15 vegetarian spots across Italy, editor-picked. All Italy guides.
Joia ★ 4.8 · Milan
porta-venezia · Via Panfilo Castaldi 18, 20124 Milano
Joia is Europe's first Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant, operating since 1989. Chef Pietro Leemann's menu draws on macrobiotics, Buddhist cooking and Lombard s
Brac ★ 4.5 · Florence
santa-croce · Via dei Vagellai 18r, 50122 Firenze
Brac in Florence's Santa Croce is the bookshop-cafe with a fully vegetarian kitchen since 2009, with a daily-changing pasta carte, a garden courtyard and a wine list focused on Tuscan small producers.
Tip: Open daily 12:00 to midnight. The courtyard seats 25; book a fortnight ahead.
Osteria La Zucca ★ 4.4 · Venice
Sestiere Santa Croce 1762, 30100 Venezia VE
Osteria La Zucca in Venice's Santa Croce runs a vegetable-led Venetian carte, the city's go-to for vegetarians and a small handful of meat plates for the omnivorous.
Vegan Frog ★ 4.3 · Florence
santa-croce · Via dell'Ulivo 7r, 50122 Firenze
Vegan Frog in Florence's Santa Croce district runs a plant-based kitchen with a vegan and vegetarian-friendly carte, no animal products, with daily pasta, burgers and the weekend brunch programme.
Tip: Open daily 12:30 to 22:30. The 20-seat room books a week ahead for weekend.
Vitto Pitagorico ★ 4.3 · Naples
Via Enrico Pessina 55, 80135 Napoli
Vitto Pitagorico in Naples across from the Archaeological Museum is the city's most complete plant-based restaurant, with a purely vegetarian, vegan, raw and gluten-free menu of Mediterranean and Italian dishes daily.
Tip: Book ahead for dinner. The set lunch is the efficient entry point; ask for the daily raw plate.
Aromaticus ★ 4.3 · Rome
monti · Via Urbana 134, 00184 Roma
Aromaticus in Rome's Monti district is the vegetarian-and-vegan canteen with a daily-changing market-led carte, plant-led pastas, salad bowls and a brunch carte on weekends.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 23:00. The vegetarian lunch bowl is 12 euros; the brunch set on Sunday is 18 euros.
Le Rose Cucina Vegetariana ★ 4.2 · Bologna
centro-storico · Via Marsala 6, 40126 Bologna BO
Le Rose Cucina Vegetariana in Bologna's Centro Storico is the meat-free trattoria from the Pierfederica Bonechi family, with a vegetarian-and-vegan carte rooted in the Emilian pasta tradition.
Tip: Walk-in works for lunch; book three days ahead for dinner. The vegetarian-ragu lasagne is the order to make.
Namaste ★ 4.2 · Bologna
centro-storico · Via San Felice 80, 40122 Bologna BO
Namaste in Bologna's San Felice is the vegetarian Indian kitchen with a long meat-free curry carte, daily dal, masala dosa and a strong vegan-options flag across the menu.
Tip: Walk-in works; the lunch buffet runs 14 euros weekdays and the curry carte at dinner. Vegan options flagged on the menu.
Un Sorriso Integrale ★ 4.2 · Naples
Vico S. Pietro a Maiella 6, 80138 Napoli
Un Sorriso Integrale near Piazza Bellini in Naples' Centro Storico has run as the city's historic organic vegetarian table since the 1980s, serving seasonal piatto unico plates of locally sourced vegetables with outdoor seating.
Tip: Closed Sunday evening. The piatto unico is the full-value order; outdoor tables book up in spring and summer.
Ops! ★ 4.2 · Rome
centro-storico · Via Bergamo 56, 00198 Roma
Ops! in Rome's Salario district is the all-day vegetarian buffet with a 50-dish self-service spread, paid by weight, with vegan and gluten-free options flagged on each tray.
Tip: Open Mon-Sat 12:30 to 16:00 and 19:30 to 23:00. The lunch buffet runs 22 euros per person.
Il Banchetto Vegetariano ★ 4.1 · Bologna
universita · Via San Vitale 78, 40125 Bologna BO
Il Banchetto Vegetariano in Bologna's University quarter is the daily-changing vegetarian canteen with the meat-free Bolognese carte and a long student-and-academic lunch trade.
Tip: Walk-in only; the lunch sets run 10 to 14 euros and the lunch peak 12:30 to 14:00. Cash and card both fine.
Clorofilla ★ 4.1 · Bologna
santo-stefano · Via Santo Stefano 87, 40125 Bologna BO
Clorofilla in Bologna's Santo Stefano is the long-running vegetarian canteen with the daily-changing meat-free carte, the vegan options flagged and the long weekday-lunch crowd from 12:00.
Tip: Walk-in only; the lunch sets run 12 euros and 16 euros and the weekday peak is 12:30 to 14:00.
Buddy ★ 4.1 · Rome
monti · Via dei Serpenti 30, 00184 Roma
Buddy in Rome's Monti district is the vegan-and-vegetarian organic canteen with a lunch buffet, smoothies, and a tasting carte of plant-based Italian classics in the evenings.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 23:00. The lunch buffet runs 15 euros per kilo; dinner carte 22 euros per head.
Ginger Sapori e Salute ★ 4.1 · Rome
centro-storico · Via Borgognona 43-44, 00187 Roma
Ginger Sapori e Salute in Rome's Centro Storico is the vegetarian-friendly modern Italian bistro near the Spanish Steps, with a vegan-and-vegetarian carte that runs across the day.
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 23:30. The vegetarian set lunch is 25 euros; the all-day breakfast bowls are 12 euros.
Le Spighe ★ 4.0 · Venice
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, Castello 1341, 30122 Venezia VE
Le Spighe in Venice's Castello runs an all-vegetarian carte by weight, the canonical wholefood counter for a quick organic lunch near the Arsenale.