Quick answer
France takes some care for vegetarians. Traditional bistro menus lean heavily on meat, and stocks are often meat-based, but crêperies, falafel shops, bakeries and newer restaurants make vegetarian eating easy in Paris. Indian food is plentiful, especially South Indian vegetarian restaurants in La Chapelle and North Indian places around Passage Brady. Jain travellers should plan ahead.
How easy is it to eat well?
Vegetarian & Jain friendliness
5 = easy everywhere, 1 = plan every meal
Indian food availability
5 = Indian restaurants everywhere, 1 = rare
What to order (and what to ask about)
Croissant and pain au chocolat
Butter pastries for breakfast, usually glazed with egg, so not eggless.
Crêpes and galettes
Sweet wheat crêpes and savoury buckwheat galettes. Choose cheese, mushroom, spinach or egg fillings; a 'complète' contains ham.
Ratatouille
A Provençal stew of aubergine, courgette, peppers and tomato. Usually vegan, with onion and garlic.
French onion soup
A bistro classic made with beef stock. Skip it unless the menu says 'végétarienne'.
Vegetable quiche
Spinach or vegetable quiche with egg and cream. Avoid quiche lorraine, which contains bacon.
Falafel in Le Marais
Pitta stuffed with falafel, fried aubergine, hummus and salad on Rue des Rosiers, for about €8–12.
Socca
A thin chickpea-flour pancake from Nice, baked in a wood oven. Naturally vegan and close to a besan chilla.
Salade niçoise
Tuna, anchovies, egg, olives and beans. Ask for it without fish, or order a warm goat's cheese salad instead.
Croque-monsieur
A toasted ham and cheese sandwich. Many cafés offer a vegetarian croque with tomato or mushroom.
Macarons
Almond meringue sandwich biscuits made with egg white.
French cheese
Many traditional cheeses, including Comté, Roquefort and Camembert, use animal rennet, which matters to strict vegetarians.
Phrases that help
| Say | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Je suis végétarien / végétarienne. | I am vegetarian (male / female). |
| Sans viande ni poisson, s'il vous plaît. | Without meat or fish, please. |
| Sans œufs. | Without eggs. |
| Est-ce qu'il y a du bouillon de viande ? | Is there meat stock in it? |
| Sans oignon ni ail. | Without onion or garlic, for Jain diets. |
Is France easy for vegetarians?
Paris is much easier than it was a decade ago, but traditional French food still revolves around meat, butter and stock. A classic bistro may have only one vegetarian main, and soups and sauces often use meat or chicken stock even when no meat is visible. The rest of France, outside the big cities, is harder.
Easy wins in Paris
- Bakeries: croissants, quiches, sandwiches with cheese and salad, and tarts. A bakery breakfast costs €5–8.
- Crêperies: savoury galettes with cheese, mushrooms or spinach. Montparnasse has many.
- Falafel on Rue des Rosiers: in Le Marais, and one of the best-value lunches in the city.
- Supermarkets: Monoprix, Franprix and Carrefour City sell salads, fruit, yoghurt and ready meals with clear labels.
What to watch for
Ask about stock (bouillon), lardons (bacon pieces) in salads and quiches, and gelatine in desserts. Many traditional cheeses use animal rennet.
Where can you find Indian food in Paris?
Paris has two main Indian food areas. La Chapelle, in the 10th and 18th around Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis and Rue Cail, is known as Little Jaffna and has South Indian and Sri Lankan Tamil restaurants serving dosas, idlis and thalis — including branches of well-known Indian vegetarian chains. Passage Brady, a covered arcade in the 10th, is lined with North Indian and Pakistani restaurants.
Elsewhere, Indian restaurants are scattered across the city, and Nice has a handful for those heading to the Riviera.
For Jain travellers
Jain meals are hard to find outside Indian restaurants. Carry packaged food, book a room with a kitchenette, and ask the South Indian restaurants in La Chapelle for Jain preparation.
How much does eating out cost?
A fixed-price lunch menu (formule) costs €15–22, a bistro dinner €25–40 a person, and a falafel or crêpe €8–12. Tap water (une carafe d'eau) is free in restaurants.
Budget ₹3,000–5,000 per person a day for food — see our France trip cost.
To stay near good food, see where to stay in Paris. For sights, see things to do in France, and for documents, the France visa guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is it hard to find vegetarian food in Paris?
Where can I get South Indian food in Paris?
Can I carry Indian snacks to France?
How we checked this page
Last reviewed
Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
