If you’re a foodie who’s looking for a great vegan or vegetarian meal, you’ll want to check out one of these five cities. Each of these locations has several vegan or vegetarian Michelin star restaurants. So whether you’re an omnivore looking to expand your horizons or you’re searching for vegan-friendly restaurants, you’ll find something to love here. Bon appétit!
Around 8% of the world’s population is vegetarian and 1% is vegan. However, finding a restaurant with a suitable plant based menu can be tricky in fine-dining restaurants.
In recent years, with the trend towards less meat consumption, vegan and vegetarian fine dining is becoming more commonplace. A recent study by Sweet Inn reveals which countries and cities have the most vegan and vegetarian friendly one, two and three Michelin star restaurants.
The first vegan restaurant in the world to receive a Michelin star was ONA (Origine Non Animale) in the town of Arès, near Bordeaux, France. Chef Claire Vallée and her team received the award for their innovative French cuisine in January 2021.
Since then, a further 14 vegan and vegetarian restaurants have received Michelin stars. However, when it comes to vegan and vegetarian friendly menus in Michelin star restaurants, it turns out that London has the most, with 31 in total.
Top Cities for Vegan & Vegetarian Michelin Star Restaurants
According to new research, London has the most vegan and vegetarian Michelin star restaurants in the world. The capital of the UK has 31 Michelin star restaurants with vegan and vegetarian friendly menus.
This includes Ikoyi, La Chapelle, Pollen Street Social, Trinity, Yauatcha and the Social Eating House. Award-winning chef Alexis Gauthier is vegan and his Gauthier Soho restaurant is known for its vegan tasting menu.
The second city in the ranking was Hong Kong, which has 21, three of which have three Michelin stars including; T’ang Court, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Forum. Each of these eateries has a unique approach to vegetarian or vegan food that will delight the palate.
Overall, China has 34 Michelin starred restaurants offering vegan options and veggie friendly menus and 62% of them are in Hong Kong. Beijing does, however, have two vegetarian-only Michelin star restaurants. One of these, King’s Joy, holds 3 Michelin stars and is also the first Green Star recipient in Beijing. This award honors restaurants that are focused on sustainable gastronomy and resource management.
Shanghai also has one Michelin starred vegetarian restaurant: Fu He Hui, which specializes in wild mushrooms and other seasonal ingredients. Guests can enjoy an elaborate tasting menu of vegetable gastronomy in one of the private dining rooms.
Although France has the most vegan and vegetarian friendly Michelin-starred restaurants in the world – and is home to the first ever vegan restaurant to receive a Michelin star – Paris was third in the ranking of cities, with 18 in total.
Berlin is another great city for vegetarian options and vegan meals, with meatless eateries such as Cookies Cream, a vegan fine dining restaurant.
New York City has a total of 10 Michelin starred restaurants offering a vegetarian or vegan menu, including Kajitsu and Eleven Madison Park. The latter is also renowned as one of the most luxurious restaurants in the world. Renowned chef Daniel Humm has pivoted to a meatless menu which will nevertheless include some animal products, notably milk and honey for tea and coffee.
Elsewhere in the United States, there are quite a few meatless restaurants in cities such as Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.
The top five cities with the most vegan and vegetarian friendly Michelin-starred restaurants are:
- London: 31
- Hong Kong: 21
- Paris: 18
- Amsterdam, Shanghai, New York: 10
- Berlin: 8
Top Countries for Vegan & Vegetarian Michelin Star Restaurants
As far as countries go, France has the most in the world, with 145 meat-free accommodating restaurants, followed by the UK with 73. Although it’s not on the list, Tel Aviv also has an important vegan community and some of the best vegan restaurants in the world.
- France: 145
- United Kingdom: 73
- Germany: 63
- Netherlands: 62
- Italy: 44
Julien Jobard, VP Growth & Operations at Sweet Inn comments: “It’s interesting to see which cities have the most vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurants with Michelin Stars. When travelling, people love to experience fine dining in a new city and those with plant based diets should not be excluded from that. London as a city is forward thinking when it comes to vegan or vegetarian food, so it’s interesting to see how the Michelin star chefs there have embraced it.”
If you’re looking for an exquisite vegan or vegetarian dining experience, look no further than these top 5 cities with vegetarian and vegan Michelin star restaurants! These restaurants offer vegan or vegetarian menus, or are completely plant-based, and have been awarded prestigious Michelin stars. They will undoubtedly impress even the most discerning foodies.
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This study used the Michelin Guide filter function and the specific filter ‘Restaurant offering vegetarian menus‘. Only those restaurants with 1*, 2* and 3* Michelin stars were included, not those that are just in the Michelin Guide.
