One of the most requested topics in my Vegan How To series is about eating out at restaurants as
a vegan. I can totally relate to your struggles with eating out. Even to this day, I find restaurant
experiences as a vegan can be very hit or miss depending on the restaurant/chef. The good news is that more and more restaurants are becoming sensitive to dietary restrictions and allergies, opening up new options on menus for those who need them. Plus, the more demand there is for something, the more change there will be in the future. I personally look forward to the day when vegan options on a menu are the norm, rather than scarce or uncommon. Oh yes, it will happen!
I’ve put together some of my tips and tricks that I’ve picked up over the past few years. I hope they’re
helpful for you. As always, I’d love to hear your own tips and experiences below!
1. Happy Cow Website
Searching the Happy Cow website is probably my best tip when you are looking for a veg-friendly restaurant in your area or when traveling. You simply type in your location and a list of veg-
friendly restaurants usually pop up. I use this website almost exclusively when I travel or just looking for new options in my own area (of course, asking you on Facebook is always helpful too!). There are also reviews and ratings, so you can read what others are saying about the restaurants. Many times people will write what dish they modified to be vegan or what the chef prepared for them on the spot.
2. Plan ahead and look up the restaurant menu online
Of course, it’s not always possible to eat somewhere that’s veg-friendly. Whether it’s a family gathering or a friend’s birthday, I attend my fair share of non-vegan restaurants. Before I go to a new restaurant I always scope out the menu online to see if there are any obvious vegan menu items. Hopefully, I can find a couple vegetarian menu items that can be veganized, but vegan options are often non-existent on many restaurant menus. If there are a couple vegetarian options or dishes that might easily modify to be vegan (such as removing chicken from a noodle stir fry), I will make a note of them.
3. Call restaurant for options
If there aren’t any obvious meal options on the menu, I will often call the restaurant and ask whether
they can accommodate a vegan. Don’t feel like you are being a pain in the ass because restaurants actually like to get a heads up whenever possible, or so I’ve been told. I’ve never been turned away (not surprisingly), but I have received my fair share of enthusiastic promises (“Oh yes we can make anything you want!!”) only to get there and find out that the chef thinks a small plate of vegetables qualifies as a satisfying vegan dinner. It helps to be specific about what you would like. If there is a dish you have in mind (for example, a pizza or tofu stir-fry) don’t be afraid to ask if they can make it happen!
4. Ask if they have a vegetarian menu
Did you know that some restaurants have secret menus? What the heck! I discovered this only because my friend Heather told me that a local restaurant (Paradiso in Oakville) has a vegetarian menu. But guess what? They don’t even put the vegetarian menu on the table unless you ask for it. The horrors. I was so thankful that Heather told me about the menu because it has several vegetarian options and a delicious vegan option that I order every time I’m there (kinda obsessed with portobello steaks). I realize this isn’t the norm for restaurants to have separate menus, but it never hurts to ask and let them know that you’d love the option!
5. Get creative with sides
Sometimes vegetarian menu items can be made vegan quite easily by just replacing the butter for oil or
leaving off the cheese. If my options are limited I always ask if these swaps can be made. One thing I’ve done in the past is to order a few side dishes (asking them to hold the butter) to create a meal. A few sides of brown rice, beans, and veggies easily adds up to a balanced meal.
6. If you think options will be severely limited, eat beforehand
When I’ve done my research and suspect my options will be severely limited, I usually have a light meal beforehand to ensure that I don’t feel deprived at the restaurant. No big deal.
7. Seek out ethnic cuisines
Many cuisines have a lot of “naturally” vegan options or they can easily be modified. I absolutely love dining at Indian, Mexican, and Thai restaurants because they have so many options for me. Even dishes with cream can easily be made without impacting the overall flavour too much.
8. Try a fun beverage
Treat yourself to a fun non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink. Even if the food options are limited it will still feel
special to have a fun drink you normally wouldn’t have! [Side note: Barnivore is a good site for looking up vegan alcohol brands. Check out the apps too.]
9. Comment card or online review
As I was writing this, I asked myself…do restaurants even do comment cards these days? And then I realized, well, duh, people do online reviews! Silly me. Well, whether it’s a comment card or an online review, they are great ways to let your voice be heard. Feel free to ask for more vegan options – you can bet that most restaurant owners will be reading and taking note of common requests!
10. Don’t sweat it
I generally have low expectations when it comes to dining out at restaurants that aren’t veg-friendly, so I don’t let a less than stellar experience ruffle my feathers. Instead, I focus on the experience itself – the great company – and know that in the grand scheme of things it’s really not a big deal. Cheers to that.
Getting caught up on my How-to series? See these posts: Introduction (Why this series), How to make the transition, Replacing Dairy Milk, Homemade Oat Milk, Homemade Almond Milk
What have your experiences been like eating out as a vegan? I’d love to hear any tips you may have below!
Many chain restaurants also have an ‘allergies’ guide that can help you figure out what things contain things like dairy. When travelling in the USA, we usually head to Ruby Tuesday or the Olive Garden because they have those guides available.
I’ve also noticed that many waiters don’t know that the allergies guide even exists, I usually have to ask the hostess or manager.
Oh wow I haven’t seen anything like that around here…what a great idea.
Urbanspoon also has a main category for vegetarian restaurants, and if you pull one up it will tell you if it’s vegan friendly and list neighboring vegan friendly places. Sometimes easier to use as an app than Happy Cow, although I love the Happy Cow website.
Another great tip…man Im going to have to incorporate these websites at the bottom of my post!
I definitely pre-eat when I’m not going to vegan-friendly restaurant. I don’t want to be forced to eat unhealthy food such as french fries because of a lack of options!
Three other great restaurants with separate veg menus in Toronto are Khao San Road, Woodlot, and the Windsor Arms.
Thanks for the tips…I’ve been meaning to get to WA! Have you been? Havent heard of the others so I will look them up too.
I haven’t been to WA either but I’m dying to go for brunch! I love both Woodlot and Khao San Road, though!
There’s an Italian chain called Bertuccis that has a GREAT roasted veggie side plus seasonal dishes like roasted butternut squash with candies walnuts, roasted beets (hold the blue cheese), roasted mushrooms. Two sides for only $8 makes a great meal. That’s now our go-to restaurant. Look for it! Super yummy.
Hey everyone! If you’re in Guelph, Einstein’s Cafe will veganize anything on the menu! I was unsure that they would but they will replace any cheese with avocado, for example.
I miss Guelph :) Thanks for the tip!
Many restaurants also now have gluten-free menus if you ask!
Really? That is fun…do you know of any specifically that do? I’ll have to let my GF friend know.
Interestingly, Paradiso’s in Burlington (I just ate there on Friday) and although not gluten-free menu but great salad that is gluten-free and vegan at Spencer’s on the Waterfront in Burlington too. And of course Kind Food is gluten-free and I just got the newsletter – they expanded their seating!! Sunday brunch anyone?
Thanks Julie! Yes, brunch sounds like a great idea. :) I will need to celebrate once I have my manuscript handed in!
I’ve used both Happy Cow and Barnivore a lot since transitioning to a vegan diet. I also like to look up menus online ahead of time and having a plan on what I will order. Building your own meal using sides is a great idea as well. I have found that restaurants will accommodate if you just ask. The best advice I think though is to just relax, it’s not a big deal, enjoy the company.
Great tips, although it seems like eating before you go to the restaurant would be kind of disappointing! But you’re right – it should be all about the company!
great post! I’m a vegetarian who is flirting with veganism so this was very helpful :)
tr[i]b[e]cca
I am only a vegetarian and find eating out pretty difficult sometimes. I really wish restaurants would be very specific about what’s in their food. For instance, I ordered a house salad the other day and it came with a few slabs of pepperoni on top. Uh, not what I ordered, guys! It’s sad that I usually have to ask “Does this salad have any meat on it?” when just ordering a basic salad. Some restaurants are moving in the right direction, though!
I was going to say the same thing! Thankfully someone reviewed the restaurant and mentioned that the garden salad automatically comes with bacon bits. I was glad to know ahead and have them hold them…..wait staff couldn’t believe I wouldn’t want bacon bits!?!
Thanks so much for the post and other’s tips too!
Also, when traveling be sure to check out Veg Dining .com. It has helped me MANY times. Best thing…if you go to PETA business friends Veg Dining’s ad is under there and they give PETA a small donation for using them through PETA business friends. You just put in the town where you are and it tells you where the veg friendly places are.
Thanks for the tip, I’ve never heard of that site before but I’m off to look it up!
This is such a helpful post! I have used HappyCow for quite a while and find it to be very useful. I also like Tripadvisor as it allows you to select vegetarian in the search options. I found the.best.vegan restaurant in Paris on HappyCow.
Oh I didn’t know that about Tripadvisor, thanks for the tip :)
The biggest thing I’ve learned when dining out as a vegan is that you have to advocate for yourself. I’ve always been a soft-spoken person who wants to please others but in this instance, its not worth putting yourself in a situation at, say, a chain restaurant with only meat and cheese dishes. Whenever my friends are discussing where to go I make sure I suggest veg-friendly places instead of going with the flow and figuring out if I can eat anything when I get there.
Also, I honestly feel like you have to lower your expectations of what your meal will be. When I was vegetarian I was usually satisfied or excited with restaurant meals but now being vegan I’m usually disappointed because most things I order are so simple and I could make myself! Although I do think that Thai, Indian and Japanese meals out are always worth it because the spices and ingredients are so unique and interesting.
When I was strictly vegan, eating beforehand, and not sweating it were the two best things I could do and did. I realized that there may not always be a ton of options for me at a certain restaurant, but I was happy to be in the company of friends/family and out at the restaurant enjoying the atmosphere and their time and company. I could always eat a snack before or after if that one meal wasn’t perfect and left me not quite satisfied. It’s nice if there are great options, but sometimes there aren’t, so you just move on, work around it, and have a snack :)
When we moved to Texas last year & I’d ask what vegetarian options they have at restaurants, I got a lot of enthusiatic responses like “sure, we have plenty of chicken & fish!” Ummm–not exactly what I was looking for. I swear, they must think I have a third eye or something, judging by the way they look at me sometimes!
hah oh my gosh thank you for the laugh. I’ve had a similar comment before too. Are you near Dallas at all? I heard they have a lot of vegan restaurants.
No, but I’ll keep that in mind if I ever go there!
This is a great summary! Nobody ever believes me when I say that eating out isn’t a big deal and I can always find something on a menu – it just may be a salad :) With minimal fuss and attention drawn to myself, I am often satisfied and pleasantly surprised!
I do have some more tips:
1) In Indian restaurants, watch out for ghee. 95% of the time the curries are made with oil, but there’s the odd restaurant that uses ghee instead. Also, na’an bread is not vegan, but chapati is.
2) In Asian restaurants, make sure to specify that you do not want fish sauce or oyster sauce. Often these are used as a seasoning base, and the chef may not even think about it. But with this clarification I have enjoyed the most amazing curries, noodle dishes, and pho!
3) I have yet to find less than 5 options at a Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Lebanese, or Ethiopian restaurant. In fact, I am often overwhelmed with delicious choices!
4) If no vegetarian menu is available, check out the gluten free menu. “Gluten free” is the current fad, and while the general population don’t recognize the difference between gluten free and celiac, these same people often associate gluten free with vegetarian. The gluten free menu often has healthier sides as well – “fancy” rice, baked potatoes, crudités and beet hummus (vs. pita in butter), etc.
And I agree wholeheartedly – when in doubt, eat beforehand! Stashing granola bars and dried fruit in your purse are a good stopgap if you forget. But at the end of the day, enjoy the company that the meal comes with. And cook yourself a decadent five-course meal the next day to “recover” if required ;)
Amazing collection of tips Katie! Thanks for sharing.
Really great post!
I had a similar “secret menu” experience at Gordon Ramsay’s Pub in Las Vegas. I was trying to assemble a meal out of sides, and mentioned to the waitress that they didn’t have any vegetarian entrees. She says, Oh, we have a nightly vegetarian chef’s special, and goes on to describe it to me. It involved potatoes and brussels sprouts, polenta and fried thyme, it was awesome! I was a teensy bit irritated that I had to ask, but I guess it does pay!
Wow that sounds lovely! I always feel so special when I get the secret menu. hah
Although I’m not vegan (I don’t eat dairy, but do eat lean meat) I found this post very helpful. I often order a vegan or vegetarian meal when I’m eating out simply because I enjoy trying something new, and it is usually healthier than most items on the menu. It’s also shocking how many things have cheese on them! Even if it doesn’t say cheese in the description, always ask!
we can usually find something at every restaurant we eat at. I find going to asian food places the best for options. Also italian…most of them will make anything without cheese! and if we have to hit a subway or booster juice after…so be it. haha
i have noticed no negative effects to being vegan. All positive.