Okay Rooted and Grateful fam, it's time for round two in Paris! I went back to my favorite city to discover more hidden, vegan gems to share with you all! Who's hungry for some Parisian, plant-based masterpieces?!
Well ladies and gents, we are back in Paris! Only this time, I was more familiar with the city, the food, and came with a mission. My mission, that I chose to accept, was to explore the city's museums that I didn't have the opportunity to the first trip, and to scout out the best vegan restaurants the city has to offer. Despite all the food I ate, I still haven't dined at even half of the vegan restaurants Paris houses. However, I made it to seven restaurants and two bakeries that were either vegan/vegetarian or had some amazing vegan options. I had so many more on my list but I guess that just means there will have to be a future trip for a "Vegan Eats" part trois! I traveled to Paris with my boyfriend Trey, who is also vegan, so I have double the food to show you guys!
If you haven't read my first "Vegan Eats" in Paris, then I recommend reading that for some tips and tricks on visiting Paris for the first time. This included ways to plan for going out to restaurants, how to save some money by buying breakfast from the supermarket and having it in the place you will be staying, and, my top tip, learn a few common phrases in the native language. This trip I made sure to buy international roaming for my phone so I could navigate the streets easier. This also comes in handy because on google maps you can easily see where metro stops are located.
This trip to Paris was during winter. I went from the end of November to the beginning of December. It was generally in the forties (Fahrenheit) during the day and then in the thirties at night. That may not be too cold for some people, but coming from Florida meant I packed plenty of layers. Since Paris is a walking city, with the exception of being on the metro, layers were important. It was quite cold walking around outside but once you enter a building where it is warm, you'll want to remove your coat and be comfortable.
Okay, now that we are done with logistics, let's get into the fun part.....FOOD! Allons-y!
Aujourd'hui Demain
Aujourd'hui Demain, or Today Tomorrow, is the coolest vegan shop! It not only is a café with superb food, but it is also a grocery store with vegan goods. This amazing shop sells super unique vegan food, vegan apparel, vegan leather goods, and a bunch of different Knickknacks that all are from vegan companies. So, while you're waiting for your coffee or food, you can shop till you drop! I liked being able to pick up some groceries that we needed while going out to eat so we didn't have to stop at another grocery store. Not to mention I bought specialty vegan goods there that I couldn't find at our local grocery store!
The café serves great coffee and breakfast as well as lunch and dinner options. They have menus in English, if you prefer, and the staff was so lovely! I ordered the Taco Trio which came with three different tacos (10€). Two had jackfruit, one with mole sauce, and the third had vegan chorizo. They were served on three hand-made, corn tortillas and had pickled red onions on top, my favorite. I ordered a local IPA to accompany the delicious trio and I left a very happy girl! The food was insanely good and the people there were so nice and friendly. Aujourd'hui Demain was certainly a spectacular find and I recommend it to everyone traveling to Paris!
Aujourd'hui Demain is closest to the Saint-Ambroise metro stop, near the Église Saint Ambroise, a beautiful catholic cathedral.
Cloud Cakes
I was determined this trip to find a vegan croissant. Cloud Cakes was my saving grace! Cloud Cakes is a spectacular bakery serving up vegan sweets, treats, and lunch options. They also have amazing coffee! The staff spoke English and were so nice! The woman who made my coffee was actually from Scotland and was just the sweetest person to talk to! Their personalities matched their food! Everything we bought was incredible! We bought two croissants (3€ /ea.), which hit the spot, and some other goodies we took back to our place to enjoy!
We also bought a red velvet cupcake, a pumpkin spice cupcake (3,50€ /ea.), and a slice of cardamom chai cake (4€). Both of the cupcakes were delectable! The cake was insane, truly. I am a big cardamom lover and the flavor was spot on! Vegan cake in general is something that can be very hit or miss, but these sweets were perfection.
Cloud Cakes is one bakery to put at the top of your list for Paris "Vegan Eats".
Cloud Cakes is close to the Étienne Marcel metro stop and is fairly centrally located in Paris. It is near Les Halles and about a 10 min walk from the Louvre.
Le Potager de Charlotte
This trip to Paris, I went during my birthday and on my birthday I knew I wanted to go to Le Potager de Charlotte. This restaurant serves some of the best vegan food in Paris! I went in totally unaware of the masterpiece that was about to be served to me. The manager and co-founder, Adrien, was very sweet and accommodating! He and his brother, David, the head chef, opened the restaurant back in 2015 and since then it has flourished. I was so excited to finally experience their creation and I enjoyed every second of it! The meal I ended up ordering was the Soba Noodles with tamari cream, black sesame, roasted broccoli, leeks, peanuts, white mushrooms and red chard (18€). It was almost as if the restaurant knew I was coming, because this dish was sincerely a bowl of my favorite ingredients!
Trey order the Mashed Potatoes with butternut squash cream, smoked tofu, radishes, walnuts, and shitake mushrooms (19€). This dish was incredible as well! The flavor combinations were impeccable and, combined, created something so special. We both ordered a beer with our meals as well (6€ /ea.).
For dessert, we ordered a Baked Chocolate Pear to share (9,5€). I am still trying to process this pear. I don't know if I ate a dessert or a piece of art. It's still undecided. The pear was served with melted chocolate and almond buckwheat granola underneath. The flavor profile was amazing, but what really got me was the textures. The fruit was warm and soft, the chocolate was creamy and silky, and the buckwheat was the perfect crunch it needed. Le Potager de Charlotte did not disappoint in any part of the meal or experience, in fact, it exceeded expectations! Merci beaucoup!
Le Potager de Charlotte has two locations in Paris. However, the one we went to is the one a12 rue de la Tour d’Auvergnet. The nearest metro stop is Cadet and the restaurant is in the Rochechouart area, in the 9th Arrondissement.
Végét'Halles
Végét'Halles is still one of my favorite restaurants in Paris! The first time I went to Paris, I ended up eating at Végét'Halles twice in one week. The vegan meats that they serve are insane! The texture and the flavor are spot on; It never ceases to amaze me! I ordered my favorite dish there, the Brochettes de Kebab végétal marinées au gingembre (13,10€), or the chicken kebabs marinated in ginger. It came with a side of green lentils, jasmine rice, and mashed potatoes, which all had amazing flavor as well.
Just a heads up, Végét'Halles is not exclusively vegan. The menu is about 90% vegan, with the remainder being vegetarian, but they do specify next to the dish which ones are vegan!
Trey got the Assiette du Sportif, or the Sportsman's plate (18,40€). He tried to get this plate that last time we dined at Végét'Halles, but it's so popular they run out fairly quickly. The dish includes Escalope de Seitan , Steak végétal , brochette de crevette à l’ananas & citronnelle, or Seitan cutlets, steak, and shrimp and pineapple kebabs marinated in lemongrass. His dish also came with the same sides. Again, the textures and flavors of all the vegan meats were spot on! The shrimp were incredible and it was the first time I had eaten or even heard of vegan shrimp. Végét'Halles is killing the vegan game!
And the finish off this perfect meal, Trey and I had to get our favorite dessert at Végét'Halles. The Crème au chocolat noisette, or chocolate hazelnut cream (5,90€). Rich, creamy, and so decadent, this cream is a must if traveling to Paris for some "Vegan Eats".
Végét'Halles is closest to the Les Halles metro stop and is just outside the Les Halles shopping center. It is also about a ten minute walk from the Louvre.
Hank Burger
Hank Burger is one of the most popular suggestions I got for vegan food in Paris! They have multiple locations as well as a Hank Pizza! It was cool getting burgers in Paris because it's definitely not the first cuisine that pops into one's head when thinking about the "city of love". But these vegan masterpieces were amazing! The location was really interesting as well! It was a tiny little counter where you order food on the bottom floor, but then you head upstairs to sit down. Upstairs looks like a swanky attic from the 70's with cozy chairs and low lit lights. The entire atmosphere was really unique and fun!
We both ordered Le Grande Menu (15€) which came with your choice of burger, a drink, a side, and a dessert. I chose the Sergent Pepper burger, which had a pepper sauce, pickled onions, lettuce, and tomato. I also ordered potato wedges as my side, a brownie, and a cola. Trey chose the La Rockeuse burger, which had a creamy fig sauce, arugula, and tomato. He ordered potato wedges, a chocolate chip cookie, and a cola. Both burgers were incredible! The flavors of both burgers worked perfectly and created a surprisingly gourmet burger for the price! It was a perfect, satisfying meal that gave us a little taste of home while amidst the sparkling lights of Paris.
The Hank Burger location that we went to is at 55 Rue des Archives. The closest metro stop is Rambuteau and the restaurant in about a block form the Picasso museum (highly recommend) and next to the National Archives Garden.
Vegan Folie's
Vegan Folie's is one bakery I had been eyeing since the first time I traveled to Paris! I was so happy I finally had a chance to stop in and experience their baked goods! The shop itself is super tiny but packs a punch when it comes to spreading the word about veganism. The shop is covered with inspirational words about veganism and carries many informational handouts about the animal industry and how veganism can heal many aspects of our world as a whole. They hold debates and events where those who want to learn more can come and discuss different topics pertaining to veganism. The staff was also super sweet! The lovely lady who served us spoke English and was very friendly, even when I bombarded her with questions about the café!
I ordered a cappuccino with soy milk (5€), a dôme avec crème à la noisette, poire, chocolat , or a chocolate dome with pear and hazelnut cream (5€), and a slice of their cheesecake du jour, which happened to be chocolate hazelnut as well (6€). All three were super rich and decadent! These sweet treats definitely filled up my chocolate craving and then some! They were so, so good! Definitely put Vegan Folie's on your list of Paris "Vegan Eats"!
Vegan Folie's is closest to the Place Monge metro. It is located right off of the Marché Monge which is fun to hit up on the weekends.
Végébowl Paris
Végébowl Paris is a hole in the wall Asian restaurant that is 100% vegetarian, 90% vegan, and 100% delicious! This cute little restaurant had a very large menu with items that I was familiar with and an array of foods that were new to me. One of those new plates were the Vietnamese dumplings, Bánh cuốn (6€). They were flat, steamed, and filled with scrumptious ground meat, black Chinese mushrooms, bean sprouts, garlic and mint. These dumplings were so good we almost ordered a second plate! We also ordered gyoza that were pan fried, crispy little pockets of yummy-ness (5€). With Asian cuisine, I obviously have to have a beer, so Tsing Tao it was!
For my main dish, I ordered the Lemongrass Fried Tofu with plan white rice (8€ & 2€). Lemongrass is one of my favorite herbs so when I saw this dish on the menu I immediately knew what I wanted. The tofu was so good! It wasn't breaded, just flash fried so the outside was a little crispy and the inside was nice and chewy. Absolutely delicious!
Trey ordered the Ginger Chicken (vegan of course) and sticky rice as his main dish (7,50€ & 3€). His chicken was drowned in this amazing brown ginger sauce that was super flavorful! Overall, both entrees were really tasty and just the right size to leave room for dessert. I don't have pictures to show you the last course because I was way to distracted by my excitement for my dessert. Trey ordered tempura banana (4,50€) and I ordered Lotus cake (4.50€). If you don't know what lotus cake is, it is an incredible Chinese dessert that makes my mouth water every time I think about it. It is a little spongy white cake that is filled with lotus paste and is generally referred to as a moon cake. It sounds very uneventful but I promise you, it is one of my favorite Asian desserts! At the end of the meal we were both so satisfied and full from the delicious "vegan eats"! Végébowl is a must if you find yourself in the streets of Paris!
Végébowl Paris is located in the 10th Arrondissement nearest to the Strasbourg - Saint-Denis metro stop. It is a few blocks away from an all vegan grocery store called Un Monde Vegan.
La Palanche d'Âulac
La Palanche d'Âulac was an absolute GEM; a completely vegan Vietnamese restaurant that exceeded expectations! The restaurant itself was very pretty, simple, quiet, and full of natural light. The staff was so kind and they did speak some English. To begin the meal, Trey and I ordered the Salad Vietnamese (5,5€) and Lumpia (6€). The salad was an incredible start, with crunchy cabbage, carrots, peanuts, mint, and a vinaigrette.
The lumpia were served with lettuce, mint, veggies, and a sauce, in order to be wrapped and eaten like a taco. I have had lumpia, or spring rolls, served to me like this a few times and it is my favorite way to eat these crunchy, fried treats. It adds a myriad of textures and flavors to what may be an ordinary fried roll. The lumpia themselves were filled with leeks, bamboo, and smoked tofu; a unique combo that I've never had. They were, and still are, the best lumpia I have had to date!
Me, being the Pho fanatic that I am, decided to order the Soupe Pho (9,50€). It was made with vegetable broth and vegan beef and was topped with loads of green onions and fried onions. By far, the best pho I have EVER had! Of course it was served with the normal toppings, lime, mint, basil, and bean sprouts. I dream about this pho probably weekly at this point!
Trey ordered the Soupe Mi Kathi (10,50€) which is a soup with rice noodles, coconut milk, curry, tofu, and vegetables. It tasted like yellow curry and Panang curry mixed together. This soup definitely was a 10/10, amazing dish! La Palanche d'Âulac has been one of my favorite restaurants to dine at in Paris, by far! I will be returning as soon a possible to try more of their incredible meals!
La Palanche d'Âulac is located in Rochechouart, in the 9th Arrondissement, the same neighborhood as Le Potager de Charlotte. The closest metro stop is Cadet.
Janine Loves Sunday
Janine Loves Sunday was one of my favorites, not only for the food, but for the ambience as well! The restaurant had such a "hip" vibe and a modern set up. The best part, at the back of the restaurant, there was a sign that said "suck less, go vegan." Blunt, yet very effective, don't you think? I ate the Pad Thai (14,50€) and it was scrumptious! The sauce was flavorful and the noodles and vegetables were cooked perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better dish!
Trey ordered the Chorizo Pizza (14,90€) which was covered in sauce, tomatoes, vegan chorizo, vegan cheese, and arugula. The perfect pizza! It was spectacular and the perfect size for a hungry vegan.
We finished off the meal by splitting a banana split (8€)! I know this is going to be hard to believe considering I'm American, but this was the first banana split I had ever had. Shocking, I know! And in Paris of all places! It was divine. Absolutely one of the best desserts I have ever had!
Now, unfortunately, when I got back to the states and started doing my research on the restaurants I dined at, I found out Janine Loves Sunday actually closed their Paris location. They have relocated to Lisbon, Portugal. Although they moved, I still decided to showcase their amazing food because if you live in Portugal or plan on visiting, it is a fantastic restaurant! Also, I wanted to provide another example of how easy it is to eat vegan while traveling in a city like Paris!
Conclusion
Paris did it again with its outstanding "Vegan Eats" and I cannot wait to go visit again! This city is full of creativity, art, love, and yes, of course great food! It stands as my favorite city so far in my quest for the best vegan food!
