Eating out options for vegetarians & vegans?

Question

In the UK, there are lots of meat and dairy free options in the shops, but I find eating out a little tricky. I feel that veg*n options are limited.

Is there enough food variety where you live, or do you feel that restaurants should cater more for vegetarians and vegans?

Answer 1

No, I don't think that restaurants that serve meat should cater to vegetarians and vegans if they don't want to...not that I'm opposed to vegetarianism or veganism...I'm not, but a restauranteur usually has a specific type of cuisine in mind when he or she opens their place and I don't think they should have to change their plan if they don't want to.

It's the same as someone coming into your home and telling you that you should paint the walls a different colour because it's more pleasing to a certain group of people that way..it's YOUR home, you can keep it any way you like.

Also catering to these types of diets potentially could mean having to retrain kitchen staff, not to mention the possibility of cross contamination of meat into vegan foods...it can happen.

For the time being at least, vegetarians and vegans are still in the minority...this is a fact that may or may not change in the future,

In the US at least, in most areas, there are a lot of restaurants that serve meat that also offer dishes that are suitable for vegans and vegetarians so there is no reason to force all of them to conform. (Probably fewer in the South than in the North). And at least you can find some places to eat...what about all those curry shops in the UK we keep hearing about...surely some of them must serve vegetarian fare?

When I was in Russia we ran into some vegetarians there (a VERY rare thing) and they told us that eating out for them constitutes eating potatoes and bread because everything else has meat or cheese in it.

When the rest of us want a specific kind of cuisine, we do some research to find out where we can get it, and non-meat eaters can do the same.

Answer 2

there are actually some really good veg restaurants here....but not many.  my husband and i go out for mexican, italian, chinese, and thai all the time.....but other than 'ethnic' restaurants there are few choices.  we have a lot of chain restaurants here (applebees, o'charley's, t.g.i.fridays, etc.) and they don't offer much variety for someone who is veg*n.  i only know of one restaurant here that really caters to vegetarians and vegans, but they do it very well!  =)

i don't necessarily think that restaurants should cater to vegetarians per se, but they should definitely offer more meat-free options for ALL of the general public.  even when i ate meat there were a lot of times when i just didn't want it in my meal....it's boring to eat the same things all the time!  it would definitely show more variety if meat dishes and meatless ones were more evenly represented at restaurants.....

EDIT: i'm sad to say that he's not veg yet.......he is now eating ONLY veg food at home though, which i'm so excited about!  he's actually chosen my faux meats over real meat many times =).  he has been eating meat when we go out to dinner or if we're at a friend's place or something, but still i think that's a huge victory for him!  i'm really proud of him for cutting back so much...it's better than nothing so i just keep encouraging him =)

Answer 3

Hey.

Where i live (Hereford) I feel that there is enough health food shops to find good vegan food in, as there's lots of choices, and you can finds a good selection of vegan foods in the supermarkets, go to the 'free from' section to find a good number of vegan foods, but there is also alot of other foods around the supermarket that are suitable. Sainsburys and co-op label their foods vegetarian and vegan.

In Hereford, there's only about one good veggie restaurant, they do have some vegan dishes, but the place isn't 100% vegan. Weatherspoons do vegan options also.

http://www.happycow.net/ - HappyCow's vegetarian restaurants guide is a global, searchable vegetarian dining guide and directory of natural health food stores, including nutrition & health tips, vegan recipes, raw foods, travel, veganism and other vegetarian issues. You can pick your city and find out where to find vegan resturants there.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Answer 4

It's ok here is Aus. It really depends on where I'm going for dinner or lunch. Thai usually has heaps of veg*n options plus they also have tofu. Italian is ok too because I usually ask for a tomato based pasta minus the cheese and meat. Mexican, I go for a bean burrito or taco. I tend to avoid fast food and steak houses because they don't have much in the way of options. I guess it really depends on where you go.

Plus some parts of Aust are better than others. I think the North Shore is good... too expensive though.

Answer 5

I think they could cater a little more to vegetarians and vegans but I can usually find something to eat.  Most of the time when I go to dinner I go to Olive Garden, lots of choices for a vegetarian and the food is yum yum yummy!

Answer 6

I struggle too when it comes to eating out. I have discovered that they like to use egg for everything. It's so annoying!!

Answer 7

I have trouble with gluten and this website is a great help - http://www.leaveitout.com/uk/

Might help you too.

I should mention it caters to a lot more than us gluten intolerants, also covers to other allergies and dietary lifestyle choices.

Answer 8

I live in Ohio. There are hardly any veg options where I live and it stinks!

Practically everything comes with meat of some sort. If I were to order a salad at a restaurant, I need to ask them to hold the chicken (or shrimp). In turn, they look at me like I've gone crazy.

I suppose there aren't a lot of veg*ns in this area...that's great and all, but I do think having at least one veg-friendly choice would be nice. Someone asked an interesting question the other day about other diets that restaurants rarely take into consideration. I think that diabetics, those with high cholesterol and certain food allergies would like to see the menu expanded as well - adding one veg item that addresses the other dietary restrictions at the same time would solve a lot of people's dining issues.

Answer 9

i actually sneak granola bars into restaurants.....pasta is really important to your diet so order pasta (i love alfredo)

Answer 10

There are a lot of vegetarian restaurants in my region of California, but most of them within a short distance of my place are all Buddhist Asian cuisine or Indian cuisine.  I think I have overdone it on Chinese food for the next three years!  Other than the vegetarian restaurants, I will sometimes get Middle Eastern/Mediterrenean food, "Fresh Mex", or a sandwich from Subway or the like.  

I'm actually glad that there aren't as many options available to me as there are to meat eaters, because I think it's a lot healthier to eat what I make at home, and a helluva lot cheaper.

Answer 11

Where i live we have a really neat diner that serves only vegetarian/vegan food. They have such good food. they tell you on the menu if its vegan or just vegetarian. love it.

I was trying to find that fake ground meat yesterday (i was making tacos) and i realized that only one grocery store out of the four by me had it on hand (the one that had it was safeway). I thought that was a little frustrating.

Most restaurants here only have like 2 or 3 veggie options. So i end up eating pasta a lot (i know, its bad) and cheese enchiladas. they shoul come up with more veggie options, not just for vegetarians, but people looking to eat healthy would enjoy it as well

:o) good question

Answer 12

Hi Hollywood, Any good chef should be able to make a decent vegan meal, but in general vegan options are very limited(if non existent) on menus.  If you are going out to a restaurant, phone in advance and ask if it is possible to cater for a vegan.

I have found a fantastic restaurant that will make me a 3 course vegan meal, the chef is superb!

Most restaurants will have the ingredients to make a vegan meal, so it is worth asking! :)

Answer 13

I'm a vegetarian and i went to this restaurant and had to have salmon for a starter, salmon for a main and then rice pudding for afters. it was useless. there are not enough vegetarian options and it makes it harder to stay vegetarian. restaurants should cater more for vegetarians. i hated my meal (N)

Answer 14

go for Indian or chinese lots too choose from esp with Indian, being veg your the king if you like Indian  food, there is also mexican lots of veg choices also you can substitute those dishes with meat for beans or cheese or anything to your choosing.

Answer 15

theres not even a health food shop around this dumb place.

and the only place i eat out is subway.

Answer 16

no there definately is not enough!!!  i've been to one veg restaurant in another state (RI) and it was fantastic!!! i was so excited to have options!!!  and i was in one other one also while on vacation (FL) otherwise it's my one limited option usually whereever i go.... veggie burger or a pasta dish.  i usually go to italian places (ah pasta), asian (tofu and veggies), or make sure the place at least has a veggie burger (fridays stopped theirs! so applebees, bennigans, places like that...).  it stinks :/  a couple meat free options would be nice... even for the people who eat meat!