Eating Out Vegan
Is it hard to eat out as a vegan without feeling like a PIA?
Enjoy this new video I recorded for my YouTube channel about this often-asked question, which you’ll find embedded below, but I elaborate on it here, in writing. Enjoy it, engage with it, share it—and if you’d like to give a little boost to my newly revived (still very much in the process of coming back) YouTube channel, watching the video there and sharing your thoughts helps keep the conversation going. A simple click on ‘Watch on YouTube’ will take you there—just don’t forget to come back here to my primary home!
Eating Out When You’re Vegan
Some people are afraid that their social lives will suffer when they eliminate animal products from their diet, since social occasions and food tend to go hand in hand—and since we’ve all been indoctrinated to eat meat, dairy, and/or eggs at every meal.
For anyone who has ever thought it difficult as a vegan to dine out, to eat at the home of a non-vegan friend, or to find food to eat at parties, I can assure you it’s just a matter of changing your perception.
If you look for lack, that’s what you will find; alternatively, if you look for abundance, that is what you will discover. Once you look at the world through a vegan lens, you realize how effortless it is to find an abundance of options in restaurants of all types; you just may have never noticed before because you weren’t looking for it.
If you look for lack, that’s what you will find; alternatively, if you look for abundance, that is what you will discover.
Finding What You Want in Non-Vegan Restaurants
Though you can find something to eat in virtually any restaurant, the most vegan-friendly options tend to be those that feature non-American fare. That still leaves countless possibilities—no matter what town you’re in.
Chinese restaurants offer many vegan dishes, and Buddhist Chinese restaurants serve vegetarian-only fare. Just be sure to ask them to leave out the eggs.
Thai, Vietnamese, and Burmese restaurants are very vegan-friendly, featuring vegetable, noodle, and tofu dishes. Just ask for no fish sauce.
Japanese restaurants feature edamame, vegetable nori or sushi rolls, tempura, salads made of lettuce or sea vegetables with house dressing, vegetable dumplings, and miso soup. Specify no fish sauce.
Middle Eastern restaurants offer a smorgasbord of delights without animal products: baba ghannouj, hummus, olives, tapenade, falafel, tabouli, stuffed grape leaves (dolmas), and pita bread.
Any pizza place will make a cheese-free pizza for you. (Some may make or carry non-dairy cheese) Request veggies and fresh herbs for added flavor, texture, color, and nutrients. (In Italy, virtually every pizzeria serves pizza marinara, which comes without dairy cheese by default—no need to even ask for them to remove the cheese. My favorite pizza!)
Indian and Sri Lankan restaurants have a bevy of plant-based options.
South Indian restaurants tend to be vegetarian-only; just be sure to ask them to leave out the ghee (clarified butter).
Italian restaurants offer lots of pasta (such as primavera, arrabbiata, and puttanesca), vegetable dishes, salads, and starters like bruschetta and antipasti. Just specify vegetable broth and no cheese. (Most restaurant pastas are made without eggs, but it never hurts to ask.)
Ethiopian restaurant menus always include a wide selection of plant-based dishes, such as lentils, split peas, greens, and potatoes.
Mexican restaurants always have rice, beans, tortillas, salsa, and guacamole. Ask them to leave off the dairy cheese, ask if this rice is cooked in chicken broth (I know!) and whether the refried beans are cooked in lard or vegetable oil. If they’re cooked in lard, whole beans are the way to go.
Sub shops (like Subway) can make a vegetable-only sandwich and flavor it with oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Look for all-you-can-eat buffets and salad bars. A good buffet can offer a wide range of healthful options, including salad greens, cooked and raw vegetables, beans, fresh fruit—even baked potatoes and pasta.
Ice cream shops often carry sorbets, which are dairy-free by definition (unlike sherbet, which always contains dairy). I’ve also been in many authentic gelato shops that offer soy- and fruit-based versions of their gelati—again, just ask.
Even baseball stadiums, ballparks, and arenas have changed with the times, and many now offer plant-based options such as veggie dogs and burgers, pretzels and French fries, burritos, and nuts.
This Substack is reader-supported. I’ve extended the 25% discount for annual subscribers to the end of the week. Thanks for considering becoming a paid subscriber and taking advantage of the special offer using this link.
Asking for What You Want with Confidence
As I explain in the video above, the biggest obstacle to eating out as a vegan is often social rather than practical. Eating outside your home isn’t simply about where you eat; it’s also about how you communicate your food ethics—with confidence and clarity. Here are ten tips for asking for what you want with confidence.
1. Be Clear
Although “vegan” and “plant-based” are more familiar than ever, they’re still often misunderstood. Be specific with your server about what you do—and don’t—want to eat. Don’t assume people know what’s included in broths, sauces, or prepared dishes, and don’t hesitate to send something back if it misses the mark. You’re paying for the food and deserve what you asked for.
2. Be Positive
If being vegan makes you feel good—physically, emotionally, or ethically—let that be what you express. There’s no need to apologize or minimize your choices. You wouldn’t do that for an allergy or aversion; this is no different.
3. Be Creative
You’re not limited to what’s written on the menu. Ask for substitutions, omissions, or simple modifications. Chefs are often happy to accommodate, and you may end up with the most interesting dish at the table.
4. Be Tech-Savvy
Check menus online before you go. A quick look will tell you whether a restaurant is likely to be accommodating and can save you frustration later.
5. Be Humorous
Food is personal, and tension can arise. Humor often diffuses it. Levity allows you to speak the truth without shaming and keeps interactions from turning defensive.
6. Be Proactive
If you don’t get to choose the restaurant—at a work event or group gathering—call ahead. A brief conversation can often reveal simple plant-based options or easy modifications.
7. Be Prepared
If attending a work gathering or party and food options will be limited or centered around animal meat, have a snack beforehand or bring something with you. It’s better than going hungry, and what you bring may intrigue others more than you expect.
8. Be Confident
You don’t need to defend the fact that you’re vegan at every turn. If questioned, speak from your own experience and values. Confidence—not argument—goes a long way.
9. Be Vocal
Suggest vegan or vegetarian restaurants when dining with others. Everyone can eat when only plant-based dishes are served, and people are often pleasantly surprised by the abundance and variety available.
10. Be Generous
Share food. Bring baked goods to meetings, make something for a gathering, or leave treats for neighbors. Delicious food often communicates more effectively than words ever could.
I know some naysayers would say, “Still—it seems so much trouble being vegan. You have to spend so much time finding vegan-friendly restaurants, calling ahead, or missing out on local delicacies.”
I simply don’t agree. Choosing wellness and compassion over convenience feels worth a little effort. When I look back on my life, I want to know I lived in alignment with what I believed—that I put my money where my mouth is and walked the walk. That matters more to me than eating delicately spiced animal parts.
Being vegan isn’t a sacrifice for me; it’s a way of living consistently and compassionately. And that goes down better than anything else ever could.
Thoughts? Comments? Questions?
Complement Your Diet
Even with a nutrient-rich plant-based diet, we can thrive even more with thoughtful support. That’s where Complement comes in, I take Complement Essential as my daily multivitamin for B12, D3, iodine, zinc, and magnesium; Omega Complex for essential fats; and as part of my strength-training and muscle-building routine, I fuel up with their clean Organic Protein.
Complement your diet and and get 15% off everything you order—every time you order—using THIS LINK and the code: JOYFULVEGAN.
Additional Resources
👉 Connect with me 1:1 – Get personalized guidance whatever you are looking for.
👉 Read A Year of Compassion – Daily inspiration to help you live with intention, kindness, and clarity.
👉 Travel with me! I host animal-friendly, luxury, all-inclusive vegan trips around the world, specifically curated to ensure high-quality, high-touch premium experiences. Check out our upcoming trips, and let me know if you have any questions.
👉 Check out my Recipe E-Books and my library of On-Demand Cooking Classes for recipes, including my popular High-Protein Recipes Featuring Tofu, Tempeh, and Edamame!
The more people eat out and choose the vegan options on the menu the more likely the restaurant will notice and continue to add vegan options. Thank the staff for offering vegan options. Let them know you are eating there because they have vegan options. Positive feedback will bring about change.