Showing posts with label Netherlands. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Netherlands. Show all posts

Sunday, May 10, 2026

The ‘youthful’ Dutch city that changed my mind about being vegan

From metro.co.uk

By Isabel Fraser

It’s not every day you go floating down a motorway on a boat, but in Utrecht it’s a rite of passage. 


The Netherlands is known for our canals, but less known is their history,’ explains our guide Jitte (pronounced Yetter). ‘The one you are on right now had a whole other life 50 years ago.’

Once a medieval moat, in 1971 the Catharijnesingel canal that flows through Utrecht’s centre was filled with cement and turned into a motorway, in an attempt to up the pace of city life.

Reopening the restored canals in 2020 was just one way of greenifying the Netherlands’ fourth largest city, which earned a spot on Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel for 2026. 

Now, with more bikes than residents and vegan food galore, the city is cementing itself as an eco-conscious utopia, free from the stress of mass tourism.

                         Utrecht is an eco-conscious hub of sustainable shops and thousands of bikes (Picture: Isabel Fraser)

Here’s where you should eat, what you should do, and how all of it changed my mind about going vegan.


Plant-based delights


Boodje kaas, a type of cheese sandwich. Bitterballen, deep-fried balls of rice and mince. Hollandse nieuwe, raw herring fish served with onions. These staples of Dutch cuisine don’t exactly scream vegan.

But with the rise of sustainable travel and a growing student population, Utrecht’s food-scene has followed eco-friendly suit. 


In a striking dark blue building on the Mariaplaats, Le Jardin works with local suppliers and grows their own produce, so the menu is shaped by the season and can change each day.


Think pointed cabbage with passion fruit puree and roasted cauliflower with toasted lentils. This is elevated food for those happy for their meals to be decided for them.


                                                                             Lunch at Le Jardin (Picture: Isabel Fraser)


BROEI creates a relaxed vibe through low-hanging lights, rustic benches and art on every wall. The lightest bread and butter pudding I’ve ever tasted (vegan, or not) features on the menu.


If there’s one lunch spot not to miss, it’s Life’s a Peach. Boasting a menu of gluten-free focaccias and sweet treats, there’s nothing snooty about any of it. 


The vegan ‘nduja foccacia, sausage substituted for a spicy, smoked paste made of lentils and sun dried tomatoes, is better than the real deal. The cafe has earned a name for its plant-based pastel de nata.


For slower-paced luxury, try Kasivo, home of seasonal plant-forward dishes.

Minimalist interior design and beautifully crafted plates make for an exquisite dining experience. Lions mane mushroom baked on charcoal, with roasted seaweed and orca beans is a creative meat-alternative with truly complex flavours.


If you prefer to be guided around Utrecht’s vegan food scene, take a tour with V For Food (€69.50 for 3.5hrs, seven bites to eat and two drinks).

This will take you to Snackbar Las Vegas, which produces vegan alternatives to traditional Dutch snacks, including bitterballen, and Kluts bakery, home to rich sweet treats including a salted caramel cookie that’s to die for.


When you get to FLFL, order a fresh falafel wrap and stroll a few feet to eat with a view of the Dom Tower.


All of this food uproots a long-held misconception: that plant-based food is less interesting than meat alternatives. The range of textures, flavours and combinations proved that vegan doesn’t have to mean boring. 


Dishes are intentional in a way meat classics don’t have to be, and after two days of eating vegan in Utrecht, I can confidently say I have a seat on the plant-based food train. 


Slow travel


Utrecht’s vegan offerings are just one way the city makes sustainable travel easy.


Firstly, there’s no need to fly. A Eurostar from Kings Cross to Rotterdam and then a Dutch Railways line from Rotterdam to Utrecht gets you there in just over 4 hours.

Rent two wheels and spend an afternoon cycling the cobbled streets, keeping a look out for the many statues of Dutch icon Miffy, the beloved character created by Dick Bruna in his Jeruzalemstraat studio.


You can catch a recreation of the studio in the Centraal Museum. 

Wander through the Neude Library, a former post office, and catch the ‘Spectacle of Books’ exhibition, where unpublished works are given their chance to shine.


                                            The Conscious Hotel in Utrecht is one of six in The Netherlands (Picture: Isabel Fraser)


A blend of old and new 


Utrecht has a creative atmosphere, influenced by its status as a leading learning city.


With over 39,000 students at Utrecht University, a youthful energy is injected into its medieval streets

Utrecht was one of the few cities in The Netherlands to be unscathed by WW2, which is why much of its historic architecture is still intact – and often reinvented.


This is true of the medieval cellars that line canals below city level. The garage spaces have been transformed into vibrant yoga studios, restaurants and cafes.


Another building that has maintained its historic exterior is The Conscious Hotel, my ‘eco-sexy’ (their words, not mine) digs for the trip.


After being a monastery then an orphanage, the building became home to the legendary music venue Tivoli Oudegracht, hosting the likes of Prince, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Nirvana.

The hotel encapsulates everything this green city stands for. Recycled furniture, water-saving showers and solar panels make for a genuinely sustainable stay (from £98 per night).


Biting into a pain au chocolat from the bountiful breakfast spread, I confessed to a waitress that the taste was worth breaking my two-day plant-based streak.


‘No need to worry,’ she smiled. ‘All food here is vegan.’ 

it would be disingenuous to say I have been vegan since coming back, but I have been eating plant-based whenever I can.


Thanks, Utrecht. I’m well and truly converted. 


https://metro.co.uk/2026/05/09/youthful-dutch-city-changed-mind-vegan-28228746/


Saturday, May 2, 2026

Future Food Quick Bites: Tempeh Protein Bites, Dairy-Free Cold Foam & Garden Gourmet

From greenqueen.com.hk

By Anay Mridul

Our weekly column rounds up the latest sustainable food innovation news. This week, Future Food Quick Bites covers Tiba Tempeh’s protein bites, Prefer’s Brazilian bean-free coffee collab, and Garden Gourmet’s vegan tilt.

New products and launches

British plant protein firm Tiba Tempeh has unveiled Protein Bites, a chilled snack range delivering 12g of protein and 3.5g of fibre per 60g pack. It will be available in roasted and Southern-style flavours at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado from May 6, priced at £1.50 per pack.

                                                                                                     Courtesy: Tiba Tempeh

Fellow UK start-up Drink Lomi has debuted 10g vegan cold foam toppers for its single-serve matcha sachets, tapping into two of the biggest trends in the drinks category. The “cloud foam” contains a base of coconut oil and glucose syrup.

Also in the UK, The Coconut Collab has launched a gut-friendly Natural Kefir drink made by fermenting coconut milk and water. It’s available at Sainsbury’s and Ocado for £3.45 per 500ml bottle, with more retailers to follow in May and June.

                                                                                       Courtesy: The Coconut Collab

French foodservice brand Tipiak has introduced a new Vegan Canapé Selection for the UK market, comprising 36 bites like falafels, tartlets, crackers, blinis, shortbreads, and carrot cakes.

A double launch for Beyond Meat this week. The Californian giant rolled out its spicy Buffalo-flavoured chicken pieces at over 2,000 Kroger stores, and its Korean BBQ-flavoured burger at retailers in Germany and the Netherlands.

                                                                                                  Courtesy: Beyond Meat

Canadian chain Panago Pizza has rolled out Daiya‘s reformulated oat-cream-based cheese alternative across all its stores, with customers able to swap it in for dairy on any pizza at no extra cost.

Also in the Netherlands, The Vegetarian Butcher has unveiled a new BBQ-ready burger and chicken tenders at Albert Heijn, Dirk, Vomar, Boon, Dekamarkt and Hoogvlie.

German mycoprotein start-up Nosh.bio’s blended beef mince is now officially listed with Artland Foodservice and live on the Transgourmet system, enabling foodservice providers to directly order the product into their kitchens.

                                                                                                     Courtesy: Nosh.bio

Over in India, plant protein shows no signs of stopping, with RiteBite Max Protein launching a range of pea protein powders delivering 22g of the nutrient per serving. They’re available in seven flavours, including Alphonso Mango, Digestive Masala and Banana Caramel, for ₹2,499 ($26.50) per kg.

And Singapore’s Prefer, known for its bean-free coffee and chocolate, is expanding its horizons through a partnership with Sapiens Global. The two companies unveiled Sapiens Cafe, which blends 60% arabica with 40% PreferRoast, at FHA Singapore (April 21-14), ahead of rollouts in Brazil and Japan.

Company and finance updates

Nestlé-owned meat-free brand Garden Gourmet has turned its portfolio 100% plant-based after phasing out some vegetarian products.

Dutch manufacturer Van Loon Group has announced that its share of blended meat products increased from 3% in 2024 to 11% last year, with associated revenue growing from €31M to €122M. This has allowed the company to save one million kg of animal-derived raw materials.

Austrian mycoprotein start-up Revo Foods has kicked off a new crowdfunding round at a €7.2M valuation, aiming to raise €1M in total funding.

                                                                                                Courtesy: Revo Foods

New Zealand-based Nutrition From Water has completed its tech transfer to commercial scale, making its microalgae-derived Marine Whey Gold ingredient available for mass production.

C-suite veteran Karuna Rawal, whose most recent permanent role was chief revenue and marketing officer at Nature’s Fynd, has joined the board of directors of Finnish gas protein firm Solar Foods.

Molecular farming start-up Alpine Bio has appointed Matt Crisp, CEO of Ichor Agriculture and co-founder of Quercus Biosolutions, to its board.

Fellow Californian firm The Every Company, which sells precision-fermented egg proteins, has brought on former Siemens Energy engineer Mario Patiño as its new chief revenue officer.

GNT Group has opened a sales and application office in Shanghai to meet demand for its plant-based food dyes under the Exberry brand in China.

Research and policy developments

Dutch ingredients specialist Corbion has been awarded a US patent for a liquid suspension of algal biomass with a distinct DHA-rich omega-3 profile.

A case study for New York startup Helaina shows that its precision-fermented lactoferrin ingredient, effera, significantly improves blood iron markers. This signals that iron homeostasis is a core lever and could be especially relevant for populations where traditional iron supplementation falls short.

                                                                                                          Courtesy: Helaina

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have developed OatGuard, an oat-based clean-label solution to mask the bitterness and off-flavours found in plant-based proteins.

Finally, a team of scientists led by the Technical University of Denmark have identified three lactic acid bacteria isolated from vegetables and fermented foods that are highly suitable for producing soy yoghurts with improved digestibility.

https://www.greenqueen.com.hk/future-food-quick-bites-tempeh-protein-bites-dairy-free-cold-foam-garden-gourmet/ 

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

6 Michelin-Star vegan restaurants that even carnivores book months ahead

From veganfoodandliving.com

Planning a luxury plant-based trip? Here are the top Michelin-starred vegan restaurants you need to visit, featuring the award-winning chefs pioneering sustainable gastronomy


For decades, the prestigious red Michelin star was synonymous with butter-laden French sauces and prime cuts of meat. But since the boom of veganism in the late 2010s, the Michelin Guide has undergone a radical transformation. In recent years, the industry has seen the vegetable option move from a sidelined alternative to the main event, and Michelin star vegan restaurants have been flourishing.


6 Michelin star vegan restaurants you need to visit

1. Plates London – United Kingdom

Number of Michelin stars: ★
Price range: £109 for 8 courses (+£70 for wine pairings)
Location: 320 Old Street, Hoxton, London, EC1V 9DR, United Kingdom
How to book: Visit exploretock.com/plates-london

About the restaurant:

As one of the more recent Michelin star vegan restaurants to join the guide, Plates London made history as the first UK vegan restaurant to win a Michelin star in 2025, a feat achieved less than six months after opening its doors. It was founded by siblings Kirk and Keeley Haworth shortly after Kirk was crowned ‘Champion of Champions’ on the BBC’s The Great British Menu.

Both Kirk and Keeley bear a lifelong passion for food, with a focus on sustainability, embracing nature, and, above all, great flavours. Together, they’ve developed Plates’ unique style of cookery, serving skilfully-crafted, exquisitely flavoured seasonal dishes in its relaxed yet upmarket dining area.

This limited-edition Plates London menu reimagined childhood classics such as arctic roll, fish finger sandwiches, and Salt 'n' Shake crisps. Photo © Plates London


About the chef:

Classically-trained chef Kirk Haworth turned his talents to plant-based cuisine after contracting Lyme disease in Australia in 2016. Before opening Plates, he spent almost 20 years honing his skills in Michelin-starred restaurants across the world.

While sustainability is important to Kirk, he prefers not to focus on the ‘vegan’ aspect of the food, instead striving to bring flavour, excitement, and innovation to nourishing ingredients that just happen to be plant-based.

Menu highlights:

Plates London’s eight-course tasting experience starts with its signature house-laminated sourdough bread, served with whipped vegan butter. This rich, fluffy butter is often infused with seasonal flavours to complement Chef Kirk’s menu.

He often focuses on nostalgic flavours, with fresh takes on classic dishes. Other highlights include caramelised lion’s mane mushrooms with seasonal fruits and vegetables, and warm cacao sponge with parsnip ice cream.

What Michelin says:

“There’s an appropriately earthy, natural vibe to this elegant restaurant dedicated to promoting plant-based cuisine. The slate floor, warm hues and rustic plastering help it feel stripped-back yet stylish, with some counter seating providing another on-trend touch.

“Chef Kirk Haworth … brings his strong classical technique to bear on inventive and inviting vegan dishes that give vegetables the respect they deserve. The maitake mushroom with black bean mole is superb, while the raw cocoa gateau is a real treat to finish.”

2. De Nieuwe Winkel – the Netherlands

Number of Michelin stars: ★ ★

Price range: €205-€215 for 9 courses (+€95 for drinks pairings)

Location: Gebroeders Van Limburgplein 7, Nijmegen, 6511 BW, Netherlands

How to book: Visit denieuwewinkel.com

About the restaurant:

Housed in a 14th-century orphanage in downtown Nijmegen, this ‘botanical gastronomy’ restaurant offers farm-to-table tasting menus which change with the seasons. Expect a magical dining experience, complete with an open kitchen where you can watch the team expertly prepare the impressive fare.

But food at De Nieuwe Winkel goes beyond the kitchen with its food lab, in which chefs, farmers, and scientists come together to develop incredible innovations. The restaurant’s realistically rich almond-based cheese and a sustainably-produced chestnut-based chocolate are just two of the environmentally restorative products to come from DNW Labs.

Along with its two Michelin stars, this vegan restaurant has also been awarded a green star, recognising its outstanding sustainability practices. Among them is its zero-waste approach, which includes using the SCOBY left over from fermenting kombucha to create crispy ‘tulle’ with umami flavour.

The interior of De Nieuwe Winkel is understated with raw, functional decor, keeping focus on its 'botanical gastronomy' concept. Photo © De Nieuwe Winkel


About the chef:

The mastermind behind De Nieuwe Winkel is Chef Emile van der Staak, awarded Chef of the Year 2024 by Gault&Millau Netherlands.

His culinary philosophy of ‘botanical gastronomy’ is inspired by Ketelbroek, the self-sustaining ‘food forest’ planted by his friend, Wouter van Eck. This resilient ecosystem offers conditions ideal for growing exotic plants that would not normally thrive in the Netherlands.

In Ketelbroek and the nearby organic garden ‘Ommuurde tuin‘, Chef Emile and his team taste and gather the astonishing ingredients to be developed into the restaurant’s innovative dishes.

Menu highlights:

Innovative dishes at this Michelin star vegan restaurant include a kombu cracker, topped with kohlrabi and SCOBY (leftover from making kombucha) or carrot dumplings with Japanese rose and Szechuan pepper.

Also look out for DNW’s signature butter, which is made from sunflowers.

What Michelin says:

“[Emile van der Staak] is a visionary writing a story, with every chapter whetting your appetite. The passion and positivity he and his team radiate is truly inspiring.

“[Ketelbroek] is where he makes discoveries, reflects and creates – and his is a creative spirit that seems to know no bounds. He has developed a precise technique of bringing the microseasons to life in his set menu, which changes three times a year.”

3. Seven Swans – Germany

Number of Michelin stars: 

Price range: €229 for 7 courses (+€119 for wine pairings)

Location: Mainkai 4, Frankfurt on the Main, 60311, Germany

How to book: Visit sevenswans.de/reservation

About the restaurant:

This restaurant appears shrouded in mystery, with very little information on its website. No sample menu, no pictures of the food, and no information about the restaurant and its operation. There’s not even any indication that it’s vegan. But this is intentional.

Head Chef Ricky Saward believes that the magic of food comes from being surprised, and once you’ve seen the menu and imagined the taste, the magic is gone. So, if you want to get the true Seven Swans experience, skip to the next restaurant in this list now.

Seven Swans serves farm-to-table dishes crafted from ingredients grown no more than 50 km from the restaurant. In fact, many of them come from the restaurant’s own permaculture garden, Braumannswiesen (or, Brewer’s Meadows), just outside of Frankfurt. This is one reason Seven Swans has also been awarded a green star for sustainability.

Dining here is an experience, as each part of the seven-course ‘surprise menu’ is served to all guests in the dining room at the same time, along with a detailed, impassioned description of the dish by the head chef himself.

The decor is stripped-back and minimalistic, and the seating isn’t exactly comfortable, but this is all part of the plan. At Seven Swans, diners’ attention is turned completely to the food, meaning every morsel is enjoyed to the fullest.

Seven Swans is housed in Frankfurt's narrowest building. Photo © Seven Swans


About the chef:

Chef Ricky Saward took over Seven Swans in 2018, at which point it was a vegetarian restaurant that already held a Michelin star. This was Ricky’s first head chef job, and his first venture into vegetarian cuisine. He quickly gained a flair for it and became passionate about sustainability through food. This naturally led to an interest in vegan cuisine, and by 2019, he had quietly phased out all animal products from the menu.

It wasn’t until around six months later that Seven Swans announced that it had been serving plant-based food for some time, and apparently, no one had missed the animal products. Despite the changes made to the restaurant, it maintained its Michelin star, and in 2020, Ricky Saward was officially recognised as the world’s first vegan Michelin-starred chef.

When he took over the Seven Swans kitchen, Ricky also got involved in its permaculture garden, which, at the time, only produced herbs and a few vegetables. Now, it has more than quadrupled in size and produces a range of local and sustainable ingredients for the restaurant. From these, Ricky crafts his dishes, carefully considering what’s in season (or what has been preserved for the colder months), what works together, and how to make the most of the whole plant to reduce waste.

He believes that more mainstream meat-based dishes, like caviar or lobster, are boring and require little skill to prepare. So, rather than try to emulate meat dishes, he prefers to experiment and create exciting new dishes which showcase the true potential of plants. He even avoids spices to let the local produce truly shine.

Menu highlights:

While the menu is always a surprise for guests, marinated moss, pinecones cooked in sweet syrup, and crisps made from potato ‘jelly’ are just a few examples of the outlandish dishes served here.

Working with exotic ingredients like coffee and chocolate is not done here. Instead, you may find that dessert consists of a brownie made from fermented oats, lupine beans (roasted and ground, much like coffee), and reduced beetroot juice, creating a chocolate-like flavour with only local, ethical ingredients.

What Michelin says:

“The location is out of the ordinary, as is the philosophy behind the cuisine! Housed in the city’s narrowest building, which is still seven storeys high, this stylish and sleek restaurant boasts fantastic views of the River Main through large floor-to-ceiling windows.

“Permaculture is the name of the game here, meaning only those regional ingredients that have been produced ecologically and in harmony with nature are used in the dishes. In keeping with this ideology, much of the produce used comes from the restaurant’s own local farm.”

4. KLE – Switzerland

Number of Michelin stars: ★
Price range: €114 for 4 courses, €129 for 5 courses, €139 for 6 courses (+ wine pairings from €76)
Location: Zweierstrasse 114, Zurich, 8003, Switzerland
How to book: Visit mytools.aleno.me

About the restaurant:

With a name derived from ‘sauerklee’, the German word for wood sorrel, vegan Michelin star restaurant KLE has been fully focused on local, seasonal plant foods since it opened in 2020.

A beacon of its neighbourhood in Zurich, this cosy, welcoming restaurant serves up a surprise menu, showcasing its “seasonal protagonists”. From this list of over 50 ingredients, Head Chef Zineb (“Zizi”) Hattab creates a range of dishes that not only vary from day to day, but even from table to table.

The name of the game is sustainability, and this approach means the chefs at KLE can reduce waste and utilise ingredients that are abundant at the time. Along with working closely with organic farmers in the area, this has led to KLE also being awarded a green Michelin star.

Guests can choose from four, five, or six courses, each paired with biodynamic wines and served by a team that is passionate about plant-based cuisine. The flavours of the modern, creative dishes are inspired by Mexico and Chef Zizi’s own Moroccan heritage.

You've probably never had New York hot dogs quite like this. Photo © KLE


About the chef:

Zineb Hattab hasn’t always been a chef. In fact, she worked as a software developer when she first moved from Spain to Switzerland in 2012. Here, she developed a passion for cooking and began training as a chef in 2014, going on to work in some of the world’s most renowned restaurants.

As she learned more about the food industry, she turned away from animal products and went vegan in late 2019. By January of 2020, she had opened KLE as a fully vegan dining concept.

In 2022, KLE joined the ranks of Michelin star vegan restaurants. Zizi was just 26 years old at the time, making her among the youngest chefs to earn a star, along with being Switzerland’s first vegan Michelin-starred chef.

And Chef Zizi isn’t just an advocate for animals. She also places great importance on workplace well-being, emphasising that sustainability goes beyond the food in the restaurant, ensuring that the team’s work-life balance is sustainable too. In Zizi’s kitchen, creating a kind, respectful environment is just as important as creating great food.

Menu highlights:

KLE doesn’t lean heavily on meat alternatives, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find any on the menu. A vegan hot dog may not sound like haute cuisine, but Chef Zizi reimagines this American classic with a fine dining twist as a smoky terrine in a sweet potato bun with spicy mustard & crisp cucumber relish.

This Michelin star vegan restaurant also serves dishes such as beetroot or carrot tartare, pumpkin tostada, and ‘Corn Four Ways’, inspired by elotes.

What Michelin says:

“Zineb (“Zizi”) Hattab proposes something out of the ordinary in her charming pub. Not only is the modern-creative food entirely vegan, but it also draws on interesting Moroccan and Mexican influences.

“Great importance is attached to regionality and sustainability, and that also applies to the wine.”

5. Légume – South Korea

Number of Michelin stars: ★
Price range: 200,000 KRW for a 12-course dinner (+ 180,000 KRW for wine pairings), or 120,000 KRW for a 7-course lunch (+120,000 KRW for wine pairings)
Location: 652 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
How to book: Visit legume.kr/reservation

About the restaurant:

Légume is Asia’s first and only vegan Michelin-starred restaurant; an accolade it earned only recently, in 2025. Nestled in the heart of Seoul’s Gangnam district, this plant-based fine dining restaurant was opened in 2023 by Head Chef Siwoo Sung.

The menu at Légume changes seasonally, serving local, Korean ingredients in a haute cuisine style. Dinner consists of around 11 courses followed by petit fours and tea, with optional wine pairings and additional morsels to accompany your meal. Studying the menu gives barely a hint of the delights that await, as each dish is simply named after a single, star ingredient.

However, if you just can’t wait for the food to arrive, you can peer into the restaurant’s open kitchen to sneak a peek at what the chefs are doing. The bar, which seats up to 10 guests, is a great vantage point for this. Otherwise, reserve one of Légume’s two tables to enjoy your meal in this cosy eatery.

The restaurant itself is airy and open, while also offering an intimate dining experience. The decor hints at Légume’s focus on waste reduction and the use of sustainable materials. Even the chefs’ aprons are upcycled from discarded plastic.

Légume's signature truffle & hazelnut sorbet can be added to the the tasting menu at lunch or dinner. Photo © Légume


About the chef:

Chef Siwoo Sung is not vegan, but has shown an affinity for vegetables since childhood, driven by his mother’s meat allergy. He also harbours a lifelong passion for gastronomy, dreaming of becoming a fine dining chef at a time when fine dining restaurants were sparse in Korea.

Despite receiving no formal training, Siwoo Sung was a pioneer of the Korean gastronomic scene, starting work under Chef Jun Lee at Soigné as soon as the restaurant entered the scene. Over the ten years he worked here, Soigné earned two Michelin stars, while Sung perfected his craft and worked his way up to become head chef at the prestigious restaurant.

Not long after, Sung decided to take a chance on founding an unconventional vegan fine-dining restaurant, challenging the usual fast-food-focused plant-based scene in Seoul. In opening Légume, Chef Sung aimed to highlight the versatility of Korean vegetables, creating innovative dishes that diners with all kinds of dietary needs could enjoy.

Menu highlights:

Named simply ‘seaweed’, one of the restaurant’s newer dishes features savoury custard with a rich laver sauce, topped with diced jicama, water parsley, ginkgo nuts, and black chanterelle mushrooms.

You won’t want to miss out on Légume’s signature truffle and hazelnut sorbet, which can be added to your meal for an additional charge.

What Michelin says:

In pursuit of 100 per cent vegan cuisine, this eatery has perfected a refined vegetarian dining style that transcends the provision of mere plant-based meals, thereby highlighting the diversity and direction of Korean vegetarian cuisine.

“At Légume, sensorial contemporary cuisine meets the chef’s seasoned skills and is transformed into a vegan menu with a distinct identity and imaginative flavours. The evident truth is that the kitchen’s vegan fare not only appeals to vegetarians but also to people with a wide range of palates.”

6. Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro – Germany

Number of Michelin stars: ★
Price range: €130 for 6 courses (+€89 for drink pairings), €143 for 7 courses (+€97 for drink pairings)
Location: Goltzstraße 32, Berlin, 10781, Germany
How to book: Visit bonvivant.berlin

About the restaurant:

Originally opened as a vegetarian restaurant in 2019, this Berlin bistro concept started its journey to becoming vegan in early 2025, when it made its dinner menu plant-based.

Bonvivant earned its Michelin star in 2023, which it maintained with its new dinner menu, also earning a green star for sustainability in 2025. Now, the restaurant is fully vegan after removing eggs and dairy from its brunch menu in early 2026.

Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro is famous for its ‘bistronomy’ concept, offering a relaxed, social atmosphere where world-class food meets an avant-garde cocktail programme. Here, as much thought is put into the drinks as the food, with pairings designed to elevate the nuances of each seasonal dish. Along with an extravagant cocktail menu, featuring drinks such as Juniper & Foam and Smoke & Bean, Bonvivant offers a selection of biodynamic wines and non-alcoholic alternatives that are just as enjoyable as their counterparts.

Its ever-changing menu is focused on sustainability, using local ingredients from trusted producers, or even hand-picked by the team. Meanwhile, the kitchen follows a zero-waste approach, paying careful attention to using all parts of produce, “from leaf to root”, wherever possible.

Social responsibility is important too, as Bonvivant emphasises the importance of nurturing staff and making a positive impact on the wider community.

Bonvivant is housed inside the beautiful Kachelhaus building in Berlin. Photo © Bonvivant Cocktail Bistro


About the chef:

Austria-born Nikodemus Berger is the head chef at Bonvivant. His cooking style combines classic French techniques with regional ingredients and Asian influences, creating innovative dishes with pleasantly surprising flavours.

He’s passionate about delivering exquisite food, encouraging his team to embrace challenges to create unusual dishes that give guests a unique, delightful experience. Throughout Bonvivant’s transition to a fully plant-based cuisine, he ensured there was no compromise in taste, texture, or presentation, without relying on processed meat alternatives.

Menu highlights:

Made with ingredients from the local eco-village of Brodowin, Chef Nikodemus’ signature dish is Erdäpfelkas (spreadable potato ‘cheese’), served with wild broccoli and marjoram.

In line with the restaurant’s affinity for sustainability, guests can also snack on crackers served with beer brewed from leftover bread at a nearby brewery.

What Michelin says:

“The successful concept that awaits you here comprises a six- or seven-course vegan set menu, which can be extended to include a signature dish. The absence of meat and fish in no way detracts from the experience.

“When it comes to selecting ingredients, many are sourced from local producers, with a focus on the region and the seasons. Interesting accompaniments for the delicious mains are also given their due, plus there are original and sophisticated drinks and cocktails.”

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/features/michelin-star-vegan-restaurants/