The best US cities for vegan and vegetarian food
WalletHub recently compared the 100 largest U.S. cities across 16 key indicators of vegan- and vegetarian-friendliness, including factors like the cost of groceries for vegetarians, the share of restaurants serving meatless options and salad shops per capita, to determine the best and most affordable destinations for travelers following a plant-based diet. Here’s a look at the 20 cities that fare the best in 2021.
1. Portland, Oregon
Earning an overall score of 63.52—nearly eight points better than second place—Portland is far and away the best U.S. city for vegans and vegetarians in 2021, ranking third for diversity, accessibility and quality and seventh for vegetarian lifestyle. WalletHub found that Portland is tied for the most juice and smoothie bars per capita and ranks fourth for the most farmers markets and CSA programs and vegetable nurseries per capita.
2. Orlando, Florida
While certainly best known for its theme parks and family-friendly attractions, it turns out that Orlando is quite the destination for vegans and vegetarians in 2021. The Florida city ranks second for diversity, accessibility and quality, is tied for the most salad shops per capita and trails only rival Miami for the most vegetable nurseries per capita.
3. Los Angeles, California
Ranking eighth for vegetarian lifestyle, Los Angeles is able to overcome its 35th place ranking for affordability to finish third overall when it comes to an all-American meatless experience. The City of Angels earns an overall score of 55.71 in WalletHub’s study, more than 10 points better than 20th-ranked Las Vegas but still far off from the country’s most vegan- and vegetarian-friendly destination.
4. San Francisco, California
Tying for the most salad shops per capita and ranking second nationwide for the most farmers markets and CSA programs per capita, San Francisco ranks fourth-best for vegans and vegetarians overall. The Bay Area metropolis also ranks tops for diversity, accessibility and quality, which considers important factors such as the share of restaurants serving vegan and vegetarian options as well as vegetable nurseries and community gardens per capita, among other factors.
5. Boise, Idaho
Like Austin, Boise is an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts and vegans and vegetarians alike, ranking 26th or better in all three of the categories that WalletHub examined, including 14th for diversity, accessibility and quality.
6. Austin, Texas
One of the world’s trendiest cities at the moment and famous for its live music and BBQ, Austin also knows how to entertain its vegan and vegetarian visitors. Among cities in the top 20 of WalletHub’s study, only Fort Wayne tops the Texas capital when it comes to affordability (11th), meaning veggie-loving visitors can stretch their dollar further.
7. Seattle, Washington
In the Pacific Northwest, Seattle ranks in the top five for diversity, accessibility and quality but is held back by cost as it ranks 90th among the 100 cities that WalletHub analyzed for affordability. For first time visitors to the Emerald City, Pike Place Market is an excellent place to begin their meatless foodie adventure.
8. Lexington, Kentucky
A surprise entry in the top 10, for sure, Lexington-Fayette ranks eighth overall, including fourth for vegetarian lifestyle. The Horse Capital of the World is propelled to the top of the list by its low cost of groceries for vegetarians, ranking fourth-best behind only Laredo, Texas; Fort Wayne, Indiana and Corpus Christi, Texas.
9. Oakland, California
Oakland trails only nearby Fremont, California in terms of vegetarian lifestyle, ranking second in the all-important category, which takes into account the city’s ranking on Grubhub’s list of cities most likely to order vegetarian or vegan; vegetable and fruit consumption and vegan and vegetarian meetups per capita. Nonetheless, it ranks a dismal 99th for affordability and still trails another popular Bay Area city in the overall rankings.
10. San Diego, California
The top 10 is dominated by cities on the West Coast and San Diego is just one example. America’s Finest City is tied with Miami, Houston, Portland and Las Vegas for the most juice and smoothie bars per capita and ranks ninth nationwide for diversity, accessibility and quality.
11. Tampa, Florida
While Tampa isn’t the top-ranked Florida city in WalletHub’s study, it does rank comfortably inside of the top 10 for diversity, accessibility and quality (eighth), including third-best nationwide when it comes to the most vegetable nurseries per capita.
12. Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is tied for the most salad shops per capita, ranking 12th in terms of diversity, accessibility and quality. That position is reflected by its overall ranking of 12th in the U.S. in regards to vegan- and vegetarian-friendliness. The ATL has some significant competition in the Southeast, however.
13. Miami, Florida
Miami has never been a city to put health on the backburner so it comes as little shock that it ranks 13th in the United States in terms of vegan- and vegetarian-friendliness. The Magic City ranks fourth for diversity, accessibility and quality. No city in America boasts more farmers markets and CSA programs, juice and smoothie bars, salad shops or vegetable nurseries per capita than Miami.
14. New York, New York
The Big Apple ranks sixth-best in the U.S. when it comes to the diversity, accessibility and quality of its vegan and vegetarian offerings but affordability (74th) and vegetarian lifestyle (37th) prevent it from reaching the top 10 in 2021. Still, New York ranks third for the highest percentage of restaurants serving vegetarian options and the most farmers markets and CSA programs per capita and is tied for the highest percentage of restaurants serving vegan options.
15. Madison, Wisconsin
Perhaps surprisingly, the Wisconsin capital of Madison is the most vegan- and vegetarian-friendly destination in the Midwest, ranking 17th for both vegetarian lifestyle and diversity, accessibility and quality. Stellar restaurants like the Green Owl Cafe and Ian’s Pizza offer visitors plenty of mouthwatering meals to fit their meatless diet.
16. Washington, DC
Like many major cities, the nation’s capital is held back only by affordability, where it ranks 94th among the 100 cities that WalletHub looked at. Ultimately, Washington, D.C. ranks inside the top 10 for both diversity, accessibility and quality (seventh) and vegetarian lifestyle (10th), offering visitors the highest percentage of restaurants serving vegan options and the fourth highest percentage of restaurants serving vegetarian options.
17. Bakersfield, California
One of five California cities to make the top 20, Bakersfield failed to earn a final ranking for vegetarian lifestyle but certainly isn’t without an abundance of awesome options whether you’re in the mood for Mexican, Indian, Greek or whatever else. The Hens Roost and Vida Vegan Co should be high on both vegan and vegetarian visitors’ itineraries.
18. Chicago, Illinois
From The Chicago Diner to True Food Kitchen, the Windy City offers travelers a plethora of exciting vegan and vegetarian options to choose from. Chicago ranks 18th in the U.S. for affordability and 19th for diversity, accessibility and quality, helping it to an overall ranking of 18th. The latter category considers things like the number of farmers markets and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs per capita as well as access to fresh vegetarian food, cooking classes and more.
19. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana ranks 10th nationwide for affordability, a category that considers the cost of groceries for vegetarians, average meal cost and the availability of affordable, highly-rated restaurants serving vegan and vegetarian options. Only Laredo, Texas boasts a lower cost of groceries for vegetarians than Fort Wayne.
20. Las Vegas, Nevada
The Entertainment Capital of the World is a foodie paradise thanks to the prevalence of celebrity chef-inspired restaurants but vegans and vegetarians will also be right at home in Las Vegas, which ranks 20th in WalletHub’s study. Las Vegas is tied for the most juice and smoothie bars per capita and the highest percentage of restaurants serving vegan options.
See full report at: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-vegans-vegetarians/39706