Driven by increasing awareness of health and environmental concerns — and a growing appreciation among chefs for heirloom vegetables and artisanal produce — more fine-dining establishments are offering thoughtful vegetarian tasting menus that give starring roles to innovative preparations of fruits, vegetables and fungi.
From refined Zen-inspired vegetarian cuisine in Beijing and Shanghai to hearty plant-based fare in Berlin, Zurich and Washington, D.C., we’ve selected some of the best restaurants around the world offering delicious vegetarian cooking.
Click below to jump to each destination:
China
King's Joy, Beijing — Three MICHELIN Stars and Green Star
King’s Joy is a role model of sustainable gastronomy and is widely known as the gold standard of vegetarian dining. This Beijing favorite is working to reduce energy and resource consumption while serving up colorful fare full of the textures and flavors of organic vegetables from local farms and wild mushrooms from Yunnan.What Our Inspectors Say: “Just a stone’s throw from Yonghe Temple, this upmarket restaurant is remodeled from a courtyard house and features a glass-roofed dining room. Try Chef Gary Yin’s tasting menu for culinary highlights, such as honey locust, fox nuts and peas, as well as rice with assorted mushrooms and peach resin, both delivering a nice contrast of textures.”
Fu He Hui, Shanghai — Two MICHELIN Stars
A meal in one of Fu He Hui’s tranquil private dining rooms takes you on a journey to discover China’s diverse range of exotic produce and fungi finessed into delicate morsels that showcase their true flavors and textures.
What Our Inspectors Say: “Exuding Zen-inspired serenity, the room reflects a philosophy that veganism isn’t just about the food, but is a way of life. Only set menus are served and they change every season to make use of the best local ingredients. Masterfully crafted and plated courses include some authentically recreated recipes from the past. Tea is also closely related to Zen, so do order from the extensive tea menu to complement the dishes.”
Europe
Plates London, London, UK – One MICHELIN Star
With its fully plant-based menu, Plates London in 2025 became the first vegan restaurant in Britain to receive a MICHELIN Star. It was no less than Chef-owner Kirk Haworth and his team deserved, having dedicated themselves to setting a new standard for meat-free cooking. The kitchen counter at this warm, natural-looking restaurant with a stylish streak makes a great place to enjoy everything the chefs have to offer.
What Our Inspectors Say: “Where many people still insist that making vegetables delicious is some sort of mountainous challenge, Kirk Haworth makes plant-based cooking look easy. With his colorful, enticing tasting menu, he left me thoroughly convinced of just how delicious this cuisine can be. This is down in part to the abundant technical skill among his brigade, who cleverly adapt classical approaches to vegan ingredients. Each dish came with several layers of flavors and textures, all beautifully balanced and working together in harmony."
Prashad, Drighlington, UK – Bib Gourmand
Indian cuisine has some of the best options in the world for vegetarians and Prashad is the delicious proof. Situated between Leeds and Bradford, it’s been run by the Patel family for years, with daughter-in-law Chef Minal Patel now heading up the kitchen. It’s a friendly, welcoming place where the influences mostly come from the family’s Gujarati heritage. With a wide-ranging menu celebrating all kinds of plant produce, it’s the ideal eatery for convincing your carnivorous friends of the virtues of vegetables.
What Our Inspectors Say: “The team at Prashad all work with such pride and professionalism that it’s a joy to visit. Bobby Patel is a natural host in the front of house, helping to create a relaxed atmosphere, while in the kitchen Minal conducts a menu filled with hugely enticing dishes. Her cooking has a wonderful generosity to it and packs so much flavor into each well-crafted dish — whether it’s paneer or pea, cabbage or cauliflower, her dishes are a meatless marvel. The pricing is sensible too, which combined with the large portions means you’ll be fully satisfied without breaking the bank.”
TIAN, Vienna, Austria— One MICHELIN Star and Green Star
Situated between the Stadtpark and the Stephansplatz right in the heart of Vienna’s city center, Christian Halper’s flagship fine-dining restaurant offers elegant all-vegetarian tasting menus created with regionally sourced produce, including from TIAN’s own garden. The organic juices and wines on the beverage menu are carefully chosen to pair with both the cuisine and the philosophy behind it.
What Our Inspectors Say: “The depth of flavor that you’ll find in the exclusively vegan and vegetarian dishes on offer here is remarkable! And how about a bottle from the ever-growing selection of organic wines — or perhaps one of the restaurant’s homemade alcohol-free drinks — to wash down the sophisticated, flavorsome fare? Friendly, professional front-of-house team.”
Cookies Cream, Berlin, Germany— One MICHELIN Star
In a stylish setting, this vegetarian restaurant offers meticulously crafted tasting menus celebrating seasonal produce. Dishes like braised peppers with jalapeño and capers or charcoal-grilled turnip with saffron and olive highlight a deft balance of acidity, heat and texture.What Our Inspectors Say: “Finding your way here through a maze of backyards to ring the bell at the unassuming door is an adventure in itself! Up on the first floor you’ll find a vibrant restaurant decorated in an industrial style. The vegetarian cuisine is artful and sophisticated. Cool, relaxed, yet professional service.”
Seven Swans, Frankfurt, Germany— One MICHELIN Star and Green Star
The set menu at this in-demand vegan restaurant is a five-hour affair, with Chef Ricky Saward offering detailed explanations of the cuisine and the restaurant’s philosophy. All dishes are crafted using only regional ingredients that have been produced ecologically and in harmony with nature — many of them from Seven Swans’ own permaculture garden.
What Our Inspectors Say: “If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, Seven Swans is it. Sit back and take in the cool, hip vibe, with floor-to-ceiling windows affording a great view of the River Main in Frankfurt’s narrowest building — seven stories high! Enjoy vegan cuisine made from organic produce — many of the ingredients come from the restaurant’s own farm not far away — in the relaxed dining room.”
Neue Taverne, Zürich, Switzerland — One MICHELIN Star
This vegetarian kitchen — open to view — delivers refined, seasonal dishes meant for sharing. Expect three to four dishes per person, including vegan options. Highlights like fermented vegetable tartare reveal a mastery of flavor, balancing sweet, sour and spicy notes with finesse.
What Our Inspectors Say: “At this contemporary inn led by Fabian Fuchs (ex-EquiTable), it’s all about sharing seasonal vegetarian dishes — some fully vegan — with bold, sophisticated flavors. Relaxed, friendly service and a lively atmosphere make it perfect for lunch or dinner with friends. Don’t miss the surprise Tavolata menu in the evening or the outdoor seating in the summer!”
Joia, Milan, Italy — One MICHELIN Star
This is the home of the chef who first introduced vegetarian and natural cuisine to the Italian fine dining scene. Behind the label of “vegetarian restaurant,” with a menu that is 80% vegan and gluten-free, there is a philosopher: Pietro Leemann, who led Joia to become the first vegetarian restaurant in Europe to be awarded a MICHELIN Star in 1996. Today he’s stepping back a bit to make room for two young chefs, Sauro Ricci and Raffaele Minghini. Their dishes, bordering on the dreamlike, are a testimony to the spiritual journey and awareness Leemann has achieved over the years: recipes that always reveal their essence in color, taste, texture and presentation.
What Our Inspectors Say: “After many years, the restaurant’s focus is entirely on natural food, which is avant-garde, experimental, skillfully prepared and beautifully presented.”
United States
Oyster Oyster, Washington D.C. — One MICHELIN Star
Chef Rob Rubba’s imaginative vegetable-focused tasting menu proves that refined dining can also be ethical, local and sustainable. With ingredients sourced from regenerative farms, local foragers and the restaurant’s own rooftop garden, each vibrant composition offers a compelling glimpse into the potential of plant-based cooking. Tasting menus can be vegetarian or vegan, with the option of an added oyster course.
What Our Inspectors Say: “It is highly rare for a tasting menu to leave one feeling energized, but so goes the imaginative cooking at this vegetable-focused gem. Who knew that turnip juice makes for good bread or that oysters can turn into a creamy and yet entirely creamless sauce? Chef Rob Rubba did, and his creations are delicious insights into what is possible with vegetables. Local farms are the very essence of this sustainable restaurant; even carnivores cannot deny its food is original, confident and tastes as good as it looks.”
Eleven Madison Park, NYC – Three MICHELIN Stars
Chef Daniel Humm presides over this temple of modern elegance with a zealous dedication to masterful precision. The plant-based menu is a bold vision of luxury dining and elevates the concept to unparalleled heights.
What Our Inspectors Say: “A quenelle of tonburi, mimicking caviar, plated with horseradish cream and accompanied by a radish tostada with a swipe of pumpkin seed butter is simply stunning.”
United Arab Emirates
Avatāra, Dubai – One MICHELIN Star
This elevated vegetarian Indian restaurant, helmed by Chef Rahul Rana, is a culinary sanctuary, from its thoughtfully designed interiors that evoke Hindu mythology to its strikingly presented dishes. The tables face a wide altar-like table where chefs are seen adding the finishing touches to each dish.
What Our Inspectors Say: “Avatara delivers an inspired cuisine that triggers a blossoming interest through the course of the meal. They showcase an impressive range of mastered and creatively executed traditional techniques. Every dish is a feast for the eyes!”
Hero image : King's joy, in Beijing, China. © Gary Yin / King's Joy
