Many tourists and food bloggers agree that the USA has more vegetarian options for tourists than probably any other part of the world. Travelling becomes difficult for vegetarians because most countries offer fewer options, and sometimes the choices are narrower than one can imagine. With such few options, it can be challenging to make the trip holistically memorable.
When discussing American food, people often gravitate to visualise takeaways and joints, such as the likes of Burger King and McDonald’s. But what about vegetarian options? Well, to be honest, there are few and far between to find under the veg snack section in most countries. However, America, on the other hand, stands to offer a wonderful platter of vegetarian options that are delectable, and in fact, some of them are actually famed all around the world. Let us take a look at what American cafes and restaurants can offer their vegetarian travellers.
Vegetarian Food in America
Let’s open the discussion with vegetarian food options in New York City. Burritos and tacos are the best vegetarian options one can get in NYC. It is heaven for foodies anyway, moreover, with variegated and diverse choices on offer for vegetarians, the place emerges as a great food destination for vegetarian travellers. However, these vegetarian options are so scrumptious that possibly non-vegetarians too can’t help themselves but explore them. Chipotle, you must have heard already, is a perfect option if you are looking for vegetarian food. Amongst restaurants, the Hard Rock Cafe can be the amiable place to head, if you like the combination of good music and food together. The vegetarian burgers at Hard Rock Cafe are trendy. Try out ice creams, cakes, and desserts as they are superb options for vegetarians, and make sure to step into one of the stores of the famous Ben & Jerry’s or Starbucks.
Pizzas and sandwiches can be your all-time saviours when looking for vegetarian food in America. Pizzas usually contain meat. Just like burgers fundamentally come with meat, so do pizzas. So, you have to read the menu thoroughly before setting out to place an order. Vegetarians usually need help ordering food because it is pretty complex. Almost every second item in the USA contains meat.
Best Restaurant Options in the USA
Some of the best-known restaurants for vegetarian tourists in the USA are Olive Graden and Sizzler. Olive Garden is renowned as a vegetarian paradise in the USA. They serve sizzlers, salads, French fries, pasta, spaghetti, and much more. You can also spot multiple healthy food options (low in calories) on the menu.
Burger King: Every nook and corner of America has Burger King stores, and almost every food item at Burger King contains meat. The only one you can avail yourself of as a vegetarian is the Veggie Whopper.
Pizza Hut: Like burger king, pizza hut is everywhere in the USA. There are fewer options for vegetarians at Pizza hut, but some of the most popular ones are veggie lover’s delights with veg pizza with jalapenos toppings being one of the most-ordered recipes to watch out for.
McDonald’s: McDonald’s is the third most distinguished global food brand in the USA. At McDonald’s, you can have mac and cheese if you are vegetarian. Shakes, biscuits, and ice creams are other great options too. If you have a sweet tooth, which most of us do, make a beeline for the walnut apple salad. The dessert section has more options than the savoury sections.
Subway: The Subway veggie sandwich can be an all-time saviour for a vegetarian traveller. It is another globally well-known American food chain that has garnered quite a fan base across the world, including India. Subway sandwiches are everyone’s favourite across the globe and a fantastic option for both non-vegetarians and vegetarians. Cookies and potato chips are also quite popular options from Subway.
Mexican: If you genuinely love burritos and Mexican pizza with plenty of bell pepper on top, you can try some vegetarian sandwiches. Bean tostadas and cheese tacos are some of the best dishes from the brand.
Food Tips for the vegetarian in the USA
- Remember, in the USA, you are least likely to come across terms or labels such as “veg” and “non-veg” in the menu. Almost the entire population swears by a meat-based diet, hence there is practically no distinction. Also, labelling vegetarian food independently is a custom in the USA. So, instead of looking for terms like “non-veg,” you can look for the term “Food Item Containing Meat.”
- When you want to order a vegetarian meal, the best you can do is look for a tag that says “no meat.” You will never find phrases like “without meat;” so check it out and always read the label before ordering.
- Burgers are kind of a national snack in the USA. Every global tourist visiting the USA looks forward to trying at least one version of an American burger. Most burgers in America, by default, contain beef and cheese. There are scarce alternatives. It is not even explicitly mentioned that the burger comprises meat because that is so obvious to the locals. So, you have to ensure that you ask the servers properly before you intend to try it out.
- If you opt to stay at any decent hotel, you can certainly avail yourself of complimentary breakfast. The continental breakfasts have vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, which will easily take care of your diet choices.
Finding a dish in the USA suiting to your tastes while ensuring that it is vegetarian can take time and effort. If you don’t see vegetarian restaurants, visit popular retail stores like Target or Walmart as they have multiple vegetarian options. If not, you can get yourself cup noodles that come in all recipes, including those that suit your needs. Snacks and munching options are way too many at Walmart and we promise that you will definitely have fun exploring them. Also, other famous lines, such as Star Bucks, are always open till late into the night, and they have a good many vegetarian options. Burgers, tacos, burritos, shakes, ice cream, and desserts are the best options for vegetarians.
But do remember that you’re talking about affording vegetarian food in a country that’s largely into non-vegetarian food, so most likely food for you may be a little more expensive than you want.