Exki has a strong commitment to organic food. Here’s a snippet from their web site:

Nous sélectionnons pour vous les meilleurs ingrédients saisonniers.

Nous refusons l’usage de tout additif.

Certains de nos produits sont labellisés BIO. Par exemple le pain, confectionné et cuit artisanalement sur pierre, sans aucun “améliorant” artificiel. Pour garantir sa fraîcheur, nous terminons sa cuisson, chaque matin, dans nos restaurants.

Sont également BIO : le lait, le yaourt, les jets de légumes, des tartelettes, des biscuits, des confitures,…
Exki philosophie

I have not visited this restaurant yet, so I cannot give a review.

Exki

9, boulevard des Italiens (2°)

118, avenue de France (13°)

82, boulevard du Montparnasse (14°)

01 42 61 06 52

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Even though I moved away from Paris a few months ago and returned this week, my Parisian grandmother didn’t miss a step. When it came time to order she remembered I was a vegetarian and suggested a wonderful spinach/cheese tart for an appetizer and mixed omelette with fries. Frankly, I was ready to change the fries to spinach as a customer was given their plate with a pile of great looking greens.

Chez Grand-Mère Le Chablis has a small menu written on chalk boards hanging on the walls. You can expect at least one lacto/ovo vegetarian option. I especially enjoy their terrine with chevre and sun dried tomatoes.

They are open for lunch and you can expect to pay 12-16 euros for a two or three course meal. That includes a healthy dose of grandmotherly love.

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I stopped off this morning for a late coffee at the Parisian Sweet Bar near Parc de Bercy. These sandwiches and quiches were waiting for the lunch crowd.

I had some of the broccoli quiche yesterday. The sandwiches looked very tasty. Don’t miss this place if you are near Bercy in the morning or early afternoon.

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The cafe has matured over the years. The massage chairs have been replaced with more dining tables and an increased attention towards dining instead of dozing. However you can still get your fortune told and enjoy a no stress dinner.

Chef Dean to the Rescue

I’ve mentioned my favorite chef in Paris, Jacques. What I may not have mentioned enough was his partner and sous chef Dean. The two of them created a menu that kept the No Stress Cafe from becoming a one line joke, “hey did you hear about the cafe with back rubs near Pigalle…”. Jacques has moved on to other restaurants and Dean is now the chef of the No Stress Cafe.

I can tell you from experience that Dean is a masterful chef. He has an international approach from his Asian heritage and years of cooking in Paris. His menu at No Stress is a fusion of Mediterranean, French, and Asian recipes.

Vegetarian Options

The standard menu features several vegetarian and vegan options.

• Lasagna Vegetarienne
• Salad La Vegetarienne
• Salad La Chevre Chaud
• Wok Vegetarienne

However, you can also request the Tapas menu to be vegetarian. This is what I had the other night and it was excellent! Dean gave me a bit extra but you can expect an assortment of tempura, pickled vegetables, lasagna, and other seasonal vegetables.

Dean also makes a killer bowl of vegetarian french onion soup. He uses white wine instead of stock and it blows away the french onion soup at Potager du Marais. It’s not on the menu, but he’ll make it the soup of the day if you make your reservation a few days in advance. Tell them Ted sent you.

Eating at No Stress cafe reminded me of sharing a dinner at chez Jacques and Dean. Ample portions of food from around the globe served family style with great affection.

No Stress Cafe

24 rue Clauzel (9°)

01 48 78 00 27

Metro: Pigalle, St. Georges

Cafe

• Overall: 4.5/5
• Location: 3/5
• Taste: 5/5
• Service: 5/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
• Vegan Friendly: 4/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

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Guilt is present in the very hesitation, even though the deed be not committed.
Cicero (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

Bubbles Dietbar’s healthy outlook made me feel like a downright felon tonight. It probably also makes many others feel the pang of guilt as they walk past this tiny cafe of diet goodness. It’s bad enough that I have to pass it as I walk over to Falafel Alley.

Bubbles even sits next door to an American style Diner! How could someone possibly eat a stack of pancakes with eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, and coffee while next door is this quaint cafe filled with healthy food?

Fortunately, Bubbles Dietbar was closed tonight. I was able to walk straight by to King Falafel to grab an overflowing falafel pita. This is actually the first time I’ve seen the cafe. Its bright green awning would normally catch my eye. So, perhaps this is a new restaurant for Paris.

Their online menu shows a plethora of vegetarian soups, salads, sandwiches, and desserts. They are conveniently located near the St. Paul metro. I’ll have to find a new route to falafel alley or I may find myself pressured into eating something healthy when I’ve got my heart set on something else.

Bubbles Dietbar

4 rue Malher (4°) Paris

01 40 29 42 41

Metro: St. Paul, Bastille, Chemin Vert

Soup and Salad Bar

Free Wifi

Wanna Juice bars are small restaurants similar to Jamba Juice in the States. You will see a menu board of blended juices, a fridge with yoghurts, snacks, and salads. Soups are also available for lunch.

Wanna Juice has a fairly reasonable lunch menu with soup or salad, bread, and small smoothie for around 8 euros. Purchasing a smoothie by itself may give you some sticker shock. I had the Fast Breakfast smoothie this afternoon for 8.20 Euros, which is a little over $12. The smoothie was great, it had berries, fresh orange juice, yogurt, muesli, and honey. The tasty concoction made me forget about the price. My friend had an orange/strawberry smoothie. He’s a big fan of the Orange Dream Machine smoothie at Jamba Juice. I liked Wanna’s better; it didn’t taste like baby aspirin.

There are 4 locations for Wanna Juice. Each is located near popular tourist destinations. You’ll find it to be a fresh alternative in the sticky heat of a Paris summer. Ask for the frequent buyer card; buy ten and get one free. That may take a bit of the sting off of your currency conversion analysis.

The Mouffetard and Montorgueil locations are also surrounded by great vegetarian bistros, markets, and tasty boulangeries. Both areas are great places to visit for a taste of Paris life. Mouffetard is also home to some hostels and is close to the Universities.

• Overall: 3.5/5
• Location: 5/5
• Taste: 4/5
• Value: 3/5
• Service: 4/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
• Vegan Friendly: 5/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 5/5

Wanna Juice Mouffetard

137 rue Mouffetard (5°)

01 77 32 11 61

Metro:

Juice Bar

Wanna Juice Montorgueil

9 rue Montorgueil (1°)

01 71 18 27 05

Metro:

Juice Bar

Wanna Juice Bastille

7, rue de la Roquette (11° – Bastille )

01 43 38 46 45

Metro: Bastille

Juice Bar

Wanna Juice Odeon

65 rue St-Andre des Arts (6° – Odeon)

01 46 34 11 90

Metro:

Juice Bar

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Stuart Friendly is a friendly restaurant just off of Rue Montorgueil in the Marais district. Their menu is filled with light, fresh, seasonal dishes. There are several options for the vegetarian and vegan visitor.

I didn’t have a chance to eat here the night I discovered it. However, the portions looked generous, the food looked great, and the customers looked happy and satisfied. I guess that makes for some friendly eating.

Stuart Friendly

16, rue Marie Stuart (2°)

01 42 33 24 00

Metro: Les Halles

Restaurant

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This street is home to the oldest pâtissier in Paris: La Maison Stohrer; creator of the Baba au Rhum. It’s also home to several famous and memorable restaurants, cafes, gelato stands, and much more. Needless to say, there’s some stiff competition in this area for restaurants.

Foody’s Salad Bar

Foody’s Salad Bar is a simple, comfortable restaurant that has found it’s calling amongst the more classical and/or tourist restaurants. It’s menu is simple, the food is fresh, the atmosphere is comfortable and unrushed.

I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon and grabbed a bowl of vegetable soup and a much needed coffee. There were several small families enjoying the outdoor tables. The service is pretty simple, you walk in, grab a tray and start creating a salad. There’s also a small pasta bar and soup is available at the counter. You can also get sodas, juices, coffee, and more.

First off, coffee is not their specialty. It was hot, caffeinated, and hit the spot. But I wouldn’t go here for coffee as a rule. They do, however have a house specialty of hot chocolate that should be good.

More importantly, the soup was very good. It was a roughly pureed soup of market vegetables served in a large bowl. It was flavorful and satisfying. They also had a Tomato soup and a Gezpacho with tomato and basil. They cost only 4.50 euros.

The salad bar features a variety of fresh vegetables and prepared salads. You can choose either a small (5.50 Euros) or large (7 Euros) plate to fill. The pasta bar is also quite affordable.

I didn’t see any meat on the menu, although there may have been some tuna on the salad bar. This shouldn’t deter your Meat Eating Friends. This restaurant has more than enough variety to satisfy anyones cravings.

Foody’s also sits next to  Naturalia, an organic store, an organic sandwich shop, and a juice bar. I guess you could call this section of the street “the heart of veggies in the heart of the city on the street that captures the heart of the city”. All in all, it’s good for the cœur.

Foody’s

26, rue Montorgueil (1°)

01 40 13 02 53

Metro: Les Halles

Soup and Salad cafe

• Overall: 4.5/5
• Location: 5/5
• Taste: 4/5
• Value: 4/5
• Service: 5/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
• Vegan Friendly: 5/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 4/5

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This leads me to Gout Zen. I stumbled across this restaurant while leaving an unfamiliar metro exit (Bibliotheque). The street is subterranean, with car-filled bridges above, towering buildings, old stone steps to new areas, and a green beacon of light and energy.

Gout Zen is a restaurant, cafe, and organic market all wrapped into one. It reminds me of the No Stress Cafe, near Place de Pigalle. There’s more to just eating at Gout Zen. You can rent a heated wrap for your tired shoulders at 1 Euro for 15 minutes, use free wireless, and purchase some organic food and supplies. It’s a friendly cafe that is bright and comfortable.

I had the vegetable bruschetta at 6 euros. Although a tad salty, I enjoyed the snack and used the wireless until my laptop battery died. The cafe also features some interesting vegan alternatives. I’m dying to try the faux steak au poivre. The fixed price menus range from 8 to 15 euros and include a variety of vegetarian and vegan options.

Finding Gout Zen is a bit tricky. Take the Rue Du Chevaleret exit if you are coming from the metro line 14 or RER C. You can also reach it by climbing down the steps on Rue de Tolbiac, Rue Thomas Mann, and Rue des Grands Moulins. I’d suggest using the Rue de Tolbiac steps.

Gout Zen

54, Rue du Chevalaret (13°)

01 45 86 26 23

contact@goutzen.fr

Metro: Bibliotheque

Restaurant and Epicerie

Free Wireless

• Overall: 4/5
• Location: 3/5
• Taste: 4/5
• Service: 5/5
• Vegetarian Friendly: 5/5
• Vegan Friendly: 5/5
• M.E.F. Friendly: 3/5

I stop by to get my morning coffee and love the selection of salads, soups, smoothies, and lunch items. It’s a shame I don’t work nearby to enjoy their lunch time offerings. Of course, this really isn’t much of an excuse. They have pre-packaged lunches just waiting for you to pickup on the way to work.

Their menu is stacked with vegetarian and vegan options inspired by seasonal fruits and vegetables. Here’s a sample of their menu:(as of Feb. 2008)

• Carrot salad with coriander and dressing
• Lentil salad with red onions and coriander
• Vegetable plate with zucchini, eggplant, leeks, and fennel
• 4 different vegetarian/vegan pasta dishes: Vegetarian, Mushroom, 3 cheese, and tomato/pimento
• Brie, arugula, and walnut sandwich
• Seasonal market vegetable soup and tarts
• Fruit salad with mint syrup
• Fruit smoothies
• Fresh fruit
• Teas, coffee, water, and more

Lunches range from approx. 4-7 Euros. It’s affordable, friendly, and an oasis of vegetarian options in this neighborhood.

Parisian Sweet Bar

10 rue de Dijon, Paris 75012

Metro: Cour St-Emillion

01 44 73 40 44

parisiansweetbar@9business.fr

Hours: 8h-18h Monday to Friday

Accessibility: Outdoor patio with easy access, small step to interior, no bathroom service

• Overall: 4.5/5
• Vegetarian Options: 5/5
• Vegan Options: 5/5
• Value: 5/5
• Location: 3/5
• Service 5/5
• Wheelchair Friendly 3.5/5