If Monaco is lacking a single, dedicated vegan restaurant, the Principality’s diverse gourmet scene provides plenty of options, from high-end dining at the Hôtel de Paris to grab-and-go selections in the Condamine Market area.
Monaco is home to over 150 restaurants, but none of them are specifically vegan. In recent years, a handful have opened – including Novak Djokovic’s Eqvita near the Grimaldi Forum and L’Inattendu-e close to the Marché de la Condamine – but eventually they would all close, leaving the job of serving up vegan food to the growing number of diners who have moved away from meat, fish and animal products to a surprising collection of restaurants.
Here are a few of our favourite vegan-friendly destinations.
Let’s start with the big name – perhaps the biggest in Monaco – of Le Louis XV–Alain Ducasse. You might be surprised to learn that this incredible three Michelin-starred restaurant has been championing vegan cuisine since it first opened in 1987. The vegan menu, known as Jardin, remains a firm favourite today and costs €280.
Next is the highly creative vegan menu from Chef Marcel Ravin at Blue Bay in the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, which comes in at €170 and is inspired by the produce growing in the restaurant’s own gardens. Dishes include the delectable sugar cane and beetroot tartlet, a Creole tomato broth, and candied shallots with cocoa butter, peas and black garlic.
The flavourful South American cuisine of COYA Monte-Carlo, a restaurant headed up by Venezuelan chef Victoria Vallenilla, is a good place to go to if not all of the guests around the table are vegan. There’s something for every diet here, but vegans will really appreciate the tasty selection of side dishes and sharing plates that are clearly marked on the menu.
The fusion cuisine of Buddha Bar is also a nice place to head to for inventive vegan options. There are tonnes of vegan plates on the menu, which will take you from China to Thailand via the Mediterranean.
At the cheaper end of the scale, Woo Monaco on Rue Princesse Caroline has a great selection of organic dishes to enjoy in-house or take away. From sandwiches to Buddha bowls to salads to a soupe du jour, which is always 100% vegan and comes with some deliciously crunchy croutons, and even desserts, be sure to try out this lovely spot for some lunch when you’re in the area.
Another top lunch destination is EOLA – Eat Organic Live Active – in Place d’Armes. The toasts and Poke bowls will be the main attraction for a meal, but the vibrant acai bowls also make a brilliant breakfast if you’re passing by before work.
Make sure you’re never left out of the conversation.
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Featured photo credit: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer / Matteo Carassale