Top 10 Most Vegan Friendly Countries in 2024
The United States, the UK and Poland top this list, with Israel, Thailand and Taiwan the standouts outside Europe and Australia rounding out the ten. All ten have dense clusters of vegan restaurants, supermarkets that stock plant-based staples, and in several cases a local cuisine that was largely vegan to begin with.
Veganism has grown steadily worldwide, and as demand has risen, so has the number of places that cater for it properly. Travelling as a vegan is far easier than it used to be, though it still varies enormously by city rather than by country. The list below is ordered by how easy it is to eat well across the whole country, not just in the capital.
1. USA
The United States is one of the most vegan-friendly countries in the world, largely on sheer volume. Plant-based eating moved from fringe to mainstream over the past decade, and the growth in people identifying as vegan or plant-based has been steep enough that supermarkets, fast food chains and airlines all now carry options.
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You do not need to be in a major city to find something, though the difference between coastal cities and small inland towns is real. Directory listings run into the tens of thousands of vegan and vegan-friendly venues nationwide, covering everything from diner comfort food to fine dining.
Top vegan-friendly cities in the USA: Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Austin, and New York. These cities not only have a high number of vegan restaurants but also offer plant-based grocery stores and markets, making it easy to maintain a vegan lifestyle while travelling.
2. UK
The UK is arguably the easiest country on this list for everyday vegan eating, as opposed to destination dining. Supermarket own-brand vegan ranges are extensive and cheap, chain restaurants label clearly, and Veganuary each January pushes another wave of products onto shelves.
Vegan restaurants, cafés and grocers are easy to find across the country, and cities like London, Manchester and Bristol have deep, long-established vegan scenes covering most cuisines.
Vegan festivals and markets run regularly, showcasing plant-based food from local producers.
Top vegan-friendly cities in the UK: London, Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
3. Poland
Poland surprises people, but it has quietly become one of Europe’s strongest vegan countries. Warsaw in particular has ranked near the top of global vegan city indexes for years.
In Warsaw, Kraków and Wrocław you will find a large number of vegan restaurants and cafés, running from veganised Polish classics like pierogi and żurek through to international menus. Supermarkets carry plant-based ranges, so self-catering is straightforward.
Poland also hosts a solid calendar of vegan festivals and events.
Top vegan-friendly cities in Poland: Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, and Gdańsk.
4. Canada
Canada has built a strong vegan scene, concentrated in its big cities. Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal all offer plenty, from fast food to fine dining.
Canadian supermarkets stock a wide range of plant-based products, which makes self-catering easy whether you are at home or in an apartment while travelling. Outside the major centres the options thin out considerably, so plan ahead for rural trips.
Vegan festivals run in cities throughout the year.
Top vegan-friendly cities in Canada: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa.
5. Thailand
Thailand is excellent for vegans, with one important caveat. Traditional Thai cooking uses a lot of vegetables, tofu and herbs, but fish sauce, shrimp paste and oyster sauce appear in far more dishes than people expect, including many curries and stir-fries that look plant-based.
The workaround is the word “jay”, which refers to Thai Buddhist vegan food and is marked with a yellow and red sign. Jay food excludes animal products as well as alliums. Bangkok and Chiang Mai both have large vegan scenes, from street stalls to full restaurants, and the annual Vegetarian Festival in October is a good time to visit.
Coconut milk, rice and fresh produce make it easy to eat well once you know what to ask for.
Top vegan-friendly cities in Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Pattaya.
6. Germany
Germany is one of Europe’s biggest producers of plant-based products and one of its biggest consumers. Berlin has been a vegan hub for well over a decade, and the country’s supermarkets and discounters carry own-brand vegan ranges at low prices.
Berlin, Munich and Hamburg all offer a wide selection, from veganised German staples such as vegan sausages to international menus.
Germany also hosts a large number of vegan food festivals and trade fairs.
Top vegan-friendly cities in Germany: Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne.
7. Singapore
Singapore packs a lot into a small area. Its food culture blends Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan cooking, and Indian and Chinese Buddhist vegetarian traditions mean genuinely vegan food has been sold here for generations, long before it was labelled as such.
Hawker centres almost always have a vegetarian stall, and dedicated vegan restaurants and cafés are spread across the island. Supermarkets stock plant-based ranges, and the government’s interest in food security has made Singapore an early adopter of alternative proteins.
Top vegan-friendly spots in Singapore: Chinatown, Orchard Road, and Little India.
8. Taiwan
Taiwan is a standout, and the reason is Buddhist su shi cooking, which has been widespread for centuries. That means vegan food is not a trend here, it is infrastructure. Convenience stores label vegetarian items, and buffet-style su shi restaurants are everywhere and cheap.
Taipei and Taichung have large numbers of vegan restaurants and street vendors covering both Taiwanese and international food. Night markets are worth working through, though it is worth knowing that some Buddhist vegetarian food includes egg or dairy, and traditional su shi excludes onion and garlic.
Top vegan-friendly cities in Taiwan: Taipei, Taichung, Kaohsiung, and Tainan.
9. Israel
Israel has one of the highest rates of veganism per head in the world, and Tel Aviv is regularly described as the vegan capital of the world.
Much of the everyday food is vegan without trying: falafel, hummus, tahini, salatim, sabich. Kosher dietary law also separates meat and dairy, which means parve dishes are common and dairy-free options are easy to identify. Beyond local cuisine, Tel Aviv has a dense international vegan restaurant scene, and supermarkets carry plenty of plant-based products.
Top vegan-friendly cities in Israel: Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Eilat.
10. Australia
Australia has one of the fastest-growing plant-based markets anywhere, and Melbourne in particular has an outstanding vegan scene. Sydney, Brisbane and Perth all have plenty, and cafe culture means oat and soy milk are standard rather than a special request.
Woolworths and Coles both carry sizeable plant-based ranges, and vegan versions of Australian staples, from meat pies to sausage rolls, are easy to find. Regional and remote areas are a different story, so long drives need a bit of planning.
Australia also hosts large vegan festivals, including events in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane through the year.
Top vegan-friendly cities in Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.
Which country is the easiest for a first vegan trip?
The UK, if you want the least friction. Labelling is clear and legally consistent, nearly every chain restaurant marks vegan items, and supermarket own-brand ranges mean you are never stuck. Israel is the better choice if you want the food itself to be the reason you went, because the local cuisine is naturally plant-heavy rather than adapted.
What is the hardest part of travelling vegan?
Hidden animal products in dishes that look plant-based. Fish sauce and shrimp paste in South East Asia, butter and cream in French and Italian cooking, and gelatine or whey in packaged snacks are the usual traps. Learning three or four phrases in the local language, plus the names of the ingredients you need to avoid, solves most of it.
Do you need to stick to big cities?
Mostly, yes. Vegan-friendliness is concentrated in capitals and university towns almost everywhere on this list. Outside those, your options narrow to naturally vegan local dishes and self-catering. That is not a problem in Thailand, Taiwan or Israel, where the base cuisine helps. It is more of a problem in rural Canada, the US interior and outback Australia.
Is the ranking likely to change?
Yes, slowly. These positions shift as supermarket ranges expand and vegan restaurants open and close, and city-level rankings move around more than country-level ones. Poland and Taiwan have both climbed a long way in a decade. Check a current restaurant directory before you book rather than relying on any list, including this one.
Final thoughts
Veganism keeps growing, and more countries are worth visiting for the food rather than in spite of it. From the United States to Australia, these ten destinations make it straightforward to eat well without compromise, whether you want a city packed with vegan restaurants or a cuisine that was plant-based long before the word existed. Wherever you land, a bit of research before you go is still the difference between a great trip and a fortnight of chips.
- Most Vegan Friendly Countries Canada
- Most Vegan Friendly Countries Germany
- Most Vegan Friendly Countries Israel
- Most Vegan Friendly Countries Thailand
- Most Vegan Friendly Countries UK
- Most Vegan Friendly Countries USA
- Top 10 Most Vegan Friendly Countries
- Vegan friendly Countries
- top vegan friendly countries
- vegan friendly countries in europe
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