For a while now, I’ve long admired the city of Paris and its culture. I love how it celebrates, reveres, and nurtures art and artists. There’s also something about the French people’s passion for food that inspires me so much. I love that they’ve invented the croissant, baguette, macaron, and many more. And not just with food, their zest and reverence for architecture, fashion, and other forms of art greatly inspire me as well. Not to mention, the city just seemed so romantic. So when Chris and I started planning for our wedding, Paris was my first choice for our honeymoon. I almost suggested the Philippines but I knew our honeymoon would be the perfect reason to finally visit Paris once and for all. Luckily, Chris agreed.
But as much as Chris wanted to visit Paris, he also wanted to visit Rome. He’s a big history buff and has been a fan of Julius Caesar and ancient Roman history. And just like Parisians, Romans also loved their art and food, which easily won me over. In the end, we decided to visit both cities on a ten-day trip.
Our first impression of Paris
When we first arrived I couldn’t believe the stereotype was true, Paris is beautiful. Everywhere I looked, I saw grand details of architecture. The structures have so much style and charm. It seemed like I was in a movie set or Disneyland, except the structures were all real and not just props. And they were not just pretty to look at, each piece had a rich history behind it.
The weather was cloudy but warm, not humid nor dry, just perfect for walking. We walked long stretches of miles that instead of gaining weight from all the food we ate, we actually lost few pounds. We saw a lot of bistros with outside seating as well as towering monuments and arches. Everything was grand yet charming.
Although some stores temporarily closed because of the European holiday break, Chris and I didn’t mind at all. In fact, we appreciated that we were able to relish the beauty of Paris without the bustling crowd. Of course, tourist attractions had a different story, which was why I paid extra in advance to skip the lines. Once inside the museums, I couldn’t believe I was in front of world-famous artworks like Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and Van Gogh’s “Starry Starry Night”. Chris and I trekked all kinds of museums like the Louvre Castle, Orsay Museum, Arc de Triomphe, The Army Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Versailles Palace.
Aside from visiting museums, we did other touristy things too like toured the Eiffel Tower, passed through Champ Elysees, ride along the Seine River, spotted the Moulin Rouge, climbed up the Sacre-Couer church, and took a baguette class. Each day of our trip was a 12-hour exploration. Surprisingly, Chris and I were also able to squeeze in visiting vegan restaurants and vegan shops.
Where to Eat Vegan in Paris
As a diligent vegan, I scrupulously researched where to eat in Paris and Rome. Good thing I can rely on the website, Happy Cow, especially because we were visiting Europe on a holiday month of August when most European businesses close down to take a vacation. Aside from Happy Cow, I also asked family and friends for recommendations.
Unfortunately, not everything vegan in Paris and Rome was impressive. So, in this post, I will share only what I loved and would recommend to you. I will break down my recommendations to two blog posts: one for Paris and one for Rome. Hopefully, you will find them useful especially when traveling to these two cities. And if you have other recommendations too, feel free to share them here.
VEGAN RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS IN PARIS:
Jay and Joy
When Chris and I walked in, one thing that pleasantly surprised us was their in-house vegan cheese factory. They make their cheese on the spot and you can watch the process through a glass wall. Another thing that delighted us was that we can taste and sample the cheeses before buying them. What a novel and thoughtful idea! Because I was very excited, I think I tried all the cheeses and bought about five or six of them. Out of all, my favorite was the vegan feta cheese (now craving for it as I type this). Too bad we couldn’t buy the cheeses for pasalubong or food gift to bring back home because they were highly perishable and wouldn’t travel well.
Unlike the stereotype that the French people are rude and snobby, the staff at Jay and Joy were nothing but the opposite. They helped me with my sampling and offered help any way they can. The owner, Mary, was there too and she chatted with us despite her hectic schedule. She said she hopes and plans to have more French people accept vegan cheese, which is why she samples her creations. Aside from cheese, she also sells other kinds of vegan products and promotes other vegan brands. Chris and I will definitely go back to this store when we find ourselves in Paris again.
APREGE
Because Chris and I consider our honeymoon a once in a lifetime occasion, we opted to visit at least one fine dining restaurant in Paris. From my research, I found a three-star Michelin French restaurant that specializes in vegetables. Chris and I dressed up (complete with dress shoes which we regretted later) and went to a restaurant called Aprege.
Upon walking in, the staff at Aprege quickly tended to us. The server was so attentive that he acted more like a butler than a waiter. We told him we were vegan and he immediately understood what we meant. After all, part of Aprege’s appeal is their passion for vegetables. In fact, the executive chef, Alain Passard, started a vegetable garden where they harvest every morning to supply the kitchen.
The server pointed out the vegan items on the menu as well as gave his personal recommendations. The vegan options sounded enticing so we ordered the vegan ravioli soup, vegan sushi, and the vegan ratatouille. Naturally, we also asked for a side of baguette with olive oil and balsamic. While they all seemed delicious and exciting, everything we ordered was just for starters, so the server also recommended to get the couscous as the main entrée.
The first dish that came out we swore and insisted that we didn’t order. But the server clarified that it was a surprise complimentary gift from the kitchen. The surprise plate had fresh fruits from the garden. The sweet strawberries were my favorite.
Everything that came out was a delight. The vegan sushi impressed me the most, with the kalamata olives as the “soy sauce”. But Chris’ favorite was the ravioli soup. In fact, he still thinks about it up to this day. The broth was complex and subtly sweet and fragrant.
We also enjoyed the ratatouille and the bread. Ironically, the server’s recommendation, the couscous, impressed us the least. Although the couscous had plenty of portions and can easily fill up anyone, the flavors tasted a little less interesting than the rest of our dishes. We ended up having to pack our leftover couscous to go because we couldn’t finish it anymore. Sometimes it really is about quality over quantity.
Chris and I didn’t want to order desserts because we didn’t want to be late for our next destination. But lo and behold, the server came out with fresh strawberries in hibiscus juice. He said it’s yet another complimentary gift from the kitchen. Chris and I couldn’t turn it down, and I’m glad we didn’t!
The servers watched us like a hawk making sure our water glasses were never empty. They really mean business with their service. Other guests looked like they were being pampered too. And upon looking at other guests’ attire, Chris and I realized we didn’t need to dress up after all. Our formal dress shoes became a bit painful to walk on during our museum visits later that day. Oh well, at least we did enjoy our relaxing time at Aprege and for that moment at the restaurant, we forgot our hectic itinerary as we drifted to full vacation mode.
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL
The vegan afternoon tea at Shangri-La Hotel must be one of the highlights of our honeymoon trip. If you’re visiting Paris and had to choose only one vegan dining experience, you must go with this one. And if you do, you have to book your reservation quickly in advance. Their vegan afternoon tea gets so popular that I had to email management two months in advance if they can squeeze me into their fully booked schedule!
When we found out they will be able to accommodate us, Chris and I had to adjust our flight. Originally, we were going to fly to Rome that afternoon. We moved our flight and sacrificed a day in Rome so we can experience this much-raved dining experience at Shangri-La Hotel. Good thing the compromise was worth every penny.
The afternoon tea is always vegan and it’s held at the hotel lounge without a strict dress code (although I dressed up to feel like a princess – hey might as well). Ironically, the tradition of afternoon tea is British and not French, but we didn’t mind. Besides, Chris and I saw many influences of other cultures in Paris like Chinese, Japanese, and American (we spotted a few Starbucks and McDonald’s).
As the British tea tradition requires, the service had savory sandwiches, scones, sweet pastries, and tea. Chris and I were in heaven enjoying and savoring every bite. We could definitely get used to this kind of treatment. We felt like royalty!
At first, I thought the pastry chef came out to talk to us but turned out he was the one managing the bar. He approached us and asked how everything was going. I couldn’t help but ask him why they would make their afternoon tea service all vegan. He said that the pastry chef wants a good challenge. Also, it stemmed from having a good turnout from their monthly vegan dinners, when the entire restaurant serves only vegan dishes once a month. Wow, a vegan dinner at this lovely place? You’ll know where to find me and Chris when we’re in Paris again!
LE POTAGER DU MARAIS
This place was one of the most charming vegan restaurants we visited in Paris. The place was cute and small but Chris and I were lucky to find a table right away. They serve vegan versions of classic French cuisine and Chris and I ordered the quintessential ones. I got the vegan beef Bourguignon with vegan mashed potatoes and a hot chocolate to drink. Chris got the vegan french onion soup with lots of vegan melted cheese. We thoroughly enjoyed every bite.
We also got vegan Creme Brulee for dessert but we weren’t a fan of it because it was citrus flavored. It wasn’t tangy or anything like that but it had some orange essence. We weren’t crazy about it but that’s just us. People who wrote online reviews couldn’t stop raving about this dish. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether to go for it or not.
LA CUISINE PARIS
Instead of just eating French food, I thought I should also learn how to make it at home. It was a good idea for several reasons. First, it would be a good bonding experience for me and Chris. Second, it would help me from having to buy everyone pasalubong because I can just make them something from what I learned. Third, I could take a bit of France with me when I return home and wherever I go. And what better place to learn about French food than in Paris!
Chris and I signed up for an entry-level baguette class at La Cuisine Paris, a small business that specializes in French cooking classes for tourists. I emailed the company to make sure they can accommodate vegans and they reassured me I shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
Almost everyone in the class was a tourist and mainly from the US. Few were American expats now living in Paris, including the teacher himself. Much to my relief, the students were all newbies and were very friendly. And good thing the instructor was not only thorough with his instructions, but he was also very patient answering all of our questions.
As you can imagine the class took at least two hours barely getting to know the science and art of making a baguette. And while the baguette was in the oven, the chef also taught us how to make fougasse, the French version of focaccia and other ways to bake and decorate French bread.
After the class, the instructor handed each one of us a paper bag to carry all the bread we baked. Some people in the class already started eating them. Chris and I took our bread and went to a nearby restaurant, where were ordered a salad and a couple of drinks to pair with our newly baked creations. Afterward, we strolled along the Seine River. It was a beautiful afternoon.
UN MONDE VEGAN
For pasalubong or food gifts for family and friends, Chris and I went to all vegan grocery store in Paris called Un Monde Vegan. We got lucky because they just re-opened from their holiday break right when we entered their store. The place was quaint but carries so much vegan stuff like European candies and chocolates as well as vegan ingredients for cooking and baking. I’m assuming they get tons of vegan tourists because I saw they’re also selling vegan travel guides. The owner chatted with us and talked about the thriving vegan movement in Paris. I was glad to hear that “vegan Paris” is no longer a contradiction.
NATURALIA
Naturalia is a natural foods store chain that carries vegan products. It’s similar to Whole Foods here in the United States. But compared to Whole Foods, Naturalia has one branch in Paris that is all vegan. Unfortunately, Chris and I weren’t able to visit that vegan branch. We went to the one closer to our hotel, which still carried a lot of vegan products. We bought vegan food gifts as well as vegan travel accessories and toiletries. Apparently, Naturalia has many branches in Paris so vegan tourists really have nothing to worry about even when they find themselves without a vegan restaurant nearby. They can just buy food at a Naturalia store.
Aside from vegan restaurants, Chris and I also checked out omnivore restaurants and ordered baguette, salad, and french fries. We didn’t feel deprived as vegans in Paris. In fact, we felt such royalty going to fancy places like the Shangri-La Hotel and Aprege. Then we felt at home at the charming Le Potager du Marais. And had a lovely time visiting stores like Jay and Joy, Un Monde Vegan, and Naturalia and getting to know the owners and the staff. Lastly, I’m relieved that I was able to take a bit of Paris back home after learning how to make a baguette from scratch at La Cuisine Paris. Chris and I are dreaming about our next Parisian adventure when we visit this lovely city again.
Please stay tuned for the next post, Vegan Honeymoon in Rome!