La Madeleine: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

La Madeleine’s soups, salads, quiches, and bakery case make it one of the easiest French cafes for vegetarians to eat well at. There’s no formal vegetarian marking system on the menu, but you don’t need one. Enough of the food, from the French lentil soup to the almond croissant, is meat-free by default that you can order without much translation work.

What to order at La Madeleine

The French lentil soup is the standout, since it’s vegetarian and vegan both, unlike the cream-based tomato basil and mushroom soups. Pair it with the petite field greens salad or the cranberry and pecan wild field salad, both vegan with their listed dressings. The quiche Florentine covers a heartier vegetarian option built on spinach, and the bakery case backs it all up: baguette, apple raisin bread, and a half avocado side round out a full meal without touching a single soup or salad.

What to watch out for

The cream-based soups and the tomato basil pasta all carry dairy, so they’re vegetarian but not vegan. Most of the pastries, the almond croissant, pain au chocolat, and apple tart, contain butter and egg, which keeps them off the vegan list even though they look plant-based. The Caesar salad without chicken still needs a staff check on the dressing, and the Mediterranean paella’s vegan status depends on the location.