Meat-free travel involves many hits and misses: if you’re a veggie (like me) you might have stumbled across issues in Argentina or been hard-pressed to find food without a face in France. We’re here to challenge pre-conceptions and to share our favourite vegetarian friendly destinations, and where to go for the ideal meal.
London, UK
An international hub, cosmopolitan and simultaneously edgy, eating meat free in London is as easy as it gets, with a range of street food stalls and cheap eateries to feed the budget conscious foodie – despite London’s famous hefty price tag for travellers. As a native, I can safely vouch for veggie food at Mildred’s (justifiably crowded but without much of a wait, and a black bean burrito to die for), NAMA; a recommendation which is mushrooming among my friends with its artisan, vegan-friendly raw foods, and street food stall Wholefood Heaven, which might even convert those who are balmy about bacon or crazy about steak.
Some characterful, well-located London hostels for you to pick from here.
Delhi, India
Food is one of the many great gifts India offers to the world, and eating your way around the country’s thrumming, vibrant capital is often as simple as diving into a ‘veg’ or ‘non-veg’ restaurant. The term thali is synonymous with ‘treat’ for vegetarians, an all-you-can-eat feast of vegetable curry samples, dhal, rice and flatbread (chapatti or roti) is a meal you’ll never tire of. Whether you head to the Paranthe wali gali in New Delhi for paratha (fried flatbread stuffed with all kinds of taste sensations) or Govinda’s Pure Vegetarian Restaurant linked to the Radha Krishna Temple, you can tuck into something chilli-tinged and delicious.
Stay at our digs in Delhi.
Lisbon, Portugal
If you’re not a carnivore and you’re in Portugal’s vibrant coastal hub – it’s no longer a problem. Until a few years ago, there weren’t many vegetarian options in Lisbon, but the city’s cuisine has now been sampled by famous veggies such as Moby and the Dalai Lama, and a range of exciting options are popping up in their stead. Try award-winning restaurant Terra (meaning ‘Earth’) where you can sample rich Portuguese gastronomy minus the meat. Jardim dos Sentidos is another contender, where you can wolf down a three course meal for around 20 euros.
Crash out at one of our lively and distinctive Lisbon hostels.
Portland, USA
Grab a coffee, grab a juice, hop on a bike and embrace the long-cherished term ‘keep Portland weird’ by exploring the USA’s most exciting city via your tastebuds. A N D café is a diner which offers all the classic American comfort foods in vegetarian and vegan varieties, for example mac & chz (vegan friendly), biscuits and gravy, and veg meatloaf sandwich. For fancy salads, smoothies and raw food, head to Prasad and grab something to sate your inner earth-conscious guru over the counter. Jog to the famous Voodoo Doughnuts and wait in line to ruin all your hard work – boy is it worth it for that vanilla frosting.
Continue your edible crusade at one of our lovely Portland hostels, with free breakfast.
Marseille, France
You might automatically associate France with food limitations involving Foie gras and a cheese for every day of the year (fine by me), but in the coastal city of Marseille, this is a dangerous misconception. The sprawl of the Mediterranean, and North African influences fuse together here to give you Matiti Restaurant, with strong vegan options including plantain, sweet potato and a number of curries. Try the Green Bear coffee and fast food hotspot for vegetarians and vegans, open weekdays only, for the ideal lunchtime sandwich.
