Paris Is Plant-Forward Now? Mais Oui, Says the Menu and the Data

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In a city that once wrapped foie gras in bacon and served it with a side of veal, the idea of plant-forward dining might’ve once earned a baguette to the face. But in 2025, things have changed, dramatically.

Enter Café 52, a discreet oasis of plant-based elegance nestled in Paris’s glitzy Golden Triangle. The location might still ooze Chanel, Cartier, and steak tartare, but inside, the menu reads more like a yoga retreat than a brasserie. Exec. Chef Maxime Raab, the culinary mind behind it, is doing more than plating plants, he’s repositioning Parisian prestige.

"I want the menu to reflect a modern wellness philosophy, not just haute cuisine," he told Forbes. Translation: kale is no longer code for 'calamity' in the French kitchen.

And the data backs him up. According to food trend tracker Tastewise, plant-forward dishes have surged 35% across restaurant menus and recipes. That’s not a fad. That’s a food culture pivot.

For a nation where the croissant is a national symbol and pork fat is practically a seasoning, this shift is seismic. But it’s not coming from vegans clutching protest placards. It’s emerging from chefs, consumers, and yes, even traditionalists looking for food that doesn’t leave them bloated, inflamed, or complicit in climate collapse.

Source: Cafe52- Grand Hotel du Palais Royal - Various Slides.

Café 52’s dishes aren’t labelled “vegan” or “plant-based.” They just are. That’s the real story. As we’ve said before at PFN, the future of food isn’t mimicry, it’s movement. And this one? It’s dressed in herbs, plated on ceramic, and served with a drizzle of sans-dairy sophistication.

Call it culinary diplomacy. France may not be surrendering its meat just yet, but it’s learning to negotiate with the vegetables.

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