The city’s first arrondissement stretches east from the Tuileries gardens toward the Marais, stopping just short of Paris’s best modern art museum, the Centre Georges Pompidou.
Inside this giant rectangular district, you’ll discover the always-overwhelming (in a good way) Louvre, the Palais-Royal and its pretty manicured gardens, and a dozen covered passages offering myriad eating-and-shopping possibilities.
This is prime Paris window-shopping territory, so wear your walking shoes and be prepared to work up an appetite.
Vegetarian/Neighborhood pick
Saveurs Veget’halles
Vegetarian restaurant
41 rue Bourdonnais
Cross street: rue de Rivoli
01 40 41 93 95
Métro: Chatelet-Les Halles
M-Sa 12.00-15.00 and 18.30-23.00, Su closed
This welcoming restaurant is 90-percent vegan, and a relaxed spot for dinner with friends or a leisurely weekday lunch. The food is “French,” meaning that pâtés, terrines, and big salads feature prominently.
Try the Escalope de Seitan or the Assiette Composé—the culinary equivalent of a trip to a health spa—and don’t miss the terrine de champignon served with onion chutney.
Wine is served, as well as desserts like vegan crème brulée, carrot cake, and fruit crumbles.
Lots of gluten-free options to choose from, too, including beer.
Prices for the mid-day formule (first course, main course, dessert) run €15.90; the evening formule is €18.90.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous healthy
41 rue Saint-Honoré
Cross street: rue des Bourdonnais
09 82 36 94 57
Métro: Chatelet or Les Halles
M-Sa 11.30-20.00, Su closed; closed throughout August
www.lebiodadameteve.com
Facebook Le Bio d’Adam et Eve
This little three-in-one café-smoothie bar-mini health-food market makes a great pit-stop after an afternoon shopping at Les Halles.
Dairy-free smoothies, organic juices, and sandwiches are made on-the-spot, and a deli case offers many premade options for takeaway. Grab one of the few tables, take a plate, see what’s available at the hot buffet, which might include including seitan parmentier, soba noodles with veggies, or a tomatoey lasagna (sold by weight). Side salads (€2.99), coffee (€1), and a variety of desserts including dairy-free milkshakes and muffins.
Gluten-free goods are available throughout the day. Credit cards accepted.
Al Boustan
Omnivorous Lebanese
21 rue Montorgueil
Cross street: rue Étienne-Marcel
01 40 41 02 40
Métro: Étienne-Marcel
M-Su 11.00-00.00
Situated on a lively pedestrian street a few paces from the Les Halles shopping district, Al Boustan offers a taste of the Middle East at great prices. Tuck into a tasty vegetarian formule composed of 10 different plant-based delicacies (€15), or choose an à la carte buffet of warm and hot dishes including eggplant salad (€2.20), falafel (€1.30), hummus (€2.20), and fava beans with lemon and olive oil (€2.20).
Wine and Lebanese pastis served, as well as a variety of non-alcoholic beverages. Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Brasserie Flottes
Omnivorous French
2 rue Cambon
Cross street : rue de Rivoli
01 42 60 80 89
Métro: Concorde
M-Su 7.00-00:30
Across the street from the Tuileries gardens, just off the celebrated rue de Rivoli (the last stop of the annual Tour de France race), Brasserie Flottes is a very traditional French café that manages to be accessible to vegetarians — as long as they don’t mind dining next to the guy eating steak tartare.
All meat-free items are marked with a green circle, including vegetable soup (€9.80), green detox salad (€16.50), and fusilli with cherry tomatoes (€15.50). If you like fancy fried foods, you might want to spring for the truffled frites (€12), and for dessert, there’s a nice selection of Berthillon vegan sorbets.
Terrace seating. Free wifi. Credit cards accepted.
Colette Water Bar
Omnivorous healthy
213 rue Saint-Honoré
Cross street: rue de Richelieu
01 55 35 33 90
Métro: Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre, Pyramides & Tuileries
M-Su 12-19.00
This hyper trendy clothing store draws the chicest Parisians and world-travelers, and the downstairs Water Bar is where they — and you — fill up between purchases.
Try the tabouli, falafel, and hummus plate (€15.50), the fresh gazpacho (€9), or the vitality salad, and finish with a vegan sorbet (€8) for dessert.
As its name implies, the stylish cantine also sells a variety of waters and other drinks, plus snacks to-go. Credit cards accepted.
Crudus
Omnivorous Italian
21 rue Saint-Roch
Cross street: rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
01 42 60 90 29
Métro: Pyramides, Tuileries
M-F 12.00-14.30 and 19.00-23.00, Sa-Su closed
Organic Italian you say? Si, per favore!
This is elegant dining in Paris’s fashionable heart. Cosy and intimate, it’s a nice spot to share mushroom fricassée (€17), pasta stuffed with pumpkin (€17), or linguini with truffles (€40) with someone you love (or at least like a lot). Top-notch service and a great location within walking distance of the Louvre and Opéra Garnier make this worth the trek. Credit cards accepted
Itacate Saveurs du Mexique
Omnivorous Mexican
94 rue Saint Honoré
Cross street: rue de l’Arbre Sec
01 42 33 39 87
Métro: Louvre-Rivoli
M-F 12.00-15.00 and 18.30-22.00, Sa 12.00-23.00, Su closed
www.itacate.fr
Facebook Itacate Saveurs du Mexique
One of Paris’s newest Mexican restaurants is also one of its most veg-friendly. A self-described taqueria (taco shop), here you’ll find all the things you come to expect at a Mexican eatery: The rice-based drink horchata (€2.50), guacamole and chips (€6.50), and tacos (3 for €8), among others. Lunch formule is €12.50, and includes rice or beans, tacos and quesadilla, and a drink.
Margaritas (€5.50) and Mexican beers (€5-6). Outdoor seating and a lively vibe. Credit cards accepted.
Lémoni Café
Omnivorous Greek
5 rue Herold
Cross street: rue Étienne Marcel
01 45 08 49 84
Métro: Palais Royale
M-F 12.00-15.30
The theme of this cute café’s cuisine is “healthy Cretan” — meaning no butter, refined sugars, crème or cow’s milk products. Instead, look for Greek-inspired salads including tabouli, lentil, and the summery cucumber-watermelon.
One or two veg hot items are offered daily, including soup. The sandwich formule (€10) might include a veggie-stuffed wrap, salad, and a drink; the plat formule (€18.50) includes a choice of warm dishes and a house-made dessert. Veggie burgers, and savory “cakes” are other possibilities.
Beer and wine served. Credit cards accepted.
Macéo
Omnivorous French fusion
15 rue des Petites Champs
Cross street: rue de Richelieu
01 42 97 53 85
Métro: Pyramides
M-F 9.00-00, Sa 17.00-00.00, Su closed; closed throughout August
You can’t miss Maceo — its flashy, bright-red exterior acts like a beacon. Inside you can expect attentive staff, comfortable décor, and a Parisian ambience.
The vegetarian menu is extensive, and many items can be veganized. Look for dishes like grilled spring vegetables with tomato confit (€19) and basil risotto with pine nuts (€22).
Oenophiles will appreciate the extensive wine list, and teetotalers have juice, coffee, and other drinks to choose from. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous French fusion
52 Rue de Richelieu
Cross street: rue des Petits Champs
01 42 97 54 40
Métro: Pyramides
M-F 18.00-23.00; closed weekends
Upscale dining that’s vegan-friendly, a short walk from the Louvre, Palais-Royal, and Opera Garnier.
Try the multi-course, off-the-menu vegan tasting menu (€60) based on seasonal vegetables is also available with a wine-pairing option (€100), which is recommended.
Call ahead for special dietary requests; English spoken. Can be off-the-charts noisy, but the downstairs wine bar is a much quieter (and less expensive) option. Credit cards accepted.
K-Mart
Omnivorious Asian supermarket
6-8 rue Sainte Anne
Cross street: ave de l’Opéra
01 58 63 49 09
Métro: Pyramides
M-Sa 10-21.00, Su closed
Americans might be confused by this Japanese-Korean grocery store’s name; you will not find discounted clothing or household goods here like you would at the big box stateside chain, but you will discover all kinds of tasty edible treats to take away, including fresh veg sushi, pickled vegetables, rice and noodle dishes, and more.
In the packaged foods section, you can fill your basket with natto (fermented soybeans eaten as a snack) and sweet mochi cakes for dessert. This is also a good spot to load up on noodle bowls, if you plan to eat some of your meals or snacks in your hotel room. Credit cards accepted
Omnivorous bookstore
248 rue de Rivoli
Cross street: Cambon
01 44 77 88 99
Métro: Concorde
M-Sa 9.00-19.00, Su 12.30-19.00
Paris’s biggest English-language bookstore seems an unlikely spot for sourcing vegetarian food, but upstairs in the mini épicerie, you’ll find all kinds of goodies to snack on.
Try the Marmite-flavored rice cakes (€1.40) and Marmite cashews (€4.40), or skip the vehicle and go straight for the source with a jar of the sticky stuff. (Australians will be happy to know they sell Vegemite too.)
Look for tea, jam, Dorset breakfast cereals, and four different varieties of Nature’s Path gluten-free cereals.
For dessert, there are Divine dark chocolate bars (€2-3.60) and plenty of other English- and American-style junk foods.
Credit cards accepted.
Paris’s second arrondissement sits square in the middle of the city’s key financial district, and the dining possibilities lean toward lunch-time, fast-casual spots that cater to the suited-up workforce.
Tourists come to explore the scads of covered arcades that dot the neighborhood, and to catch performances at the many theaters and concert halls.
Spend an afternoon roaming the city’s interesting Japantown, and when you’ve worked up an appetite, you can choose between Asian cuisine, English tea, burgers and fries, or light and healthy salads.
Vegetarian Neighborhood favorite
Vegitai
Vegetarian fusion
39-42 Passage Choiseul
Cross Street: rue des Petits Champs
09 83 03 62 30
Métro: Quatre Septembre or Pyramides
M-Sa 8.00-18.00
Daily specials at this new-ish veg lunch spot with a fast-food vibe are priced right (€7.40) and include rice bowls with fake chicken and vegetables, rice noodles with faux ham, and even fake duck with perfumed rice.
Other options include the daily wraps (€5.50), including one with avocado and “chicken.”
Smoothies and green drinks, and a variety of desserts. More vegan desserts to be added in 2014. Credit cards accepted.
A Priori Thé
Omnivorous English fusion
35-37 Galerie Vivienne/6 rue des Petits Champs
Cross street: rue Vivienne
01 42 97 48 75
Métro: Bourse
M-F 12.00-18.00; Sa-Su 12.00-18.00
An American owner and an English-style tea-room specials are what’s on the menu at this beautiful spot in the picturesque Belle Epoque covered passageway.
Come for tea and coffee, salads, sweet and savory tarts, and a nice selection of homemade baked goods.
After you’ve enjoyed a leisurely Sunday brunch that includes a hot beverage, fresh juice, scones and jam, main course, and dessert (€30), wander the famous gallery and poke your nose into the shops ranging from lose-yourself-for–an-hour toy stores to upscale wine shops.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous healthy
93 rue Montmartre
Cross street: rue Réamur
01 40 28 02 83
Métro: Sentier or Bourse
M 11.00-16.00, T-F 11.00-16.00 and 19.00-00.00, Su 11.00-16.00
Stir-fried tofu and veggies (€17), veggie burger (€15), gazpacho (€7), and Lebanese tabouli salad (€8) are just some of the possibilities awaiting discerning herbivores at this hip, modern organic café.
Wines available by the glass (€4.50-9) and bottle (€23-90), and a number of fresh-pressed juice options, including carrot-orange-lime (€7) to quench your thirst.
Prefer to eat in the shade of a plane tree in one of Paris’s parks? Pick up a fresh salad or sandwich for takeaway. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous burgers
46 Passage Choiseul
Cross Street: rue des Petits Champs
01 49 26 93 90
Métro: Quatre Septembre or
Pyramides
M-F 11.30-15.30, Sa 11.30-16.00; closed Sundays
Everything on the menu at this fast-food eatery in the airy Passage Choiseul is organic (bio), from the burger and bun right down to the ketchup and mustard.
Every burger (€7-8) on the menu can be made vegan—including the barbecue burger with onion confit and grilled eggplant. The meatless burger base is soy grown in southwest France.
Fries, salad, and a variety of hot and cold drinks on offer (€1.20-2.50), plus a daily “formule” that includes a burger, salad or fries, and drink or dessert for €10.50.
The spot is small, but there’s upstairs seating and a couple of spots on the “terrace.” Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted. A second location with a similar menu just opened at 10 rue de la Victoire in the 9th.
Elgi (two locations)
Omnivorous healthy
10 rue Saint-Marc
Cross street: rue Vivienne
Métro: Bourse
M-F 11:30-15.30
64 rue Montmartre
Cross street: rue du Louvre
Métro: Sentier
M-F 11:30-15.30, Sa 11.30-16.00
This chain lunch spot can be a lifesaver for hungry vegetarians roaming the streets of the French capital.
Choose a salad base—rice, pasta, or greens—and add dressing and toppings like olives, cucumber, grilled vegetables, beans or nuts to make your custom-order meal (€9-11).
A variety of breads, soups (€4-6) and sandwiches (€8), and smoothies to choose from.
Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous healthy
69 rue d’Argout
Cross street: rue du Louvre
01 42 21 44 36
Métro: Sentier
M-F 12.00-18.00; closed weekends
Mostly vegetarian, and vegan-friendly, this sweet spot is perfect for a lunch on the go.
Several formules to choose from: The Salad+Dessert+Drink combo (€9.50) is a light choice, while heartier appetites might opt for the Assiette (€12.50) and tuck into a bit of everything, which might include a vegan tart with eggplant and tomato; arugula salad with red and white quinoa; and soba noodles with roast squash.
Vegan and gluten-free dessert options (€2-4.50), organic tea (€3.80), and organic fruits and vegetable juices (€5), too.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Juji-Ya
Omnivorous Japanese
46 rue Sainte
Anne Cross-street: rue des Petits Champs
01 42 86 02 22
Métro: Quatre Septembre or Pyramides
M-S 10.00-22.00, Su 10.00-21.00
Part cantine, part grocery-store, this little gem offers a delicious veg bento box lunch (€10.30) with a brown rice option.
Among the tasty, authentic veg options are kobucha squash, stuffed tofu skin, seaweed salad, sautéed eggplant, and cold noodle salad.
Green tea and Japanese beer also served.
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous Korean
19 Passage Choiseul
Cross street: rue des Petits Champs
01 47 03 06 14
Métro: Quatre Septembre or Pyramides
M-Sa 11.30-19.00; closed Sundays
This friendly little spot with upstairs seating offers a fair selection of possibilities for vegans and vegetarians alike, including miso ramen (€7.50), the famous Korean veg-and-rice dish called Bibimbap (€9.90), and a noodle and veggie bowl called japche jeombap (€11.50).
The complete menu includes kimchi and your choice of soup, salad, or dumplings. Japanese and Korean beers, wine, tea, and other drinks available.
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Le Pain Quotidien
Omnivorous Mediterranean
5 rue des Petits Champs
Cross street: rue Vivienne
01 42 60 15 24
Métro: Pyramides or Bourse
M-Su 8.00-22.00
Vegan and vegetarian items are plentiful and clearly marked at this “healthy” Belgian chain restaurant with an open and airy vibe.
Most dishes come with the trademark “pain” (bread) served with a variety of jams and spreads, including the hummus-heavy Mediterranean mezze plate (€14). Tartines (open-faced sandwiches), soups, and salads are filling, if a little on the expensive side.
Organic wine served, as well as juice, coffee, and tea.
Kid friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Qualité & Co. (2nd)
Omnivorous healthy
4 rue Choiseul
Cross street: rue Quatre Septembre
01 40 15 09 99
Métro: Quatre September
M-Sa 8.30-17.00
Specializing in nutritious, balanced meals for health-conscious diners, this fast-casual spot offers a nice selection of vegan salads, plus mushroom risotto, and veg lasagna.
The Tarte Provençal (€8.60) comes with a side salad, and the organic quinoa salad offers a fresh mix of peas, beans, apple and nuts (€3.90). For something heartier, go for the grilled vegetable panini (€6.80).
Delectable New Tree chocolate bars are available too.
Free wifi. Credit cards accepted. Also in the 8th, pg 116.
Omnivorous Asian
13 rue Chabanais/2 rue Cherubini
Cross street: Sainte-Anne
01 42 96 27 28
Métro: Quatre-Septembre or Pyramides
M-Sa 12.00-19.00; Su closed
If the thought of washing down your tofu-skin rolls (€14, as part of a lunch special) with a slurpy glass of bubble tea sounds appealing, you’ll love Zen Zoo, a Taiwanese-style café serving a variety of veg-friendly snacks.
Upstairs seating and a casual vibe in which to enjoy your afternoon snack service (€8.50-13) that includes a drink and either pastry or dim sum and bubble tea (or all three).
Credit cards accepted
The third arrondissement offers an eclectic range of things to do and see.
From rue Rambuteau in the thick of the Marais, stretching north up to the newly revamped Place de la République, you’ll discover one of the city’s Chinatown districts, oodles of galleries hosting bi-monthly vernissages (art openings), trendy boutiques, a few museums (Picasso, Arts et Métiers, Centre Georges Pompidou), and plenty of opportunities to eat, drink, and be merry.
Pick a sunny day and wander the old streets, getting lost in secret gardens, exploring the crooked side-streets, and partaking in that old Parisian custom, people-watching.
Vegan/Neighborhood favorite
Un Monde Vegan
Vegan shop
64 rue Notre-Dame de Nazareth
Cross street: Rue de Saint-Martin
01 42 77 49 58
Métro: Republique or Temple
M-Sa 10.00-20.00, Su closed
www.unmondevegan.com
Faceook Un Monde Vegan
This fabulous little vegan oasis began as a mail-order operation and went big in 2012 with its storefront on a quiet street in the northern Marais district.
The best spot in Paris to stock up on faux meat and vegan cheese. VBites products from the UK include Thai-style crab cakes and chicken nuggets, and every scrumptious variety of Vegusto cheeses from Switzerland.
Un Monde Vegan also vends goodies for people with a serious sweet tooth, including Bonvita Bonbarrs and GoMaxGo bars in tempting peanut-butter cup and Snickers-style flavors.
Credit cards accepted.
Le Potager du Marais
Vegan restaurants
24 rue Rambuteau
Cross street: rue de Beaubourg
01 57 40 98 57
Métro: Rambuteau
W-Su 12.00-16.00 and 19.00-00.00
One of Paris’s oldest and quaintest vegetarian eateries recently revamped its menu so it’s now vegan and mostly gluten-free.
The hazelnut roast with mushrooms and green pepper reduction (€19) comes with either rice, quinoa, or mashed potatoes seasoned with garlic and olive oil. Mushroom pâté (€8) tastes divine spread on crusty bread, and the hearty seitan bourguignon (€18) comes with a rich red-wine sauce.
For dessert, dig into the dairy-free crème brulée with ginger (€8.50) or the creamy chocolate mousse (€7).
Champagne, cider, and natural sodas available, as well as an authentic, old-fashioned hot chocolate (€6).
Credit cards accepted. Terrace seating.
Photos Rebecca Gilbert/Yummy Plants
Vegetarian restaurant
74 rue des Gravilliers
Cross street: blvd du Beaubourg
09 52 55 11 66
Métro: Rambuteau or Arts et Métiers
M-F 8.00-15.00, Sa-Su 10.30-16.00. May be closed in August.
Expect communal tables, daily juice specials (€4-€7.50), lots of attractive model-types, and a vaguely New York vibe—which might be on account of all the English being spoken here.
Lunch menu varies (check the wall for the daily specials) from day to day, but might include a brown-rice bowl with veggies or a veggie stew du jour (€8.50), or a fully-loaded bagel sandwich.
Gluten-free pancakes, nori rolls, and dessert-options aplenty.
Several choices for vegans. It can get really crowded during peak dining hours, so be prepared to wait or opt for takeaway instead.
Credit cards accepted. Kid-friendly. Other branches in the 10th and 18th.
Café Pinson (3rd)
Vegetarian restaurant
6 rue du Forez
Cross street: rue Charlot
09 83 82 53 53
Métro: Filles du Calvaire
M-F 09.00-24.00, Sa 10.00-24.00, Su 12.00-18.00
A lot of money went into creating a chic, homey ambience at this Northern Marais hot spot, but the food’s pretty good too. With the exception of one or two items that contain eggs, the menu is vegan.
Sunday brunch is an event (€25), but regulars come for a relaxing weekday fixed-price lunch or dinner that might include a raw gazpacho; sautéed rice with mushrooms, pistachios, and miso-ginger sauce; and apricot tart with cardamom cream.
The owner has food sensitivities and launched this restaurant to serve others like her. A great spot for people with gluten allergies.
A la carte meals begin at €12.50. Credit cards accepted. Kid-friendly. Also in the 10th.
American-style vegan fast food
55 rue des Archives
Cross street: rue des Quatre Fils
09 72 44 03 99
Métro: Rambuteau
Su, Tu 12.00-15.00; W-F 12.00-15.00, 19.00-21.00; Sa 12.00-21.00; M closed
A spate of New York-style burger bars has opened in Paris, and the newest to hit the scene is HANK. Launched by three passionate herbivores who want to make the world a better place one meat-free burger at a time,.
HANK offers good value for your euro. The daily special includes a burger, drink, and dessert, and clocks in at €11, though à la carte options are also available.
Fries are organic, and the burgers come with inventive names and gourmet touches, like l’Aristocrate, served with a truffle sauce.
Credit cards accepted. Tip: Skip the museum across the street, which is filled with dead animals and antique hunting weapons.
Chez Omar
Omnivorous North African
47 rue de Bretagne
Cross street: rue des Archives or rue Charlot
01 42 72 36 26
Métro: Arts et Métiers or Filles du Calvaire
M-Sa 12.00-14.30 and 19.00-23.30; Su 19.00-23.30
With its wood-paneled walls and white tablecloths, this Northern Marais institution looks like the classic French bistro at first glance, but is actually the city’s most celebrated couscous restaurant. The vegetable couscous (€12), which is served with a fresh, tasty, vegetable-laden tureen of spiced vegetables, is delish and filling. Mint tea (€2) and North African wines are the stars of the drinks menu. A favorite spot among musicians, actors, and other celebrity types, expect to see and be seen at Omar’s. Cash only.
Omnivorous Chinese
95 rue Beaubourg
Cross Street: rue de Turbigo
01 44 59 31 22
Métro: Arts et Métiers
M-Sa 12.00-15.00 and 18.30-22:30
An omnivorous restaurant with a decent selection of vegan offerings.
The specialty here is the homemade noodles, which they’ll whip up into a vegan stir-fry, or a slurptastic noodle soup (€6.90) that goes great with Chinese greens with garlic (€6.00) and a bottle of Tsingtao beer (€3.50). Other vegan dishes include tofu with vegetables and sautéed bok choy and black mushrooms.
Wine, soda, and soy milk available, and the staff are very friendly and eager to please vegetarian customers. Credit cards accepted.
Café Loustic
Omnivorous café
40 rue Chapon
Cross street: rue de Beaubourg
09 80 31 07 06
Métro: Arts et Metiers
M 12.00-18.00, T-F 8.00-18.00, S 9.00-19.00, Su 11.00-18.00
This trendy little café with an English-speaking, on-site proprietor has a hipster vibe and attitude to match, but it’s a good place to go for a strong cup of drip coffee (€3) and a slice of the daily vegan cake.
Some days, kale salad is featured on the short menu; call in advance to confirm, and ask for the no-cheese option if you’re vegan.
Brunch (€10-12) includes granola (soy milk available on request), juice, coffee, and an array of sweet and savory tarts. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous Japanese
57 rue Charlot
Cross street: rue du Forez
09 60 00 25 59
Métro: Filles du Calvaire
M-Sa 12.00-00.00, Su 12.00-18.00
Bento fever has officially gripped Paris, and Nanashi was one of the forerunners of the craze. Across the street from Café Pinson, this very popular Japanese cantine and bento bar offers three different price structures: To-go (€10), dine-in (€14), and evening/weekends (€16).
Vegetarians can choose from tasty daily offerings including tofu galette with eggplant or a salad of potatoes, fennel, red onion and zucchini.
Two more locations in Paris (6th and 10th) to choose from, too.
Neo Bento
Omnivorous Japanese
5 rue des Filles du Calvaire
Cross street: blvd du Temple or rue de Bretagne
09 83 87 81 86
Métro: Filles du Calvaire
M-W-Th 11:30-19:30, F-S 11:30-21.30, Su 11.30-16.30
Here you get to fill your bento box (€12) with six tasty choices from the extensive veg menu.
Among the possibilities are sweet potato-coconut milk curry; quinoa risotto with truffle oil; soba noodles; marinated zucchini; wasabi broccoli; sprout salad; and coconut tapioca pudding.
This is light food that makes you feel energized and ready to tackle museums and sight seeing. Kid-friendly (game table).
Rose Bakery II
Omnivorous English fusion
30 rue Debelleyme
Cross dtreet: rue de Bretagne
01 49 96 54 01
Métro: Filles du Calvaire
Tu-Su 9.00-19.00; closed Mondays
British-influenced sweets like fruitcake and scones beckon from behind a glass case, while savory comestibles—including tarts, quiches, and vegetable plates—offer equal allure for salt-loving palates. Come for breakfast, lunch, or takeaway. Serves a good selection of tea and coffee to keep you buzzed and happy all day.
Rose Bakery is well-known for their Sunday brunch and generous portions; the Assiette Legumes (€16) is big enough for two and one of the few vegan options. Other veg possibilities include the tarte du jour and salad plate; pizette and salad; a daily soup; and risotto.
Gluten-free options available. Kid friendly. Credit cards accepted.
See also pg. 22. Other branches in the 9th (pg.126) and 12th (pg.157).
Vert Midi
Omnivorous healthy
9 rue aux Ours
Cross street: blvd du Sebastopol
01 42 71 64 36
Métro: Rambuteau or Etienne-Marcel
M-Sa 7.30-16.00; closed weekends
This two-location chain (the second is at 1 rue Saint Marc, 2nd) offers a delicious salad bar where you choose your base—greens, quinoa, pasta—then let the salad maestro add toppings, which vary in price from €1 for mushrooms or beets to €2 for grilled vegetables or sun-dried tomatoes.
Other veg options include soupe du jour (€3) which might be a green gazpacho or tangy tomato-basil, empanadas (€2.90) stuffed with in-season veggies, and fresh-pressed juice from the juice bar (prices begin at €2.70).
Formules range from €8 for the Salade spéciale (salade du jour and juice du jour) to €11.50 for the Plat formule, which includes the soup du jour, hot daily special, and a drink.
Breakfast items include tartines, viennoiserie, and that French morning specialty, hot chocolate.
Credit cards accepted.
La Cantine Merci
Omnivorous French restaurant
111 boulevard Beaumarchais
Cross street: Saint-Sébastien
01 42 77 79 28
Métro: Saint-Sébastien-Froissart
M-Sa 12.00-18.00, Su closed
The restaurant at Paris’s premier concept store is a good bet for herbivores who are too tired to cross the street over to Loving Hut (or who want a glass of wine with their meal, which you can’t get at Loving Hut).
Gorgeous composed salads brimming with fresh grains and vegetables; flavorful soups; risottos, and luscious berry crumbles for dessert.
Juices run €6.50, main plates between €10-19, and daily menus ring in at €22. Credit cards accepted.
This corner of the Marais is both the gay epicenter and the ancient Jewish quarter, which makes for an interesting mix. Throw in a heaping helping of tourists, vintage clothing stores, secret gardens, and a few museums, and you’ve got a recipe for a fabulous day-into-night outing.
Don’t miss the Musée Carnavelet, with its manicured garden and interesting mélange of art. Maison Victor Hugo is another mustn’t-miss; dedicated to the renowned author, this free museum features letters, paintings, furniture, and other memorabilia.
Sundays are perfect for a stroll through the St. Paul shopping district, with its hodge-podge of galleries, book stores, and junk shops.
And finally, a pique-nique at Paris’s oldest square, Place des Vosges, is another 4th arrondissement rite of passage. If you’re lucky, street musicians will be playing old Django Reinhart tunes under the eaves while you dine en plein air.
Vegan/Neighborhood favorite
Café Ginger
Vegan restaurant
9 rue Jacques Coeur
Cross street: blvd Henri IV
01 42 72 43 83
Métro: Bastille
Tu-Su 12:30-16:00, also F-Su 19.00-22.00, M closed; check Facebook for occasional closures such as in August
www.cafe-ginger.fr
Facebook Café Ginger Paris
The owners of this charming restaurant are trying to go vegan, so they revamped their previously vegetarian menu into a totally egg- and dairy-free affair. Meals are still filling, balanced, and scrumptious.
Dish of the day €12.50. Formules (€16/19.50/23) allow you to choose from a selection of daily tarts, salads, soups, and desserts. Chocolate lovers musn’t miss the decadent chocolate “slab” if it’s on offer.
Organic wine, tea, coffee, fresh juices, and hot chocolate are available, as are gluten-free options.
One of the owners is English, and if he’s on hand, he can explain menu options.
Terrace seating. Dog-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Le Grand Appetit
Vegan macrobiotic restaurant & shop
9 Rue de la Cerisaie
Cross street: rue de l’Arsenal
01 40 27 04 95
Métro: Bastille
M-Th 12.00-21.00, F 12.00-14.00, Sa-Su closed;
Closed most of August
One of the city’s original macrobiotic restaurants is also one of the few that remain fish-free and totally vegan. A vintage ‘70s vibe permeates both the restaurant and the attached natural foods store next door.
What this place does best are its macro plates, which come in small or large sizes. Expect two kinds of cooked grains, cooked vegetables, seaweed salad, fresh greens, and bread for the table.
You set the table yourself—water, condiments, and cutlery are on a side table—order the food at the counter, and wait.
Sushi rolls, miso soup, and low-sugar desserts are other possibilities.
Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous café
29-31 rue Saint Louis en l’Île
Cross street: rue des Deux Ponts
01 43 54 31 61
Métro: Hôtel de Ville
W-Su 12.00-20.00; Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
The ultimate spot to stop for an icy-cold, deliciously flavorful scoop of sorbet.
Usually, vegans are relegated to the fruit flavors, but at Berthillon, you get to choose among such alluring flavors as Extra Bitter Dark Chocolate, Lemon-Thyme, Whiskey-Chocolate, and Peach with Mint Leaves. Other flavors include Blood Orange, Wild Blackberry, and Rhubarb.
Eat in the tea room, or take your cup or cone to go. Credit cards accepted.
l’Ebouillanté
Omnivorous fusion
6 Rue Des Barres
Cross street: quai de l’Hôtel de Ville
01 42 74 70 52
Métro: Pont Marie or Hôtel de Ville
M-Su 12.00-22.00
This darling spot in the thick of Paris’s oldest neighborhood offers welcoming respite from sightseeing overload. Chinese teas, homemade lemonade, brick (thin semolina crêpes stuffed with a variety of fillings), and salads hit the spot when hunger strikes.
Let them know if you’re vegan and they’ll help you find something without cheese or eggs; if you’re lucky, they’ll make you a crêpe with spinach, mushrooms, and olives.
English spoken and service is super-friendly.
Wine is served in a unique way: Order a bottle, and only pay for what you drink.
Expect generous portions, and if you love the dark stuff, try a rich bowl (yes, bowl) of hot chocolate that has the power to take the edge off of any gray Parisian day.
Kid-friendly. Terrace seating. Dog-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous pizza
11 rue des Rosiers
Cross street: rue Ferdinand Duval
01 48 87 56 88
Métro: Saint-Paul
M-Th 11.00-18.00, Friday 11.00-14.99, and Su 11.00-18.00
All the pizzas in this tiny, six-table rue des Rosiers institution can be made cheese-free, and you even get a 50 centime discount on a single slice, or 2 euros off an entire pie for going sans fromage. Pies boast a thin crust, are 100-percent kosher, and totally tasty. Try the Verdi—onions, peppers, corn, and mushrooms (€16/15 for to-go orders)—or the Venezia, with grilled eggplant (€13/12).
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Mon Vieil Ami
Omnivorous French
69 rue Saint Louis en l’Île
Cross street: rue le Regrattier
01 40 46 01 35
Métro: Pont Marie
M-Su 12.00-14.00 and 19.00-23.00
Revered by omnivores for both its cuisine and too-perfect location on Île Saint Louis, Mon Vieil Ami is also winning veg converts with its 100 percent légumes (€39) menu that reads like an ode to seasonal vegetables: Asparagus soup; fava bean, pea, and mushroom fricassée; vegetables of the moment served as a tagine with dried apricots and nuts; fresh fruit with mint; and housemade sorbet for dessert.
Vegan options available à la carte or as a complete menu. Worth the splurge, and definitely a special spot for a romantic dinner à deux. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous healthy
18-20 Rue des Archives
Cross street: Rue de Rivoli
01 44 54 03 07
Métro: Hôtel de Ville
M-Su 8.00-20.00
This Belgian organic-food chain offers a calm, pleasant dining experience, with communal tables, big windows and natural light, and friendly service. Vegan and vegetarian items are plentiful and clearly marked.
Most dishes come with the trademark “pain” (bread) served with a variety of jams and spreads. Tartines (open-faced sandwiches), soups, and salads are filling, if a little on the expensive side.
Organic wine served, as well as juice, coffee, and tea.
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted. Other locations in Paris include the 2nd, 9th, and 18th.
le Pas-Sage Obligé
Omnivorous French fusion
29 rue de Bourg Tibourg
Cross street: rue de Rivoli
01 40 41 95 03
Métro: Hôtel de Ville
M-F 19.00-22.00, Sa 12.00-14.30 and 19.00-22.30, Su 12.00-14.30 and 19.00-22.00. Closed most of August.
Great location in the heart of the gay Marais, walking distance to the best bars, shops, and sites the neighborhood has to offer.
Try the mushroom terrine with figs (€5.40), or the refreshing gazpacho (€5.40). For something heartier, there’s the seitan-olive burger (€14.90), stuffed pepper (€13.50) and Mushroom roast (€15.80) and strawberry-rhubarb crumble (€6.90) for dessert.
Sunday brunch September-June.
Credit cards accepted. Make a reservation on line if you fear the French phone call.
Omnivorous Israeli
8 rue Pavée
Cross street: rue de Rivoliî
01 42 71 17 17
Métro: Saint-Paul
M-Th and Su 9.00-23.30, F 9.00-12.00; closed Saturdays
If you feel claustrophobic and don’t want to face the crowds on rue des Rosiers, do like the neighborhood locals and head to this standout kosher deli and restaurant offering plenty of cozy seating for a relaxed meal.
The menu is 90-percent veg, and loaded with nibbles like house-made bagels, latkes, strudel, and, of course, falafel (€5). You can also tuck into a filling assiette loaded with hummus, salad, pizza, and other tempting morsels.
Kosher wines, soft drinks, and friendly service. Credit cards accepted.
Chez Izrael
Omnivorous food store
30 Rue François Miron
Cross street: rue du Pont Louis Philippe
01 42 72 66 23
Métro: St. Paul
M-Sa 9:30-19.00; Su closed
A treasure trove of spices, dried fruit and nuts, snacks, liqueurs, candies, olives, and mystery treats from every corner of the globe. A fun place to source unusual souvenirs, and stock up on snacks for long days spent exploring the cobbled streets of Paris. Credit cards accepted.
Falafel take-aways
Who comes to the Marais and doesn’t get a falafel? No one! Paris’s most popular street for partaking in this food-centric ritual is rue des Rosiers. Here, men in tall black hats and long beards mingle among the tourists, giving life to one of the the city’s oldest and most picturesque quarters.
The undisputed winner of the falafel contest is l’As du Fallafel (34 rue des Rosiers)—I mean, Lenny Kravitz eats here, for goodness’ sake. (And they’ve got the pictures on the wall to prove it) Eat inside or take your falafel to go for a 2 euro discount. The line moves fast, either way. Inside, you have the option of wine, fries, and other edibles, plus the addictive and oh-so garlicky house-made harissa sauce. Mmmm.
Directly across from l’As is Mi-Va-Mi (23 rue des Rosiers), which churns out equally delicious yet slightly less celebrated falafel, plus fries and Maccabee beer.
Heading west, you’ll bump into Chez Hanna (54 rue des Rosiers), where you can enjoy a sit-down falafel feast in a refined setting.
Heading east, you can’t miss King Falafel Palace (26 rue des Rosiers), with its outdoor seating and awning to protect diners from the mid-day sun.
In respect of the Jewish Sabbath, these authentic Israeli falafel joints are closed from Friday evening through Saturday. If it’s Saturday and you’ve got to have your falafel, there’s always Maoz on the other side of the Seine.
The Latin Quarter is where all the brainpower in Paris congregates. The Sorbonne is here, and the neighborhood caters to students on limited budgets.
Look for bargain bites, bookstores, and several museums, including the Musée National du Moyen Age, with its beautiful tapestries, statues, and Gallo-Roman relics. The Institut du Monde Arabe is also worth a visit, and when you’ve had enough art and history, there’s literature to consider: World famous English-language bookstore Shakespeare and Company offers author readings, music events, and books galore for bookish travelers.
Neighborhood Favorite
Vegan Folie’s
Vegan organic bakery
53 rue Mouffetard
Cross street: rue Ortolan
01 43 37 21 89
Métro: Place Monge
Tu-Su 11.00-20.00; M closed; closed most of August
www.veganfolies.fr
Facebook Vegan Folie’s
The city’s first and only organic, all-vegan patisserie spot has expanded from its creative sweet and savory cupcakes and sumptuous cheesecakes to include an array of baguette sandwiches: ham, chorizo, and meatless pâté—all vegan, of course!
Friendly service (English spoken), a nice variety of beverages (try the coconut water), and decadent cookies and brownies on offer. A good place to meet up with visiting vegans, and to gather information on local veg events.
Minimum seating, but to-go orders available. Try the whoopee pies and carrot cake too.
Credit cards accepted.
Maoz (5th)
Vegan falafel cafe & takeaway
8 rue Xavier Privas
Cross street: Quai Saint-Michel
01 43 26 36 00
Métro: Saint-Michel
Su-W 11.00-23:00, Th-Sa 11.00-02.00
The original vegan fast-food joint is still a contender for Best Falafel in Paris. Generous portions, an all-you-can salad-and-sauces station, drinks, and very limited seating are what you’ll find at this corner hole-in-the-wall. Add fries and a few generous squirts from the hummus pump and you’ll be stuffed until midnight.
The standard formule (€8) includes a falafel sandwich, fries, and a soft drink; falafel sandwich à la carte will set you back less than €5. Cash only.
Can be hard to find in a tangled maze of tourist-trap eateries; try to enter from Quai Saint-Michel for easy spotting. If no seats are available, relish your meal in the park beside Notre Dame or nearby square Viviani. Another branch in the 6th (pg. 97).
Le Grenier de Notre Dame
French vegetarian restaurant
18 rue de la Bûcherie
Cross street: rue Dante
01 43 29 98 29
Métro: Saint-Michel
M-Th and Su12:00-14.30 and 18.30-22.30, F-Sa 12:00-14.30 and 18.30-23.00
Darling spot with terrace seating, and two floors of indoor dining. Service is efficient and the meals are filling.
Couscous, macrobiotic dishes, lots of seitan and tofu options, and interesting salads. Good selection of vegan options, and some gluten-free.
Mid-day formule is €15.50; evening and weekends €17.50. Look for veg versions of traditional French classics like cassoulet and tartare d’avocat, but if you’re really hungry, go for the escalope de seitan.
The drinks menu features wine, smoothies, coffee and tea.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian Indian restaurant
25 rue Galande
Cross street: rue Dante
01 43 29 87 93
Métro: Maubert-Mutualité
M-Su 12.00-23.00
Just a block away from Notre Dame and Paris’s most popular indie bookstore, Shakespeare & Co., Krishna Bhavan offers cheap, tasty Indian and Sri Lankan meals that are 100-percent vegetarian.
Thalis (€10), dosas, idli, and treats like aloo paratha and chole bhatura can all be found on the extensive menu.
Menus (€14.50 lunch/€19.00 dinner) include a starter (samosa, vada, soup) main plat (rice and curried veg), dessert, and a drink.
Wine and soft drinks, plus traditional chai and non-vegan lassis.
Terrace seating. Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Also in the 10th, pg. 133.
Le Puit de Légumes
Vegetarian and fish restaurant
18 rue Cardinal Lemoine
Cross street: blvd Saint-Germain
01 43 25 50 95
Métro: Cardinal Lemoine
M-Sa 12:00-16:00 and 19:00-22:00; closed Sundays
Cozy and cute, and a bit like stepping back in time a few decades, this “vegetarian” restaurant serves fish, but almost anything can be veganized and everything offered has a vegetarian base.
Several different lunch formules to choose from, including the Zen meal (€15) served with miso soup; a macro plate with grains, tofu, and greens; and vanilla soy cream for dessert.
The à la carte menu includes savory tarts, salads, tofu plates, soups, and low-sugar desserts.
Wine, juices, and herbal infusions feature on the drinks menu. Pet-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian and fish restaurant
72 rue du Cardinal Lemoine
cross street: rue Rollin
Métro: Cardinal Lemoine
T-Su 11.00-14.30 and 19.00-22.30
The beautiful, filling plats are the thing to order at this 90-percent vegetarian restaurant. Colorful, bountiful salads, a side of grains and cooked veggies, plus either tofu, seitan, or tempeh (€15.90) makes a filling, healthy lunch.
Other possibilities include the soup du jour (€7.20); giant composed salad (€11.80); or a hearty full menu (€29.90) that includes soup, main plate with seitan or tempeh, grains and veggies, dessert, and coffee or tea.
Lots of dessert options for vegans, including apple crumble with nuts (€6.50).
Coffee with rice milk (€3.20), Japanese green teas (€3.20), and wine by the glass or bottle are among the drinks options. Credit cards accepted.
L’Atlas
Omnivorous North African restaurant
12 blvd Saint-Germain
Cross street: rue du Cardinal Lemoine
01 44 07 23 66
Métro: Maubert Mutualité or Cardinal Lemoine
W-Su 12:30-14.30 and 19.30-23.00; Tu 19.30-23.00; closed Mondays
This charming corner spot offers sumptuous Moroccan ambience and the chance to try a variety of North African dishes.
Start with the startlingly tasty eggplant-artichoke salad (€9) or the heftier Moroccan “special” salad (€12), and then go for the couscous légumes (€19) with chickpeas, carrot, potato, and dried fruit.
Plenty of dessert options for vegans, including the intriguing fig-and-date sorbet (€10).
Fruit juices, beer, and Moroccan wine are served, as well as the house specialty, tea with pine nuts! Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorious North African
39 Rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire
Cross street: rue Daubenton
01 43 31 38 20
Métro: Place Monge
M-Su 9.00-00.00
If a mosque seems like an unusual spot for an afternoon pick-me-up, well, that’s because it is. Wonderfully unusual, in that you can sip mint tea (€2) and nibble on sticky pastries (€2) at the mosque’s pleasant cafe, and even get a massage at the on-site hammam.
Stepping into the café’s beautiful, mosaic-tiled interior feels like you’ve entered an authentic Moroccan souk; cool and shady, with a distinctly non-Parisian flavor.
The attached restaurant offers couscous végétarienne, several egg- and dairy-free salads, and that Paris restaurant staple, French fries.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous Ethiopian
8 Rue de l’École Polytechnique
Cross street: rue des Ecoles
01 40 46 82 21
Métro: Maubert Mutualité
M 19.00-23.30, Tu-Su 12.00-15.00 and 19.00-23.30
The subterranean dining room is popular with groups, and the food at Godjo is popular with everyone who eats here.
Fresh and tasty vegetarian platter (€15) goes best when washed down with a bottle of St. George Ethiopian beer, but you can also order each of the six vegetarian options separately. Gamen Wot (spinach) is always perfectly spiced, and the Messer (lentils) can be prepared either hot or mild (€11.50).
Wine and soft drinks served; more expensive than other Ethiopian places in town and the service can be spotty, but the neighborhood is great and the food authentic and warming. Credit cards accepted.
Tugalik
Ominivorous macrobiotic-French
4 Rue Toullier
Cross street: rue Soufflot
01 43 54 41 49
Métro: Cluny La Sorbonne or Cardinal Lemoine
M 11.30-14.30; Tu-F 11.30-22.30; Sa 19.00-22.30; closed Sundays
The menu changes every week at this healthy, elegant French macro-style restaurant.
Creamy risotto with root vegetables (€18), almond-leek terrine with truffle oil (€11) and enormous organic salads with warm grains (€8.50), and gluten-free carrot cake (€8) are some of the tempting vegan options.
Special vegetarian dinners with wine pairing (€45) are another reason to dine here.
Menus past have included pumpkin ravioli with mushroom cream; buckwheat crepes with winter vegetables; and braised vegetables atop polenta cake with orange reduction sauce.
Organic wines by the bottle and the glass. Credit cards accepted.
Also in the 6th, pg. 102.
Burrito Sandwich on rue Mouffetard
Rue Mouffetard has lots of appeal; it’s a cute shopping street lined with cafes, bars, and interesting shops (some tourist traps, but not all), a subterranean bowling alley, theaters, and a giant Naturalia supermarket.
On Sundays, an accordionist plays at Place de la Contrescarpe, and out of the cobbled corners drift in the dancers, who evoke another era with their dancing à deux.
Mouffetard is also home to Paris’s only vegan cupcake and pastry shop, Vegan Folie’s. But before you dig into your thick slice of dairy-free peanut-butter chocolate cheesecake, you need lunch.
For a quick, cheap, and filling meal-on-the-go, hit up one of the burrito spots that vie for your business on this little sliver of a street. At the foot of the hill sits Boca Mexa (127 rue Mouffetard, daily 10.00-22.00, F-Sa till 23.00) where you can get yourself a meat-free burrito, quesadilla, tacos, or even nachos, and wash it down with a refreshing agua fresco. At the top of the hill, Chido (3 rue Mouffetard, daily 11.30-23.30, F-Sa till 01.00) proposes burritos, salads, guacamole, and margaritas. Olé!
The 6th was the center of Paris’s Left-Bank literary scene back in the early part of the 20th century. Hemingway, Baldwin, Joyce, Stein, and Fitzgerald mingled with the likes of Picasso and Modigliani at Les Deux Magots, Café Flore, and Brasserie Lipp—cafés that still exist today—creating art and making history.
In the 21st century, the 6th is known more for its famous park, Luxembourg Gardens, than anything else. However, there’s lots to do here, including catching a show at one of dozens of independent movie houses, and visiting the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts, where you can see the work of up and coming artists as well as established names in the art world.
While the classic cafés aren’t the most veg-friendly spots in Paris, you can still take a seat on the terrace and enjoy your €7 café with a chic vantage point.
Local favorite
Maoz (6th)
Vegan falafel
36 Rue Saint-André des Arts
Cross street: rue Séguier
Métro: St. Michel or Odéon
Su-W 11.00-23.00,
Th-Sa 11.00-02:00
Late weekend hours make this a great post-nighclub nosh spot.
Different from its sister location a short walk away in the 5th (pg.90), this Maoz branch offers couscous with vegetables along with the standard falafel, fries, and all-you-can-eat salad-and-pickles bar.
The Maoz menu (€7.95) includes a falafel sandwich, fries, and drink.
The Falafel salad formule (bowl of salad with three falafel, plus all you can eat from the bar) plus drink is good value (€5.95) for those on a budget.
Fries and a variety of soft drinks available.
Limited seating. Cash only
Macrobiotic vegan & fish restaurant and health food store
6 rue Cardinale
Cross street: rue de l’Abbaye
01 43 26 03 24
Métro: Saint-Germain des Prés or Mabillon
Restaurant M-Sa 12.00-15.30; Shop M-Sa 09.30-22.30; Su closed
The menu at this natural-food store/café is 80 percent vegan, and mostly macrobiotic. Everything on the menu tastes really fresh, and the prices are more reasonable than other restaurants of the macro ilk.
Quinoa burgers, Vietnamese spring rolls, ravioli, and seitan brochettes are among the many delicious possibilities that can be ordered as part of a formule (€12.50) or à la carte.
Fresh-pressed juices (€5) and simple, house-made desserts round out the menu.
When you’ve polished off every last morsel on your plate, browse the boutique, where you can procure vitamins, teas, non-dairy milks, and other veg supplies.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous organic wine & tapas bar
40 rue Jacob
Cross street: rue Bonaparte
06 25 84 33 15
Métro: Saint-Germain-des-Pres
M-Sa 12.00-15.00 and 19.00-00.00; closed Sundays
An organic wine bar where you can fill your stomach with a variety of interesting small plates, then souse yourself in organic wines by the glass or bottle (starting at €3.50).
Ask the host what goes best with organic lentils with roasted artichoke (€8), and she’ll happily advise. Soups (€4.50), salads (€7.50-9.50), and tartines (open-faced sandwiches) round out the veg possibilities.
A cozy place to escape the rain and sate yourself on a gray Paris afternoon. Pet-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Pizza Chic
Omnivorous Italian
13 Rue de Mézières
Cross street: rue de Rennes
01 45 48 30 38
Métro: Saint-Sulpice
M-Th 12.30–14.30 and 19.30–23.00; F 12.30-14.30 and 19.30-23.30; Sa 12.30–15.00 and 19.30–23:00, Su 12.00–15.00 and 19.30-22.00
There are regular ol’ pizza places and then there are fancy pizza places, and Pizza Chic definitely falls into the latter category. Cloth napkins, überprofessional wait service, and stylish décor makes dining here a truly pleasurable experience.
Starters include chestnut soup with truffles (€12) and the simple but tasty garden salad (€10).
The chef will happily prepare any of their gorgeous pizzas (€14-22) sans fromage (without cheese); try the artichoke pizza for something completely different.
The craziest dessert item on the menu—a slushy made with lemon sorbet, vodka, and sparkling prosecco wine (€10)—is accidentally vegan, and guaranteed to put you in a good mood.
Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous Tea House
6 rue du Pont-de-Lodi
Cross street: Quai des Grands Augustins
01 43 29 61 31
Métro: Mabillon or Saint-Michel
Tu-Sa 12.00-19.00 (tea service only after 15.00); Su 12.00-16.00; closed Mondays
Tofu and tea are at the heart of this menu. Step in and unwind over a fragrant bowl of lapsong suchong poured from a diminutive pot, and dig into a plateful of fresh tofu and expertly cooked veggies. Won-ton soup, Sichuan tofu, and bowls of perfectly cooked rice make this sweet spot hidden in the Latin Quarter worth seeking out. Credit cards accepted.
Tugalik
Omnivorous French
29 rue Saint-Placide
Cross street: Raspail
01 42 84 02 04
Métro: Rennes or Saint-Placide
M-Sa 10.00-20.00, Su closed.
Closed most of August.
Unlike its sister restaurant in the neighboring 5th (pg. 94), this Tugalik outpost isn’t open for dinner, but its menu still offers all of the organic deliciousness and bright flavors of the other location.
Chickpea crepe with coriander chutney, quinoa salad with vegetables, and pumpkin soup with coconut milk are some of the items you might find on the menu that changes weekly.
Organic wines, vegan desserts, and lots of gluten-free options. Credit cards accepted.
Holy Planet
Vegetarian natural foods store
34 rue Serpente
Cross street: rue Danton
01 42 97 53 24
Métro: Odéon
M-Sa 11.00-20.00, Sun closed
Part natural-foods store, part organic vegetarian takeaway shop, Holy Nature offers a good selection of vegan to-go items, including soup, a salad bar with 15 different ingredients, and sandwiches made with vegan pâtés, veggies, and fake meats.
Fresh fruit juices and a super-friendly, helpful staff await. A few seats available inside.
Wine and beer for sale. Credit cards accepted.
Everyone who passes through Paris visits the 7th at some point, if only to stop and gaze up at the city’s most celebrated monument, the Tour Eiffel.
This district is also home to Napoleon’s Tomb, the Assemblée Nationale, Rodin museum and gardens, and the always-amazing Musée d’Orsay.
The American Library is another must-visit; on Wednesday nights, the library hosts author events and lectures, complete with wine and snacks. It’s one of the best places for meeting local Anglophones, but if you prefer to mingle with a more local crowd, veer away from the famous landmark and explore the quiet backstreets of the 7th.
Veggie
Vegetarian French
38 rue de Verneuil
Cross street: rue du Bac
01 42 61 28 61
Métro: rue du Bac or Solferino
M-F 9.30-15.00 and 17.00-19.00; Sa-Su closed
Within walking distance of the Musée d’Orsay, this tiny, totally organic lunch and early dinner spot offers predictably tasty menu items for hungry herbivores: Vegetable tarts, soups, salads, desserts. Expect to spend about €15 on lunch.
Wine, fresh fruit juices, and takeaway option. Credit cards accepted.
Little-known fact:
The Tour Eiffel is not vegan!
We’re not talking about the celebrated Jules Verne (2nd floor) nor the 58 Tour Eiffel (1st floor) restaurants in the Eiffel Tower — which are clearly not vegan (though they do propose vegetarian options); we’re talking about the tower itself! The elevators are still greased in the same way they were when it was completed in 1889: with graisse de boeuf, aka beef fat.
l’Arpège
Omnivorous French
84 rue de Varenne
Cross street: rue de Bourgogne
01 45 50 23 16
Métro: Varenne
M-F 12.00-14.00 and 19.00-22.30; Sa-Su closed
This world-renowned and extremely exclusive (read: expensive) dining spot should be every vegetarian’s entrée into the world of haute cuisine. Michelin-starred chef Alain Passard is passionate about vegetables, and each dish is prepared with such expert skill that you’ll think you’ve died and gone to vegetable heaven.
The tasting menu is full of surprises. One day, you might find sweet onion gratin with truffles, vegetable dumplings floating in a savory broth, an exquisite piece of turnip nigiri, or a merguez sausage fashioned out of vegetables.
Reservations a must, and expect to drop hundreds of euro for the experience. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous ice-cream
42 rue Cler
Cross street: rue de Grenelle
09 50 79 33 93
Métro: École Militaire
Mar-Oct M-Su 12.00-22.30 and
24.00 at weekends;
winter closes 21.30;
Jan-Feb closes 19.30.
This chain ice-cream parlor with 25 outlets scattered across the city offers a big selection of dairy-free sorbets, served in their signature flower-petal shaped scoops. Seasonal favorites served throughout Paris include cassis and strawberry flavors, but you can choose among mango, passionfruit, and organic chocolate sorbetto.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Coutume Café
Omnivorous fusion
47 rue de Babylone
Cross street: rue Vaneau
01 45 51 50 47
Métro: Saint-François-Xavier M-F 8.30-19.00; Sa-Su 10.00-
19.00
Run by a Franco-Australian duo, this is the spot in Paris to get a caffeine-infused liquid elixir, and fill up on tasty light meals and sturdier weekend brunch.
Salads and pasta dishes make the best bets for vegans; vegetarians can expand their horizons to include a simple breakfast (€7) of juice, coffee and either pancakes or viennoisserie. The lunch special (€13) might include carrot soup, buckwheat noodles with lotus root and vegetables, and a coffee of your choice.
A stylish, trendy spot to hang out and get wired. Artisan beer, iced drinks, and soy milk available on occasion.
Free wifi. Credit cards accepted.
Giallo Oro
Omnivorous Italian
38 rue de Bourgogne
Cross street: rue de Grenelle
01 45 50 14 57
Métro: Varenne
M-Sa 12.00-14.30 and 19.00-23.00
The aromas wafting out of the kitchen should be enough to seduce any diner, but the huge selection of vegetarian dishes—pasta is the specialty here—is the main draw.
Risotto with fresh asparagus, porcini gnocchi (€18), mustard-greens ravioli (€15), and another delicious rendition of pasta primavera (€15) are just a few of the carb-lover’s specials on the menu.
Wine by the glass or bottle, mixed drinks, and friendly service await. Credit cards accepted.
Gusto Italia
Omnivorous Italian
11 rue Amelie
Cross street: rue Saint-Dominique
01 45 56 92 70
Métro: La Tour-Maubourg or Invalides
M-Su 12.00-23.00
Tucked on a side street between rue de Grenelle and lively shopping street rue Saint-Dominique, you’ll find the adorable, closet-sized pizzeria Gusto Italia. No frills, but the pizzas (€9-14) are tasty and every pie can be made cheese-free on request.
Try the tasty trifecta of grilled veg pizza (€9), mixed salad (€9), and verre de vin rouge (red wine).
Filling lasagna and pasta dishes are other possibilities, both here and at the two nearby Gusto Italia locations on rue de Grenelle. Credit cards accepted.
Le Lotus Blanc
Omnivorous Vietnamese
45 rue de Bourgogne
Cross street: rue de Varenne
01 45 55 18 89
Métro: Varenne
M-F 12.00-14.30 and M-Sa 19.30-23.00
A five-minute walk from the Rodin museum and 10 minutes from Invalides, this adorable, authentic Vietnamese restaurant has more going for it than just its great location.
A vegetarian menu includes such scrumptious treats as tofu-vermicelli soup (€8.50), vegetarian duck with mushroom and bamboo (€12.80), and tofu with lemongrass (€11.80).
The set menu (€22.90) includes an entrée, main plate with rice, dessert and coffee.
The main dining room looks small—and it is—but there’s more seating upstairs. Credit cards accepted.
The Real McCoy/McCoy Café
Omnivorous American
194 rue de Grenelle
Cross street: ave Bosquet
01 45 56 00 00
Métro: École Militaire
M-Su 10.00-20.00; closed most of August
This “American café” fills a certain void—one that calls for peanut-butter on bagel (€3.50) and nachos with guacamole (€6). Salads (€7) and gringo-style super burritos (€6) are other affordable possibilities.
American junk food (Oreos, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups) and canned goods (black beans, jalapeno peppers) are for sale in the general store section. Credit cards accepted.
Tribeca
Omnivorous Italian
36 rue Cler
Cross street: rue de Grenelle
01 45 55 12 01
Métro: École Militaire
M-Sa 8:30-23.45, Su 11.00-17.00
Pedestrian street rue Cler has a cult following among tourists, but locals alike love this Italian spot with the giant terrace and huge menu loaded with veg options.
All pizzas (€9-12) are prepared fresh and can be made cheeseless, Rigatoni with truffles (€13), vegetable lasagna (€9), and a lots of veg entrees (€7-10) to keep you full and happy until Eiffel Tower twinkle time.
Kid-friendly. Terrace seating. Dog-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Like the neighboring 9th, Paris’s 8th arrondissement is a financial district buzzing with men and women in suits who pour out of their Haussmann offices several times a day to smoke en masse on the broad sidewalks.
The Champs Elysées is the neighborhood’s big draw; here you’ll find the famous topless cabaret, the Lido, plus several theaters, cinemas, and shopping complexes.
Skip the overpriced cafés lining the famous 10-lane thoroughfare and opt for something on a side street that’s quieter and friendlier on the wallet.
Bert’s
Omnivorous café
4 Avenue du Président Wilson
Cross street: Georges V
01 47 23 48 37
Métro: Alma-Marceau
M-F 8.00-20.30, Sa-Su 9.30-20.30
Across from the Princess Diana memorial and a five minute walk to the Palais de Tokyo, Musée Galleria, and the City of Paris’s Modern Art Museum, Bert’s offers two veg salads per day (€6.90-7.50), two meat-free toasted sandwiches that can be veganized (€6.50), plus a vegan soupe du jour (€4.30).
On lucky days, you might find a veg pasta or tart special on the menu.
If you’re feeling fancy, spring for a bottle of champagne (€30-50), or just stick with the invigorating coffee drinks.
Terrace seating. Kid-friendly. Free wifi. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous gluten-free cafe
47 rue de Laborde
Cross street: rue de Rocher
01 42 93 45 58
Métro: Europe
Tu-Sa 11.00-17.00, Su-M closed
www.biospherecafe.fr/en
bio-sphere-cafe.blogspot.fr
Quiche, baguette sandwiches, and savory tarts are the cornerstones of every French café’s lunch menu, and that’s no different at Bio Sphère—except that everything on offer at this modern eatery is gluten-free and organic—including the beer.
Fresh-pressed juices (€4.20) are another house specialty, and they almost help balance out any overindulging that might occur after viewing the patisserie case.
On the savory side, there’s soup (€4.70-6.70), Breton galettes (€6.70-11.70), pizzas (€10.79) served with a side salad, and pasta (€10.70).
Credit cards accepted.
Bread and Roses
Omnivorous French
25 rue Boissy d’Anglas
Cross street: Faubourg Saint-Honoré
01 47 42 40 00
Métro: Concorde
M-F 8.00-20.30; Sa 10.00-20.30; closed Sundays
Plenty of choices for the vegetarian traveler here, especially if eggs and dairy are part of your diet. Vegans can choose from a variety of salads (which can be prepared without meat or fish), breads, and daily soups.
Try the Tarte Provençale with dried fig, artichokes, and zucchini. Pumpkin soup (€18.50) is served with delicious, fresh bread.
Prices are high here, but you’re paying in part for location; just steps away from the Palais Elysées and Paris’s high-end shopping street, rue Saint-Honoré, which means you might find yourself dining beside politicians or celebrity types.
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous healthy
55 ave Franklin D. Roosevelt
Cross street: Champs Elysées
01 45 63 19 09
Métro: Franklin D. Roosevelt
M-F 9.00-16.00, Sa-Su closed
Paris’s 8th arrondissement gets to claim the honor of Most Cojean Outlets in a Single Arrondissement (there are six). Whichever spot you happen to visit, look for wheatgrass juice (€3.50), toasted vegetable sandwiches (€4.90), lasagna (€8.90), tasty vegan soups (€4.50-4.90), and salads galore (€2.90-5.90).
Also look for organic juices, bubble tea, and dairy-free tapioca desserts (€2.90).
Cojean caters to the lunchtime office crowd, and both hours and ambience reflect that. Free wifi. Credit cards accepted. Also in the 8th at
32 rue Monceau
11 ave Delcassé
64 rue Mathurins
19 rue Clément Marot
11 rue de Surène
Eat Me
Omnivorous healthy
35 rue de Washington
Cross street: Champs Elysées
01 40 74 04 44
Métro: Georges V
M-F 11.00-15.00; closed Saturdays and Sundays
This four-restaurant Parisian chain offer a variety of salads (quinoa, sesame-tofu), cheesy pastas (€5.50), soups (€3.70) and sandwiches (€4.90-5.40) in a fast-casual, clean and modern environment.
Fresh juices, plus tea, coffee, and soft drinks. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous fusion
39 rue Boissy d’Anglas
Cross street: rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
01 42 65 10 49
Métro: Madeleine or Concorde
Tu-Sa 08.00-00.00 and M 08.00-22.00; closed Sundays
The owner’s wife is a vegetarian, and her influence permeates the menu at this chic, welcoming spot just off of Paris’s most exclusive shopping street.
Pastilla with tofu and vegetables is the standout item (€19.50), but the Minceur salad—with rice, asparagus, grapefruit, and tofu (€18)—is worth a taste, too. Risotto, lasagna, and noodles dishes available.
Small plates (€6) include baked endive, stir-fried seasonal veggies, ratatouille, seasonal veg purée, and that perennial favorite, French fries.
Beer, wines by the glass or bottle, classic cocktails, and soft drinks available, and even more vegetarian options available at the upstairs tearoom. Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Matsuri
Omnivorous Japanese
24 rue Marbeuf
Cross Street: Champs Elysées
01 45 62 30 14
Métro: Franklin D. Roosevelt
M-Sa 12.00-15.00 and 19.00-23.00; Su closed
Tucked into a calm courtyard a five-minute walk from the heart of the Champs-Elysées, this calm, cool oasis offers plenty of veg-friendly options.
Favorites include the wakame salad (€4), cucumber maki (€3 for 6 pieces), avocado maki (4.50 for 6 pieces), edamame (€4), and daily specials that might include lotus root-and-tofu salad.
Wine (€3-4 per glass), sake (€12-15 per bottle), green tea, and non-alcoholic drinks are also served. Credit cards accepted.
Matsuri is a chain; another location can be found in the 8th on rue Boètie, as well as in the 16th, and in the La Défense shopping center.
Omnivorous fusion
15 ave Montaigne
Cross street: rue du Boccador
01 47 23 55 99
Métro: Alma-Marceau
M-F 12.00-14.00 and 20.00-23.00; Sa-Su 20.00-23.00
Upscale dining with lots of veg options—more if you call in advance to make a veg request. Daily formules (€48-110) offer a multi-course gustatory experience. Seasonal vegetables and imaginative flavor pairings make this a special dining experience.
If you’re lucky, you’ll get to try the gnocchi à la romaine with caramelized sweet onions, or the in-season multicolored tomatoes drizzled with an exceptionally fruity olive oil from Provence.
After you dine, window shop at some of the most exclusive fashion houses in the world that line this street. Beware: Fur coats (and the people who wear them) abound in this corner of Paris.
Reservations highly recommended at this see-and-be-seen spot. Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Le Petit Trend Black
Omnivorous healthy
43 rue Boissy d’Anglas
Cross street: rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
01 40 07 58 90
Métro: Madeleine or Concorde
M-F 8.30-16.30; closed Saturdays and Sundays
Sleek, upscale café and sandwich shop with a solid selection of vegan and vegetarian options for big spenders.
In the refrigerator case, you can choose among the regular vegan options: quinoa salad (€6.90) and lentil salad (€6.90), or a big garden salad (€8.20).
Sandwiches can be made meat- and dairy free on request, and the soupe du jour is often vegan.
Very friendly staff. Terrace seating. Free wifi. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous healthy
37 rue de Berri
Cross street: Haussmann
01 40 74 00 74
Métro: Saint-Philippe-du-Roule
M-Sa 8.30-17.00
Like its sister location in the 2nd (pg. 65), the communal tables at this lunchspot give off a school cantine vibe—in the best possible way.
Three vegetarian sandwiches (€4.90-6.80), several vegan soups (€4.30), plus risotto and lasagnas feature on the daily menu. Try the Sexy Rabbit (carrot and ginger) or the quinoa and veggies for something on the lighter end of the spectrum, or one of the toasted veg sandwiches for something a bit more substantial. Free Wifi.
Monoprix
Omnivorous store
52-60 Champs Elysées
Cross street: rue la Boètie
01 53 77 65 65
Métro: Franklin D. Roosevelt or Georges V
M-Sa 9.00-00.00, Su closed
Visiting Monoprix is a must at least once on your trip to Paris, and this giant store on the Champs Elysées is one of the best in the city. Divided into two sections—department store and grocery store—you’ll find everything you could possibly need here, from souvenirs and afternoon snacks to new stockings or a beach umbrella.
In the grocery store (entrance on rue la Boètie), look for a huge selection of prefab veg(an) salads—carrot, beet, tabouli, lentils—some of it organic, too. Breads, fresh produce, tofu, vegan pâté, and chocolate bars are among the many edible treats you’ll find here. Credit cards accepted.
If you came to Paris to spend your hard-earned cash on clothes, perfume, and baubles, the 9th is your arrondissement. This is grands magasins (department stores) territory: Printemps, Galleries Lafayette, and Citadium shopping complex are all here, as are fast-fashion retails Zara, Uniqlo, H & M, C & A, and Mango.
When you tire of the cha-ching of the cash register, head over to the celebrated Palais Garnier opera house for a culture fix. Whether you pop in for a ballet performance or simply to gaze skyward at the Chagall works beautifying the ceiling, the landmark building is worth a stop.
Nearby is the famed Olympia auditorium, where everyone from the Beatles to the Beastie Boys have performed. Many other live performance venues, big and small, can be found in every corner of the 9th.
Neighborhood favorite
VégéBowl
Vegetarian Asian
3 rue de la Boule Rouge
Cross street: rue Richer
01 42 46 45 89
Métro: Grands Boulevards
M-F 12.00-14.30 and 19.00-22.30; Sa-Su 19.00-22.30
www.vegebowl.com
Facebook Vegebowl
Cheerful little place with an incredible 90 percent vegan menu that fuses Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine.
Heavy on the fake-meat dishes, including “beef” brochettes, “chicken” clay pots, and lacquered “duck.” Steamed dumplings, taro cakes, soups, salads, and oodles of noodle and rice dishes round out the menu. There’s almost too much choice—in the best possible way.
The lunch formule (€12) includes an entrée, plat, and dessert.
Unlike some Asian vegetarian restaurants in Paris, wine is sold here, by the glass, pitcher, and bottle.
Service is friendly, and the ambience is casual but not at all fast-food like. A great place to relax and enjoy a veg meal in pleasant surroundings. Credit cards accepted.
Pousse-Pousse
Vegan & raw restaurant
7 rue Notre Dame de Lorette
cross street: rue Saint-Lazare
01 53 16 10 81
Métro: Saint-Georges
Tu-Fr 12.00-14.45 and Sa 12.00-18.00; Su occasionally open for brunch
Over the last decade, this tiny, mostly raw vegan restaurant has cultivated a faithful following, and 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. Portions aren’t enormous, but the food is high quality, so you still feel sated even if the plates feel a little light.
Juices are fresh and delicious, and the homemade granola with fresh almond milk is a real treat.
Raw pizza, “nachos” and salads served with nut pâtés all make great main plates.
The formules vary from €9.90 for the tart of the day with a small side salad to €26.50 for the juice, soup, main plate and dessert combo.
Desserts are to-die-for delicious—all of them!
Juicers, sprouters, and dehydrators are also for sale, as well as other healthy-living accoutrements.
Reservations recommended. Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Le Végétarien
Vegetarian fusion cafe & takeaway
65 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière
Cross street: rue Bleue
01 42 47 15 14
Métro: Cadet or Poissonniere
Mon-Fri 12.00-15.30; closed Saturdays and Sundays
This no-frills lunch spot has catered to the local business crowd since 2009, and offers filling, good-value veg meals.
The hearty plat du jour (€7.50) includes a savory main (falafel, potato pancakes) plus a generous selection of ultra-fresh salads that might include any combination of tabouli, carrot, hummus, mixed greens, pasta, or in-season vegetables in a simple dressing.
Order and pay at the counter and the staff will deliver your food tout de suite. Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian burger restaurant
85 rue La Fayette
Cross street: rue du Faubourg Possonière
01 44 63 87 37
Métro: Poissonnière
M 12.00-15.00, Tu-Sa 12.00-21.00, Su closed
One of the newest vegetarian spots on the scene is VG. This fast-casual restaurant serves up all kinds of interesting burgers, house-made French fries, vegan soups, and a quirky mélange of dishes that span the culinary spectrum from pad thai to Spanish-style tapas.
Lunch specials include a burger of choice (vegan or not), fries or soup or salad, and a drink for €9.50.
Vegans will be happy to know that several dessert options are available, including carrot cake! Wash it down with an espresso and you’ll have enough fuel to get you through an afternoon at the Louvre.
Service is extremely friendly, professional, and efficient, and the dining area is sparkling clean and comfortable. Credit cards accepted
Vegan raw food cafe
109 rue du Faubourg Poissonière
Cross street: rue de Lafayette
09 73 65 77 88
Métro: Poissonière
Tu-Sa 12.00-22.30, Su-M closed
www.42degres.fr
www.facebook.com/42degres
This small chain dining spot with branches in Copenhagen just opened its first Paris location in December 2013.
The eclectic menu features pizzas, maki, soups, and burgers, plus a variety of decadent desserts.
A la carte items range from sushi made with parsnip “rice” and seasonal vegetables (€8.50) to a Portobello burger with kale “chips” (€14).
Desserts (€7-9) might include a chocolate mousse with oranges confites or cashew cheesecake.
The nightly dinner formule—which includes an entrée, plat, and dessert—will set you back €27, and a two-course lunch menu rings in at €14.
Credit cards accepted.
Vegan spa and café
83 bis, rue La Fayette
01 42 85 70 58
Métro: Poissonnière
M 11.00-20.00, Tu & Th 11.00-21.00, W 10.00-20.00, F 10.00-19.00, Sa 10.00-17.00; Su closed
It’s hard not to fall immediately in love with this homey, friendly, peaceful spot tucked in the back of a pleasant courtyard.
First and foremost, it’s a center of natural healing, with lots of therapies on offer including sauna, reflexology, and massage.
Secondly, it’s a healthy lunch spot where you get soup, salad, and a main plate for just €10. The emphasis is on foods that your body can digest easily, which just happen to be 100-percent plant-based.
Dominique and Isabelle, the friendly proprietors, speak English and will happily explain the menu (there’s just one option each day), as well as the various treatments on offer.
This is the ideal destination to unwind before or after a long flight, when you’re feeling rundown and want a shot of rejuvenation, or if you simply want to feel good while eating a wholesome meal. Cash only.
Chipotle
Omnivorous Mexican
20 Boulevard Montmartre
Cross street: rue Drouot
01 45 23 12 54
Métro:Richlieu-Drouot
M-Su 11.00-22.00
Not far from the grands magasins (department stores), this American fast-food chain often has a queue of hungry people out the door. They come for the giant burritos, burrito bowls, salads, tacos, and fajitas, all of which can be made vegan or vegetarian.
Black beans are vegan, but steer clear of the pinto beans, which are cooked with bacon.
Fresh guacamole replaces the meat in the burritos (€9), which are huge.
Tortilla chips will set you back €1 more. Try the tomatillo-red chili salsa for a spicy kick, or the roasted chilicorn salsa for something mild.
Mexican beers, soda, and other drinks available. Kid friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous French
7 rue du Fauboug Montmartre
Cross street: Haussmann
01 47 70 86 29
Métro: Grands Boulevards
M-Su 11.30-22.00
The beautiful Belle Époque dining room is worth the experience alone. This fun restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike, who come for the amazing ambience, wine, so-so food, and the general experience.
Entrees range in price from €1.80 to €6.80, and main plates are between €8.50 and €13.50. The food is sort of 1950s Julia-Child-does-French-cusine: Green beans; carrot salad; cucumber salad; endive salad, for starters. The vegetarian “special” includes a bit of everything, including spaghetti.
Desserts are copious, and the sorbets are vegan-friendly.
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Cojean (9th)
Omnivorous healthy
6 rue de Seze
Cross street: blvd de la Madeleine
01 40 06 08 80
Métro: Madeleine
M-F 08.30-18.00; Sa 10.00-18.00, Su closed
Between La Madeleine and the Opera Garnier, this outlet in the ubiquitous Cojean chain offers all the convenience (free wifi, fast service) and vegetarian options of other locations in Paris, only with longer hours.
Juices, salads, sandwiches, and soups with loads of veg options.
Free wifi. Credit cards accepted.
Le Pain Quotidien (9th)
Omnivorous Mediterranean
Ground floor, Galleries Lafayette department store, 99 rue de Provence
Cross street: rue Charras
01 42 82 34 56
Métro: Havre-Caumartin
M-Sa 8.30-19.00, Su closed
New branch inside the Galleries Lafayette department store. Other branches in the 2nd, 4th, and 18th.
Omnivorous English
46 rue des Martyrs
Cross street: rue Condorcet
01 42 82 12 80
Métro: Pigalle or Saint-Georges
M-Sa 9.00-17.00; closed Sundays
At the foot of Montmartre, away from the tourist hordes, Rose Bakery is a quiet organic oasis with a decent selection of veg items to keep hunger at bay.
Like its two other locations (3rd, pg.74, and 12th, pg.157), organic cakes and Sunday brunch are the specialties.
Soups, salads, savory tarts, and other simple, homey dishes are available every day. Mushroom ravioli with sage (€16.50) or quinoa ravioli mighit be on the menu the day you arrive.
Credit cards accepted.
Supernature
Omnivorous healthy
2 Rue de Trévise
Cross street: rue Richer
01 47 70 21 03
Métro: Cadet or Grands Boulevards
M-F 12.00-14.00, 19:00-22:30; Sa closed; Su 11.30-16.00
Communal table brunch spot serving homemade granola with goji berries, quinoa pancakes, hearty veggie burgers, salads, fried potatoes, and other filling fare that can be veganized if necessary.
The organic Sunday brunch rings in at €20 and includes a variety of breads and confitures, granola, optional egg dishes, bottomless cups of coffee and tea, fresh-pressed juice, and savory mains like sweet potato gratin or vegetable galette.
Muffins and fruit parfaits are among the sweet offerings.
Pleasant, light-filled space with a relaxed vibe. Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
If you’ve seen the wonderfully whimsical Jean-Pierre Jeunet film Amélie, you’ll recognize Canal Saint-Martin, the tree-lined waterway where the film’s protagonist liked to partake in a favorite pastime: skipping stones across the shadowy green water.
Gliding through the trendy 10th arrondissement toward the Seine, the canal is just one of many pleasures this quartier has to offer. A lively café scene, fabulous picnicking spots, vegan-shoe shopping, and top-notch Indian food can all be found here.
Probably the best arrondissement in the city for herbivores, which is especially good news for veg voyagers taking the Eurostar or Thalys trains to or from Gare du Nord.
Neighborhood favorite
Sol Semilla
Vegan healthy cafe & superfoods store
23 rue des Vinaigriers
Cross street: quai de Valmy
01 42 01 03 44
Métro: Jacques Bonsargent
T-Sa 12.00-20.00, Su 12.00-19.00
This hybrid restaurant/boutique specializes in organic edibles from the Amazon, and everything they serve is fresh, meat-and-dairy-free, and cent percent (100 percent) delicious.
Try the special milkshake (€4.50), made with energizing South American superfoods, or feast on the hearty menu complet (€22 large/€19 small), which includes an interesting and delectable mélange of grains, cooked vegetables, and fresh crudités, plus soup and dessert.
When you’ve finished relishing your meal, you can browse among the superfood selection, like maca, spirulina, and açai, and take some goodies home to amp up your morning smoothie.
Homey décor and a resident cat make this spot a welcoming respite.
Credit cards accepted.
Tien Hiang
Vegan Asian restaurant
14 rue Bichat
cross street: Belleville
01 42 00 08 23
Métro: Goncourt
W-M 12.00-15.00 and 18.30-
23.00 Closed Tu
If the thought of steamed dumplings, spicy noodle soups, and faux-meat stir-fries whets your appetite, reserve a table at Tien Hiang tout de suite.
The vast menu covers the most flavorful regions of Asia, from Chinese dim sum (€4-6) to Vietnamese crêpes (€7.50). The marmite selection—savory stews cooked and served in a little clay pot—are particularly delectable.
Traditional Asian desserts and a few non-dairy ice creams available for dessert.
Beer, tea, and soft drinks served.
Kid-friendly. Dog-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian healthy cafe
15 Rue Lucien Sampaix
Cross street: Magenta
09 50 06 36 18
Métro: Jacques Bonsergent or République
M-F 7:30-15.00; Sa 08.00-16.00, Su closed. May be closed in August.
Bob’s ought to be credited with bringing “accessible veg” to the 10th. Run by a former New Yorker, this healthy-elixir and light-meals café attracts musicians, models, and other pretty-people types who come for the wheatgrass juice and other juice blends, summer gazpacho (€3.50), bagels (€3-4) and vegan sweets like rice pudding and fruit crumble.
A €10.50 formule might consist of futomaki roll, soup or salad, plus fresh-baked muffin and a just-pressed juice.
Takeaway available, too, and the nearby canal is the ideal spot to enjoy your alfresco lunch.
Kid-friendly. Dog-friendly. Credit cards accepted. Also in 3rd 18th.
Café Pinson 2 (10th)
Vegetarian restaurant
58 rue du Faubourg Poissonnière
Cross street: rue de Paradis
01 45 23 59 42
Métro: Cadet or Poissonnière
M-W 08.30-19.00, Th-Sa 08.30-24.00, Su 10.00-17.00
Trendy dining spot Café Pinson opened this second location less than a year after launching its first (in the 3rd), in a neighborhood which is quickly becoming the newest vegetarian food hub (VG, 42 Degrés, and Le Centre Tout Naturellement are all within a five-minute walk from here).
Like its Northern Marais predecessor, Café Pinson 2 boasts beautifully coiffed interiors (by celebrity designer Dorothée Meilichzon) and pretty, healthy food options. One or two items contain eggs, but otherwise, the menu is vegan.
Plats du jour might include miso soup with mushrooms and smoked tofu, or cauliflower salad with pumpkin seeds and vegan mayo.
Desserts include crumbles, compotes, and cakes (miam!) and to-go orders are welcome.
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian Italian restaurant & clothes store
8 rue de la Grange aux Belles
Cross street: quai des Jemmapes
01 42 90 00 71
Métro: Jacques Bonsergent
W-Su 12.00-19.00, plus one evening per week (changes from week to week); M-Tu closed
The combination is genius: part clothing store, part restaurant. Independent designer and culinary whiz Carmen Ragosta is the woman behind the concept, and she and her adorable dog Pippo welcome diners and shoppers to enjoy her unique space.
Shop her one-of-a kind designs—jackets, pants, skirts, and blouses—and check out the alluring line of leather-free Melissa shoes.
Foodwise, the plat du jour (€12) and Sunday brunch (€16 served with wine or juice) are both vegan but can be made vegetarian (cheese added) upon request.
The tiramisu is a must for dessert; vegan and vegetarian versions available.
Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian Indian
21 and 24 rue Cail
Cross street: rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis
01 42 05 78 43
Métro: La Chapelle
M-Su 11.00-23.00
Paris’s original Indian vegetarian restaurant now has two locations on rue Cail, directly across from each other.
Look for simple, tasty dosas (€5-6), idli (€3.50), and one of their best dishes, puri chole—chick-pea curry with puffed, deep fried bread (€6.50).
Most meals are served with two kinds of coconut chutney and sambar (spiced vegetable soup).
No alcohol, but plenty of juices, coffee and tea to keep thirst at bay.
Credit cards accepted. Also in the 5th, pg. 91.
Sangeetha
Vegetarian Indian
178 rue du Faubourg Saint Denis
Cross street: rue La Fayette
01 40 35 00 00
Métro: Magenta
M-Su 10.30-22.30
www.sangeethaparis.com
Facebook Sangeetha Restaurant Végétarien
This friendly little spot right around the corner from Gare du Nord offers both North and South Indian specialties, including dosas, utthapam, and thalis, but Sangeetha’s edge over the other veg Indian restaurants is chaat, otherwise known as Indian street snacks.
Bhel puri, sev puri, and other tasty treats brimming with the flavor of chilies, cilantro, and citrus are the house specialties, and most everything on the menu rings in at less than €10. Other possibilities include idly sambar, vada, and bonda.
Live classical Indian music on Friday nights makes the dining experience a bit more special. Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian Indian
170 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis
Cross street: rue La Fayette
01 40 05 01 01
Métro: Magenta
M-Su 10.30-23.00
A five-minute walk out the front doors of the Gare du Nord train station (where the trains to and from London and Amsterdam come and go) sits this bustling restaurant—part of a global chain—serving authentic Indian classics.
Fluffy, perfectly cooked idli (€3.50) comes with sambar and chutney. Thalis come in North or South Indian varieties (€12.50), and include raita unless otherwise requested. Expertly prepared dosas (€5-7) and utthapam (thick, savory rice pancakes) are menu highlights.
Beer and wine by the bottle or glass, as well as the usual lassis, tea, and coffee.
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Vegetarian café
13 rue Lucien Sampaix
Cross street: Magenta
09 80 72 95 40
Métro: Jacques Bonsergent
M-F 9.30-17.00, Sa-Su 11.00-19.00
www.facebook.com/tuckshop-paris
This cute vegetarian café run by a trio of Australians offers a simple menu, simple décor, and simple food that tastes good and appeals to vegan palates.
Try the open-faced sandwiches (€6), a warming pot of tea (€3), a comforting cup of hot chocolate (€4).
Daily baked-good specials might include muffins, cookies, or scones.
On hot days, you can expect iced coffees (€4.50) and frozen iced-tea pops (€2.50).
Non-dairy milks available for coffee drinks. Kid-friendly. Dog-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
El Guacamole
Omnivorous Mexican
37 rue Yves Toudic
cross street: rue de Lancry
01 42 41 09 09
Métro: Jacques Bonsergent
M-Sa 12.00-23.00, Su 12.00-22.00
Small menu, but full of Mexican favorites that hit the spot when you’re craving a bit of spice.
Burritos (€7.50) with guacamole, tacos (€3.50) with mushrooms or nopales (cactus), quesadillas (€3.50), and chips are the veg standouts.
The €2 aguas frescas (tamarind, watermelon, and other seasonal flavors) are worth every centime, but you might also like a cold Mexican beer (€5), margarita (€8), or glass of dairy-free horchata (€2).
Terrace seating. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous gluten-free
36 rue Bichat
Cross street: rue Alibert
09 82 59 00 39
Métro: Goncourt
W-Sa 12.00-20.00, Su 10.00-18.00; M-Tu closed
The mavericks at Helmut Newcake were the first to bring no-gluten dining to Paris, way back in 2011. Today, this modern salon de thé offers gorgeous pastries and viennoiserie, Sunday brunch (€24) and daily lunch options that range from sandwiches to pizza.
Vegan options aplenty, including soups, salads, tarts, and banana bread.
This is also a good place to stock up on gluten-free baking mixes, pastas, and other packaged treats to make at home.
Credit cards accepted.
Ma Kitchen
Omnivorous Korean
85 rue d’Hauteville
Cross street: rue de Charbol
09 83 07 29 96
Métro: Poissonière
M-F 12.00-15.30; Sa-Su closed
The long line out the door hints at the popularity of this Korean cantine offering a new take on that famous dish, bi bim bap.
Look for their vegan version (€9.50) to contain unusual rice blends, a choice of six intriguing vegetable dishes, and house-made sauces with an edge (mint, sesame). Choose four ingredients for your bowl, and then prepare to feast.
Soups, sandwiches, and drinks also available to eat in, or to go.
Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous Ethiopian
22 rue de Chateau Landon
Cross street: Louis Blanc
09 50 84 55 05
Métro: Chateau Landon or Louis Blanc
M-F 11.30-23h30, Sa-Su 16.00-23.30
Plenty of vegetarian appetizers here, including avocado salad (€5) and lentil salad (€4.50), but you won’t really need a first course if you plan to order any of the vegetarian plates (€9-10). Not only are they the cheapest in town, but likely the most filling, too. Injera has just the right amount of tang.
Mineral water (€3), wine by the glass (€2.50) and other drinks available.
Credit cards accepted.
Mussubi
Omnivorous Japanese
89 rue d’Hauteville
Cross street: rue de Charbol
01 42 46 31 02
Métro: Poissonière
M-F 12.00-15.00
Right next door to the hottest Korean cantine in town sits this tiny Japanese eatery where vegetarian bento boxes, futomaki rolls, and other delicacies await.
The daily vegan bento (€12) might include brown rice, braised tofu cake, marinated vegetables, and yam with miso-basil sauce. Soups, salads, and daily sushi rolls such as edamame or shiitake mushroom.
Credit cards accepted.
Nanashi
Omnivorous Japanese
31 rue de Paradis
Cross street: rue de Hauteville
01 40 22 05 55
Métro: Poissonière
M-Sa 12.00-00.00, Su 12.00-18.00
Like its sister restaurants in the 3rd and 6th, this vegan-friendly Japanese cantine and bento bar offers three different price structures: To-go (€10), dine-in (€14), and evening / weekends (€16).
Vegetarians can choose from tasty daily offerings including tofu galette with eggplant or a salad of potatoes, fennel, red onion and zucchini.
Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous pizza
67 rue Bichat
Cross street: rue de la Grange aux Belles
01 42 02 31 70
Métro: Jacques Bonsergent
Tu-Sa 12.00-15.00 and 19.00-23.00; Su 13.00-23.00; M closed
When you order one of Pink Flamingo’s organic pizzas to-go, you have the option of having it delivered to your picnic spot along the canal. (They give you a pink balloon for easy spotting.)
The Aphrodite pie has hummus instead of tomato sauce and grilled eggplant (€13); the Gandhi is topped with baba ganoush and spinach (€13). Any pizza can be made vegan on request.
Beer, wine and other drinks for to-go and eat-in orders. €1 discount for takeaway.
Credit cards accepted.
Café Sesame
Omnivorous café
51 quai de Valmy
Cross street: rue du Faubourg du Temple
01 42 49 03 21
Métro: République
M-F 9.00-24.00, Sa-Su 10.00-24.00
The big draw to this small but welcoming café is its location. Right on the Canal Saint-Martin, AKA hipster heaven. In summer, a couple of tables are squeezed onto the sidewalk, giving diners a chance to people-watch and enjoy the canal culture.
Lunch specials range from €10.50 to €13.50 and might include a soups-and-bagel combo or the addition of quiche or pasta.
The a la carte menu includes soups (€5), quinoa salad (€6), and pasta with seasonal vegetables (€12).
The drinks menu is vast and varied, including smoothies (€5), Italian sodas (€2), margaritas (€8), wine and coffee.
Regular themed food nights and art exhibits keep it fun and interesting.
Kid-friendly. Credit cards accepted.
Omnivorous café
10 Rue de la Grange aux Belles
Cross street: quai de Valmy
01 42 40 90 78
Métro: Colonel Fabien
M-F 8.00-18.00; S-Su 9.00-19.00. Closed most of August.
Pop into this hipster hotspot for strong and tasty filter coffee, pastries, and cakes (€3.50-4.50), and light lunch items like pasta salad with eggplant, olives, and basil (€6.50). Small and cozy with a tiny mezzanine with extra seating.
Free wifi. Credit cards accepted.
Passage Brady
Street of Indian restaurants
33 boulevard de Strasbourg to 46 rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis
Métro: Chateau d’Eau
Of all of Paris’s 19th century covered arcades, Passage Brady is probably the most rundown and funky; crammed full of South Indian restaurants all vying for your business. Passing through the curry-scented air can feel a bit overwhelming, but shouldn’t be missed for lovers of cheap, authentic curries and filling rice plates.
Several Indian markets selling incense, Marmite, and tropical fruits make interesting pit-stops along the menu crawl.
You can also pick up spicy snack mixes to eat while watching first-run Bollywood films at the nearby Brady Cinema (39 blvd de Strasbourg).
Rue Cail
Sri Lankan restaurants and shops
Métro: La Chapelle
Known locally as “Little Jaffa” for the number of Sri Lankan restaurants and businesses clustered in this area, rue Cail, in particular, is loaded with South Asian restaurants, South Asian grocery stores, and plenty of opportunity for a spicy meal.
The food at Chettinadu Mess (15 rue Cail) gets a nod for the spiciest food in Paris; the friendliest spot in the ’hood might be newcomer Nalas Aappakadai (54 rue Louis Blanc, cross street rue Cail).
Neighboring streets rue Perdonnet and rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis are also lined with restaurants, grocery stores, sari shops, Bollywood music stores, and other South Asian markets.
