11 Michelin-Starred Vegan Restaurants Redefining Fine Dining with Plants
Hunting for delicious vegan junk food is great but sometimes it’s nice to treat yo’self (or someone you love, or maybe someone you’re trying to woo — just an idea) with something fancy!
If you’re anything like me, a dedicated vegan-foodie, you’ll want to add these vegan Michelin-Starred restaurants to your must-eat list! Most of the fun of traveling is finding the best culinary delights that the city has to offer and these exceptional spots don’t disappoint!
The biggest dilemma you’ll face is how you’re going to afford to fit them all into your itinerary, without going bankrupt! Seriously though, for your next adventure you need to consider one (or more) of these plant-powered superstars.
What is a Michelin Star?
What the heck is a Michelin Star anyway? Maybe you’ve just not come across a Michelin Star restaurant or you’ve been living under a rock?
Either way, I get it!
To summarize it for you, a Michelin Star is an annual award given to restaurants that serves food to an exceptional standard every time.
Think tiny portions of artistic food for prices that might make you consider selling your car! Kidding of course, but if you do sell your worldly possessions; it will be worth it (I hope)!
When a restaurant is awarded One Michelin Star, this means they consistently use the best quality ingredients to prepare their dishes and to the highest standard every time. Two Michelin Stars are awarded to restaurants where the personality and talent of the chef are evident in every dish.
The highest award that a restaurant can get is Three Michelin Stars and this essentially means the chef is at the peak of their profession; every dish is artistic and presented to the highest standard!
They also introduced a Green Star which is awarded to restaurants who are doing the most with sustainable practices. This could mean that they work with sustainable producers or suppliers and they try to reduce waste throughout their supply chain.
What City Has the Most Michelin-Starred Vegan Restaurants?
This might surprise you but London has the most vegan and vegetarian Michelin-Starred vegan restaurants in the world!
London is a truly magical city and one of the best vegan-friendly cities – so perhaps it’s not that surprising that research from 2022 found that it’s home to 31 vegetarian and vegan Michelin-Starred restaurants.
Although these are a mixture of vegetarian and vegan restaurants it’s still fantastic!
The Royal Capital in the UK is one of my favorite places to visit, read this Best London Vegan Guide to learn more.
Michelin-Starred Vegan Restaurants in The UK
#1 Gauthier Soho
21 Romilly Street, London W1D 5AF, United Kingdom
Michelin Stars: One Star
This incredible restaurant is headed by MasterChef’s Alexis Gauthier in Soho, London. One of the best Michelin-Starred vegan restaurants in London with a tantalizing plant-based seasonal menu to delight vegans and non-vegans alike!
The eight-course “Grand Diner” menu features dishes such as; Roasted fennel with an orange and maple syrup glaze, smoked dressing, and sea buckthorn; or Celeriac dauphinoise with 3D pulled tuber, sweet and sour grapes, parsley cream, and red wine sauce.
Gauthier Soho is redefining fine dining without the use of animal products! With such an extensive menu, there will be something to please even the most skeptical guests!
#2 Naïfs
56 Goldsmith Road, Peckham, London, SE15 5TN, United Kingdom
Michelin Stars: One Star
Naïfs offers a seasonal set menu with the abundance and beauty found in plants and in a warm homely environment; brought to you by a family team in Southeast London!
They’re only open Thursday – Saturday 6 – 11 PM and last dinner orders are at 9:30 PM, make sure you plan ahead, so you’re not dissapointed.
On the set menu there’s: Grilled portobello and smoked king oyster mushrooms with cauliflower skordalia, and salsa verde; or warm butter bean salad with BBQ sea beet, samphire, and broad bean pesto, plus so much more — I’m drooling just thinking about it!
#3 Bubala
65 Commercial Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E1 6BD(Spitalfields)
15 Poland Street, London, W1F 8QE (Soho)
Michelin Stars: One Star
Bubala is a vegan and vegetarian restaurant with two locations in London, Spitalfields and Soho. The name Bubala means “darling” in Yiddish and they serve the most vibrant Middle Eastern food in an upscale setting.
Choose from a set menu or an a la carte menu and you can even order for delivery!
Although not solely a vegan restaurant, the vegan menu features dishes such as; Pickle plate, laffa bread (NGF), Hummus with harissa, apricot and jalapeño oil; Baba ganoush with curry leaf oil and pine nuts; Oyster mushroom skewer with tamari, and coriander seed; Leek skewer with amba, Smacked cucumbers, tahini, and chilli crunch; Falafel with tahini, amba, and sumac onions.
It also states on the menu when the food is not gluten-free (NGF), contains peanuts, or can be made nut-free on request.
I should mention that London is a fairly big city so you might not be able to make it to all of these amazing restaurants during your visit! Maybe choose one of the Soho restaurants and save your legs and wallet!
Michelin Starred Vegan Restaurants in Europe
#4 Lucky Leek
Kollwitzstr. 54, 10405 Berlin Germany
Michelin Stars: Bib Gourmand
Another fabulous restaurant that prioritizes taste with an all-plant menu is Lucky Leek in Berlin! Berlin is a perfect city for vegan travelers and the Lucky Leek does not disappoint with its must-taste menu!
With mouth-watering dishes like; Hazelnut dumplings with broccoli, quince black beer brew, pumpernickel, and parsnip; or Spinach crepe with salsify puree, mushroom jus, braised fennel, and salt lemon.
Plus the choice between two stunning starters – Green pea soup with chili mint oil, apricots, and polenta dumplings; or grilled leek consommé with walnut pumpkin, maultaschen, garlic cream, and brussels sprouts.
If you haven’t eaten yet, I apologize for teasing you with this mouthwatering menu!
#5 Ark
Nørre Farimagsgade 63, 1364, Copenhagen, Denmark
Michelin Stars: Green Star
This fantastic vegan restaurant in Denmark is known for its focus on local and foraged ingredients paired with Japanese flavors!
Ark restaurant is a part of a group of conscious restaurants called The Ark Collection Restaurants. In addition to Ark, the restaurant group also manages Bistro Lupa, Beyla Bar and Eatery, and a funga farm where they grow their mushrooms!
Lupa also received two Michelin Stars, a Bib Gourmand, and a Green Star. This collection of restaurants has only been open a year— mindblowing, right?
There are two set menu options for Ark; all of their dishes are made with delicious seasonal and locally sourced plants!
Definitely one to consider for your next European adventure!
#6 Växthuset
Hammarby slussväg 2 118 60 Stockholm
Michelin Stars: One Star
Sweden, which is home to the passionate environmental activist and vegan, Greta Thunberg – also has a completely plant-based restaurant in Stockholm!
Their mostly raw-plant-based menu comes with 5-7 tantalizing dishes to delight your taste buds!
Dishes such as; Salad soup with crispy portobello, thyme & vanilla sauce, wheat cracker, and tomato marmalade; Pickled gherkin with dandelion honey, sprouted lentils, fennel dill, and herb mayo; or Beets, frissé salad with dressing, pear jam, peas cream, walnuts, blackberries, mustard seeds, horseradish, sea coral, and cress.
With so many incredible dishes on the menu, there will be something to impress even the non-vegans in your life!
#7 Joia
Via Panfilo Castaldi 18 20124 Milano France
Michelin Stars: Green star
Joia is owned by Chef Pietro Leeman and in 1996 was the first vegetarian restaurant to receive a Michelin Star! Although not a fully vegan restaurant the Chef has a focus on plant-based cuisine which is healthy, eco-friendly, and cruelty-free.
Nature is their inspiration and all ingredients are organic and locally sourced!
With a choice between set menus called Zenith (the most thorough journey, discovering our cuisine respectful of Earth and its inhabitants), or Emphasis On Nature (a path of stimulating tastes, every dish a celebration of nature and its amazing flavors), you’ll have a hard time choosing between these poetic and stunning plant-based experiences!
As well as being the chef responsible for this fantastic Michelin-starred vegan restaurant, Pietro has also written 10+ books on cooking, cuisine, food culture, and treating disease with plants and herbs!
Pietro also co-founded an international vegetarian festival called “The Vegetarian Chance!”
How he’s managed to achieve so much is beyond me, it’s making me feel lazy, I don’t know about you?
#8 Tian
TIAN Restaurant Wien Himmelpfortgasse 23 1010 Vienna
Michelin Stars: One Star and Green Star
In Austria, you can find Tian which is a vegetarian restaurant in Vienna with 6 – 8 courses that can also be made vegan. Chef Paul Ivić states “Food does not require a specific language; food requires a soul.”
Christian Halper who’s the founder of Tian Restaurant and Bistro, believes vegetarian food is integral and that’s why they source only the highest quality of rare and organic fruits, vegetables, and grains in their dishes.
The dinner menu consists of delightful dishes such as; Ishikura with edamame and juneberry; Cucumber with kefir, and marigold; Tropea with thyme, and mirabelle; (Back To The Roots) Cabbage with topaz, and almond; and Porcini with blackberry, and sunflower; plus desserts – Cheesecake with rose and blueberry, or Baked stracciatella with hazelnut sorrel, and cape gooseberry.
You’ll love their indulgent menu with unique ingredients, you won’t regret booking a table at this veggie spot! Also, while you’re in Vienna, don’t miss these sinful vegan bakeries!
Michelin-Starred Vegan Restaurants in US
While looking at Michelin starred vegan restaurants, we can’t forget that the US is also home to several fabulous vegan restaurants with a focus on fine dining!
Continue reading to uncover the Michelin-Starred vegan restaurants in the US!
#9 Cadence
111 East 7th St, New York, NY 10009
Michelin Stars: One Star
Cadence is a plant-based NYC restaurant with a Southern soul brought together by Executive Chef Shenarri Freeman who uses her Virginia upbringing to inspire vegan food focusing on health and sustainability!
Treat yo’self to; Maple buttermilk cornbread with sage maple syrup, and seasonal jam; or Buffalo oyster mushrooms with pretzel bun, ranch, avocado, and pickles; or Southern fried lasagna with bolognese, pine nut ricotta, and spinach plus so much more!
As well as being vegan, the dishes are also 100% soy-free!
You might not know this but NYC is one of the best vegan cities in the world! It’s a magical city to visit, not only for the vegan food but that’s still important, right!?
#10 Shizen
370 14th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Michelin Stars: One star
Shizen is a fully plant-based sushi bar and izakaya in San Francisco! You can order sushi bar classics like sushi rolls or delicious ramen! Or you can enjoy their specialty rolls which have adorable names like Proud Peacock which is; Cucumber, avocado, shiitake, eggplant, tofu, pickled mango, roasted peppers, and seaweed pearls.
Best of all, everything is 100% vegan and gluten-free dishes are clearly marked too!
To save disappointment, they’re only open from 5 PM Monday – Thursday, from 4 PM Friday – Saturday, and 4:30 PM on Sunday. It also says walk-in service is limited to only parties of two; you book and I’ll leave now!
#11 Bloom Plant Based Kitchen
1559 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Michelin Stars: Bib Gourmand
Bloom Plant Based Kitchen in Chicago has the goal to lessen their environmental impact in many ways. The focus with the food is to bring flavorful, healthy, and affordable plant-based cooking to families!
All dishes on this fabulous menu are 100% vegan and gluten-free, which is what I like to see!
You won’t know where to start with this menu, there’s so much to choose from! For a quick bite you can order dishes such as; (Jerk Summer Squash) cured & smoked summer squash, orange scotch bonnet glaze, and mint salad. Or for bigger appetites; (Yuca gnocchi) toasted yuca gnocchi, celery root puree, mushroom sofrito, kale, and shaved cashew pecorino.
Last but by no means least, the dessert menu features; Tiramisu with cashew mascarpone, espresso chocolate ganache, and candied coffee beans; or Hibiscus cheesecake with cashew and hibiscus, almond date crust, and watermelon.
Order both desserts, you won’t regret it!
Bloom also works with green initiative partners like Orca, Phoenix Energy, and Green Grease. They’re currently looking into installing a micro-turbine to generate their electricity but changes like these are very expensive.
Due to this, they automatically add a 3% environmental fee on your check and they hope that this inspires other businesses to make more progress to be greener as well!
