Besides being one of my favourite cities, Lyon has some of the best vegan food! Unlike Paris, it’s smaller so everything feels more walk-able and there’s a ton of clusters of vegan spots. Low-key you could easily do 3 places in a day.
As you know Lyon is the gastronomy capital of France, but it doesn’t mean you’re stuck eating at Bouchons which let’s face it are very dairy and agricultural meat based.
I’ve visited Lyon so many times that this post combines everything I’ve tasted over different times and seasons. It’s basically a mish-mash of everything. Ha! I really had to dig through all my camera photos so enjoy this.
Note: All opinion are my own. None of this is sponsored. I paid for my own meals.
Update: A few of these vegan places have since closed, but I still wanted to spotlight the dishes I tried because they genuinely stayed with me and and shaped my experience in Lyon.
Lyon Vegan Restaurants
Vegan Dining in Lyon: Like An Elephant
After spending an afternoon stroll in Croix Rousse exploring its traboules.
I stumbled almost by chance at Like an Elephant.
This is a lovely proper vegan dine in with a casual atmosphere. The dishes are great and seasonal.
I had the best vegan panacotta ever here.
It was creamy and did not have that gelatiny/ agar agar-ish stiff texture you’d find with most simlilar vegan desserts.
Sooo good! 10/10.
With a monster appetite, I was craving vegan fast food so off I went praying there wasn’t a Friday night crowd. I was so hungry I could eat a horse (albeit a vegan horse). *Sweats profusely* Ok You know what I mean!
Vegan Burger in Lyon: Hank Burger
I’m sure there are many times when vegans are just craving a nice ‘junk’ meal. Like give me the oily fries and burger NOW. Pronto. The place to satisfy that craving was Hank Burger.
I ordered the Allume Burger with the Beyond Meat Patty. The smoked barbecue sauce WAS to live for. The potatoes were crispy and delicious.
Next incoming Hankiflette which I received by accident.
Tartiflette is a classic dish from the French Alps made with potatoes, bacon, onions, and reblochon cheese. This was Hank’s vegan take on it.
To be honest, I was skeptical- it was not hella attractive. Heck! You wouldn’t give Hankiflette a second glance if you saw it walking down the street. Incoming next, a staring contest ensued between me and Hankiflette. Finally, I took my courage and grabbed a fork.
Digging in, you’re hit with the tenderness of the potato wedges, layered with melty comforting vegan cheese, a lovely salty barbecue and sweet caramelised onion taste. Wow- delicious! Who would have guessed. Damn son- Hankiflette has a lot of game!
I’m so glad they messed up my order and I got to taste the Hankiflette haha.
You can read my full review of Hank Burger here.
Fruta Madre
I can’t go to Croix Rousse, without stopping by Fruta Madre for lunch. I LITERALLY have to come here every time I visit Lyon.
Right across from the Croix‑Rousse street market, tucked behind the corner is this incredible 100% plant‑based gem restaurant, that’s also gluten‑free and sugar‑free.
As you step in you’re great with just overall great vibes.
You basically compose your own bowl with the different ingredients. (They are happy to explain allergies). It’s seasonal and the dishes change based on produce.
It’s a testament that vegan food can be delicious, comforing and filling. Every dish is cooked beautifully.
I mean I’ve never enjoyed butternut squash or sweet potatoes like this. I don’t know how to explain but each vegetable is cooked amazingly, and seasoned to perfection.
The price/quality is excellent for the warm and filling meal. LOVE.
Now, the best part. Sitting here with my meal, and people watching after a long day of walking. A perfect afternoon in my eyes.
Vegan Place
As I was walking through Bellecour’s infamous shopping street, almost by chance I stumbled on this vegan pop-up event called ”Vegan Place”.
With any vegan event comes the food. So I knew that’s where I was heading haha.
I could see a line of people stretched out over this stand so I was curious what it was all about.
With an intriguing bicycle truck, it belonged to vegan caterer, Oupsi Lyon.
I tried their savoury waffle and mince barbecue with the vegan garlic aioli sauce and goodness was it delicious.
I’d never tried the waffle sandwich and assumed it was an instagrammable fad that was tepid, but boy was I wrong! The taste of the barbecue sauce was not too overpowering and everything was yum.
You can read about my full adventures at Vegan Place here.
Cigkoftem
After stepping out of one of the thrift and vintage shops around Guillotière, I decided to grab some dinner from Cigkoftem. I had heard a lot about this place and wanted to try it especially since finding out they served vegan food.
Everything was super clean, and nicely laid out. The owner (I think?) was chatting to customers, and offering them to sample different foods, which I was think is great.
I ordered their Çiğ köfte- a spicy bulgur-based mix served with lettuce, lemon, and flatbread.
And İçli köfte- a stuffed bulgur shell, (kind of like a Turkish kibbeh).
This was the first time I tried it so definitely think it’s an acquired taste, if you’re not used to the texture of Çiğ köfte. For the İçli köfte I’m more used to the deep‑fried kibbeh style, so the texture here felt different from what I normally enjoy.
But what my heart truly gravitated towards was this halka tatlısı- a ring-shaped fried syrup dessert, similar to a churro but soaked in syrup. So good, comfroting and oozing in syrup upon every bite.
I can image this to be great for students or anyone who wants an inexpensive snack that will give you a sugar boost for the day. Would definitely come back for this bad boy.
La Luciole
A few minutes from Place de Bellecour is La Luciole my GO-To for the best sandwich when I’m craving something savory and cheesy. I discovered this place by chance, and they have a Plant‑based tandoori with vegan cream cheese.
And whaaat.. it’s like the best thing ever! It’s super flavorful, there’s a spice that kicks in with the delicious vegan chicken tandoori and the oozing cheese in a bite. oof they only open for lunch so I always try to come early and grab take away lunch here.
Their formules:
I mean look at this. Srsly … one of the best things invented to man-kind.
Asian Dining in Lyon: La Maison Thai
I wanted to visit Parce de la Tete Dór before it got dark, but before that I wanted to grab dinner here. Located in the same quartier is this lovely Thai place.
Of course, I arrived quite early/ right at opening time, so it was empty-ish. Which I’m ngl I prefer the more quiet side.
While not exclusively vegan, they had a vegetarian menu section where you can request vegan food. I was super excited tot try their dishes.
For starters, I ordered the vegetable nems. Crunchy delicious, and flavourful with a nice sauce to elevate flavor. The perfect way to start the meal.
For the main, I decided to order the vegan pad thai. I’ve had pad thai quite a bit of times and it was never my favourite thing to order (I mean I was never wow-ed by it). But this was amazing. Seriously one of the best pad thai I’ve ever tried.
The noodles were delicious, savory and deep in flavor and the vegetables were cooked just right.
This is one of the addresses I would bring my family so everyone can enjoy something in a beautiful ‘cadre’.
Vegan Kebab in Lyon: Güstavo Vebab
The last time I visited Lyon, this new place popped up and I was like yup.. I wanna go.
For this spot I had to cross Presquíl and walk across the bridge. It was a beautiful spring day and the weather was gorgeous. Great vibes and people having a good time.
The restaurant was bigger than I thought, with a nice open space. And a cozy green plants, and warm wood aesthetic.
I was a little bit overwhelmed by their menu choice. You order at the counter and the cashier took the time to explain their menu, which I appreciated.
Basically they make vebab or vegan kebab. And you can have it in either flatbread galette, pain, tacos or a bowl. I think they even had falafel.
Everything is home-made, which was good to know I could have my vegan junk food as a more healthier option haha. Win. Win.
I decided to order their pain vebab with fries. There was also like 10 home-made sauce choices. I went with the vegan mayo- I think aioli?
As a seitan maker, their seitan was up there. I also really enjoyed the fresh bread, and the crudités. The only thing I will say is that the sandwich was pretty underwhelming for me. It felt somewhat bland. I think this was the sauce that I chose and comes down to preference. I like stronger favours. Next time, I will try a punchier one. The fries were delicious and you can’t beat home-made ones. Nice, brown and crispy.
Overall, the formule and price/quality is excellent for the home-made quality ingredients you get. I will definitely be back to try more, especially the punchier flavour sauces I didn’t get to try.
Copper Branch
Whenever I’m out shopping in a mall and I need to grab vegan lunch I head to Copper Branch. It’s a valeur sur to find clean, healthy, and tasty vegan comfort food after your Carrie Bradshaw shopping. Pictured is the one at Confluences Shopping Mall.
Their menu (everything is vegan):
I order their original burger. Super satisfying after spending the day shopping.
Update: The Lyon branches are now closed, though the chain is still present in France- including Paris and Marseille.
Léquilibriste
L’Équilibriste is an eco‑minded cultural spot and vegetarian restauraunt in Lyon’s 3rd district.
They cook with local, seasonal organic produce, and the menu is fully vegetarian. It changes every two months, and there’s always a vegan option for every course.
The twinkle lights gave the terrace a really cozy feel, especially in the middle of spring. It was so nice to sit in the open air, catch the breeze, and feel alive.
I ordered a mocktail and we enjoyed the live music performers while waiting for our dishes.
The menu is small for the mains: just three dishes, which I actually appreciate, because it typically means the menu is more thought out and specialised. This means though that there was only one vegan option.
I was hoping for something a bit more thought‑out, at least on the vegan side. I ordered the eggplant with rice and miso, but it felt like something I could have made at home: plain white rice on one side, a grilled eggplant cooked separately, and a sauce, then all assembled together. It had potential, but the dish could have been more creative, maybe even stuffed or cooked together for more depth.
Overall, I think it’s a place that suits vegetarians best, since they have more choice, and it’s also a lovely spot for anyone who wants to enjoy drinks and take in the ambience.
Vegan Bagel in Lyon: Best Bagels
I’d been missing a good bagel in Lyon, the kind that feels simple but comforting. So finding a place that finally offers one felt like a small joy.
This is their menu. There were quite a few vegan option. Note: Végé does not mean vegan but vegetarian in France.
There’s a tender bite to it, a little smoky or lightly spiced depending on the mix, which works well against the warmth of the bagel. I also enjoyed the lettuce and tomatoes and the seeded bread.
Eritrean and Ethiopian Vegan Food in Lyon: Asmara
I was excited to try Eritrean and Ethiopian food, and this was just the right place. Whilst not entirely vegan they have some vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Their vegetarian menu:
The vegan lentil and vegetable samoussas were great. The filling was delicious and the exterior was crispy.
Their bamya (okra) was super delicious and tender (though not sure if vegan- may have to check). So so good! The best way I’ve had okra in my life. Super tender in the tomato sauce with cherry tomatoes.
I also ordered the injera, a soft, slightly tangy flatbread topped with small portions of vegan lentils, vegetables, and stews that you scoop up with pieces of the bread.
I loved eating with my hands, and the restaurant doesn’t serve forks 🙂 so be prepared. It was very convivial to get together with everyone and eat from the same dish.
Just a heads‑up: if you’re dining with meat eaters, everything is usually served on one shared injera, so the meat dishes will touch the vegan sides unless you ask for a separate plate.
Also LOVED the chalkboard where you can write a message in your own language, alongside notes from people from all over the world. How neat is that.
Vegan Sushi in Lyon
I’ve been on the hunt for good vegan sushi in Lyon, and honestly it feels like searching for a unicorn with oven mitts.
I’ve literally gone to the same sushi place I didn’t like twice, on two different trips, and only later realised I’d been faithfully returning to the wrong spot.
Every time I think I’ve found a spot, it turns out to be not that good. Either overly salted miso soup, or overcooked rice.
There was one spot I finally found and liked on my latest trip but for the life of me I cannot find its name (not pictured). It was somewhere simple, with simple decor sans chichi interior. I will have to find it.
For now the mystery remains…
If you know a good vegan sushi please share it in the comments. Help the fam out! The future of civilisation depends on this roll.
If you’re planning a trip to Lyon, check out my full guide on vegan bakeries in Lyon.
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