How To - Travel as a Vegetarian / Vegan
Introduction
When planning this trip, I knew I needed to prepare myself for the variety of cuisines we would encounter around the world. While the idea of trying new foods excited me, I was definitely met with a bit of anxiety as well. Why? That’s just the life of someone with dietary restrictions, baby!
I have been vegetarian for twenty-two years and counting. My initial decision arose from a scarring moment at my grandma’s house, where I watched a report on the very relevant (at the time) mad cow disease in Germany. While this outbreak wasn’t as bad as it sounds and was temporary, my child brain freaked out and banned anything that had ever moved from my plate. Now, I label myself as vegetarian, but I do have my quirks and preferences that add some color to that simple title. Personally, I shy away from anything eggy, like omelets or custard, but enjoy cake and other goodies that have eggs baked into them. Strange, I know, but I’ve gotten pretty good at pretending that some things are egg-free. Aside from this, I typically don’t enjoy fish, although I’ve been pushing myself to try things from the ocean. I’ve also gotten a little more loose-y goose-y with my restrictions over the years by, for example, making exceptions for drunk pepperoni pizza slices or giving a blind eye to a dish that contains fish sauce. All of these quirks aside, I do typically search for vegetarian or vegan-friendly restaurants and have perfected a method of traveling with my dietary restrictions that I’d like to share with you!
My Top Tips
Do Your Research // While some people hate going to a restaurant knowing the ins and outs of the menu, I’ve always been someone to check ahead, mostly to make sure that I can eat more than just the sides. The best way to walk home full and happy abroad is to do one or more of the things below to cover your bases:
Check HappyCow / I only recently discovered this app, but it’s quickly become my best friend on this trip! Think of it as a vegan/vegetarian Google Maps, where you can easily explore restaurants and cafes that either directly cater to one or both of those preferences or offer a solid amount of options if they serve meat too.
Browse Google Maps / Sometimes HappyCow doesn’t plot all of the available options, likely because no one has thought to add it to the map yet! So, don’t forget to search “vegetarian” or “vegan” to quickly see places where visitors have left a review using these keywords. This will hopefully give you an indication of the options available for you. Pro Tip: If you’re in a non-English speaking country, translate “vegetarian” or “vegan” into the local language and search that instead to find even more options!
Conduct A Quick Google Search / If you still haven’t found anything to your liking, consider a quick Google search for the “best vegan/vegetarian restaurants in [INSERT CITY NAME]”. Other people will likely have done the work for you!
Check TwoTicketsToEverywhere / Fellow vegetarian here! Feel free to browse the cafes and restaurants mentioned in our country travel reports here. I’ve already done most of the searches above and am happy to share my favorites!
Ask Locals or Fellow Travelers / You’re not alone in your quest for food! Of course, locals know their city best, so ask at your accommodation, your tour guide, or even a friendly coffee shop owner for the best recommendations. Additionally, other travelers will likely be able to point you in the right direction and be able to tell you which dishes are suitable to your dietary restrictions, especially if they’ve already spent some time in the city or country you’re visiting. This isn’t just a great way to find great food, but make new friends around the world!
Consider The Culture / Different cultures have varying understandings of what “vegan” or “vegetarian” cuisine really entails. Before every new destination, I like to do my research on how to ask for dishes without meat, fish, eggs, etc. and keep a handy list of translations. I frequently opt to use the Google Translate app when I encounter more of a language barrier. Additionally, I’d recommend double-checking in some establishments. For example, restaurants in Japan are increasingly serving vegan and vegetarian options. Despite this, the veggie dishes may frequently contain fish sauce or dashi broth, or even be cooked on the same stove as animal products, which can go unnoticed and aren’t part of the culture’s understanding of “no meat or fish”. That’s why it’s always safer to double-check!
Think Outside Of The Box / If you can’t find anything on the menu simply puzzle together your own dish! Most restaurants will serve a meat or fish main with veggies and/or rice, noodles, potatoes, etc. So, if you feel comfortable doing so, ask the staff if they’d be able to serve you a collection of your chosen sides. This may come with some pushback, but staff will typically ask the chef for you and it rarely results in a “no”. I tend to do this in the U.S. and Europe too, especially when joining friends and family at a steakhouse or other less veggie/vegan-friendly establishments.
Book A Stay With A Kitchen / If you’d like to rely on your own culinary expertise, you always have the option of booking an Airbnb, an apart-hotel, or even a homestay where you can specify your dietary needs. Plus, it can be fun to cook in a new country and explore local recipes.
