Vegetarian Destinations: Top 5 Cities For Vegan Travelers

A lot of vegans struggle to find places where they can dine without meat, dairy, or other animal products. And as the fame of vegetarian eating continues to grow, a lot of cities all over the world are offering great-tasting vegan food on their menu.

There are plenty of other animal-friendly sources of protein, and also plenty of vegan junk foods. Whether you're vegan for the sake of Mother Nature or to take advantage of a weight-loss diet that actually works, there are plenty of perks, including feeling like a true local in these destinations.

But according to The Guardian, the average British carnivore eats over 11,000 animals in a lifetime. Eating one goose, one rabbit, four cattle, 18 pigs, 23 sheep and lambs, 28 ducks, 39 turkeys, 1,158 chickens, 3,593 shellfish, and 6,182 fish is not only expensive, but that may increase the risk of obesity, cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses.

It seems pretty tough out there for vegans, not because their food is any less flavorful than what non-vegans eat, but because there aren't too many travel destinations world-wide that could provide their dietary needs. But recently, frequent vegan travelers provided a list of the countries they have visited that they consider as the best destinations for vegan travelers.

First on the list is Austin. Dubbed the "vegan food truck capital of the world" by PETA, vegos need not miss out on the whole street food phenomenon in Austin. One of the top trucks to check out is BBQ Revolution where a client can actually dig into brisket and ribs plus all the fixins or mac and cheese, slaw and beans, as well as the Tex-Mex-flavored The Vegan Yacht, The Vegan Nom and Guac N Roll.

Next is Portland. No list of vegan-friendly cities could possibly remove Portland, where meat-avoiders have vegetarian B&Bs and the world's first all-vegan strip mall. Sweet lovers can also indulge the mselves at Voodoo Doughnuts. Vegans can also have the Mediterranean-themed vegetarian dishes at Natural Selection for starters.

Another city for vegans is San Francisco. The hippie culture probably invented the lentil-loving cuisine, but one should not restrict himself to chickpea burgers and millet meatloaf. In the city, the vege pickings are some of the best and most innovative in the world. Eat vegan Japanese at Cha-Ya, sample the award-winning fine dining menu at Millennium Restaurant, and go raw at Judahlicious.

In addition to Vancouver's Stanley Park being one of the best parks in the world for picnicking, Vancouver has some of the best vegan food in North America. Bandidas serves excellent Mexi-vegan fare, Dharma Kitchen is your spot for tempeh burgers, and the Wallflower Modern Diner certainly won't make vegans feel special with their vegan breakfast poutine.

Last on the list is Chennai. Southern India is a famed vegetarian hotspot and Chennai is its center. Vegetarian thali buffets or meals with curries, rice dishes and breads, street food favorites, including chaat, and Western meals such as vegetarian Italian fare are all available in the city. Almost half of India's population is actually vegetarian. For that reason, many restaurants will label their stores with "pure veg," which means all their food is meat- and egg-free, as claimed by The Daily Meal.

To date, vegetarian restaurants are now sprouting everywhere. This is probably an indication that people are indeed growing more conscious of their health and food is a major consideration.