Top 10 ways to find vegan food when travelling
Top 10 ways to find vegan food when travelling
There’s a big misconception that being vegan prevents you from travelling the world. But it’s simply not true. I absolutely love learning about new cultures and places through their vegan food! The availability of vegan options can vary depending on the destination. But with these handy tips you’ll be able to find all the great vegan dining options for your upcoming travels! Here are my top 10 ways to find vegan food when travelling!
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1) Download the Happycow app
One of the best ways to find vegan food when travelling is to use the HappyCow app. All vegan travellers SWEAR by it!
If you’re new to veganism and haven’t come across HappyCow yet, I seriously suggest you download it. You’ll LOVE it!
HappyCow is a popular online platform and app that provides information about vegetarian and vegan restaurants, cafes and other food venues around the world.
It’s such a valuable resource for travellers and locals alike who are looking for vegan-friendly dining options.
What I love most about HappyCow is that it’s community-led. So anyone can add new restaurants to the app and leave recommendations.
You can filter your searches by location, variety of food, meal type and whether you want a restaurant that is: vegan, vegetarian or just vegan-friendly.
You can save your favourite restaurants and connect with other users to get recommendations too!
HappyCow is amazing and I use it everywhere I go!
2) Follow Vegan creators on Instagram
Another one of my favourite ways to find vegan food when travelling is to follow vegan creators and influencers on Instagram.
I keep a folder on my instagram account with saved vegan food recommendations from around the world that I’ve come across whilst scrolling.
I love how vegan creators share their experiences and recommendations for vegan-friendly eateries in different cities – especially through reels!
When I’m preparing to travel to a new destination, I just open Insta and make notes of all the vegan restaurants and experiences from that particular place that I’ve saved.
Instagram is also a great place to do research to find hidden vegan food gems! It’s less about finding vegan places to eat so much as finding awesome vegan food experiences that other travellers and mainstream sites haven’t caught onto yet!
Check out My Vegan Footsteps for all my vegan food recommendations from around the world as well as tips and tricks for vegan travel and lifestyle.
3) Ask Locals for recommendations
You may not know anyone where you’re travelling to but don’t hesitate to ask locals for recommendations when you arrive at your destination!
Hotel staff, taxi drivers, tour guides and other locals often have valuable insights into great foodie spots that might not be well known to tourists.
My Airbnb host in Copenhagen recommended a foodie spot only 10 minutes walk away from our accommodation that mostly locals went to and we loved it!
It was a former industrial area where factories and warehouses used to be that had been renovated into a big food and drink village.
Some restaurants were still quite new and not known by tourists so they weren’t even in the HappyCow app yet!
There was a huge variety of different cuisines but we decided on a lovely Lebanese place that turned out to have TONNES of vegan options!
It took me over two hours to wade through bowls of tabbouleh, fried cauliflower with tahini dressing and falafel with hummus.
It was delicious and I was so grateful for the local recommendation!
4) Follow vegan food travel blogs (like this one!)
Similarly to utilising vegan creators on Instagram, vegan food and travel blogs are another go-to of mine when searching for vegan food when travelling.
Vegan travel blogs are a great resource for vegan food guides and offer personalised recommendations and vegan travel tips for your destination too!
I also enjoy reading certain vegan travel blogs because I love following the journeys of my favourite bloggers as they share their own unique perspective on travelling as a vegan.
Some of my favourite vegan travel blogs are Veggie Visa, The Nomadic Vegan, Veggies Abroad and Vegan Vs Travel.
You can check out some of my vegan food guides and posts here.
5) Read Vegan travel Guide books
As vegans the world over will appreciate, we can’t always guarantee we’ll be catered for wherever we go which can make travelling a bit more stressful.
Lonely Planet’s Vegan Travel Handbook takes that stress away by showing you how to research and find vegan-friendly places to eat in the city you’re visiting.
As well as finding places to eat it offers tips on how to connect with local vegans, choosing places to stay, planning your vegan adventures and how to travel with non-vegans.
It’s also a great guide for anyone travelling with allergies or other special dietary requirements too.
Whether you’ve been vegan for years or are travelling as one for the first time, this guide is packed with insight and advice on where to go, plus the best vegan restaurants, accommodation and cities.
6) Search on Tourism board websites
Tourism board websites are an amazing resource when trying to find the best vegan food spots!
Best of all, they’re super reliable as information is updated on a daily basis by local writers, journalists and insiders.
These websites are created specifically by the government or local organisations responsible for promoting tourism in a specific destination. So you can trust them to recommend all the top places!
They also offer a wealth of information about the destination. These include details about attractions, landmarks, cultural sites, natural wonders, events, festivals and unique experiences!
7) Go on a food tour
One of the greatest (and fun!) ways to find vegan food when travelling is to go on a food tour.
A food tour is a great way for you to experience a city’s culture, traditions and way of life through its cuisine.
In some cities, you might even find specific guided vegan food tours that take you to the best vegan spots. These tours can be a great way to discover new restaurants and learn about the local vegan food scene.
On a food tour you’ll have the opportunity to taste local flavours, learn about culinary customs and interact with locals who are passionate about their food too!
Guides often take you to off-the-beaten-path places that locals frequent rather than touristy spots which provides you with a more authentic and genuine experience.
It also allows you to see and taste the city from a local’s perspective and explore neighbourhoods you may never have seen otherwise!
My favourite part of going on food tours is hearing all the fascinating stories about the origins of dishes. As well as the evolution of culinary traditions and the cultural significance of certain ingredients.
It adds a lot of depth to your understanding of the destination’s past and is so interesting!
You’ll also get chance to try a wide variety of local dishes and have the opportunity to chat to local chefs, vendors and food artisans about them which will enrich your travel experience even further!
I don’t often come across specific vegan food tours. However, most food tours will offer options for dietary preferences so that everyone can enjoy the experience and tailor it to their needs.
This is great if you’re travelling with non-vegans too so the food tour will cater for you all!
8) Find recommendations via TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor has a vast community of users who contribute reviews, ratings and photos of their dining experiences. So it’s a great place to get vegan restaurant recommendations!
The platform allows you to filter your searches by cuisine type, location, price range and dietary preferences which makes it easier to find restaurants that match your specific needs.
The large number of contributors mean you can find a diverse range of opinions and perspectives.
The reviews and ratings are also submitted by actual travellers who have visited the restaurants, so you get honest reviews!
Restaurants are often ranked and rated on TripAdvisor based on user reviews. This gives you a quick overview of which restaurants are highly recommended by the community.
The platform is also responsive to current trends and popular spots. So if a restaurant is receiving a lot of current positive reviews, it could mean it’s a favourite amongst travellers!
TripAdvisor covers a wide range of destinations around the world as well. So, whether you’re travelling to a popular tourist destination or a lesser-known city, you’ll always find recommendations on the platform.
9) Ask for recommendations from friends
Reaching out to friends and family who have been to the destination you’re travelling to is a great place to start when shortlisting where to get the best vegan food. Especially if you know a lot of fellow vegans!
They may have personal recommendations for vegan restaurants as well as advice on what to see and where to stay.
I have vegan friends from all over the UK so always get great recommendations when I’m going on a staycation!
10) If all else fails – Google it!
In Google we trust. 🙏😂
Google’s search algorithm is designed to provide comprehensive and relevant search results. So when you search for “vegan restaurants in X,” Google will display a list of relevant websites, articles and directories that feature vegan dining options in your destination of choice.
Google is usually my last port of call when it comes to resources. The other options on this list are more human-led than computer-led, which I prefer. But I use it often when looking to reaffirm great places to eat when I’ve had a recommendation.
Restaurants are pinned on a map as well so you know exactly how close places are!
OTHER VEGAN POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE…
- WORLD VEGAN DAY 2024: Top 10 ways to celebrate and get involved!
- Top 10 Inspirational quotes about veganism (that new vegans will love!)
- 50 Inspirational quotes about veganism (that’ll make you think!)
- Vegan Guide to Harry Potter Studio Tour London
- Best vegan breakfasts in Las Vegas
- How to eat vegan at Disneyland Paris
- Reflecting on a month going vegan (plus final results!) | 30 Day Vegan Challenge
What are your favourite ways to find vegan food when travelling? Let me know in the comments below! 😄
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