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!
Ooh thanks for this! I’m planning a trip for some friends who are vegans and didn’t know what restaurants to recommend without having to scour Yelp. You’ve likely just saved me a whole afternoon! :-) You ROCK!
Love this post. I’ve found eating out as a vegan to be so challenging, and often when I’m on vacation I end up cheating. Love your tip about having a fun drink so the meal is still special!
These are such great tips! WHen I was eating vegan, I found if I called ahead, 80% of the time the chef would prepare something especially for me… and 100% of the the time my friends thought I had the best food at the table! It forces creativity, which is often a beautiful thing. :)
I love these tips! Though I’m not a vegan, my boyfriend is a vegetarian, so I like to do my research before going out to places. I also like to choose vegetarian options when I’m out to eat as well, so having the research done ahead of time leads to a more enjoyable meal!
Great information Angela!
I’ve found myself becoming more and more comfortable eating out at non-vegan friendly restaurants. This likely comes from realizing that its not really that big of a deal (what you said in #10) – although it can feel like it sometimes, to see it as an opportunity to be creative and think outside of the box with dishes they have on their menu, and to be more open to questions from those I’m eating with as they see me creating my own dish rather than feeling embarassed or defensive. It finally dawned on me that if I love the things I eat so much why wouldn’t I want to tell others about it?! :)
Restaurants seem more than happy to accomodate, especially when asked kindly and with an extra big smile. :)
Hi Angela,
I really love reading this series and I am considering transitioning to a more vegan diet. However, I constantly have this worry about my health. I struggled with low iron as a vegetarian before but I know this was because I was not educated about nutrients and how to get them. I was wondering if you could do a post on how your health changed when you became vegan? Everyone says that they felt absolutely amazing after going vegan but what are the negative effects to look out for and how did you combat them? Would you mind sharing this experience? Thanks!
And thanks for this post :)
I would love this too. I have been a strict vegan for three years and it took having my nails go brittle and my hair falling out (even though I did have some initial positive side effects) to surrender to the fact that I could not be a french fries and boca burger kind of vegan. It took a while to get there, but I had to find out the hard way that things like seeds, nutritional yeast, and crazy varieties of grains and produce had to be part of the deal – that it wasn’t enough to just not eat meat, dairy and eggs. Now I have my health (and my hair), and all the positive health benefits of being a vegan. It was not – however – easy to get there and I think a post of this kind would be helpful.
If you click on “My Story” at the top, you will she see she explains this. =)
Thanks for the suggestion Laura, I hope to explore this more throughout my series! In the meantime, you can check out resources/guides online (I think vegetarian resource group has a guide, if I recall) and consider speaking with your doc.
Thanks! These tips are exactly the way I approach dining out! It is actually pretty neat how many chefs are willing to try their hand at something vegan, just to get a chance to do something different and express their creativity.
Also, I was very pleasantly surprised that all the restaurants at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas have vegan options, as Steve Wynn is now a vegan. I had a wonderful lunch there with absolutely no stress about conveying how my food needed to be prepared–they knew just what to do and did a wonderful job. :)
I had a great meal at one of his restaurants too. :) A very pleasant surprise!
I’ve heard about this Wynn Hotels vegan options thing, that is so great!
I don’t think I’ve ever been to Las Vegas, good to know for future though
Oh the Wynn….such amazing vegan food!
Las Vegas has multiple vegan options. In the Mandalay Place between the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Luxor you will find Slice of Vegas (pizza and pasta) and Hussongs (Mexican) which are both run by the same company and they have vegan and gluten free menus.
Any words of wisdom for assuring the friends you celebrate with that no, you’re not “on” a diet, no, you’re not miserable, or yes, you really did eat before hand? Or more importantly, that they should not feel guilty about not accommodating your preferences?
I gave up trying to please everyone a long time ago. You really just have to do what’s best for you. If you are happy and healthy, they will hopefully see that!
I agree with Angela – the more you act like you are having a good time, the more people will believe you. Those that don’t – well, that is there problem. My boss, for example, loves steak, and nearly every client dinner/lunch ends up at a steak place. I order whatever I like/come up with that is not meat related, and it almost always works out that no one cares what I’m eating. Having a canned response on hand if anyone asks helps, too.
This is a great post! I use to be vegetarian, but have added chicken back into my diet, mostly for ease of other people. I got so tired of being unable to eat anything on the menu, or to not be able to eat anything at dinner parties. I am amazed with the dedication it takes to eat a vegan diet! Good for you.
This is definitely helpful! I was surprised to learn that Chili’s has a menu with a list of foods that are vegetarian (they are from the normal menu, but it makes the whole process easier). You can find it on their website.
Thanks for this Angela! I was just trying to figure out how, as the only vegan, I was going to manage brunch with the girls this upcoming weekend. I find lunch or dinner at any restaurant can be pretty easily accommodated to a vegan meal. I typically order a plain baked potato, a large salad (no dressing) and salsa on the side to pour over both the potato and the salad. However, I have found breakfast/brunch to be a bit more challenging, because I also have a gluten sensitivity. Last time I simply ordered two of the side fruit bowls and it was very satisfying. But I think I’ll take your advice and call ahead to ask for something specific.
I’ve also found that a lot of chain restaurants have allergy menus, where they list every ingredient in each meal, making it easier to identify any animal products.
Thanks so much for such a great series!
Happy Cow has an app too. I find it useful when I’m out and about – because it let’s you know what’s close to you – and has reviews! Also urban spoon app is awesome too – it has a vegetarian option in the search!!
Great round up!
Thanks for the tip, I can’t believe I don’t have that app yet… must download!
I recently found an iphone/ipad app called HealthyOut that shows restaurants, dishes, and maps the location of veg-friendly restaurants. LOVE it! Just used it yesterday while traveling with my hubby. You can set your diet on the app so it will find friendly restaurants for you. Not just for veg-friendly – also has paleo, diabetic, gluten-free, high protein, and many other options. :)
I have had such poor service at restaurants here in Scotland as a vegan and it makes me furious, I really have to remember that you eat out for the company not (always) for the food. Will have to remember that next time!
I have to admit also that a secret part of me almost enjoys receiving a plate of plain veggies, I love knowing that I can make easily make something better, and am therefore better at cooking than most chefs ;)
hah that’s too funny!
I got served steamed vegetables regularly when I was in France. I had high expectations from Michelin chefs, but apparently they’re not interested in being creative!
Love this post! I am pretty good about looking beforehand, but I’ve found one of the best things to do is be nice to the waitstaff! If they find a friend in you, they will be more likely to advocate for you in the back of the house : )
Yes, I’ve found the same thing too!
Secret menus!? That is a good thing to know. I don’t eat out very often, but there are 2 or 3 places that I can go to without any worries every time. If I’m traveling, happycow is always my best friend, and I’ve yet to find a restaurant where I could eat absolutely nothing.
I’ve worked as a server in several restaurants (one vegetarian, currently work at a local family-style Italian restaurant). Calling ahead is always, always a good idea. At least so they can let us (the servers) now that we should anticipate a special order.
On the flip side, don’t be disappointed if you go to a place that doesn’t advertise as vegan/vegetarian and all we can offer is a salad. I was yelled at (full on screaming from the customer) in college when the only vegan/vegetarian dish we could offer was a larger portion of the side salad. It was a seafood restaurant. All our sides had seafood/bacon in them and even the warm prepared vegetables were cooked using seafood stock/broth. It was an unfortunate situation that could have been prevented had the customer called ahead.
Most of the time a dish may appear to be meat/dairy free but some sort of chicken/veal/seafood stock was used in the cooking process. As a server it’s our job to let you know that so please ask about how the food was prepared if you’re unsure.
Great list Angela! I agree about calling ahead. Lots of menus online have wonderful mouth watering veg that come with the steak or chicken or fish entree. I call ahead to find out if those specifically mentioned that I am interested in are without butter/cheese/milk/stock, etc. (I find people don’t always know what vegan means but I am in TX too:). Still not a complete guarantee but have had good experiences. Thanks Angela for the inspiration!
Great post!
I love ethnic cuisines. Eat at them all the time. =)
This is a great post! Eating out can definitely be tough being vegan, but I think a lot of restaurants are becoming much more understanding. Ethnic cuisines definitely do the trick! :)
I just found out that every single restaurant inside of the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas has Vegan menus available…..all you have to do is ask!! I have been meat-free for over a year, and my hubby just turned Vegan recently too, so we want to plan a trip to Vegas to eat at all the restaurants, LOL.
Ahhh yes they do….someone told me that when we were there last time and I was over the moon. The buffets also had a lot of vegan options. very expensive, but a fun treat!