarian brunch on the weekends. It features delicate pancakes, which you can top with a wide range of fresh seasonal fruits. They’re also well-known for their granola bowls, salads, and avocado toast.

However, I love the fruit tarts they offer in their brunch spread. It’s made from fresh seasonal berries, with just a kiss of lemon and sugar for a brightness that wakes up your palate.

Aujourd’hui Demain (€) – 42 Rue du Chemin Vert 75011 Paris, France – Open Monday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM and Tuesday to Sunday: 11:00 AM – 10:30 PM.

Selected Innovative Global Eateries

We enjoy the diverse influences that vegetarian chefs from around the world bring to the streets of Paris. These restaurants blend traditional French techniques with bold spices and unique ingredients to create truly original plates. We find that these venues are often at the forefront of the city’s most exciting culinary conversations.

La Pizza de Nico

If you’re near Bastille, and you’re hungry for a great vegan pizza, La Pizza de Nico is the place to go. It’s a traditional pizzeria with a lot of the usual toppings you’d expect. Yet they also offer Vegan options. 

This is the go-to place for vegetarian utility pizza when touring the Bastille area. You can get a slice or share a whole pie for lunch or an early dinner. Then enjoy a leisurely tour of nearby attractions like Place de la Bastille or Port de l’Arsenal.

The Vegan pizza with fresh seasonal mushrooms, green peppers, and onions, fresh chives garnish give it the fresh aroma and flavor of Mediterranean pizza. Yet you’re still sitting in the beating heart of Paris.

La Pizza de Nico (€€) – 2 Boulevard Richard Lenoir Paris, France – Open Monday to Sunday 11:15 AM–1:30 AM.

Miznon

Photo credit: Miznon

Known for its Middle Eastern, Israeli cuisine, Miznon proudly offers a wide range of vegetarian dishes. It has a lively atmosphere with an open kitchen that lets you watch the chefs in action.

They are known for their roasted cauliflower and vegetable-filled pitas. However, I think this might my favorite place to get hummus in Le Marais. It’s finely ground for a smooth mouthfeel, which also releases the legume essence of the chickpeas. 

The authentic tahini they use in the hummus and many other dishes captures the sesame flavor. You notice it as an accent in their falafel burgers and their gluten-free dishes, yet it doesn’t take over. The tahini simply helps the main ingredients shine.  

Miznon (€) – 22 Rue des Ecouffes, 75004 Paris, France – Open Sunday to Thursday 12:00 – 11:00 PM. Friday 12:00 to 4:00 PM. Closed Sunday.

Check our Review for Miznon.

Waly-Fay

Located in the 11th arrondissement, the menu at Waly-Fay features a wide range of West African-inspired vegetarian dishes to tantalize the senses. This includes fragrant rice dishes, authentic vegetable stews, and a staggering spectrum of plant-based side dishes.

It has a warm ambiance with decor reminiscent of a fine dining restaurant in Senegal. It’s cozy, and the staff has the kind of friendliness you find in West African culture.

I’ve found that the go-to vegetarian dish here is the vegetable stew. It’s made from seasonal vegetables, with a rich tomato base, and thickened in West African style with okra. I loved the peanut sauce that added a rich earthiness highlighting what peanuts truly taste like when treated as a legume.

 Waly-Fay (€€€) – 6 Rue Godefroy Cavaignac 75011 Paris, France – Open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM for lunch, with dinner service 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM. Closed on Sunday.

Bento & Go

Photo credit: Bento & Go

Bento & Go offers a fresh take on Japanese bento box cuisine. They have a vegetarian box as well as several reasonably priced side dishes to fit almost any budget. 

The interior has the clean, well-organized feel of a Tokyo restaurant. You get the sense that the chefs working behind the scenes embrace the Japanese efficiency that elevates bento cuisine into an art form. 

While the vegetable tempura and the wheat salad deserve honorable mention, I think the Tofu steak bento box is the way to go. It comes with a mushroom gravy that is a true umami bomb. Then the salad of greens and sliced radishes brings the perfect counterbalance of freshness and brightness. 

Bento & Go (€€)  – 18 Rue Notre Dame de Nazareth, Paris, 75003 – Open Monday to Friday for lunch 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM with dinner from 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM. Saturday: 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM and closed on Sundays

Sustainable Vegetarian Dining in Paris

Many of our favorite vegetarian restaurants in Paris work directly with “AMAPs,” which are local consumer-producer cooperatives. We find that this direct link ensures that the vegetables on your plate were harvested within 100 kilometers of the city just hours before. This focus on the “circuit court” or short supply chain significantly reduces the environmental impact of your meal. Supporting these establishments helps preserve the biodiversity of the agricultural lands surrounding the capital.

Provenance of Parisian Vegetarian Food

The intensity of flavor in Parisian vegetarian cooking often comes from the use of volcanic soil produce or heritage seeds. We look for menus that specify the provenance of their legumes, such as the famous green lentils from Le Puy. Many chefs are now rediscovering forgotten vegetables like “topinambour” (Jerusalem artichoke) and parsnips to add depth to their seasonal menus. We believe that this respect for the origin of the plant is what makes our vegetarian scene so unique.

Conclusion

Paris has long embraced vegetarian restaurants with open arms. Many of its greatest chefs like Alain Passard are proud to take French concepts like terroir to the next level in their Michelin-starred restaurants.

However, vegetarian restaurants in Paris aren’t limited to just fine dining. This truly international city showcases some of the most delicious Japanese, African, and Mexican vegetarian restaurants at modest prices.