As Vegans, we are a dedicated group of individuals who find value in protecting animals by not eating or participating in animal-made products. Our healthy and environment friendly lifestyle doesn’t always allow the simplest travel. When it comes to finding restaurants or grocery stores that cater to your needs, you may have to reach out to friendly referrals from outside sources. That being said, there is absolutely no reason to hold yourself back from traveling successfully on a vegan diet. Many great cities in our country cater to vegan lifestyles with great food and retail options!
Here is a list of just 10 of the many United States cities that are “vegan-friendly”:
#10 Top Vegan City: Chicago, Illinois
Rounding off our list of vegan friendly cities is Chicago, which has more to offer than its beautiful skyscrapers and magnificent mile. There are many vegan landmarks such as Soul Vegan which is Chicago’s leader in sustainable soul food. Other notable restaurants are Karyn’s Cooked, Ground Control, Quesadilla Mexican Vegetarian & Vegan Cuisine, Thanks Jordan Foundation’s Vegan Café, Borrowed Earth Café, and both locations of The Chicago Diner.
#9 Top Vegan City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
You may travel to Philadelphia for the many attractions such as an Eagles football game or the Penn Relays, one of the biggest multinational sporting events in the U.S. And if you are indeed a sports fan you should know that Philly has made it onto PETA’s top vegetarian ballpark list which is why Philadelphia has made it to number 9 on our list.
#8 Top Vegan City: Austin, Texas
Every thing’s bigger in Texas they say, and their vegan selection does not disappoint. There are many restaurants and bakeries to choose from like the Beets Café with their delicious vegan smoothies and “mock tuna” Nori Rolls. Or you can head on over to the Bouldin Creek Coffee House and Café to grab a bite of their Veggie Royale Sandwich or a Tofu Taco!
#7 Top Vegan City: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota, the twin cities has landed in our number 7 spot with over 200 veg-friendly restaurants. Some known jewels are Heartland, where their menu changes daily in order to give everyone something new no matter when you come by! Not into fine dining? Check out Jasmine Deli for a Vietnamese twist on vegan dining. What’s great about Evergreen Chinese Restaurant is the entire Vegetarian and Tofu menu available at all times!
#6 Top Vegan City: Washington, DC
The White House, the Smithsonian Museum, the Lincoln Memorial…these attractions make it hard for others to stand out a little, if at all. But it is also home of first American group celebrating veggies; the Vegetarian Society of DC, which was founded in 1927! There are also many raw juice bars like Khepra Raw Food Juice Bar to choose from while you’re busy sightseeing!
#5 Top Vegan City: Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia, the peach state seems to be a fitting name for our number 5 spot on our list of vegan friendly cities. It features many famous vegan restaurants and shops; one of the most famous of them is vegan-friendly Café Sunflower. You can stop by and grab a bite of their delicious Vegan Artichoke & Spinach Dip or share a plate of Fried Green Tomatoes. Hey and why not treat yourself to an eentree of Grilled Coconut Polenta Napoleon! YUM!
#4 Top Vegan City: New York, New York
The famous big apple should say enough, this city has a wide variety of vegan friendly establishments that always seem to please, some of the crowd favorites are Lula’s Sweet Apothecary, or Food Swings. Can’t forget about my favorites - Candle 79, and Blossom! Check out both of my reviews for Candle 79, and Blossom Gourmet Organic Vegan Cuisine
#3 Top Vegan City: San Francisco, California
If you’ve ever visited San Francisco you can’t deny it’s chart toping vegan lifestyle. One of the many notable restaurants is the Herbivore, which actually has 2 locations, both are highly regarded. Head on over to another wonderful spot called, Source where you can let loose with their organic wine and beer while snacking on any app - since all options on the menu can be made vegan!
#2 Top Vegan Cities: Seattle, Washington
Seattle is known as the grunge capital of the world, and is also “America’s Fittest City”, so it seems to go hand in hand with the vegan lifestyle. There is even a website dedicated to the vegan and vegetarian culture; VegSeattle.com. What are some great spots to grab a bite while you’re in Seattle? Try out Plum Vegan Bistro for their famous Yam Fries and Mac’n’ Yease! Need some snacks on the go? Head on over to Vegan Haven for an excellent vegan grocery experience!
#1 Top Vegan Cities: Portland, Oregon
Portland takes the cake when it comes to the most vegan friendly cities. It’s utopia for us vegans with its plethora of restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores like Food Fight!. The Portobello Vegan Trattoria‘s beautiful website lets it’s visitors know that although the menu changes almost everyday, you can enjoy some delicious Cauliflower Veloute or Portobello Roast. Wow and I can’t get over The Bye and Bye‘ s vegan specialty bowls with incredible ingredients like BBQ tofu, tofu cutlets and veggie meatballs looks to die for! Who wouldn’t want a nice now of edamame after a walk around the city? Portland made number 1 on our list for a reason, and won’t let any of your vegan expectations down!
