Do you love to travel and have a passion for eating delicious vegan foods?
We know the feeling!
The great news is, in today’s eco-conscious world, more and more restaurants are offering plant-based options to guests. And better yet, lots more dedicated vegan food stalls, brands and restaurants are opening up all the time.
Whether you’re new to the vegan lifestyle, you’re a seasoned pro, or you just like to try new plant-based cuisine from time to time, we’re here to inspire you.
Below, we’ve put together a guide of some of the best cities in the world to live in if you’re a vegan. So whether you’re planning your next move or just your next adventure, these cities should definitely be on your list.
London
London has been voted the world’s most vegan-friendly city on multiple occasions. As of 2019, there were roughly 152 vegan restaurants in London, though this figure is likely to have increased since then.
It was home to the world’s first vegan butcher shops, as well as a huge range of restaurants, bakeries, cafes and even the famous vegan cheese shop, La Fauxmagerie!
So whether you’re looking for pizza, burgers, doughnuts, pies or desserts in the city, you can find a dedicated restaurant or food stall for all your favourite vegan goodies.
And it doesn’t stop there; the city is home to plenty of health food stores and plant-based supermarkets, as well as vegan clothes shops and most impressively, a fully vegan hair salon.
Need we continue explaining why this is such a great place to live as a vegan?
New York
Thanks to its varied and exciting range of cuisines, New York is often considered to be a foodies paradise – and this is also true for vegans.
The vegan scene there has been growing rapidly in recent years and there are now more than 111 vegan restaurants within a five-mile radius of the city.
From entire vegan food courts to cafes, Asian fusion restaurants, vegan bakeries and even sweet shops, there is something to suit every mood, palette and time of day in New York City.
Berlin
Berliners are already very familiar and accepting of the vegan lifestyle, which makes it incredibly easy to find food in the city. What’s more, they make it much easier for visitors by placing ‘vegan’ signs in the relevant restaurant windows.
Though there might not be as many vegan restaurants as London or New York, there certainly is a wonderful variety of cuisines in Berlin. Whether you want Vietnamese-style dining, sushi, Asian tapas, French/German fusion or even fast foods such as burgers or doner kebab, you’re sure to find exactly what you’re after.
There are also plenty of organic, zero-waste and affordable options to help you make ethical choices without breaking the bank.
Tel Aviv
Did you know that Israel has the highest percentage of vegans globally? In fact, it is estimated that at least five percent of the Israeli population is vegan; that’s an estimated 400,000 people. So as you can imagine, vegan food is not hard to find there.
A large number of this vegan population live in Tel Aviv, which is why you can find as many as 36 fully vegan restaurants across the city.
The Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cuisine lends itself nicely to vegan and vegetarian options, but you will also be able to find more modern New York-style eateries, as well as incredible bakeries offering vegan-friendly desserts.
The city also has two vegan grocery stores making it easy to buy and prepare vegan food at home.
Prague
Prague’s vegan scene has drastically increased over the last few years and there are now as many as 53 restaurants within a two-mile radius of the city centre. And with a population of just 1.26 million people, the city makes it onto the list of the top five cities in the world for the most vegan restaurants per capita.
From independent restaurants serving a brunch of scrambled tofu, bagels and quesadillas to food bistros serving international brands such as Beyond Burgers, you’ll find something to satisfy every craving.
And thanks to the vast number of options in this much smaller city, it is a superb choice for living and travelling as a vegan.
Toronto
Toronto has been recognised as a great place to live for vegans for years now, particularly as it hosts one of the largest vegetarian events in North America. Home to award-winning vegan foods and restaurants, some chains are taking off so quickly that they now have as many as six locations across Canada and America.
Then, of course, as all good cities should have, there are plenty of places to satisfy your sweet tooth, from cafes to bakeries. You can even enjoy some of their famous maple syrup on a vegan breakfast at one of the three Copper Branch restaurants.
But more than just eating out, Toronto has a vegan butchers (joyfully named Yam Chops) and there is also a dedicated store for buying vegan-friendly clothing and accessories in the city. These are just some of the reasons Toronto is a wonderful place to live.
Bangkok
The final city on our list is Bangkok. Thailand is known as the land of smiles and its capital is no different. Plus, as well as being an all-round great place to live or travel, finding vegan food there is a breeze.
Vegan food is called ‘jay’ food in Bangkok and there are at least 42 vegan restaurants in the city, as well as a further 67 vegetarian places. These cover every taste from traditional Thai dishes to American-style vegan burgers and more.
As well as this, there are plenty of tropical fruit stands and fresh markets that you can get your raw fruit and veggies from. As for the rest of your needs, the Barefood Bangkok deli and shop produces lots of exciting plant-based products, including nut cheeses. You can also shop at either of the two vegetarian grocery stores there. There are also many places where you can buy healthy snacks such as nuts, organic dates and other dried fruits.
So there you have it, if you’re considering moving to a new country or you’re planning an exciting trip and you’re concerned you’ll struggle with your vegan diet, don’t be!
Consider some of the incredible vegan-friendly cities we’ve included above and the options will be endless.
