Where to Eat Raw Food in Paris
When taking a tour of Parisian cuisine, most people will tell you to leave your diet at the door. However, totally abandoning dietary restrictions isn't an option for those on a raw diet. Unlike your typical fad diets, eating raw is a lifestyle commitment that involves consuming foods without unnatural additives or processing, so maintaining that commitment is essential even during travel.
Despite its reputation for being unfriendly to travelers with dietary restrictions, France offers plenty of choices for raw foodists. As vegetarianism and veganism have become increasingly popular, Paname has many raw veggie bistros and cafes to choose from, and for raw foodists who consume animal products, locally-sourced cheese and charcuterie abound. With a little bit of knowledge, raw foodists can still enjoy world-famous Parisian cuisine without abandoning their diets.
What is a Raw Food Diet?
A "raw" diet simply means that eating mostly uncooked and unprocessed foods. Although many people who eat raw also forego animal products, you can include uncooked or lightly processed meat or dairy into a raw diet.
Although some who eat raw refuse to eat any foods that have been processed in any way, most will include simply processed foods such as sprouted seeds, cheese, and fermented foods like yogurts or kombucha. However, anyone eating raw will avoid foods that have been pasteurized, homogenized, or produced with products like synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, chemical additives, or industrial solvents.
Eating Raw in Paris
Eating raw in the City of Light isn't nearly as difficult as you might think. For meat eaters, options abound in the realm of charcuterie, and some traditional foods even include raw meats or animal products. Even if you're a raw vegan, there are plenty of markets and eateries to suit your needs.
Eating Raw for Meat and Dairy Eaters
If you consume animal products as a part of your raw diet, you'll have plenty of choices in the Métropole. Classic meals like steak tartare are made from raw meat, and charcuteries with cured and smoked meats abound. Paname is also home to many different types of cheese made from natural processes. Raw, a restaurant in the 12th arrondissement, features a fantastic selection of raw meat and seafood plates, and Strogoff on Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle has everything from ceviche to carpaccio. You can also eat raw at many traditional places, but be mindful of where they source their products.
Raw Vegan Restaurants
As vegetarianism and veganism have become increasingly trendy among French youth, many more eateries focus exclusively on vegan and vegetarian dishes, and many of those places cater to raw foodists. 42 Degrees, named after the maximum cooking temperature for raw foods, is Paris's first raw vegan restaurant, and you can find it on rue du Faubourg - right across from the Poissonniere metro station. For lunch, head to Cafe Ginger after visiting the Bastille.
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