Looking for a restaurant near Périgueux to break our journey west…Totally stunned to read this!
Sans réservation, et en fonction de l’affluence de notre clientèle, nous nous réservons le droit de ne pas pouvoir s’adapter aux vegetarians
**Nous ne sommes pas un restaurant vegetarian ***
Merci de votre compréhension
Ahh well, they won’t be getting our custom!
Personally I don’t see a problem with their clear and concise statement. There are plenty of vegetarian restaurants that don’t serve meat and no one complains.
I have been to some restaurants who’ve sort of tried to serve me a vegetarian meal. It’s not that they won’t serve vegetarians, it’s that they wouldn’t try too hard and were not used to such requests. But, the restaurants at which I’ve eaten, that have served meat, have not had such a disclaimer as the one you’ve presented here.
So, I just wanted to mention that it’s with reluctance, but even though grudgingly accommodated, restaurants that serve the typical meat offerings do at least serve something to vegetarians, upon request.
I think that vegetarianism is in fact getting more acceptable in France; but as with everything there are pockets of acceptance and pockets of resistance. That exemplifies the nature of change.
It’s good to go and to go through the bother of mentioning that one is vegetarian, if only to increase the numbers of clients/eaters out in the world of a cultural meat-eating society.
Bravo for not eating at that restaurant. I think it’s a bit unusual to find such overt opposition. At any rate, good luck and most likely you’ll find a salad or something to munch, at other less-vociferously anti-veg restaurants en route.
Just playing devil’s advocate… If I went into a vegetarian restaurant with my vegetarian friends, could I ask for a meat eaters option? 
Do they mean that if you haven’t booked a table in advance and just turn up that they reserve the right not to change the menu…???
Or do they mean that vegetarians can’t book a table there full stop…???
It comes on top of having phoned tourist office in the area of the Gers we are heading to to ask if they knew of any restaurants that has a varied menu that wasn’t 90%meat, 9% fish and 1% vegetables. She laughed! And said as a vegetarian herself she struggled to recommend anywhere.
So disappointed. The last time we were in Paris we found so many great mixed menu places. And even in Lyon, a meat eaters paradise, things are changing. I had hoped the rural south-west would be better than our patch where there is only one restaurant within 25km that is worth is going to.
Meat eaters to eat at least a few vegetables. So there will be something they can eat in a vegetarian restaurant. The reverse is not the case.
Come to Brittany Jane - there’s a creperie in every town - almost every village - always featuring a lot of vegetarian possibilities (and many using only ble noir (buckwheat) in their savouy galettes, so gluten-free too).
…and many using only ble noir (buckwheat) in their savouy galettes…
“and all”, surely?
If a restaurant feels the need to make such a statement - that tells me that they have had too many occasions when folk have tried to order something other than what is on offer.
Their menu sounds delicious… although I would probably eat too much soup to be able to do justice to the fish course, let alone the dessert.
OH would opt for the onglet (fabulous) and a dessert (of course).
Yes, but if they have so many demands for vegetarian food, then as a business wouldn’t it be more sensible to adapt to the changing market? How hard would it be to think of an entree and main course that could be created from the ingredients they already use on other dishes.
But anyway, it strikes me as a very old fashioned menu, far too heavy on red meal and fats, so even as a meat eater I wouldn’t eat there. So no argument between me and OH as both happy to give it a miss.
I suspect that the restaurant is already quite busy enough.
Sometimes it’s a mixture.
That’s not an analogous situation - all meat-eaters also eat vegetarian food - and many, like me, usually choose to - but no vegetarians eat meat.
I love my veg true, but I do dispute what you say. There are some meat-eaters that will not eat any form of vegetables and have a very poor diet indeed.
Well they have no need to go to a restaurant then…can just hang out in a butchers with a pocket grill.
But vegetarians don’t just eat vegetables either! (Not sure what the health consequences would be of only eating meat!)
Maybe the restaurant concerned is renowned for it’s specialities/menu.
Chef’s proud of their culinary prowess may not wish to diversify into non-meat dishes and the vegetarian sector, even if it is an ever increasing area.
Prefering to leave that to other eating establishments. Each to their own.
Being vegetarian is a personal choice and like all choices you have to adapt to what is on offer.
Accommodating a veggie can be quite stressful even though they say " oh, don’t mind me I will eat everything you have made but not the meat" all very well if the meat is separate but so many dishes are integral.
We had family with us for a 3 week spell in August and one was veggie but insisted that we should not make special arrangements for them. WTF how is that possible? Each mealtime you worry and fret about what to put on the table and what should be a happy family time becomes a chore all for one person who insists that it is there choice and would not inflict there lifestyle on others. I enjoy my food with or without food but in certain situations one persons life choice affects everyone. Rant over.
Sure, it’s their choice. I highlight it as a sad reflection of the world.
There is growing awareness that perhaps eating so much red meat is not the best thing to do, shame that this is not being taken up by all and sundry.
@JohnBoy. Sorry I think it was you creating your stress, not your vegetarian guest. You have bread, cheese, a packet of nuts and salad veg? Either that or actually talk to the veg person about what you plan to cook. OH has been a vege since a youngster and the happiest most comfortable meals with friends are where they don’t make massive efforts, but just make sure there’s stuff on the side he can eat if it’s a one-pot meal.
I do understand your point John - we are friends with a couple, one of whom is vegan and the other gluten-free! - quite a challenge - but on the other hand (‘what’s sauce for the goose…’) it is precisely because one person’s life choices affect everyone that we should all be eating much less meat - especially beef - to reduce our environmental impact.