With the rise of a health-conscious revolution, comes the upsurge in unique fine dining foodie hangouts. From sea to shining sea, our world is increasingly adapting and learning that a vegetarian based way of life can be hearty, healthy and absolutely delicious.
World-class chefs at vegetarian restaurants are pushing the envelope for the trendy and tasty meat-free crowd. These culinary artisans take their meat-free dishes to a whole new level, breaking all the boring stereotypes that used to follow vegetable-based dishes. Here are the top 5 most unique fine dining vegetarian restaurants from around the world.
5. Sanchon Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant, Seoul, South Korea
Located in the one of the most traditional and charming neighborhoods in Seoul, Sanchon is arguably the most renowned vegetarian eatery in South Korea.
Even if you’re a proud meat-eater, you’ll be blown away by how the fresh vegetables and wild plants from the local mountains and fields are prepared into flavorful and irreplaceable dishes. Owned by a local monk, who serves his patrons in full monastic attire, Sanchon serves vegan and vegetarian temple food derived from Buddhist traditions. You can expect many courses, as the delectable food is served in small portions, but in copious amounts and with plenty of variety.
The long tradition and love for preparing food has long been a focal point for restaurants in the neighborhood of Insadong, and Sanchon continues this tradition in the highest level possible.
4. Haus Hilti Vegetarian Restaurant, Zurich, Switzerland
Do you want to visit the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant? In operation since the late 19th century, Haus Hiltl holds that distinction.
The main mission of Haus Hilti is to be cruelty-free to all living creatures, while providing amazing natural delights for your appetite. This landmark restaurant-brand is spreading across Switzerland and won’t disappoint with its hearty and nostalgic traditional vegetarian fare.
Haus Hiltl also thrives in promoting a healthy and organic lifestyle. They hold numerous seminars around the world to encourage styles of cooking that maximize nutritional values, while still expecting your food to be as delicious as ever.
3. Arpège Maison de Cuisine, Paris, France
The brain-child of world renowned chef Alain Passard, who has held three Michelin stars for the past two decades, Arpège continues to bring fresh chef-inspired ideas to the masses.
Vegetables have become the centerpiece of this famous eatery’s menu, and now, Arpège’s modern, custom vegetable garden is here to supply the restaurant with the freshest ingredients.
Designed and decorate with an eclectic Art Deco style, this French gem has maintained its three Michelin stars partly due to the fact that Chef Passard still cooks at his restaurant almost every day. Though he has received recognition and accolades, he has stayed true to his craft and has not opened and an offshoot restaurant, despite his resounding success.
The restaurant’s signature veg-centric dish is the transcendental “hot-cold egg”, a warm poached yolk with sherry vinegar-infused whipped cream, Canadian maple syrup and fresh chives.
2. El Huerto, Santiago, Chile
In South America, it’s often difficult to find a superb vegetarian experience, unless you head to Santiago, Chile to El Huerto Vegetarian Café, for your Latin veg-surprise. This healthy eatery has been creating recipes and handcrafted vegetarian fare for their non-meat eating patrons since the early 80´s.
A trendy place, routinely packed with hip youngsters, and ladies and gentlemen who arrive for their super-busy lunch. You’ll be pleasantly caught off-guard with their exceptional dishes with attractive and colorful flavors like seaweed ceviches, their twist on quinoa salads and wonderfully rich vegetarian desserts.
El Huerto offers a simple, healthy menu, and shows its appreciation to those who dine here, not only by serving them with some of the best naturist dishes, but also by choosing a couple to be gifted with a romantic dinner, through a lottery taking place each month. They also hold private and group painting classes here to inspire you even more.
1. Dirt Candy, New York City, New York
If you are a true vegetarian that indulges in savoring every bite of your food as if it’s your last bite ever, you need to visit Dirt Candy.
In a city where a world class eatery can be found on literally every street corner, Dirt Candy has extraordinarily succeeded in making a vegetarian haunt one of the best overall restaurants in the world, even though it’s strictly a vegetarian restaurant.
Dirt Candy serves nothing but vegetables and their goal is to make everything on your plate taste better than anything you’ve ever had before, meat or not. Their kitchen is award-winning chef Amanda Cohen’s laboratory to take vegetable-dishes further than anyone else in the world, and with their innovative menu changing on a daily basis, it’s hard to disagree with that conclusion.