7 vegan restaurants worth planning a trip around

The vegan food movement has faced its share of skepticism over the years, but today, an increasing number of diners are finding that plant-only dining can be excellent in its own right. Vegan food done right is some of today’s most innovative, and requires no sacrifice in flavor. Some of the world’s leading restaurants are now specializing in sustainable animal-free tasting menus, utilizing foraged, locally-sourced, and seasonal ingredients. This is not only some of the best vegan food—it’s some of the best food on the planet, period.

From plant-based small plates in Denmark to an award-winning Korean tasting menu in New York City, we’ve rounded up seven talked-about institutions serving mouth-watering vegan food. Each of these restaurants has been awarded either a Bib Gourmand, Michelin Star, or Green Star (Michelin’s annual award for sustainable, eco-friendly gastronomy), verifying that each spot really is that good.

At Hangawi, plant-based cuisine is more than a preference; it’s a way of life. The food, décor, Korean folk music, and ambiance reflect a philosophy of harmony and balance. The Bib Gourmand–awarded restaurant is one of the only vegan Korean restaurants in New York City, and its $75 six-course prix fixe menu includes seasonal fare like sweet summer corn soup and lotus leaf-wrapped rice dishes. On the weekends, a $35 four-course mini prix fixe is available, as is the a la carte menu, where you’ll find spicy sesame leaf tofu patties, DIY ssam bab, and acorn noodles salad. The restaurant accepts reservations, offers takeout and delivery, and is open seven days a week.

The eight-course menu at TIAN, founded by Christian Halper and led by chef de cuisine Paul Ivić, has garnered international attention, including one Michelin Star for exceptional cooking, a Michelin Green Star for gastronomy and sustainability, and four Gault-Millau toques. Their creative seasonal menu called “A Walk Through the Vegetable Garden” is vegetarian but can also be ordered vegan for $147 with an optional wine pairing for $99. Tian, which means “sky” or “heaven” in Chinese (and also is the name of a French vegetarian stew), is definitely worth a visit while in Austria. Diners can expect to find artfully prepared, experimental dishes; chic interior design; and a long list of organic wine.

Since it opened its doors in 2015, Avant Garden in New York City’s East Village has earned a Bib Gourmand award for its modern vegan cuisine and natural wine selection. The success is no surprise, considering Overthrow Hospitality is behind this restaurant. The ambitious hospitality group—which calls its restaurants “living works of art” and a “stage for the theater of dinner service”—has been at the helm of some of NYC’s hottest cocktail bars, including Rabbit and Amor y Amargo. Diners at Avant Garden can expect a menu that includes avocado with crispy rice, blistered shishito peppers, and miso glaze; artichoke with black truffle vinaigrette; and Hen of the Woods mushrooms served with pickled hon shimeji.

Serving experimental, micro-seasonal dishes in a farmhouse-chic setting, Hypha is one of the U.K.’s best restaurants. Created by Nicholas Friar, Hypha’s innovative tasting menu includes foraged or local produce, as well as creations from the restaurant’s very own fermentation lab. The menu has previously featured dishes like Parker House rolls with turnip cultured cream, hazelnuts with gooseberry and mushroom garum, and ravioli with fermented oyster mushroom and velouté sauce. The sustainable ethos and bold flavors have earned them a Michelin Green Star and Bib Gourmand award.

Dar, a Moroccan- and Spanish-influenced vegetarian restaurant in Zurich, serves shareable plates in a casual setting. Although it’s new (it just opened in 2022), it’s already earned a Bib Gourmand for its delicious, seasonal cuisine made with high-quality ingredients. Led by chef Zizi Hattab, who is also the owner of the vegetarian restaurant KLE, diners can expect to find a menu packed with plant-based delights, including fried eggplant with zaalouk and maple, vegetable tagine served on steamed couscous, and merguez-steamed buns with salted lemon mustard.

Awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2021, Ark is one of the world’s leading vegan restaurants. The fine-dining establishment is dedicated to plant-based cuisine and has a Nordic-inspired cocktail menu with a “zero-waste ideology.” While Ark likes to keep its tasting menu a surprise, guests can know for sure that they’ll receive beautifully presented, seasonal dishes and an optional wine pairing. The restaurant co-owns an organic mushroom farm and chefs spend the spring and fall months foraging for ingredients on the Danish islands of Sjælland and Bornholm. Featuring sustainable Danish design and a rotating dining menu using local ingredients and Japanese flavors, this restaurant led by Jason Renwick and executive chef Brett Lavender is a must-visit.

Located in the U.S. capital and opened in 2018, Fancy Radish serves a sumptuous seasonal menu, alongside signature dishes like spicy dan dan noodles with red chile sesame sauce and Chioggia beets toasted with smoked tofu and cucumber dill cream. Awarded a Bib Gourmand for the excellent vegetarian cuisine, the restaurant also boasts an impressive dessert menu and natural wine selection. Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby (both James Beard–nominated chefs) have set the bar high at this lovely gem set right in the heart of the H Street corridor.