The best vegan restaurants in Switzerland

Indecisive menu ponderer? Swerve food envy at this super-cool veggie-vegan buffet joint, where you can pile your plate with all kinds of good stuff. There are pies and heartier rice/ pasta/quinoa choices (plus desserts), but the fresh salads are the big draw, so build your own and zing it up to your heart’s content.

Boulevard Carl-Vogt 30, 1205 Geneva (022 320 02 30, tonic-restaurant.ch).

Everything in this cosy vegan café is made in-house, bar the breads and puff pastry, which come from a local bakery. The menu focuses on lighter lunch choices, such as bagels, quiches and salads, but there are burgers and desserts, too – all of it featuring wellthought-out flavour combos. There’s also Swiss craft beer and wine if you fancy a tipple.

Rue David-Dufour 8, 1205 Geneva (022 303 55 09, www.bekindcafe.ch).

Food at this welcoming vegan venue is well and truly varied, offering everything from sushi to dumplings and curries to quiches, plus mighty fine desserts. It also offers cookery courses, and there’s an on-site grocery where you can stock up on plant-based ingredients.

Rue Schaub 11, 1202 Geneva (022 734 11 22, auxdeuxportes.ch).

There’s a stylish interior and super-Instagrammable food to match at this veggie and vegan café near Plainpalais. The menu leans more towards daytime eating, including a packed weekend brunch plate and show-stopping desserts – such as chocolate and salted caramel cake made with black beans.

Rue des Bains 61, 1205 Geneva (022 556 76 77, oubienencore.ch).

Enjoy colourful cuisine with a ‘chefy’ touch at this stylish, well-regarded vegetarian-vegan restaurant. For something different, try the vegan ‘foie gras’, made with cashew nut terrine and truffles, or the pulled mushroom burger. Also look out for equally creative daily specials. 

Rue de Lausanne 59, 1201 Geneva (022 900 06 65, www.mu-food.ch).

This colourful, fully vegan coffee shop offers a small but creative menu featuring interesting veg combinations. Dishes change regularly to reflect what’s in season, but think along the lines of marinated fennel and roasted cauliflower with pilaf and chermoula, plus posh burgers and weekend brunch choices. 

Boulevard de la Cluse 20, 1205 Geneva (022 566 29 25, cafemutin.ch)

There are plenty of clearly labelled vegan options at this restaurant in the north of the city, including burgers, salads and soups, all with a focus on local ingredients. But what really gets people talking are the crêpes, with animal-free fillings including the likes of curried lentils and falafel.

Rue Grand Pré 52, 1202 Geneva (022 734 84 80, www.slup-e.ch).

The Erasmusplatz branch of this small Lebanese chain is 100-percent vegan, offering a dizzying array of houmous (try the avocado or pine-nut versions), top-notch falafel, cold and warm meze, larger dishes and even traditional desserts, such as Lebanese pudding with rose-water.

Erasmusplatz 16, 4057 Basel (www.zazaa.ch).

Take your pick from a huge variety of dishes at this fully vegan venue. There are light bites, including salads and wraps (filled with anything from jackfruit to tempeh), plus bigger dishes ranging from stuffed aubergine to tofu skewers. Better yet, choose the buffet and munch on a bit of everything! 

Steinentorstrasse 33, 4051 Basel (061 271 25 51, www. tiis-food.ch).

Opened at the start of 2019, this nutrition-driven, plant-based café is gluten-free and operates a pay-byweight system. Swing by, and you’ll soon be piling its whole-food goodness (plus a few more indulgent options) on to your plate with carefree abandon.

Rue de Genève 17, 1003 Lausanne (plantsmartcafe.com).

A long-standing favourite for vegans in Lausanne, Végé Café specialises in a wide range of meal bowls (think buddha bowl-style) filled with lovely stuff. Weekly specials are themed around anything from Basque cooking to the Mediterranean and curry, and there are also sandwiches, soups and pizzas, plus sweet treats for afters.

Chemin des Rosiers 2, 1004 Lausanne (021 683 13 53, vege.cafe).