London tops 'best cities in the world' ranking for vegetarians in 2021
The Vegetarian Cities Index 2021 reveals the best destinations around the world for meat-free dining based on the quality of local restaurants and the price of fresh produce. Olivia Palamountain reports
It's no secret that vegetarianism and veganism are on the rise the world over. A survey by Sainsbury’s in the summer of 2019 predicted that 25 per cent of Brits would be vegetarian or vegan by 2025, a trend that the hospitality and travel sector continues to embrace, first noted by Globetrender in 2018.
But do cities really cater for this new wave of dietary requirements – and if they do, where does it best?
The Vegetarian Cities Index 2021 explores the cost of fruit and vegetables, as well as the quality of restaurants catering for vegetarians and availability of plant-based protein products in order to define the most vegetarian-friendly cities around the world.
Commissioned by Nestpick, a database for furnished apartment rentals, the index shortlisted 75 cities to study worldwide, all of which are already popular for relocation and have a good reputation among vegetarians.
After considering all the most important factors for vegetarians to live a happy and healthy life, the Vegetarian Cities Index 2021 named London as the highest ranking city, scoring strongly for the affordability of fruit and vegetables and its volume of vegetarian-friendly restaurants. Berlin came second, followed by Munich.
Further key findings show that Taipei tops the list for the average rating of its top ten vegetarian restaurants, beating Detroit and Tokyo, while Edinburgh has the most vegetarian-friendly restaurants per capita, followed by Munich and Ubud in Bali.
Chiang Mai has the highest affordable vegetarian restaurants score (100), ahead of Ubud (99.37) and Bangkok (97.69).
Top ten cities for vegetarians
1. London
2. Berlin
3. Munich
4. Vienna
5. Glasgow
6. Zurich
7. Palma de Mallorca
8. Los Angeles
9. Bristol
10. San Francisco
Omer Kucukdere, founder and CEO of Nestpick, says: "With more and more people looking to reduce their meat consumption, cities must cater to these needs with diverse vegetarian offerings if they want to attract young talent, particularly Millennials, Gen Z and the even younger generations to come.
"We hope that this index can inspire vegetarians looking to move abroad to pick the right city for their needs, or even offer travel destination ideas for those searching for the best plant-based gastronomic spots.
"While there are undoubtedly countless cities that are incredible for vegetarians around the world which do not feature in this index due to a lack of available data, we believe that this shortlist offers an excellent springboard for vegetarians looking to move abroad."
Globetrender has noticed a slew of veggie and vegan openings and initiatives this year, from the launch of Greece's first and only vegan hotel and Qatar Airways' vegan business class menu options, to Ovolo Hotels' pledge to go completely vegetarian for a whole year and the rise of vegan tourism and apps such as Air Vegan and Veg Visits. As the trend accelerates, a meat-free future doesn't seem so far away.