Vibrant Groningen - the city of the North - is bursting with cool places where you can eat delicious food while doing good for the planet. Whether you are looking for a veg(n) lunch, a cosy dinner or just a place for a coffee, we have gathered the best sustainable restaurants in Groningen for you. Eating well and being green? It's all possible here. Let's go!
Discover the best sustainable restaurants in Groningen
Whether you're craving a vegan treat, a colourful bowl that could go straight to Instagram, or want to treat yourself to an evening fine dining - Groningen has it all. From brown cafés with surprisingly green menus to trendy hotspots where local, seasonal and organic food plays the starring role. Many of these restaurants work closely with the farmers and makers of the Far North, so you literally get the pure taste of the North on your plate. Besides the well-known hotspots, there are also hidden gems that invite you to taste Groningen in a surprisingly sustainable way. Fancy a complete green adventure? Then check out our citytrip article full of tips to explore Groningen in a sustainable way!
A sustainable restaurant in Groningen with lots of vegan lunch options? Then you're in the right place at Mahalo!
Vegan restaurants in Groningen
If you're looking for the best vegan options in Groningen, you're in luck! The Herbivore is the go-to for healthy, plant-based meals prepared with fresh ingredients from local farmers. This is where you eat 100% vegan. For a colourful lunch or refreshing smoothie, you need to be at Feel Good are. Their motto: ‘everything that makes your body happy’. And add planet to this, because everything here is about organic and local. Top. And for a touch of romance and atmosphere, you can go to Mahalo. This cosy café looks straight out of a movie, and the vegan and organic dishes complete the experience.
Local enjoyment: Groningen local produce on your plate
Want a taste of what Groningen itself has to offer? At Pernickel is all about local and seasonal ingredients. They strive to minimise waste and keep their dishes as sustainable as possible. Another fantastic example of local enjoyment is Wadapartja (pronounced: some separate yes). Here they not only serve creative food with a sustainable twist, but almost everything comes from close by: beers from Baxbier and Martinus, vegetables from Eemstuin nursery and coffee from the local Coffee Station. The taste of the North on your plate, as it should be!
Local and seasonal food at Pernikkel, this one also definitely belongs on your greener restaurant list in Groningen.
Hip and insta-worthy: colourful bowls and more
Trendy bowls that look like they could go straight to Instagram? Then you should definitely visit Rå Bowls. Here you can choose from a wide range of vegan bowls, from an Asian Style Duck Bowl to a fresh Low-Carb Salad. Everything is prepared with fresh, local ingredients and served in a setting you'll be happy to grab your camera for.
Fine vegan dining restaurants in Groningen
High cuisine without fuss. For a slightly more traditional, but no less enduring experience, check out Brussels Praise. Here they serve vegetables, cheeses and locally caught fish, with produce often coming straight from their own organic kitchen garden. Extra fun: they offer workshops where you learn to harvest and pick your own!
Groningen's tastiest hummus and falafel
For a touch of the Middle East in the north, be sure to visit Fatoush. Lebanese cuisine is already naturally full of plant-based dishes, making it a Valhalla for vegetarians and vegans. Try their delectable falafel or hummus! In the same atmosphere, you will also find Semsom and La Mezza where you can enjoy freshly prepared, plant-based dishes such as tabouleh, baba ganoush and other delicious options from Levantine cuisine.
More sustainable restaurants in Groningen
With a name like Brasserie Green of course, this restaurant cannot be missing from the list. Here, it is all about organic and seasonal dishes, with a focus on local produce. You will definitely find vegetarian and vegan options on this menu, as well as meat and fish. Then there is Café Kult which is also definitely worth a mention on the greener list. Green since its inception and also a place where there is always something going on. A gig, changing art exhibitions and a drinks menu that will raise your eyebrows. House-fired liquorice vodka, absinth or popcorn oatmeal cappuccino? Exactly... Ehh just do us a vegan wine (they have them too, of course). In short, there is always something new to experience here! Meanwhile, you can enjoy dishes made with local ingredients, served on second-hand crockery. And if you have something left over? No problem, a doggybag taking home is the norm here.
Are you missing another sustainable or vegan restaurant in Groningen that you think absolutely belongs on the list? Let us know! Find contact buttons at the bottom of this page or share your favourite on Instagram and tag @thegreenlist.nl. Enjoy your meal!
More sustainable tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Do you love the north? Go on a city trip to Dokkum!
- Special: Chef Flang does his shopping in the nature of Terschelling.
- Tips for a week away: Friesland road trip.
Photo credits: main image left: thegreenlist.nl, centre: Pernikkel, right: Mahalo. Other: Mahalo & Pernikkel.
