From the decor to the food, this Grenoble restaurant in the Saint-Bruno district is all about plants. Claire, Michel, Lucie and Tanguy invite their customers to experience a unique culinary journey with their bistronomic cuisine, which is both 100% vegan and 100% gourmet.
The menu highlights organic and local ingredients and reflects a strong commitment to sustainable development.
The restaurant’s décor immediately sets the tone. Lush green plants hang from the ceiling, adorn the shelves and climb over the counter, creating a flourishing, living atmosphere. As soon as you walk through the door, a world of greenery unfolds, complemented by warm, elegant woodwork that gives the space a country bistro feel. The delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen greet you as you enter. Welcome to Le Locafé, an exclusively vegan and environmentally-friendly restaurant in Grenoble’s Saint-Bruno district.
Claire and Michel, both trained at the prestigious Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, warmly welcome us to their establishment, which opened in 2019 as a way to reconnect with their core values, especially their ecological commitment.
Their bistronomic-inspired cuisine challenges the traditional stereotypes surrounding vegan food.
“We approach our dishes as if we were cooking with animal proteins,” Michel explains. “We focus on varying textures and flavours, and we make sure to use no more than six ingredients per dish.”
That evening, the meal got off to a perfect start with borlotti bean hummus and homemade tuiles as starters.
Among the selection of natural wines, waiter Tanguy, an expert in the field, recommended a surprising orange wine with hints of grapefruit, ideal for sipping on the restaurant’s terrace.
Then the dishes arrived, delighting the taste buds with a play of colours, textures and contrasts. With each bite, you rediscover the flavours of the plants, from the crunch of the radishes to the creaminess of the purées and the lightness of the emulsions. The roundness of the chickpeas harmonises with the refreshing acidity of the lemon.
For dessert, we couldn’t resist the ‘Strawberries – buckwheat’ creation, with delicious wild strawberries hand-picked in Renage, just outside Grenoble.
Claire and Michel, and Lucie who assists them in the kitchen, carefully select their ingredients, giving priority to organic produce and quality brands.
All the vegetables, with the exception of the asparagus, come from within a 40 km radius of the restaurant, and the fruit from Isère or Drôme.
In all, 95% of suppliers are French. The chefs go even further, foraging during their regular walks in the Chartreuse and Grésivaudan regions.
Ingredients such as garlic mustard, elderberries and fresh wild garlic regularly feature on the menu!
At Locafé, the commitment to the environment goes even further. The furniture is recycled or upcycled, like the tables made from the parquet flooring of SNCF trains and the light wood shelves made from old wine crates. They cook vegetables from head to root to minimise waste, making sure every part is used, and they meticulously sort ingredients.
When you sit down, you’ll notice that there are no napkins. “We realised that people often put them on their laps without using them. So we give them out on demand, which means they don’t have to be washed unnecessarily,” explains Michel.
Locafé has proved to be a great success, attracting more than just vegan food lovers. And with menus ranging from €20 to €32, and a three-course menu on Mondays for just €12, the prices are as attractive as the food itself, without compromising on quality.
It’s a way of introducing haute cuisine to as many people as possible.
Street food at lunchtime
To extend the experience, head to l’Épicerie du Locafé, which opened next door in spring 2024. At lunchtime, the restaurant team offers a selection of street food, with a small menu of sandwiches, pots and pastries to take away.
You’ll also find fresh vegan cheeses, smoked and spiced oils, as well as local drinks such as beers, ciders, infusions and soft drinks.
