With the number of people moving to a lifestyle of eating less meat, cafes, restaurants, fast food joints and even fine-dining restaurants have begun offering plant-based options on their menus.
In recent years, the number of people switching to a vegan, flexitarian, or plant-based diet has skyrocketed, with an estimated 9.7 million in the US alone. Several reasons for this shift include concerns about animal welfare, health, and the environment.
So the Viable.Earth team has taken a look around the world and comprised a list of some of the best fine dining restaurants to offer plant-based menu options.
15 Most promising fine dining restaurants with plant-based options
#1 Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester (London, UK)
Price range: US$240 per person
Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is the flagship restaurant of renowned French chef Alain Ducasse, who has earned an impressive 21 Michelin stars throughout his career.
The restaurant offers contemporary French cuisine, using the finest seasonal and sustainable ingredients.
Its plant-based offerings include Risotto with wild mushrooms and black truffle; Roasted beetroot, served with a creamy goat’s cheese mousse, walnuts, and beetroot coulis; and Chocolate tart made with dairy-free chocolate and filled with light coconut cream and fresh berries.
The plant-based menu changes with the seasons so dishes may vary depending on the time of year.
#2 Pure Food & Wine (New York, US)
Price range: $100 per person
Pure Food & Wine is a raw, vegan restaurant opened in 2004 by Sarma Melngailis, a former vegetarian and health food enthusiast.
The restaurant is known for its innovative and creative approach to raw vegan cuisine.
Some of its bestsellers include zucchini and heirloom tomato lasagna, the living avocado salad, and the spicy Thai lettuce wraps.
#3 Acorn (Vancouver, Canada)
Price range: $120 per person
Acorn is a vegetarian restaurant that focuses on using locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients.
It was opened in 2012 and has since become a popular destination for vegetarians, vegans, and traditional eaters.
Some of its popular dishes include kimchi dumplings with smoked tofu, cauliflower steak with spiced tomato jam, and roasted carrot salad with quinoa and cashew cheese.
#4 Mihara Tofuten (Tokyo, Japan)
Price range: $115 per person
Mihara Tofuten in Tokyo is a fine-dining restaurant specialising in tofu dishes. It is run by the Mihara family, known for producing high-quality tofu for more than 100 years.
Its most popular dishes include tofu and vegetable tempura, tofu sashimi, and grilled tofu with miso sauce.
Aside from the food, the restaurant is known for its cozy and welcoming atmosphere. It is small and intimate, with a traditional Japanese decor that creates a warm and inviting ambience.
#6 Noma (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Price range: $395 per person
Launched in 2003 by Chef Rene Redzepi, Noma is known for its experimental approach to Nordic cuisine. It is known for using berries, wild herbs, and flowers.
The restaurant offers plant-based cuisine that focuses on seasonal and local ingredients that showcases the flavours and textures of the Nordic region.
The menu varies with the season, but some of its bestsellers include Grilled greens with aged cheese and juniper. Crispy lichens with cep mushrooms and buttermilk. And New potatoes with wild garlic and pine shoots.
#8 Mume (Hong Kong)
Price range: $165 per person
Based in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, Mumen is a Michelin-starred restaurant that blends traditional Taiwanese flavours with modern cooking techniques.
Some plant-based dishes offered in the past include charred eggplant with tahini, miso and sesame; salad of shaved asparagus, quinoa and yuzu kosho dressing; beetroot tartare with roasted rice cracker; and roasted cauliflower with green chilli and almond milk.
The restaurant’s menu frequently changes with the seasons and offers a wide selection of natural wines.
#9 Joia (Milan, Italy)
Price range: $146 per person
Chef Pietro Leeman, a pioneer of vegetarian cuisine in Italy since the 80s, runs the vegetarian and vegan restaurant. Its menu is based on organic and seasonal ingredients and is often prepared with precision and creativity.
Some of its most popular dishes are beetroot tartare with a soy-based mayonnaise and walnuts; Ravioli filled with ricotta and spinach served with tomato sauce and a dusting of almond powder; Chickpea croquettes with a tomato dipping sauce.
#10 Raw (Taipei, Taiwan)
Price range: $160 per person
Founded by chef Andre Chiang in 2014, the restaurant is known for its fusion of French and Asian cuisine.
Raw focuses on seasonal ingredients, using locally sourced produced and sustainably-raised meat.
The restaurant’s bestsellers include:
Green Forest: a salad made of seasonal greens, edible flowers, and a light vinaigrette.
Vegetable Garden: a dish made with fresh vegetables like carrots, beets, and cauliflower served with a flavorful herb sauce.
Raw eggplant: Made with thinly sliced eggplant marinated in soy sauce, ginger, and garlic.
#11 Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)
Price range: $310 per person
Opened in 1998 by chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, the restaurant is known for combining traditional Basque ingredients with modern cooking techniques and presentation.
Some of its best-selling dishes inspired by the changing seasons include Beetroot in its Juice, Edible Stones, and Leaves of Green Turnip.
Aside from serving sustainable dishes, the restaurant is also known for its immersive dining experience, having an interior that evokes a sense of nature and tranquillity.
#12 Corner House (Singapore)
Price range: $216 per person
Corner House is a Michelin-starred restaurant located in the Botanic Gardens, Singapore, in a house that dates back to the 1910s.
Some of its known plant-based dishes include Petai & Pomegranate, a dish using beans, and pomegranate seeds, served in a spicy sambal sauce; Sunchoke Veloute, a creamy soup made from Jerusalem artichokes, served with hazelnuts and truffle oil; and Black Truffle Tagliatelle, a pasta dish made with egg-free tagliatelle tossed in a rich black truffle cream sauce.
#13 Gaggan Anand (Thailand)
Price range: $150-270 per person
Located in Bangkok, Thailand, the restaurant was founded by Chef Gaggan Annand in 2010 and offers multi-course tasting menus that showcase the chef’s take on Indian cuisine.
Some of its plant-based dishes include Magic Mushroom, featuring different types of mushrooms cooked in a clay pot with Indian spices and served with a crispy mushroom chip on top; Corn Pudding; a sweet corn custard with popcorn and tomato chutney served inside a corn husk; and Chili Pomelo Sorbet, a refreshing sorbet made with pomelo and flavoured with chilli, served as a palate cleanser between courses.
#14 Mume (Taipei, Taiwan)
Price range: $135 per person
Located in the Da’an district of Taipei, Taiwan, the fine dining restaurant was established in 2014 by three chefs from different parts of the globe: Richie Lin from Taiwan, Long Xiong from Malaysia, and Kai Ward from Canada.
The restaurant is focused on using seasonal and local ingredients, with the chefs known for their innovative approach to cooking.
Its best-selling plant-based dishes include Grilled Hokkaido corn with black garlic and burnt onion oil; Carrots cooked in hay with fermented chilli and honeycomb; and Tomato and strawberry salad with yogurt, elderflower, and sorrel.
#15 Alchemist (Denmark)
Price range: $595 per person
Copenhagen’s world-famous two Michelin-starred eatery Alchemist explores an innovative method of making sustainable alt-seafood products through growing fungi on seaweed. They aim to create a seafood alternative by fermenting seaweed using filamentous fungi, microorganisms found in soil and other environments.
Some of its plant-based dishes include Smoked tomato with almond and coriander; Grilled cabbage with pumpkin seed miso and pickled mustard seeds; and Braised salsify with fermented garlic and herb emulsion.
Final thoughts
It’s worth noting that a well-planned plant-based diet can provide all the nutrients the body needs to thrive, but it’s important to get a variety of foods and nutrients to ensure proper nutrition. If you’re considering switching to a plant-based diet, consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist to ensure you meet your nutritional needs.
“Sustainable dining is not a fad; it is not an option. It is the only way forward for the future of food.” – Chef Massimo Bottura, Osteria Francescana
Think we missed any fine-dining plant-based restaurants from our list? Let us know in the comments section!.
