Last year Veganuary saw more than half a million sign-ups. To the delight of herbivores worldwide, it’s never been easier to live a life free of animal products – and even better, it’s getting simpler to travel while sticking to a plant-based diet.
Got an appetite for eco-conscious, cruelty-free cuisine? Here are some of the world’s best cities for getting a meat-free food fix.
Got an appetite for eco-conscious, cruelty-free cuisine? Here are some of the world’s best cities for getting a meat-free food fix.
London
The UK capital is a paradise for anyone seeking plant-based sustenance. For the past three years, vegan website HappyCow has voted London the top city in the world for vegans, counting 152 vegan eateries citywide. With dedicated vegan street food markets, the revered fried ‘chicken’ shop Temple of Seitan and great plant-based options a given in even the meatiest of joints (good work, Honest Burger), London’s a city that vegans never want to leave. It’s even home to Europe’s first vegan cheese shop - La Fauxmagerie - where you can pick up an impossibly creamy ‘Shamembert’.
Berlin
The German capital’s food scene reflects its culture at large: creative, cheap, open-minded and international. Pair that with an environmentally aware government and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a vegan-friendly destination: which Berlin is, with some 62 vegan restaurants and many more vegetarian offerings, too. If you only have time to eat one thing (and we pray you don’t), make it a döner kebab at Vöner der Vegetarische Döner. Slices of seitan are cut from a rotating spit and served with all the trimmings at this kebab house with a vegan twist, in alternative Friedrichshain – Berlin’s answer to Shoreditch.
Amsterdam
The Netherlands might be best-known for meaty bitterballen and rich cheeses, but its forward-thinking capital has expanded in recent years to provide a wide range of delightful vegan options. In the city centre, try vegan sushi at iconic Japanese-Caribbean restaurant TerraZen, or hand-pulled vegan ramen at Men Impossible. But some of the most exciting plant-based offerings are further afield – which is just as well for conscious travellers keen to combat the city’s overtourism problem. The vegan fondue at Mr & Mrs Watson will forever change your mind about vegan cheese, while Deer Mama serves up perhaps the juiciest non-meat burgers in greater Amsterdam.
New York City
Considering its reputation for having one of the most diverse food scenes in the world, it’s no surprise that New York is a vegan hub. On HappyCow’s last count there were 111 vegan restaurants within a five-mile radius of the city, from fast food wraps and burgers, to artisanal chef creations. Go big at upscale dining spots like Avant Garden and Blossom, where vegetables are crafted into art: think pan-seared seitan cutlets with lemon-caper sauce, or tiramisu with coconut mascarpone. But whatever you do, don’t miss the sweet vegan treats at Dun-Well Doughnuts or at Erin McKenna’s Manhattan bakery.
Copenhagen
Denmark might not be an obvious choice for vegan travellers, but Copenhagen is a different story. It might not be the cheapest of destinations but – as befits the birthplace of noma – the Danish capital is suffused with an appreciation for local produce and a sustainable ethos. Here, you’ll often find vegan gems hidden in carnivore-friendly menus like the tofu dog at organic hot dog stand DØP. Fancy a relaxed brunch in a quirky basement cafe? Try Kalaset. And for cheaper, dedicated vegan spots, visit street food market Paperøen.
Toronto
Toronto made history in 2018 by creating an entire neighbourhood dedicated to vegan businesses. So-called Vegandale, taking over a block in inner-city district Parkdale, comprises mac n ‘cheese’ at Doomies, vegan pizza at Prohibition Pie and Canada’s first all-vegan retail concept store, Imperative. Bear in mind that Vegandale – which also runs a vegan festival concept around North America – has been criticized for its role in gentrifying multi-ethnic Parkdale. If you do visit, pay your dues in the surrounding area. There’ll be other, delectable vegan treats to nab in the district’s rich array of Tibetan snack bars and spicy roti from Jamaican and Indian food vendors.
Warsaw
The good news about Warsaw’s 50 vegan-only restaurants is their density. You can easily walk between vegan sushi spots (that means you, Edamame), ramen bars like Uki Green or the Middle Eastern FalafeLove, meaning that you’ll tick off a serious number of plant-based eateries in one trip. While you have to try the vegan versions of traditional Polish pierogi dumplings at Lokal Vegan Bistro or Vege Bistro, Warsaw is actually all about the vegan burger. Hit up Krowarzywa for the top-voted burger in Warsaw – beating all beef versions – and expect to see the famous Beyond Burger brand all over town.
Portland
Oregon’s largest city is a metropolis of microbreweries, coffeehouses, art and eco-conscious eateries. In fact, it’s been rated the USA’s top city for vegans and vegetarians thanks to its plethora of all-vegan businesses. This is the kind of city where things you never considered before will prove animal- and cruelty-free: animal-derived inks are banned at vegan tattoo store Scapegoat Tattoo, which also happens to be in the world’s first vegan mini mall, alongside Herbivore Clothing and vegan bakery Sweetpea. And of course you’ll be after a yeasty tipple in a city nicknamed Beervana: sup a vegan brew at Modern Times, or vegan cocktails at Sweet Hereafter.
Tel Aviv
Israel is the land of milk and honey no more: it’s home to the highest percentage of vegans globally, with up to 8% of the country’s inhabitants choosing an animal-free lifestyle. Many of them live in Tel Aviv, where traditionally animal-free classics rub shoulders with exciting newcomers. You can’t walk more than a few steps without stumbling upon a falafel and hummus vendor, but then there’s Anastasia – famous for being the city’s first vegan café – plus cashew-cheese pizzas at Hatool HaYarok and vegan ‘steaks’ at the all-vegan Four One Six. It’s not all about fast food, either. Check out Alegria, Nature Boys and Jars and Bowls for life-changing salad bowls.
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia is blessed with one of the world’s most multicultural cuisines, with its Chinese and Indian population having enriched a food culture that’s been further diversified by its expat community. Most travellers crossing Southeast Asia will find themselves in the transport hub of Kuala Lumpur at some point – and if you’re a tofu fiend, it pays to stay for a few days. Here, tofu is cheap and it’s everywhere. Try it braised in a hot pot at restaurant Simple Life, in an Asian burrito at Sala or in delicate plant-based dim sum at Nature’s Vegetarian Restaurant.
About the author
Florence Derrick is a travel and lifestyle writer based in London and reporting from all over the world. You can find more of her work on her website and on Twitter @FlorenceDerrick. She is an author on the upcoming London Like a Local, due to publish later this year.
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