Vegans and vegetarians are familiar with meat-free eateries and restaurants where they live. But when it comes to finding vegetarian restaurants, bars and cafes, it can be a challenge when traveling. As gastronomy tourism continues to thrive, based on data from holiday rental search engine Holidu, Tourism Review ranks the German cities with the most vegan and vegetarian offerings relative to the number of residents. Whether you are a vegan, vegetarian or omnivorous traveler, welcome to a culinary tour of Germany.
10. Darmstadt – 23 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
In Darmstadt, lean lovers can find a total of ten specialized restaurants serving exclusively vegetarian and vegan dishes. Another 40 restaurants offer a vegetarian menu, where everyone will find something for themselves.
9. Aachen – 25 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
Aachen is ranked ninth in the ranking of vegetarian-friendly cities. Here you can find two completely vegan and three vegetarian restaurants. 64 establishments serve everyone without exception, offering, including vegetarian dishes.
8. Mannheim – 26 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
The city is quite famous for its baroque buildings, university and Luisenpark, and vegans don’t always immediately think of Mannheim as the right city for vegan food. But, lo and behold, upon closer inspection it turns out: the city is an absolutely insider tip and takes eighth place in the ranking!
7. Freiburg im Breisgau – 27 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
Freiburg im Breisgau is also an oasis for fans of a meat-free diet. Starving vegetarians can find the right menu at over 62 restaurants. Fans of purely vegan and vegetarian food can choose from ten restaurants dedicated to them.
6. Hamburg – 29 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
Another well-known tourist destination among German cities is Hamburg, the second largest city in the country. It offers 264 restaurants that welcome both omnivores and vegetarians and vegans. Seven of them focused on vegan food, while 32 focused on vegetarian food. Everyone can find their own and everyone will definitely be served in Hamburg!
5. Saarbrücken – 30 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
Saarbrücken may not be known as a hub for vegan food, as the first fully vegan restaurant only opened in 2015. However, the city ranks fifth in the rankings due to its restaurant-to-population ratio.
4. Mainz – 32 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
Mainz has a small but excellent selection of purely vegan and vegetarian restaurants. By the number of inhabitants, the carnival city ranks fourth. Anyone who explores the old part of Mainz will quickly notice that alternative restaurants literally appear and disappear like mushrooms.
3. Düsseldorf – 34 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
Düsseldorf is third with a density of 34.89. Guests can find meat alternatives at over 200 restaurants and eateries, 6 of which are fully vegan and 12 are exclusively vegetarian.
2. Frankfurt am Main – 35 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
Frankfurt came in second in the ranking. There are 35.11 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants, making the city a real paradise for those who have completely or temporarily given up meat. 16 establishments offer purely vegan dishes, while 20 restaurants specialize in vegetarian dishes.
1. Heidelberg – 101 restaurants per 100,000 inhabitants.
The unexpected winner of the ranking was Heidelberg. Despite having only about 160,000 inhabitants, the city is extremely friendly to vegetarians and vegans. There are a total of 101.56 restaurants for every 100,000 residents, where guests on a meat-free diet will also appreciate the availability of local cuisine.