In New York, a previously vegan restaurant has resumed offering meat in its menu.
Eleven Madison Park Returns to Serving Meat and Fish After Four Years
After four years of serving exclusively vegan cuisine, Eleven Madison Park in New York has announced a change to its menu. Starting October 14, 2025, the restaurant will offer a menu that remains predominantly plant-based but will include animal products such as oysters, lobster, and duck as optional choices for diners.
The decision to change the menu was announced by Swiss chef Daniel Humm on Instagram. Humm, who co-owns the restaurant, noted that while the plant-based experiment was creatively fulfilling and earned the restaurant three Michelin stars for a fully plant-based menu, it proved difficult to secure large private events and attract sizeable groups for corporate dinners—a significant source of revenue.
Financial challenges and customer demand were the main reasons behind this change. Humm explained that it's hard to get 30 people for a corporate dinner to come to a plant-based restaurant. This economic reality, combined with the desire to embrace a more flexible approach, motivated the decision to reintroduce animal products and offer greater choice to diners.
Despite some criticism, Eleven Madison Park managed to retain its three Michelin stars after reopening as a vegan restaurant. The menu will remain largely plant-based, but will now include individual dishes featuring animal products such as fish, meat, and duck with lavender honey glaze. Those who wish to have a completely vegan menu can still request it at Eleven Madison Park.
Chef Humm has stated that the best way to promote plant-based cuisine is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. The revised menu at Eleven Madison Park will consist of seven to nine courses for $365. With wine pairing, taxes, and generous tips, the final bill at Eleven Madison Park is likely to be around double the menu price.
[1] New York Times, "Eleven Madison Park Returns to Serving Meat and Fish After Four Years," 2025.
[2] CNN, "Eleven Madison Park Announces Return to Serving Meat and Fish," 2025.
[3] Forbes, "Why Eleven Madison Park is Changing its Menu After Four Years of Vegan Cuisine," 2025.
[4] Vogue, "Eleven Madison Park Reintroduces Meat and Fish to its Menu," 2025.
- The lifestyle shift at Eleven Madison Park is evident as they reintroduce meat and fish to their menu after a four-year hiatus, catering to a broader range of diner preferences.
- Global cuisines and healthy cooking will continue to dominate the restaurant scene, but Eleven Madison Park's decision to offer optional meat and fish dishes signals a nod towards fashion-and-beauty and food-and-drink preferences that veer towards a carnivorous slant.
- Sports and sports-analysis enthusiasts may find themselves discussing this change at Eleven Madison Park over a meal, as the return of meat and fish to the menu marks a significant shift in the restaurant's offerings, a topic ripe for pop-culture discourse.
- Recipes featuring lavender honey-glazed duck are sure to emerge as chef Daniel Humm works to balance the plant-based offerings with sought-after animal products, stirring excitement among both chefs and home cooks alike drawn to innovative global cuisines.
- The revised menu at Eleven Madison Park reflects an open-minded attitude towards diverse culinary tastes, signaling that celebrity-endorsed haute dining is evolving, embracing adaptability and enhancing choice for its patrons.
- While the price tag for a meal at Eleven Madison Park remains steep, its continued dominance in the Michelin star rankings highlights the restaurant's enduring allure as a must-visit destination for entertainment-seekers, eager to indulge in high-end dining and experience the best cuisine the world has to offer.
