An Industrial Poland Vegan Adventure – Vegan in Katowice and Gliwice – Plant-Powered Nomad

Poland. They’re all about the sausage. Or at least, that’s what my friends who live in Poland like to tell me. Being Vegan in Poland, or even vegan in Katowice and Gliwice, though, is a piece of vegan cake. Or a easy as vegan pie. Or as simple as vegan pierogi. Oh no, wait, that’s not a saying… moving quickly on, here is my guide to vegan food in Gliwice and Katowice.

Like most countries, the larger cities have plenty of vegan options. On this particular trip, though, I wasn’t in the big cities, I was visiting a friend in Gliwice. Gliwice is a pretty anonymous but nonetheless nice small city in upper Silesia, and home to just under 200,000 people – mainly Polish, with the occasional English teacher dotted amongst them. The English level in Poland is pretty high, so it wasn’t too much of an issue finding food and I taught myself to read the basic non-vegan ingredients so I could read labels on biscuits etc. It’s worth taking ten minutes to do this, especially if you’re travelling on through Central/Eastern Europe as there are similarities/crossovers with other Slavonic languages like Czech and Serbo-Croatian.

Vegan – wegańskie
Vegetarian – wegetariański
Milk – mleko
Lactose – laktoza
Whey powder – serwatka w proszku
Yoghurt – jogurt
Egg – jajka/jajo
Cheese – ser

And if you want to eat out in either Gliwice or Katowice, here are some suggestions:

ZIELONY MOST BISTRO – VEGAN – KATOWICE

I was so excited to find this relatively new restaurant in Katowice, the first all-vegan restaurant in the city. When we went to visit it was one day after International Women’s Day and so I was offered a free glass of wine, which was available to all women that week. They offer a decent range of vegan, organic wines and beers included a smoked banana beer that I tried later in the evening. Sounds weird, but tastes pretty decent and not at all like bananas, thankfully! The menu is constantly changing and improving, so instead of a paper menu you have to check the chalk board. It’s not in English but the lovely staff are more than happy to translate and offer recommendations. The restaurant is dog friendly, and they support a local dog shelter and provide food and water for visiting canines.

The food itself is excellent – very tasty, decent portion sizes, creative, and very reasonably priced. The only part of the meal that I felt let the restaurant down was the dessert, but considering the work they’re putting into constantly improving the menu I have no doubt that chef will develop excellent desserts in no time at all.

I tried the leek rosti with roast sweet potatoes and an avocado dip, and it was divine. My friend had the big vegetable burger – apart from the fact that I love the name, it was also excellent. A hearty and healthy vegan burger.

Taste rating: healthy, satisfying, full of flavour.
Would I return?: Definitely

MIHIDERKA – VEGAN – GLIWICE

Mihiderka is also a pretty new restaurant, and it the first fully vegan restaurant in Gliwice. The menu isn’t in English here, either, but one of the staff members has excellent English and will happily translate and help you choose if you’re stuck between all the options. Mihiderka has a large range of burgers, and some veganized variations of Polish food. I had the Zapiekane which was similar to a shepherd’s pie but with lentils, and I then had the tofu baked cheesecake to finish. My friend had the sweet potato burger and an IPA beer. While I was waiting for my Zapiekane they gave me a salad to keep me busy, standard procedure for the Zapiekane as it takes a little longer.

The only thing I wasn’t sold on was the cheesecake, but then I’m not a fan of baked tofu cheesecakes in general – I’ve never especially found one that manages to disguise the savoury texture. Otherwise, everything was tasty and the portions we large. The price was exceptionally reasonable. We left stuffed and happy, and ready to deal with the cold outside.

Taste rating: good enough to pretend it wasn’t cold outside, and to blanket my spirit and soul with warm feelings for when I stepped back out into the freezing weather.
Would I return?: absolutely, in fact I met another vegan who lives in Gliwice who goes every day, and I can see why.

BO TAK WEGE PRZESTRZEN – VEGETARIAN – KATOWICE

Bo Tak is a more established vegetarian restaurant, with vegan alternatives and options clearly marked on the menu. I liked the venue a lot, as it seems small downstairs but is light, airy and spacious upstairs with a lot of tables. The waitress was friendly and helpful. We didn’t have much time here, so we only tried one dish which was the mushrooms stuffed with olives and vegan cheese. We had to wait a little longer as the waitress told us the first one they made was too small, so because we were sharing she’d sent it back. This was very considerate of her, but the dish that arrived made us both wonder how small the first one was that this one was bigger! Each of the mushrooms was the width of my thumb. They were nice but not exceptional, but I’d like to try a few more things off the menu.

Taste rating: like mushrooms, olives and vegan cheese.
Would I return?: They did a good soy latte, so I’d go back for coffee and to try a different meal, but I wasn’t especially impressed by how many vegan options there were on the menu, and thought the mushrooms were overpriced for the size.

ZŁOTY OSIOŁ – VEGETARIAN – GLIWICE

We went here for lunch, and of all the places it’s definitely my favourite for the decor. The food is a buffet with clearly marked labels in all dishes stating if they’re vegan or vegetarian, and if they’re gluten free. At least 50% of the dishes were vegan, and they were extremely well priced although the portion size seems to vary.

My friend ordered the goulash, and got a plateful, while I ordered a vegetable slice of sorts, and it was considerably smaller. There’s a free salad bar that you can help yourself to once you’ve ordered a dish, but being Poland everything is pickled and fermented. The food was good and hearty.

Taste rating: like a home cooked meal on a cold winter day.
Would I return?: For a cheap lunch that will fill me up for the afternoon, definitely.

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Vegan Madrid – the cake and burger edition – Plant-Powered Nomad

Honestly, Madrid as a city didn’t excite me that much. Sandwiched in my trip between the beautiful, romantic cities and winding streets of Seville and Barcelona, it seemed a little… meh. Except for one thing: the vegan food. While most of Spain has a definite paucity of vegan food, Madrid’s vegan scene appears to be booming. Here’s my selection of what and where you need to eat when you’re visiting the capital, depending on the mood you’re in. Except, for some reason, I was permanently in a burger mood. And then I was confused today when I looked in the mirror at my expanded waistline. Totally worth it though.

BEST GOURMET BURGER – VIVA BURGERS

This is a birthday or special occasion sort of place, or a ‘I want to taste on of the best vegan burgers in the world, because I’m just worth it’ place. Don’t be deceived by their size in the pictures, these burgers are massive. And the frustrating thing is, their starters are also pretty amazing, so you’re going to need room in your stomach. As an appetiser we had the spinach and…… croquettes, which tasted much healthier than the other croquettes I tasted in Madrid, but were delicious in their own right. We dipped them in ali oli sauce, and then when the croquettes ran out I may or may not have eaten the rest of sauce with the spoon when I thought no one was looking. When it came to the burger options we had trouble deciding, they all looked so good! In the end, though, we settled on the…. and the… with an added slab of smoked vegan cheese. Despite the names of real cheese (including Emmental and blue cheese) being on the menu, it is in fact a 100% vegan restaurant. They were utterly delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. If this was my last meal… I’d die happy.

Cost: €13.50 + €1 for extra cheese per burger. €2.80 for a glass of wine, and €6.50 for the croquettes.
Taste rating: like angels dancing across my tastebuds.
Would I return?: wild horses couldn’t keep me away.

BEST FAST FOOD STYLE BURGER – B13 BAR

It me three tries to find B13 open. Why haven’t I learned to check the opening times, yet? When I got there, they didn’t disappoint. They don’t accept card, but you won’t need much cash to fill yourself up here. I’ve a little bit fallen in love with croquettes, so they were an obvious order, along with onion rings and fries that were generous portions and pleasantly crispy. The burger patties were mock meat, Frys – unless I’m mistaken – but I use the same brand myself for the burgers I make at home, so I was perfectly content with them.

Cost: €20 for 2 drinks, 2 burgers, onion rings, a side of fries and croquettes, enough to stuff both of us.
Taste rating: like your guilty little secret turned into fast food, and wasn’t so little anymore.
Would I return?: oh hell yes.

BEST ATMOSPHERE – OVEJA NEGRA

I have a soft spot for vegan places that are full of dogs and t-shirts/pins/patches for sale. It’s not somewhere I’d take my parents, but I’d go there like a shot for a drink and some food with my friends. As we ate, a pug in a silly coat ran around happily getting attention from everyone, and then a greyhound in a jacket arrived who was clearly a regular. Trying to stray away from the burger habit I’ve got myself into, I ordered the chorizo in cider tomato sauce, and the croquettes (that’s not a habit I’m abandoning anytime soon. Anyone got a good recipe for when I leave the country?). Spain being Spain, we were given a basket of bread top mop up the sauce with. My couchsurfing host ordered the burger, which looked decent.

Cost: €20 for 2 drinks and our food.
Taste rating: like it needs some good company and great chat to complete the perfect evening out.
Would I return?: yep, and I’d bring my dog. (That I don’t have, anyone want to lend me one?)

BEST TAPAS/LUNCH MENU – VEGA

Or… best non-burger option, judging by everything I ate in Madrid. I went here twice after B13 foiled me the second time, and we needed somewhere close by for lunch so I decided on a revisit. The first time we had the seitan steak with roast vegetables, and the patatas bravas, the second time was for lunch so it was the set menu – a choice between 2 of each of the starters, mains and desserts. We all chose the seitan kebab and the chocolate liquor dessert. The kebab came with roasted vegetables, which were delicious, and was a more refined kebab compared to, say, the sort at Vöner in Berlin. It was delicious.

Cost: €11.90 for 3 courses on the lunch menu, €7.90 for two. Mains for around €8.
Taste rating: like the Tyrell’s crisps of kebabs and steak plates.
Would I return?: I did already.

BEST COFFEE AND CAKE – CELICIOSO

Celicioso are totally gluten free, and have a clearly marked vegan section on the menu. A chocolate cupcake, a chocolate raspberry one, both of those in cake form, and a carrot cupcake. We remain a little unsure of what’s actually in this, considering the vegan and gluten free aspect (I did ask later, they’re rice flour), but they taste delicious. Actually I went back the next day. They’re vegan gluten free, so they don’t have calories, right?

Cost: about €2.80 for the cupcakes and €3.20 for the cake.
Taste rating: like magical fairy candyfloss in the shape of a cupcake.
Would I return?: I went back a day later and got the cake…

Have you been to Madrid? Anywhere I really should have gone? I got into a bit of a burger loop, I must admit… let me know in the comments below.

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Calçotada festival! A burnt onion street party in Barcelona – Plant-Powered Nomad

On the way to Barcelona, my Blablacar driver told me about this Catalonian food I had to eat called Calçots. “It’s these grilled onions, in sauce,” he said. I smiled politely, not really having a clue what he meant, and not thinking it sounded appetising enough to remember. The next day, however, I got a message from The Vegan Word saying her street is having a Calçotada party, there’s a vegan menu, and do I want a ticket. ‘Calçotadas…’ I thought. That sounds familiar, isn’t that the oniony thing?

Calçots cooking on the fire, photo by Caitlin from The Vegan Word

Sunday morning arrives and the street party committee office is a hive of activity. Yes, there’s actually a street party committee office (in what appears to be a large garage filled with papier mache animal heads from a previous event). By early afternoon, tables have appeared and already a crowd has formed. At 2.30, when we head out to find a seat before the 2.45 kick off, the street is swarming with people and it’s only with great difficulty and a lot of negotiating in Spanish that we can find two empty seats. Somebody, clearly cannier than us, brought their own uncooked potatoes in a bowl. I’m not sure what they were going to do with them, but there they were, on the table.

Kicking off

Bread arrived, wine arrived, and after a while hot, blackened Calçots wrapped in newspaper arrived. Calçots are a variety of spring onion that are larger, sweeter and milder. Apparently they were created by peasant farmer Xat de Benaiges at the turn of the 20th century in Valls in Tarragona Province, although their origin is disputed.

Calçots incoming.

Normally a festival held in country villages in Catalonia, it was a little odd to see a street in Central Barcelona fenced off for a barbecue. They were served with the traditional romesco sauce, and slices of bread. As an alternative to the sausages, vegans and vegetarians were provided with a potato, an artichoke, and some roasted peppers.

Calçots wrapped in their newspapers.

To eat the Calçots, you have to peel off the black outer layers with your hands, getting the burned bits everywhere. Then you dip the fleshy inner into the sauce, again using your hands to mount a decent amount of nutty tomato goodness on the stem. Then you tip back your head, lift the whole thing high into the air, and lower it down into your mouth. Bite, chew, swallow, repeat. It will probably help if you bring a bib, and some baby wipes for afterwards when your hands turn everything you touch black.

In full swing of peeling, dipping and eating.

The normal number to eat is 15. I stalled at 12. It was a lot of onion, but Caitlin managed the full 15 like an allium eating trooper. Whoever was DJing was having the time of their life – hopping from Coldplay, to Classical, to Salsa, to Reggae before you could say ‘mas pan por favor!’ The whole experience cost us €10 each, however if you don’t like to display your onion eating skills in the public outdoors, you can travel to New York and have the experience recreated for only $100 a head. If you want to stay local, visit Catalonia in February or March to catch the Calçotada season.

¡Salud!

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Vegan restaurants in London – a guide for every budget – Plant-Powered Nomad

London was my first city after Asia, and my return to Western Vegan food. I could have happily spent weeks exploring the vegan restaurants in London, and I’ll certainly be adding to this list in the future. For now, though, here’s my guide to vegan restaurants in London, for whatever budget you’re on and mood you’re in. Enjoy!

High End

Vegan fine dining isn’t something I’m that experienced in, but how could I not check out some of the most iconic vegetarian restaurants while I was here? A two course meal for two, plus a bottle of wine/a drink each will set you back around £60+, but it’s worth it for both the food and the experience.

MILDRED’S, SOHO – vegetarian

I heard there’s a second one opening up soon, which considering the queues at the one in Soho is no bad thing. They don’t take bookings so if you’re a person who gets hangry, make sure you arrive a good while before the murderous rage sets in. There’s a small bar area inside where you can drink a bottle of wine – vegan ones are clearly marked – and expected waiting time for a table is a little under an hour. Once you’re seated there’s a fast turn around so you should get your food pretty quickly. I had the mushroom Wellington, and my friend had the Sri Lankan curry. The menu was excellent, decently priced and filling, and had a lot of vegan options.

VANILLA BLACK, COVENT GARDEN – vegetarian

Most of the restaurants on this list go for the light, open, airy feel – Vanilla Black has heavier decor and once you enter the door, communication with the outside world stops. No phone signal, no wifi, no data. This is an excellent combat for anti-social dining companions who are obsessive phone checkers, but it’s not so great if you or the person you’re meeting is running late and could lead to ‘I’ve been stood up!’ panic.

We were provided with an all vegan menu, which was extremely gratifying. The food has so many components I think some must have been distilled or vaporised to fit them all into such tiny servings. It was a dining experience of the sort I haven’t had since becoming vegan – where every morsel matters. I had the cauliflower ‘Goats’ Cheese, Fennel Pollen and Pistachio with Apple Puree, Fennel and Rainbow Chard, and my companion had the Fried Mushrooms, Sweetcorn and Tarragon Sponge with Pickled Mooli and Crumbs. I still don’t quite know what Mooli is, but it tasted good. Mine tasted unnervingly like goats cheese, which I liked but probably isn’t for some people. Dessert was Roasted Apple Sorbet with Somerset Brandy Syrup and Cinnamon Hundreds ‘n’ Thousands with Toasted Oat Custard and Crumbs for me, and Peanut Butter Cheesecake and Cracked Cocoa Bean with Caramelised Banana Purée. The peanut butter cheesecake was delicious, the sorbet I wasn’t sold on. I would have liked a little more flavour and punch to some of the dishes, but overall Vanilla Black is worth the experience if you’re in London and want to try vegetarian haute cuisine at one of the most prestigious vegetarian restaurants.

THE GATE – ISLINGTON/HAMMERSMITH – vegetarian

If you’re meeting a friend at The Gate, don’t do what I did and go to the wrong one. There’s nothing like getting to Hammersmith half an hour late and flustered after train delays, getting confused but not questioning that your party doesn’t have a reservation, and being seated before realising there are two restaurants, and you should be in Islington. ‘You’re in the wrong one, because it’s a big room and I would be able to see you…’ is never a fun text to receive from the other side of London.

Once you find the right place and are seated, however, the menu is excellent and the service is friendly. The starters were, to my mind, a little more exciting and creative than the mains – not that the mains weren’t also wonderful. We shared the Carciofini – baby artichoke filled with wild mushroom duxelles and dolcelatte served with puy lentil salsa and garlic aioli, which is one of the best things I’ve eaten, ever, and the Plantain Fritters filled with carrot, sultanas, mint and pine nuts served with chipotle and blueberry sauce and crispy fennel and pomegranate salad.

WILD FOOD CAFE – COVENT GARDEN – vegetarian

Mostly vegan, Wild Food café has a menu that focuses heavily on raw and nutrient packed food. There are little delicacies here to try like homemade coconut ‘bacon’ and vegan coconut cheese. The ingredients are organic, locally sourced, and they try to include wild locally foraged food. I had the Wild Winter Burger, and the patty was one of the most delicious I’ve ever tried, made from shiitake, olive and quinoa.

Photos courtesy of Wild Food Cafe.

Mid-range

A meal here will set you back around £10 for a main, and have found ways to be more affordable – either by being buffet style or more of a cafe. However, they’re also places you can still go for a nice meal and a catch up wth friends or family. For a main, a dessert and a drink you’re looking at around £15-£20 a head.

VANTRA VITAO – OXFORD STREET – vegan

I love this restaurant. The ingredients are seasonal, organic, and locally sourced. The waste they produce is minimal. And it’s central: right on Oxford Street. For this location, you can’t argue with the price. They have a buffet, set meals, and raw sugar free desserts. If you like raw food, oily food, comfort food, curries, pasta… they’ve got it all. And after a year and a half of tired, endlessly reheated and greasy buffet vegan food in Asia Vantra reintroduced the glory and potential of buffets to me. Their food was fresh, full of flavour, comforting… I took a little bit of everything and there wasn’t a single thing I disliked.

222 VEGGIE VEGAN – WEST BROMPTON – vegan

Another warm and scrummy vegan buffet. Not as much choice as Vantra Vitao, but it’s also not as expensive (all you can eat) and you can get it to take away for a cheaper price. Even my non-veggie and rather picky teenage nieces and nephew found food they liked. I particularly liked the creamy pasta and the lasagne, my only grumble was that both two times I had the beetroot and carrot salad it was very over salted to the point of me not finishing it. Everything else was delicious.

And if you get nothing else, get a dessert. Don’t fall for the trap of the all you can eat buffet and fill your stomach up. The cake, and especially the chocolate cake, is some of the finest that I’ve tasted. Rich, gooey, moist, warm and optionally with a dollop of ice cream sitting on top and melting down the sides. Need I say more?

INSPIRAL LOUNGE – CAMDEN – vegan

CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

When I arrived here for a reunion lunch with a friend I had with me my small backpack which I was living out of for three days, as well as my camera case. I was also kind of tired. And my boots were still wet from the night before (the F.a.B bus night, see description below). It was my first time in Camden – and I was completely unprepared for the Yummy Mummy lunchtime rush that hits the trendy cafes around this area. I was a little late for the lunch because I got lost in the market and a crowd of tourists. Sigh. When I had finished being flustered and crashing my bags into strollers worth more than everything I own, and having discussions with mums about their toddler’s development when waiting to order, I finally sat down with food.* It was surprisingly fast to arrive considering how busy the cafe was, and the staff seemed run off their feet. They’d run out of the raw burger which was what I really wanted, so I got a regular one instead which was good (especially the fries) but the bread was a little dry.

Unfortunately I’ve just seen that they’re closed, which is strange because they were heaving when I visited. Keep an eye out of their page as there’s a chance they’re reopening in new premises, and you can still order food from their website.

*disclaimer about these reviews: after a year and a half in Asia, adjusting to the London vegan scene has been a bit of a culture and budget shock.

Budget Fare

You can get out for under £10 in these places. Good for a lunch or light meal with friends. And they all have a certain… quirk.

BONNINGTON CAFÉ – VAUXHALL – vegetarian

Bonnington Café is an old school veggie restaurant opened in the 1980s, and it hasn’t changed much since then. A main costs £8 and the two options change everyday depending on the chef. This makes it a little hit and miss. The night I went with a friend was perhaps a little more miss – I’m not too sure the combination of raw zucchini noodles, roast potatoes and salad worked – but my friend was very happy with her curry. It’s BYOB which keeps it cheap, and the dessert was a raw chocolate torte which was delicious. Even though the mains were a little curious, I like the original idea behind Bonnington and would happily go back on a different night to see what else is produced. Although it says it’s vegetarian, everything was vegan on the night I went.

JUST F.a.B BUS – HACKNEY – vegan

It was tipping it down with rain the night we went here. Full scale pouring. The plan was a meal here then a night on Brick Lane, but by the time my feet were soaked, my ankles were soaked, and my calves were starting to get wet too… we called it a night and went back. Just F.a.B, however, was worth braving the rain. I left my camera at home, so if you want to see pictures you’ll have to click on the link. It’s a bus. An actual London bus, turned into a restaurant. The portions are a little small so if you’re hungry get a side too, but the prices are decent, the food is tasty (especially the lasagne) and the service is cheerful. Highly recommended, and then you can tell people at cocktail parties “this one time I ate vegan lasagne on the top deck of a London bus.” Because that’s always a conversation starter.

VEGAN HIPPO – SOHO – vegan

CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE*

I just found out Vegan Hippo are closed at the time of writing this, which is a shame. They do good food and excellent cake, but they need to get their service a little more organised. Is it table service? Do we order at the counter? What’s happening? Hello, eye contact…? A friendly welcome and being told how the place works would be nice. The decor is fun and quirky, and the hot dog I had was good although a little heavy on the mustard. If they open again, let me know.

*I can’t quite believe that TWO places on this list are closed now!

Dessert

COOKIES AND SCREAM – CAMDEN – vegan

If you go to London and don’t visit Cookies and Scream, a completely vegan and gluten free bakery, you’ve missed out. The brownies in particular are amazing. On my first trip I had the sticky date and almond brownie, which was incredible, and on my second I had their award winning chocolate brownie. Oh my. There are no words to describe it. You just have to go there. Now.

Takeaway vegan food

THE VILLAGE PIZZA – SOUTH LONDON (SURBITON) – vegan options

If it’s cold, wet, windy and you want to stay at home and order a pizza with vegan cheese and mock meats (the full unhealthy option, if you know what I mean) then look no further. They have a special vegan menu with quite a few options, and it reminded me of pre-vegan hungover university days spent on the couch with a Dominoes. In other words, it filled a comfort food pizza home delivery shaped hole that I never realised was in my life. We got a 2 for 1 when we ordered that made it super affordable, but I’m not sure of the details.

Where have you eaten vegan food in London? Anywhere else that needs to be on here?

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6 vegan meals you need to eat in 2016, and where to find them – Plant-Powered Nomad

I asked 5 vegan other travellers to tell me where the vegan meals we need to eat in 2016 are – from Brighton to vegan food in Africa, the results might surprise you.

A VEGAN BUFFET AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT KILIMANJARO, AFRICA

Some of the best vegan food we’ve ever had has been at Ol Tukai Lodge in Amboseli Park, at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, in Kenya, Africa. The chef prided himself on the vegetarian cornucopia in his kitchen. As a matter of fact, when we arrived for our first meal at Ol Tukai, and asked the dining room host about vegetarian food, he introduced us to the chef who, he was excited to tell us, always prepared a bounty of dishes without animal products.

As it turned out, a good 70% of the food at the Ol Tukai buffet was vegetarian or vegan. Vegetable dishes outnumbered meat dishes three to one! The chef was more than please to pose for some photos with me at his extraordinary colorful buffet.

Pictured are pasta with marinara, sweet pea sauce, ugali and traditional dark greens, dal and rice. And that doesn’t count the salad bar, out of frame in this picture.

We have been to Africa on safari twice for two weeks at a time and the situation at every lodge has been similar. Plenty of vegan fare, and high quality at that. More Africa safari lodge food photos here.

Lani can be found on her website: http://www.lanimuelrath.com, and is author of The Plant-Based Journey.

VEGAN TAPAS IN BRIGHTON, UK

In 2016, you need to eat vegan tapas! There is so much delicious vegan food all over the world nowadays that it’s actually quite difficult to pin down the best. However, I personally love sampling lots of different foods, and as many in one meal as possible. So, I’m naturally drawn to tapas, but they’re rarely all vegan. On a trip to one of my most beloved cities, Brighton, England, I heard about Rootcandi, the UK’s first 100% vegan tapas restaurant, and I had to check it out.

Six small plates of vegan delicacies on a three-tiered display stand is nothing short of a delight for all your senses. The world-inspired cuisine, like the Pan-Asain tapas platter I had, which is delicious, nutritious, and beautiful, really makes this place stand out. I’m sure this spot will mature nicely, so I definitely recommend a visit here in 2016.

Amanda is a vegan solo full-time traveler who puts the burger in Burger Abroad.

BBQ SAUCE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER AND NOODLE SOUP IN HANOI, VIETNAM

Luckily, on this particular mission to find vegan food I had a companion. I say luckily because it was hidden down a tiny alley, off a totally different section of street than the one to which Google Maps had directed me. We eventually wandered past the sign we were looking for “Com Chay” and the word “vegetarian”. A scruffy kitten let itself be picked up and cuddled as we ordered and were told that they didn’t have half the things on the menu.

Fortunately, they did have this ‘beef’ vermicelli soup and BBQ sauce (or something similar and Vietnamese) roasted cauliflower. Despite the scruffy surroundings it stands out as one of the best meals I ate in 2015. There are many little places like this down alleys in Vietnam, just keep your eyes open and see what you find. Read more about my vegan in Hanoi discoveries here.

Amelia (that’s me) from Plant-Powered Nomad wanders the world alone teaching English and Yoga, and eating awesome vegan food along the way.

VEGAN JAPANESE CURRY IN LUODONG TOWNSHIP, TAIWAN

Whenever I think back to the time I spent living in the small township of LuoDong in Taiwan, where I taught English for a year, I always think of this small vegetarian restaurant where we used to go to eat vegan Japanese curry, a sweet, yellow apple-based curry. It was full of fresh, seasonal vegetables and served with stream wu-gu fan (five grain rice, or purple rice).

It’s a small, local but exquisitely designed vegetarian restaurant hidden amongst sprawling apartments near to the rice paddies at the edge of town and is run by a local family who grow all their own food on their organic farm, including growing their own rice, seasonal vegetables and even making their own cheese (very rare in Taiwan).

We used to wander down on a summer’s evening after work and went by scooter in the cold and torrential rain, pleased to be welcomed in by the friendly family and ready to fill out bellies with hot curry. Even after going there every week for over 6 months, we never found out the name of the restaurant but it’s located at 54 Jingye Road opposite the Beicheng Elementary School.

Charlie is a long-term traveller from the UK who writes about simple ways to travel sustainably, including house sitting, slow travel and eating local. Check out her slow travel blog Charlie on Travel and follow her travels on Facebook.

VEGAN BRUNCH IN TOULOUSE, FRANCE

South-western France, the home of foie gras, is not exactly the most vegan-friendly travel destination. While the staff in local restaurants were eager to help once I explained what vegans do and don’t eat, sadly, they sometimes had trouble scrounging up enough vegetables from the kitchen to make even a decent salad. But none of that mattered, because it made the experience of dining at La Belle Verte in Toulouse all the more memorable. While La Belle Verte does serve meat, the cuisine offered here could best be described as “plant-strong”. The owners give priority to using organic, local and seasonal ingredients, and they are knowledgeable about veganism and happy to cater for vegan diners.

On Sundays, they offer a brunch that is out of this world. The menu changes each week depending on what’s available at the nearby farmers’ market, but any non-vegan items can always be substituted with vegan ones. I was presented with a plate stacked so high that a piece of toast had to be balanced on top of my pumpkin soup! It was way too much food for one person, but that didn’t stop me from eating every last morsel.

Wendy Werneth is an intrepid traveller, vegan foodie and polyglot who is on a mission to show the world how fun and fulfilling vegan travel can be. You can follow her adventures at The Nomadic Vegan and download her free ebook, 8 Steps for Fun and Easy Vegan Travel.

VEGAN CHURROS IN BRIGHTON, ENGLAND

All the food at vegetarian restaurant Terre a Terre is brilliant and inventive. They are famed for their unusual descriptions and wacky names – to the extent that sometimes reading their menu doesn’t even help you understand what a dish is. But it’s well worth the confusion…even on occasions when I haven’t been able to deduce from the menu what my dish might be, it’s still been delicious. Case in point, a description from the menu of the dish Soubise Soubise: “Blasted buckwheat basted Roscoff onion bunged to the brim with hazel herb onion caramel nut mince served with cranberry juice kraut, radicchio pear pickle, toasted cream swede pie, roast parsnip and potato pave.”

However, Terre a Terre’s dish that set me over the edge into rapture (including noises that should not be made in a restaurant with polite company!) was their churros, or as they call the dish, Churrisimo. The cinnamon sugar dusted doughnut sticks come with traditional thick chocolate sauce but also a few of Terre a Terre’s own unique additions: vodka soaked cherries and sea salt caramel dipping sauce.

Caitlin can be found at The Vegan Word. Caitlin is a vegan food and travel writer who has travelled to 30 countries (and counting) and just published her first book, The Essential Vegan Travel Guide.

Have you eaten anywhere that you think should be on this list? Tell me about it in the comments below.

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