Ten years ago, I went vegan and immediately wondered if I’d ever travel again without packing protein bars like emergency rations. The fear was real: would I survive on bread and sad salads while watching everyone else enjoy local cuisine? Turns out, I was worrying about the wrong countries entirely.
The places that nearly defeated me weren’t the ones I’d expected. And the vegan paradises? They appeared in surprising locations. After stumbling through countless menus, miming “no meat, no milk, no eggs” in dozens of languages, I’ve learned that vegan-friendly travel has nothing to do with how “progressive” a country seems. It’s about how their traditional cuisine evolved.
The Easy Ones
1. India
India doesn’t just accommodate vegans—it’s been perfecting plant-based cuisine for millennia. Walk into any restaurant and half the menu is already vegan or one ghee-swap away. The phrase “pure veg” appears on storefronts like a beacon.
South India especially feels designed for plant-eaters. Dosas, idli, sambar, coconut chutneys—the traditional diet is accidentally vegan more often than not. Even street food works: pani puri, bhel puri, most chaat. I actually gained weight in India, which seemed impossible for a vegan traveler.
2. Thailand
Thailand surprised me by being easier than California. Every restaurant understands “jay” (เจ)—the Buddhist concept of plant-based eating. Say this magic word and watch menus transform. No fish sauce, no sneaky shrimp paste.
The variety staggers: green papaya salad, mushroom tom yum, endless stir-fries, mango sticky rice that haunts my dreams. Bangkok alone has hundreds of jay restaurants hiding in plain sight. Even 7-Eleven stocks vegan options that actually taste good.
3. Israel
Tel Aviv might be the vegan capital nobody talks about. It has the highest per capita vegan population globally, and it shows. Restaurants mark vegan options clearly, sometimes dedicating entire menus to plant-based versions.
But here’s the revelation: Middle Eastern food is naturally vegan. Hummus, falafel, tahini, sabich without egg, shakshuka made with tofu—it’s not alternative cuisine, it’s just cuisine. Corner stores stock vegan schnitzel. I’ve never felt less like a dietary weirdo.
4. Ethiopia
Ethiopian food is accidentally vegan on Orthodox fasting days (Wednesday and Friday), but honestly, it’s easy daily. That spongy injera bread? Teff flour, naturally vegan and gluten-free. Those colorful mounds on top? Mostly legumes and vegetables.
Order “yetsom beyaynetu” for a rainbow of flavors: spicy lentils, collard greens, split peas, chickpeas. The fasting tradition means vegan isn’t foreign—it’s built into the culture. Eating with your hands from shared plates makes every meal feel communal.
5. Taiwan
Taiwan treats veganism like infrastructure. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants everywhere, marked with swastikas (the Buddhist symbol). Train stations have vegan food courts. Night markets label options clearly.
The fake meat game is unmatched—”fish” that flakes, “chicken” that shreds, “pork” belly that jiggles correctly. Beyond imitation, there’s innovation: stinky tofu that’s actually good, mushroom everything, vegetables I can’t name but now crave.
6. Italy
“But cheese! But prosciutto!” everyone warned. Yet Italy was simple. Order pasta arrabbiata, marinara, or aglio e olio anywhere. Pizza marinara is traditionally vegan—just tomato, garlic, oregano, perfection.
The secret is recognizing accidentally vegan Italian classics: ribollita, caponata, most bread, fruit gelato. Markets overflow with produce that tastes like produce. I lived on aperitivo spreads—olives, sundried tomatoes, grilled vegetables. Italy respects ingredients too much to disguise them.
7. Germany
Plot twist: Germany is vegan heaven. Every supermarket stocks plant milk, vegan cheese, meat alternatives that don’t taste like cardboard. Berlin has more vegan restaurants than anywhere in Europe. Traditional restaurants offer vegan schnitzel.
German efficiency extends to labeling—V symbols everywhere, zero guesswork. Bakeries mark vegan pretzels (most are). Christmas markets have vegan bratwurst. When Germans commit to something, they commit completely, and apparently they’ve committed to veganism.
The Difficult Ones
1. Mongolia
Mongolia almost broke me. The traditional diet is meat and dairy, period. Vegetables are what food eats. I survived on imported pasta and occasional potatoes, feeling my body slowly surrender.
The nomadic culture makes this logical—you can’t farm vegetables while moving across frozen steppes. But understanding doesn’t make finding food easier. Five days in, I retreated to Ulaanbaatar’s lone vegetarian restaurant, defeated.
2. Iceland
Iceland thinks vegetarians eat fish. Vegans are mythical creatures. Reykjavik has options, but venture beyond and you’re eating overpriced imports and depression sandwiches. Traditional cuisine is about surviving winter, not dietary preferences.
I paid $18 for basic salad. Grocery stores became my restaurants, assembling meals from hummus and flatbread. The landscape justified the hunger, barely.
3. Argentina
Argentina took my veganism personally. Saying “no meat” was like rejecting their identity. Vegetables are garnish, salads are suggestions, everything else involves cattle. Buenos Aires has vegan spots, but elsewhere plant-based eating is treated as suspicious foreign behavior.
I learned to claim allergies to everything, earning pity instead of confusion. Survived on cheeseless pizza and enough empanadas de humita to permanently retire from corn.
Final thoughts
The pattern became clear: ancient food cultures often have extensive plant-based traditions, whether from religious fasting, poverty, or climate. It’s newer food cultures, built around industrial meat, where vegans struggle. “Developed” doesn’t always mean developed dietary diversity.
Travel taught me veganism isn’t about restriction—it’s about knowing where to look. Every culture has plant-based treasures, usually in cheap, traditional foods tourists skip.
The real lesson? Stop apologizing and start asking better questions. My best meals weren’t from vegan restaurants but from grandmothers making fasting food, street vendors selling temple snacks, and confused but kind cooks willing to experiment.
