There’s something weirdly beautiful about seeing a city bloom with plant-based love. You smell tofu frying, hear the clatter of oat milk lattes, and spot ten people wearing “plants not pain” shirts in under five minutes. That’s not just a trend. That’s a movement with roots deep as a banyan tree.
Being vegan isn’t just munching on celery anymore. It’s art, culture, survival, kindness—all mashed into your falafel wrap. And some cities? They just get it. You walk in and it’s like, yep, this place was made for the green-hearted.
Here are 7 cities where the vegan soul doesn’t just survive—it thrives, sings, dances, and probably makes its own cashew cheese too.
1. Berlin, Germany – Where Doner Meets Seitan
Berlin is punk rock with a side of kale. It doesn’t try too hard—it just is vegan. It’s that friend who shows up late, wearing a second-hand leather jacket (don’t worry, faux), holding kombucha, and quoting Hannah Arendt.
They’ve got over 600 vegan-friendly spots. That’s not a number, that’s a lifestyle. You can literally eat a different cruelty-free meal every day for two years and not repeat. Berlin’s got entire supermarkets—like Veganz—that don’t sell a single animal product. Not even a crumb of cheese. Nada.
There’s vegan currywurst. Vegan schnitzel. Even vegan döner kebabs that’ll make you forget lamb ever existed. Plus, their coffee culture is strong. And soy milk? Never extra. Berliners wouldn’t dare.
The city’s messy, artsy, and full of stories. If cities had tattoos, Berlin’s would say: “Powered by Plants.”
2. Tel Aviv, Israel – Falafel Kingdom, Baby
Let’s be real—Tel Aviv didn’t choose the vegan life. The vegan life just made sense here. The city runs on hummus and tahini. It practically drips olive oil. It’s warm, sunny, and smells like za’atar. Being vegan here isn’t niche—it’s normal.
Over 5% of Israelis are vegan. That’s, like, wild. People don’t just eat vegan—they live it. The army even offers vegan boots now. Try topping that.
You can stroll along the beach and grab shawarma made entirely from jackfruit. They even got Domino’s to offer vegan pizza with gooey non-dairy cheese—Tel Avivians do not mess around.
Everywhere you look, there’s a vegan café, a cruelty-free shoe store, a yoga class under a palm tree. The energy here? It’s like if sunshine and chickpeas had a baby. Glorious.
3. Portland, Oregon – Beards, Bikes & Broccoli
Portland is like that old friend who went off-grid, grew dreadlocks, and now runs a co-op in the forest. And honestly? They’re thriving. There’s something in the rainwater here that grows amazing vegans.
This city wears its plant-based pride on its compostable sleeves. It’s all “keep Portland weird,” but also, “keep Portland cruelty-free.” There’s a punk café that only serves vegan donuts and hosts poetry slams on Tuesdays. Swear to oats.
Everything’s local. The veggies have names. The barista probably grows their own mushrooms. You’ll see “gluten-free,” “dairy-free,” and “soy-free” labels on menus so detailed they might as well include star signs.
Even their food carts—dozens of ’em parked like edible galaxies—serve up vegan Korean BBQ, jackfruit tacos, or plantain burgers that slap so hard you forget meat even exists. You come to Portland for the food, but you stay for the community.
And yeah, the air smells a bit like kale chips and essential oils. No shame in that.
4. London, UK – Proper Plant-Based, Innit
You wouldn’t think it, but London’s got plant-based swagger. Not the polite cucumber-sandwich kind. More like the moody teenager who went vegan to protest climate change and now runs a food truck in Shoreditch.
The scene here is massive. We’re talking vegan pubs, vegan butcher shops (yup, that’s a thing), and full-on vegan afternoon teas with scones so fluffy it’s borderline witchcraft.
Greggs—yes, that Greggs—launched a vegan sausage roll, and the country collectively lost its mind. That’s power. That’s beans-on-toast level cultural impact.
There’s also depth. West African vegan stews. Indian vegan curries that’ll have you crying (in a good way). Everything’s a beautiful, chaotic mash-up of cultures—and London pulls it off like a champ.
Rainy days taste better when your belly’s full of cruelty-free pie and mash.
5. Chiang Mai, Thailand – Temples and Tofu, Please
Chiang Mai is gentle. You land, and it’s like the air itself hugs you. This little gem in northern Thailand has long been a haven for digital nomads, yogis, and backpackers who forgot to go home.
But here’s the thing—they get plants. Deeply. Thai cuisine already leans heavy on veggies, herbs, and coconut everything. But Chiang Mai takes it up a notch. It’s not trying to be trendy. It just… flows.
There are street stalls selling banana blossom salad. Cafés where you sip pandan tea and munch mango sticky rice made with coconut milk so rich it should have its own Netflix special.
Monks eat plant-based. That’s just how it is. Buddhism has always emphasized compassion toward animals. So veganism here? It’s not hipster. It’s holy.
There’s even the “Jay” tradition—a sort of Thai-Chinese vegetarianism with no animal products, no onions, no garlic. Just good vibes and better food.
6. Los Angeles, California – The Glamorous Green Dream
Welcome to La La Land, where kale is king and everyone has a side hustle selling hemp-based energy bars. LA doesn’t just like veganism—it markets it like a blockbuster film.
Celebs, influencers, gym rats, yogis—they’re all munching on vegan burritos while discussing breathwork and NFTs. The air smells like eucalyptus and ambition.
But real talk, LA delivers. It’s not just salads. It’s innovation on a plate. Think beet burgers that bleed, seaweed caviar, and vegan sushi rolls that actually taste better than the fishy original.
You’ll find 5-star vegan restaurants where dinner costs more than your rent, but also cozy cafés tucked away in Venice that’ll serve you a jackfruit taco for $5 and a smile. And you’ll swear it’s better than any meat one you ever had.
There’s even a Vegan Street Fair. Streets shut down for cruelty-free snacks. It’s loud, sunny, and unapologetically extra.
LA doesn’t do subtle. But it does do vegan.
7. Melbourne, Australia – Down Under, Way Up There
Melbourne’s like if a barista and a poet had a lovechild and fed it nothing but smashed avo and hope. The city is soulful. And it’s hungry for change.
It’s one of the most progressive food cities in the world. Which means—of course—veganism is thriving. From Fitzroy’s grungy art-filled cafés to Brunswick’s chilled-out leafy patios, plant-based menus are just standard.
They have vegan pubs with live music. Vegan ice cream trucks roaming the streets. Even vegan parmas—Australia’s beloved chicken parmigiana, but made with eggplant or seitan and absolutely no regrets.
It’s the kind of city where you can get a turmeric latte, lentil wrap, and a side of ethical fashion—all on the same street. And somehow it doesn’t feel like too much. Just feels right.
And don’t forget the coffee. If good coffee is religion, Melbourne is the holy city. And they’ve got every plant milk under the sun.
The Plant-Based Planet Is Growing
These cities? They aren’t fads. They’re seeds of a future that tastes good and feels good. They prove you don’t have to give up culture, flavor, or community to live compassionately.
You can still have your burger. Just maybe made from black beans instead of beef. You can travel, feast, and live loud—without hurting anything. Not even a bee.
This isn’t about labels. It’s about love. For animals. For the Earth. For ourselves. And these 7 cities? They’re leading the way, forks first.
So next time you’re packing your bags, maybe ask: Where can I get the best vegan pho, pasta, or pancake stack? ‘Cause trust me—the answer says a lot more than a tourist brochure ever could.
And hey. Don’t forget your reusable straw.
