When you’re travelling, it’s a great idea to earmark some good eateries before you go, so you know where you can get the best vegan food in the city. I often use websites such as HappyCow to find local vegan options – this is a really great way to browse all of the restaurants around you, and check out their menu and pricing before you commit to it. Recently, I’ve visited some cities with absolutely incredible vegan restaurants, so I’ve collated some of my favourites in this post for the ultimate vegan vacation.
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Vegan vacation top 5 city recommendations
#1 Top vegan eateries Stockholm
It would only be right to start with Stockholm, Sweden – the home of Oatly! Stockholm is the most vegan-friendly city I’ve ever visited, and I actually didn’t even get chance to squeeze in all of the incredible food I wanted to into my three day visit. Not only are there an abundance of gorgeous plant-based restaurants, but you can also easily grab quick vegan options on the go from McDonalds and Max Burgers.
For lunch options, the best falafel in the city comes from Falafelbaren. I would also strongly recommend the cafe Mahalo, located in the Sodermalm district. The loaded fries before guys, topped with chilli and “bacon” pieces and golden mylk were absolutely to die for. This district of Stockholm seems to have loads of little independent cafes and shops with really great plant based options, so definitely check it out if you get the chance. There are also lots of cool health food shops such as Urban Deli, which also serves food. One of the stores has a roof garden, where you can grab a drink and enjoy the views over Stockholm too.
For something more decadent and indulgent, visiting Dirty Vegan will be the best choice you make during your visit to Stockholm. The broccoli fondue (yes, I’m talking grilled broccoli and stringy cheese) is ah-mazing. In all honesty, I would probably fly back to Stockholm just for another plate. The dining experience at Dirty Vegan is so fun, with blaring music and smoke machine (?!) makes the restaurant feel a bit more like a club. With the incredible food and cocktails, you’re bound to have a great time there.
#2 Vegan Lisbon
Lisbon has done a great job of veganising its most traditional dishes, so you don’t have to miss out on trying the local delicacies! Some of the most notable cafes serving pastel de natas (custard tarts) include daTerra Bairro Alto, Pastelaria Batalha and Zarzuela. Further, VeganEats serve veganized versions of other dishes such as tofu à brás (a dish that is normally made with cod and known as “bacalhau à brás”).
If you want to load up on coffee and brunch before a day of exploring beautiful Lisbon, Copenhagen Coffee serve oat milk with all of their coffees, and Zenith also has a vast and extensive menu of delicious options.
To cool down in the heat, you can grab vegan ice cream at little creameries in Alfama (NaturIce) and Scoop’n’Dough and even in the bigger chain places such as Amorino – so you can stop for a vegan cool down pretty much anywhere.
If you want healthier options to keep you going, you don’t have to gorge on filling fast food. There are plenty of restaurants offering plentiful vegan salads and sandwiches, such as Eight The Health Lounge and My Mother’s Daughters.
#3 San Francisco best vegan food
If you’re heading across the Atlantic, do not fret, San Francisco has some great plant-based options. To this day, I still think about the burgers at VeganBurg. This restaurant based in the inherently cool and rock’n’roll area of Haight Ashbury is the one for reasonably priced and absolutely delicious burgers and sides. I’ve had a lot of burgers in my time, but honestly I would not hesitate to hail these as the best I’ve ever had.
Make sure you stop by the Ferry Building, which is a local market full of different local businesses. The indoor public market offers a wide variety of vegan eats, including freshly baked goods and bread, and the famous cafe Blue Bottle Coffee, which serves delicious hot drinks.
To live the true American dream, you can grab a deep-dish vegan pizza and vegan wine at Patxi’s Chicago Pizza. That’s sure to refuel you after a day of exploring!
Another 2 top destonantion for a vegan vacation
#4 Brussels has also vegan food
When I visited Brussels, I was really pleasantly surprised at the vast amount of great food options, and we actually ended up making our weekend away a bit of a food tour! You can even get vegan versions of the traditional Belgian waffles – VeganWaf in particular make gorgeous alternatives.
If you’re looking for a filling and relaxing brunch, The Avocado Show and Peck 47 are particularly worth noting. I would keep in mind that for both of these places you end up queueing for a while to actually get a table, but it’s totally worth the wait, trust me!
The best food I had all weekend was from Greenway, which is located in the train station. They serve the most amazing ‘to go’ options ever, especially the kebab wrap and the thai yellow curry bowl. We stopped here when we travelled to Bruges, and also when we were travelling from Brussels to the Airport.
#5 Berlin also vegan sweets
Berlin is an absolute must for a European city break. Not only is it steeped in history, but it also has countless vegan cafes and shops too. There seems to be a huge vegan community in Berlin, especially because it’s a very young and vibrant city.
First and foremost, I have to recommend Brammibals Donuts – two different locations, so worth a visit for a delicious coffee and vegan donut in a beautiful Instagrammable cafe – you can even take them away so I’d definitely recommend picking a couple of flavours you like and saving it for later.
If you’re after a huge brunch to fuel you along your day exploring all of the historical sites of Berlin, you won’t be disappointed.
– LÜCK’S is a well-loved vegan institution, serving homemade and hearty food in a cosy environment. Make sure you make a reservation, as it fills up really fast especially on weekends!
And there we have it! Those are my recommendations for the best places to travel for a vegan vacation. I hope you enjoyed this post, and I hope it helps you to plan your next getaway!
