Best vegetarian restaurants in Marseille

The second-largest city in France after Paris, Marseille is a fabulous destination for travelers. It has everything from interesting museums and excellent shopping to stunning landmarks and a picturesque Mediterranean coastline.

There are lots of things to keep you busy here, and your trip won't be complete until you check out at least a few of them. Aim for the Old Port for a relaxing stroll by the water, the charming oldest district in town, called Le Panier, and Notre-Dame de la Garde, a beautiful church that sits high on a hilltop overlooking the city. The Calanques are perfect if you enjoy nature as well. The limestone cliffs that line the nearby coast are ideal for hikers, swimmers, kayakers, and avid photographers.

With all that there is to do in Marseille, you're going to work up quite an appetite. Luckily, if you're a vegetarian or vegan, the restaurants in Marseille have you covered. Vegetarian and vegan food is widely available here from fancy places to casual eateries to convenient street food. Marseille is home to many people from different parts of the world, and the food options here certainly reflect this.

A mission to explore the vegetarian restaurants in Marseille, France is best completed without carrying all your stuff. Before you head out to taste your way through the city, stop by a luggage storage facility and drop everything off. You'll be glad you have both hands free for amazing burgers and tasty sandwiches.

Green Love

What it's like:

The first restaurant on our list just happens to be vegan, so anyone who eats plant-based or vegetarian will be at home here. It's always nice to be able to order anything on the menu, isn't it? Green Love is a casual eatery with a mostly white and modern interior. The location also functions as a store selling vegan groceries and cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics.

The menu here offers a good selection of meals like vegan brunch, burgers, bowls, and shareable plates. The choices vary depending on what's in season, but they always serve good food at reasonable prices. The menu du jour changes daily and is often inspired by a different place in the world. It rotates through Vietnamese, Portuguese, Italian, and French to name just a few.

Our recommendation:

With a menu that rotates, it's hard to pinpoint one dish to recommend, but something from the menu du jour rarely disappoints. The club sandwich is another favorite that many vegans and vegetarians miss out on when they go meat-free. The restaurant is closed on Monday and Tuesday, otherwise, the hours fluctuate depending on the day of the week between breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's safest to check their hours on the day that you plan to visit to be on the safe side.

Location:

22 Bd Louis Salvator, 13006 Marseille, France

Mariposas

What it's like:

Steps from the Notre-Dame du Mont metro station and not very far from the Old Port, Mariposas is an easy stop on any Marseille itinerary. This is another completely vegan restaurant, and it also has a few tables outside on the sidewalk of a vibrant square if you like to dine al fresco. The restaurant itself is colorful and quirky, probably what you would expect in a typical vegan place. The chalkboard sign out front displays the daily specials, and like at Green Love, you can have any of them - certainly a rarity in France.

The focus at Mariposas is on organic food that's beautifully presented. Not only will your meal look appetizing, it will taste great too. The creations are inventive and a little unexpected, making this easily one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Marseille. And the fact that's it's an organic restaurant doesn't hurt either.

Our recommendation:

Anything from the daily specials is tempting, and if they have the, get the ceviche courgette or the champignons tartare.

Location:

102 Cr Julien, 13006 Marseille, France

La Baie du Dragon

What it's like:

Also on the doorstep of the Notre-Dame du Mont metro station, La Baie du Dragon is a lovely vegetarian restaurant in town. They also have some seats on a covered patio if you're lucky enough to get one. They specialize in Thai food and use tofu exclusively as their protein. La Baie du Dragon has a separate vegan menu for those who need it, which makes it much easier to know what you can have, especially when it's in a foreign language.

Outside you get to people-watch and inside the comfortable chairs and strategically placed dragon statue and red accents seem just right for the menu and the restaurant's name.

Some vegetarian restaurants only open during the day and close by dinner time, but that's not the case here. La Baie du Dragon opens from 12 pm to 2:30 pm every day except Sunday for lunch and then again from 7 pm to 10 pm for dinner. The only issue is that if you want an early dinner, you're out of luck.

Our recommendation:

Opt for the spicy green tofu curry as your main and the vegetable and tofu banh bao or the spring rolls to start.

Location:

8 Pl. Notre Dame du Mont, 13006 Marseille, France

C’est Bon Restaurant Méditerranéen Végétarien

What it's like:

As the name suggests, C'est Bon has good Mediterranean food for vegetarians - a cuisine that is usually available to non-meat-eaters. But, here, everything on the menu is vegetarian so you don't have to worry about any meat sneaking into your dish. They use seitan to make amazing shawarma and the falafel is top-notch. The motto at C'est Bon is "we bring the sun to your plate," which is evident in their use of fresh and colorful veggies like aubergines, tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms. You can definitely taste the freshness here, and while they're not a vegan restaurant per say, they are definitely vegan-friendly.

The restaurant is open most days from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm and then again from 6 pm to 10:30 pm, but take note that they are closed completely on Saturday and have shortened hours on Friday. These are not typical days off in France, so save this place for during the week, like Monday or Tuesday, when some of the other vegetarian restaurants in Marseille might be closed.

Our recommendation:

The fried halloumi is the perfect start to any vegetarian meal and you can't go wrong with the shawarma. Although it's very tasty, we recommend you skip the falafel, since that's usually the only thing available to vegans and vegetarians at a Mediterranean restaurant.

Location:

11 Av. du Maréchal Foch, 13004 Marseille, France

Flower Burger

What it's like:

No list of the best vegetarian restaurants in Marseille is complete without adding a burger joint. Flower Burger satisfies your burger craving perfectly. With typical hours for lunch and dinner, you can pop by the port location to suit your schedule. This is the first vegan burger chain in France and they take the flower theme very seriously. Picture a colorful bun, and we do mean colorful, in every shade of the rainbow topped with delicious things and you have ammo for your next great Instagram post.

Our recommendation:

You're bound to find a burger that tempts you on this menu, but the Flower Burger is how it all got started. It's served on a bright purple bun and has bean sprouts, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and their signature Majik sauce. Don't miss out on a side of patatas buenas drizzled with spicy sauce and mayo. You can also request a gluten-free bun if needed.

Location:

64 Av. Robert Schuman, 13002 Marseille, France

Hailo Vegan Street Food

What it's like:

You can probably guess that Hailo is a vegan restaurant specializing in street food, and more specifically, burgers. Located in the Baille neighborhood of Marseille, Hailo is another tasty burger place for satisfying vegan food on the go. Dine inside at one of their basic tables or grab your food and head to any of the nearby parks.

Our recommendation:

For anyone who has worked up an appetite while traipsing around Marseille, get the Godzilla burger - it's huge! The bun is piled high with a vegan "beef" patty, cheddar, bacon, potatoes, and all the usual burger fixings. Add a spicy sriracha sauce and you have a great meal.

Location:

186 Bd Baille, 13005 Marseille, France

Café l'Écomotive

What it's like:

Café l'Écomotive is definitely another of the best vegetarian restaurants in Marseille. They serve delicious food and offer amazing views of the impressive staircase at the St. Charles metro station. The service is always great here and you can enjoy an eye-opening cup of fair trade coffee with your meal. Although the menu is limited here, everything is made fresh and just the aroma in the restaurant will awaken any appetite. Even though it's technically a vegetarian restaurant, the café offers a few vegan options as well.

The interior decor here is eclectic and almost feels like the furniture was picked up at a vide grenier, similar to a garage sale. But, this miz of wood and patterns only adds to the restaurant's charm. There are books and boardgames available for diners to play while they wait for their food, so this is a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon.

Our recommendation:

Since this is predominantly a bakery, get any one of the fresh-baked desserts to pair with your coffee. For something a little more substantial, and of their savory tarts are a safe bet. They change daily, but if the leek tart or feta and broccoli tart is available, choose that.

Location:

2 Pl. des Marseillaises, 13001 Marseille, France

V&V Marseille

What it's like:

V&V Marseille stands for vegetarian and vegan, so not only will vegetarians feel at home here, the abundance of vegan options makes this a welcoming place for everyone who dabbles in plant-based eating. The interior here has a definite beachy vibe with polished wood, white furniture, and white walls. The main feature of this eatery is its proximity to the Vielle Chapelle Beach. In fact, when you dine here, you get a breathtaking view to accompany your vegetarian food. This restaurant is not exclusively free of animal products; they offer a few options for the "unconverted" that generally feature fish.

Our recommendation:

The menu at V&V is certainly varied. You can choose a burger, pasta, avocado toast, or wrap. But, the highlight of the menu is something quintessentially French - the croque-monsieur. It's made vegan here and is a great opportunity for everyone to try this iconic French toasted sandwich.

Location:

151 Av. Joseph Vidal, 13008 Marseille, France

Conclusion

It's difficult to narrow down the best vegetarian restaurants in Marseille, France because there are just so many. We recommend trying each and every one of the restaurants on this list, and to do so, you might need to extend your Marseille trip a bit. As a vegetarian or vegan, you are guaranteed good food at many of the vegetarian restaurants in town. Add these spots to the unique vegan places and the fact that there are often vegetarian and vegan options on menus of the restaurants that serve meat, and you can see that dining like royalty as a vegetarian in Marseille won't be a problem!