The Oldest Vegetarian Restaurants Around the World

By Afiur
February 13, 2026

Greens Restaurant: San Francisco, USA (1979)

Opened in 1979, Greens became a pioneer of fine dining vegetarian cuisine in America. Known for its farm to table philosophy, it helped shape modern plant based gastronomy.Source: wikimedia commons

Hiltl: Zurich, Switzerland (1898)

Often called the world’s oldest continuously operating vegetarian restaurant, Hiltl began in 1898 as a “vegetarian house” during Europe’s life reform movement. Today, it serves global vegetarian cuisi

Komala Vilas: Singapore (1947)

Founded in 1947, this iconic South Indian vegetarian restaurant in Singapore has been serving dosas, idlis, and thalis for generations, becoming a heritage favourite.Source: facebook (indan heritage c

Saravana Bhavan: Chennai, India (1981)

Though relatively newer compared to European pioneers, Saravana Bhavan became one of the world’s most influential vegetarian restaurant chains, popularising South Indian vegetarian cuisine globally.So

Shri Thaker Bhojanalay: Mumbai, India (1945)

A legendary Gujarati thali restaurant in Mumbai, Shri Thaker Bhojanalay has been serving traditional vegetarian meals for decades. Its unlimited thali experience showcases India’s long standing vegeta

The Gate: London, UK (1989)

One of London’s earliest upscale vegetarian restaurants, The Gate helped elevate vegetarian dining in the UK long before the plant based boom. It focused on gourmet, globally inspired meat free cuisin

Tibits (Roots in Hiltl Family)

While modern in format, Tibits was founded by members of the Hiltl family, carrying forward one of the world’s oldest vegetarian culinary legacies. It reflects how historic vegetarian traditions evolv

Yuan Su Vegetarian: Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan’s Buddhist vegetarian restaurants trace their origins to temple dining traditions. Establishments like Yuan Su represent decades old plant based culinary practices rooted in spirituality and mi

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