‘I Spent 50 Hours In Paris Looking For Amazing Vegan Food’

From plantbasednews.org

Fifty hours, five arrondisments, and one flaky croissant later, Paris proved it can do vegan 

Paris is famous for butter, croissants, and cheese; not exactly a vegan’s dream. But Dénes Marton, known for his YouTube channel Daynesh, decided to challenge that stereotype. In a 50-hour trip to the French capital for a family wedding, he set out to find the best vegan food in Paris, a city still clinging to its dairy roots.

Armed with a checklist that featured a vegan croissant, a baguette, cheese, an éclair, and a traditional savoury French dish, Marton wandered through the city determined to prove that France’s plant-based scene is alive and growing.

Along the way, he discovered pastries, world-class vegan meals, and even a cheese counter that would impress any non-vegan Parisian.

Land & Monkeys: The vegan croissant test

Marton’s first stop was Land & Monkeys, the city’s most famous vegan bakery. “The goal while we’re here in Paris is to find one vegan baguette, one vegan croissant, a vegan cheese, a vegan éclair, and a traditional French savoury dish that’s vegan,” he says.

The croissant looked the part, golden, flaky, and delicate, but didn’t quite deliver on flavour. “Overall, the croissant was good. I’d give it a 7 out of 10,” he says, before sampling a pain au chocolat that failed to hit the mark.

Still hungry, he and his family ordered a vegan quiche Lorraine. The texture was “pretty good”, but the flavour, he admits, was “all right,” especially compared to what he would discover later. Still, the visit checked off two items on his list: the croissant and a classic savoury French dish.

Sushi, storms, and a slow start

Next, Marton visited a highly recommended vegan sushi spot, brEAThe Restaurant, one of many suggestions from his Instagram followers. The creative dishes surprised him, but the overall verdict was lukewarm. “We all thought this place was okay, but none of us thinks we would necessarily come back here or recommend it. I definitely wouldn’t.”

The first 24 hours left him unimpressed. Despite Paris’s growing vegan reputation, he found that “even though there were vegan restaurants, if I walked into a place at random, I struggled to find anything besides maybe the occasional attitude.”

That began to change when he stumbled upon Aujourd’hui Demain.

Aujourd’hui Demain: Vegan paradise in Paris

YouTube/DayneshThe vegan donner nachos were a good start to a great vegan meal, including Juicy Marbles steak and a vegan croque monsieur

Tucked away in the 11th arrondissement, a borough that holds three of the city’s most famous squares, was Aujourd’hui Demain. The business is both a restaurant and a concept store, and for Marton, it was the turning point of the trip. “We could not have picked a better spot,” he says.

The meal started with doner nachos loaded with soy chunks and creamy vegan cheese, then escalated quickly. “This meal was one of the best meals I’ve ever had in my life,” Marton says. The croque monsieur was “amazing,” the plant-based ham and cheese tasted disturbingly real, and the potatoes “were cooked to perfection.”

Even the mushroom dish, which he admits he “didn’t really understand,” impressed him with its “super cheesy” flavour. But the showstopper was the Juicy Marbles vegan steak. “That’s crazy. Yeah, that’s disturbingly close,” he says.

Dessert sealed the deal: a pretzel-crusted, salty-sweet creation so good they immediately ordered another. “Not even kidding. One of the best desserts I’ve ever had. Crunchy, salty, sweet, pretzly, creamy. Unbelievable.”

By the time they left, the restaurant was packed. “If you want to come here, make sure you reserve,” he warns. “We almost missed out on an amazing opportunity.”

Daynesh described his meal at the plant-based Parisian restaurant Aujourd'hui Demain as one of the best of his life - Media Credit: YouTube/DayneshCheese and baguettesThe vegan éclair proved impossible to track down, but Marton ended his 50-hour mission strong. At Aujourd’hui Demain’s market section, he found an impressive range of French vegan cheeses, including the beloved brand Jay & Joy. “Someone working there was kind enough to help us pick out some good ones,” he says.Back home, tasting the cheeses was the grand finale. “This was absolutely outstanding cheese on a completely different level,” Marton says. “That plus the meal at Aujourd’hui Demain gave me the kind of feeling that makes you think, damn, this is how good vegan food can be.”He discovered that most baguettes in Paris are naturally vegan, a small victory that rounded off his quest with a touch of irony.As Marton puts it, Paris may not yet be the easiest city for plant-based eaters, but “when it hits, it hits.” And after 50 hours of croissants, cheese, and unexpected finds, he proved that the French capital’s vegan future looks bright and delicious.Find more vegan travel content on Marton’s YouTube channel.https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/travel/i-spent-50-hours-in-paris-looking-for-amazing-vegan-food/