What We Ate In Paris

Bonjour, mes amis!! T here again, and today “T” stands for travel. I’m here to talk about all the amazing vegan food we ate in Paris!

In the land of escargot and fromage, it might surprise one to hear that there are over 60 fully-vegan establishments in Paris alone! On our recent trip to Paris – and to celebrate B’s 30th birthday – we were lucky enough to sample four of these amazing vegan offerings found in The City of Lights.

These are our must-visit places for vegan food in Paris!

Cloud Cakes

After we heard SO many recommendations and suggestions for it, we knew our first stop had to be Cloud Cakes.

Just a short walk from the Bonne Nouvelle metro stop, this quaint, all-vegan coffee shop has a tremendous variety of food options ranging from the sweet to the savory.

This is a fantastic lunch spot, but we would suggest going a little later than regular lunchtime if you can. This place is REALLY popular. There is quite a bit to see in the general neighborhood, so we can guarantee you’ll easily pass the time.

There is seating for about 16-18 inside with options of high-top tables or comfortable couches. They also have a couple two-top tables outside. B is a sucker for outdoor seating, so that’s what we chose! From cupcakes and pancakes to soups and scrambles, this place has something for all tastes!

What We Ate

As I had mentioned in the Instagram story that day, our lunch choices really defined who we are!  B’ fulfilled her comfort food dreams with a gloriously gooey, toasty and tasty grilled cheese sandwich. She also had an oat milk latte she dubbed “the BEST in Paris!”.  Her sandwich came with a side salad, which she promptly diverted to my plate.

I had one of my absolute “can’t-go-wrong” favorites: a big old “protein bowl” of rice, beans, sweet potatoes, salsa, etc. I washed it down with a great tasting fruit smoothie. (B amusingly reminded me this was also my first lunch when we went to Madrid in November! What can I say? I’m a simple man with simple tastes. HAHAHA!)

We followed our lunches with a couple of Cloud Cakes’ decadent desserts: a LARGE slice of Peanut Butter Chocolate cake and a Lemon Meringue tart. Needless to say, we left Cloud Cakes completely satiated and extremely happy!

We loved this place so much, we went back a few days later and got deliciously creamy lentil soups with fresh bread.

VG Pâtisserie

The next day, we visited another “must-see” recommendation on our list of vegan food in Paris: VG Pâtisserie – Pâtisserie Végétale, an all-vegan pastry shop. Cakes, croissants, and confections abound at this quaint and welcoming little shop.

There are a few two-top tables inside. But, a small section of sidewalk seating on the busy boulevard makes for tremendously enjoyable people-watching on a sunny, spring morning.

What We Ate

Once again our choices defined us as I chose sweet and B chose savory.

I had a wonderfully warm, soft cinnamon roll and a ginormous Grand Brioche Suisse: a soft, braided pastry filled with big chocolate chunks throughout.

B got her birthday wish in the form of a stuffed croissant filled with a savory blend of tomatoes, bell peppers, and vegan cheese. Oh, and we just HAD to split one of the giant chocolate chip cookies because COOKIES!

The two women working here that day were SO very pleasant and helpful with making the choices from the wide variety on display.

Also, to promote environmental consciousness, VG offers a discount to customers who bring their own cups/mugs for coffee and boxes or Tupperware-like containers to transport the baked goods.

Jay and Joy

We’re not really ones to do a LOT of touristy things when we travel, but one thing we just KNEW we wanted to do while in Paris was have a little wine and cheese picnic by the Eiffel Tower to celebrate B’s birthday.

Thanks to the quaint Jay & Joy, a “100% vegetable creamery in the center of Paris in the 11th arrondissement,” this was an easy – and tasty! – reality to accomplish.

Advertising itself as “probably the first vegetable creamery in France,” Jay and Joy offers a wide variety of vegan cheeses, cheesecakes, yogurts, and a little something they like to call “joie gras” – a cashew-based vegan foie gras.

The shop is small but contains both an exhibition-style manufacturing/fermentation area and a retail shop that allows – and encourages! – tastings of their wide variety of products before you purchase!

What We Chose

We finally decided on the “Jack Spiced,” a somewhat spicy cayenne soft cheese; the “Jean Cendre,” a “creamy and captivating” mild cheese; and one called (I believe) Poivre, a soft, creamy cheese covered in marinated and minced red and green bell peppers. I loved the last one, of course.

Finally, we made a quick stop at the bakery on the corner to pick up a few so-fresh-they’re-still-warm-and-steaming baguettes. Then, we popped into a wine shop to get our final essentials, and we were ready to picnic in the shadow of the glorious Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower, Champagne, Cheese, Warm baguettes… that, my friends, is a beautiful day.

The Highlight of our Trip

Although it was very touristy, this may be one of the absolute best parts of the trip for us. Sitting in the shade of the trees, sipping champagne, eating mounds of vegan cheese on a warm, crusty baguette, just enjoying each others’ company while watching a wide cross-section of humanity? It really doesn’t get much better.

It should also be noted that the people-watching level during this experience is something almost unparalleled. I even assisted a fellow traveller in uncorking his beer bottle with the aid of nothing more than his shoe and a nearby tree. It was quite a sight, but that’s a tale for another time.

The moral of the story? Get to Jay and Joy because their cheeses are AMAZING!!

Hank Pizza

Vegan pizza is truly a beautiful thing. And while we definitely have our fair share of vegan pizza at home, Hank Pizza is NOTHING like any pizza we’ve ever gotten in Philly!

Large, thick rectangles of crisp, doughy goodness hold a variety of toppings that far surpass just sauce and cheese.

What We Ate

True to form, B got a slice covered in marinated mushrooms and potatoes and a thick, delicious, homemade cheese “fondant” that graced large portions of the slice.

I got a slice covered in veg the likes of zucchini/courgette, eggplant/aubergine, red onion, etc. We also split a pesto + veggie covered slice after drooling over (metaphorically, of course) all the other options offered before finally deciding.

More than the toppings here though – which are absolutely magnificent, artisanal pairings – it’s the dough. It’s hard to nail down an explanation of just how good this pizza dough is exactly. It’s got a wonderfully doughy, chewy interior while maintaining an oiled, crispy-textured exterior that is absolutely delicious and so flavorful! It was almost like garlic bread.

At Hank’s Pizza, there is ample seating upstairs in a somewhat open style. I was as big a fan of the decor as I was the pizza! You get the vibe that Hank’s is definitely a hip spot.

We received so many local recommendations to try this establishment. And we were SO glad we got here on our final day of travel. This place just has a great vibe to it.

A Very Happy Mistake

When I went downstairs to get extra napkins, the cashier very honestly and apologetically informed me she had accidentally overcharged us. I told her we’d clear it up after we ate and went back upstairs to confer with B about what type of dessert we’d get with our new-found fortune!

The cashier was pleasantly surprised when we said “It was probably just meant to be” and we would just take a brownie instead of the cash back. She grabbed the biggest brownie they had for us to take on our way into the night.

I put the brownie in my bag, and we made our way back to the Eiffel Tower to share our good fortune while we watched the 81-story testimony to 19th century ingenuity light the 21st century darkness in all its sparkling glory.

Where We Stayed

Besides all the delicious food, waking up to this city view from the cozy bed of our Airbnb was a major highlight of this trip!

Here is the link to the apartment we rented which we highly recommend to anyone looking for an affordable but comfortable place to stay in Paris. The studio apartment was the perfect size for the two of us (with a bed that literally comes down from the ceiling). And we loved ending our nights drinking champagne in the window together!

When we travel, we will generally rent an Airbnb because we love to have a kitchen! We can cook breakfast, make coffee, and have a leisurely morning of planning where we’re going to eat and explore that day. It’s also a great way to save some money in your travel budget!

If you haven’t tried Airbnb, you can sign up through this link and get $40 off your first booking.

Transportation: How did we travel to all this amazing vegan food in Paris?

Getting to and from all the wonderful vegan food in Paris from our apartment was tremendously easy by way of the Metro or Tram.

We HIGHLY recommend getting the weekly transportation pass for your stay. It saved us a ton of time and money! You can purchase one at the ticket counter at pretty much every metro station.

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