Vegan restaurants in Paris

Tucked cutely down a side street near the Place de la Bastille, Café Ginger's bright green exterior and the psychedelic paintings adorning the walls inside give it exactly the cheerful, hippyish atmosphere you’d (shamefully, stereotypically) expect from a vegan café. It gets instant points for cosiness, friendly waiters and a family-run feel, but the small team can also seem a bit frazzled when too many people come through the door...

If vegetarian restaurants are on the rise in Paris, vegan can still be a challenge to track down. This American enterprise does well. The sober black and white room, strung with origami shapes, happily looks more like a business lunch venue than a hippy hang-out. On the menu, as well as the inevitable veggie burger, there are plenty of French-inspired dishes plus flavours from around the world, like Cajun tofu...

This all vegan, dairy-free, no-animal product bakery (they drive it home) produces very small quantities for a very niche population of Parisians and visitors who opt for vegan because, hey, even vegans deserve a pastry from time to time. Pastry enthusiasts may cringe at the idea, but you know what? It’s not half bad. Just don’t expect butter-free croissants and cream-less éclairs here – the bakers take an Anglo-American approach, with cupcakes, brownies, and cookies filling their tiny window...

With its nondescript modern façade and 100 per cent vegan, fair trade burger menu,Hank operates out of an incredibly small, sometimes stuffy, space (seating eight or so). Luckily, the nearby Square du Temple is the perfect setting for a takeaway order. Each burger has a basic core of vegan patty (made from soy milk, mushrooms and rice), red onion, gherkins and salad, and comes in a soft wholemeal bun (gluten-free for an extra €2)...

If ‘veganism’ sounds like a bland and tasteless proposition to you, beware: Sol Semilla, the Bar des Artisans, may just change your mind. This jolly spot is home to a happy and good humoured veganism, which makes good use of super foods – those natural ingredients (copaiba, urucum, acai, acerola, purple corn, etc.) which are crammed with vitamins and minerals. Enjoy salads, colourful dishes, spice juices and amazing healthy desserts...

A pioneer of vegetarian eating dating back to the mid-80s, this restaurant and adjacent market are tucked away a stone’s throw from the Bastille on a tiny street in the Marais.  Those looking for a vegetarian – dare we say, macrobiotic – meal, perfectly balanced and full of fresh flavour, this is the place. Those looking for an elegant veggie experience, forget about it...

It’s not the most beautiful or chic location – a purple-painted frontage on an indifferent street behind the tiresome Les Halles shopping centre – but once inside Saveurs Veget’Halles you’re enveloped in a comforting fug of delicious cooking smells and the feeling of being in a valued, homely local joint. There’s a substantial wipe-clean menu covering everything from mezze and salads to soya kebabs and tofu, but your best bet is the fresh, generous daily specials from the rotating chalk board...

A newcomer on the veggie scene, this fast food joint has taken a meatless approach to another trend in Paris – the mighty burger. Vegans and vegetarians finally have a place to mingle with options for both camps. With just two choices a day from their four varieties of burgers, don’t expect a big greasy bacon-topped concoction. Mushroom and tofu patties are nestled in over-sized buns with lettuce, cheese (vegan or regular) and a small pallet of toppings depending on the burger...