What vegetarians can eat in Europe
 

I am traveling on a budget europe tour with my mom and sister through Europe and Egypt in November and visiting places:
2 days in Koeln
1 day in Amsterdam
1 day in Berlin
2 days each in Barcelona, Paris and Venice
1 day in Pisa
3 days in Rome
2 days in Cairo
My mom and sis are vegetarians and do not eat any kind of flesh, fish or eggs or anything made from these things, or any dish added with these things. I know it is tough to survive without these things in Europe. I too do not eat seafood. I heard every region do has its own vegetarian dish speciality.
Any suggestions?

*sigh*

How do you 'know' it is tough to survive without meat or eggs in Europe? We have millions of vegetarians.

You honestly won't have the slightest problem.

No problems in the Netherlands either. Every restaurant has at least one or tow vegetarian/vegan dishes. Same goes for the supermarkets.
Even our local McDonalds has a veggie (maybe even vegan) burger on the menu; Groenteburger.

Even in France, vegetarians have no trouble finding appropriate options.

In Paris, I highly recommend Le Potager du Marais...a lovely vegetarian restaurant that also offers some vegan meals. I loved it so much that I ate there twice during my 2 night stay. My favorite dish was the warm goat cheese salad.

In Venice, try La Zucca. It is primarily a vegetarian restaurant, though they do serve a few meat dishes as well. Reservations essential.

I'm mostly vegetarian (although I will eat *some* seafood) and haven't had an issue dining anywhere in Europe.

"Even in France, vegetarians have no trouble finding appropriate options."

Although if you remove eggs from the equation, things do get harder, as the ubiquitous quiches, omelettes and crepes are out of the question.
In Paris, things like baguette sandwiches, panini, falafel and pizza are easy to come by. And there are various vegan/veggie restaurants around the city, along with a few Indian restaurants that always cater for veggies. In the more traditional French eateries, there will probably be a salad option (probably goat's cheese!) that would be suitable, or a cheese plate, but finding a hot dish that doesn't include eggs might be harder.

In Italy, there are plenty of vegetarian pasta dishes (just make sure the actual pasta is egg-free) and pizzas to be had. Plus soups and salads, breads etc.

And if all else fails, you can always nip into a supermarket or visit the open-air markets and grab a few bits and pieces for a picnic.

If falafel fulfills your criteria, we loved L'As de Falafel in Paris. Also, kind on the budget.

(If you were going to London, I'd recommend Food For Thought. Even though I'm not vegetarian, I really like it and try to go there every time I'm in London.)

Do you know how to communicate your requirements in the various languages? I would think that might be the hardest part, although less of a problem in the big cities.

http://www.happycow.net/europe/netherlands/amsterdam/
lists vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Amsterdam. If you click on the Europe tag you can then find others in the other cities you are visiting.

Indonesian restaurants also always have a vegetarian menu. It may include eggs in one dish but if you tell them you don't want eggs they will be fine with that.

You've got a real problem. And it's downright irresponsible for other posters to deny it.

Your mother and sister AREN'T vegetarian: they're vegan. In most of Europe, vegans have a hard time: it's tough to find food they can eat, most of us think they're insane and submitting to gestapo-style interrogations about every item on a menu isn't regarded as part of a waiter's job.

Straightforward vegetarians have few problems (though in Italy and Spain especially, you have to treble-check that stocks are vegetable-based), provided they've done their homework. Indeed, eating vegetarian 100% of the time, and always eating real food, in real restaurants, is positively pleasurable in most places

But there's next to no culture in Europe, even in dedicated vegan restaurants, of serving fake food, like egg-free "omelettes". And ensuring no cheese, milk, honey, gelatin or animal rennet has ever come near what you're eating is way beyond most restaurant staff's expertise. Many eateries would be downright offended at the assumption they'd even think of using margarine, rather than butter, in their pastry or a vegan gelatine substitute in the glaze for the tarte aux pommes. A French baguette sandwich without butter?

As for the fantasy that any self-respecting Indian restaurant would use milk-free ghee...

If your relatives REALLY are vegan, the first rule is to mistrust anything you read from non-vegans. Unless you can find a real vegan restaurant in each city, the second rule is to give up any idea of decent eating. You're going to have to live out of supermarkets (after learning each local language) or devise a short repertoire of meals (like pasta with tomato sauce but no cheese) you can rely on.

I 1,000% agree with Flanner and would also add that many vegan restaurants that would be in the major cities would not necessarily be budget options. You will need to get you food at supermarkets where you can read the ingredient list. Amsterdam and Berlin would be your best bets for finding any vegan restaurants.

You didn't say if they eat dairy. Flanner is assuming they don't and everyone else is assuming they do. Makes a huge difference. If they can get by just without eating meat or fish there will be no problem at all. Add in avoiding anything made with eggs and it gets harder. If dairy is also a no-no then I agree with Flanner that they'll be eating out of grocery stores.

What do they do about eating out in the US ( assuming that is where you are from).

Even bigger question - you say you are on a "tour". Do you mean a group tour? If you are doing it independently how do plan to cover 9 cities in five countries on two continents in just over two weeks? You'll spend all your time traveling between places and even if you didn't have to spend extra time finding appropriate places to eat you'd not have time to see anything. If you mean a group tour (by bus?) then aren't a lot of the restaurants already chosen for you? How much freedom will you have to go off and find your own food. Not much I would guess. And most of the restaurants frequented by tour groups do not cater to vegetarians, much less vegans.

I didn't interpret that as vegan, which I admit can be a problem. It says they are veggie who also don't eat eggs. I assume dairy products are still ok, so there should still be plenty of choice with not having to avoid milk, cheese, cream, yoghurt etc...

The website I linked to allows for Vegan but also ovo vegetarians - each restaurant is listed by the type of vegetarians they can cater for. there are plenty in Paris according to the site, though I have no idea whether any will be in the pat of Paris where the OP is staying.

Hi A,

I won't get into the Vegan/Veggie debate.

I think that your whirlwind tour of 9 cities in 6 countries is exhausting, even if you can make connections. About half of your time will be taken up getting to/from airports and train stations.

I urge you to rethink your itinerary.

((I))

I agree that if they are vegan, i.e. don't eat dairy, it will make life a lot more difficult.

It's ok. With that travel schedule, there won't be time to eat. Problem solved.

submitting to gestapo-style interrogations

flanneruk, you know what you are talking about?

In addition to the happy cow site, you might find this resto list for Paris helpful:

http://veganparis.com/2008/12/13/lis...ants-in-paris/

Maoz is a vegetarian falafel chain that is about 90% vegan. I know they're in Amsterdam, Paris & Barcelona so you could check your other cities.

For Rome, L'insalata Ricca, serves large salds-some vegan-as well as lighter fare. http://www.insalataricca.it/

Best of luck~

I really do not see a problem. Supermarkets will provide for all needs. Forget most restaurants.

Supermarkets are fine as long as they know all the local terms for all the things they won't eat, including e-numbers and the like. Otherwise a vegan or vegetarian restaurant is probably a better bet.

My concern is not about being vegan or vegetarian in Europe (which I do believe is a small bit of a challenge).

Rather when you say "budget europe tour". Are your meals included in the package? Will you be eating at the places the tour group chooses for you and take you to? Are they fixed menus?

It does sound like they may be vegans (>><i>My mom and sis are vegetarians and do not eat any kind of flesh, fish or eggs or anything made from these things, or any dish added with these things</i><<) - and that would be a problem.

If they are actually vegetarian instead, they could have had it easier.

BUT neither matters much if you are on a cheap European tour covering that much territory that fast.

Either your meals are included (and WON'T be vegan) - OR - you are likely staying in outlying hotels and will only have short times to feed yourselves before having to get back on the bus.

You won't have the luxury of free time to wander in other neighborhoods to find some favorite vegetarian cafe.

This will be a next to impossible situation.

Some of my family are vegitarian at various levels of depth. Most of the countries look ok and what with falafel, houmous, pasta (non egg) you are pretty safe. Be extra careful in spain as pig fat can be used in pastries. Take care and get the correct word for what type of food you want for each country, Europeans are generally very used to the concept and will try to help but they need to know specificlly what you want

With that itinerary they will not have time to eat, let alone seek out vegetarian or vegan restaurants.

PLEASE read what janisj said!

What some posters seem to be missing here is that they are on a budget whirl-wind speed tour. Likely the food is provided in cafeteria type settings or plated meals ('would you like the chicken or the fish?').

Yes a vegan/vegetarian can do OK in European cities... on their own... with time to research, go to other neighborhoods, wander around, hit the markets and grocery stores, etc. etc. But that does NOT fit with being on an organized tour seeing 9 cities in 16 days with a large group on a tour bus. THAT part's going to be the problem!

I would personally be very worried and I assume your mother and sister didn't look into this issue before booking the tour, angel. In Venice hopefully whereever you eat they can order risotto, that should work for them along with some grilled vegetables. If you pass a food market if time is available they could buy some fresh fruit. Do they eat cheese?

I also meant to say when in Italy they could order pizza with just vegetables on it, I love the fungi pizza (mushrooms) but I have never been on a tour so I have of course always been free to eat where and when I want to. Do they drink wine? That might help tied them over, lol. That and good Italian espresso. And how about gelato? You didn't say that they won't eat dairy products.

Assuming the situation that janisj outlines, I think you might want to stock up on food stuff from the super market - chocolate, fruit, that sort of thing - and eat it while moving between cities = /

Eating from supermarket can be done if you travel independently. If you're on a tour with limited meal hours (esp at lunch) you may not be near a supermarket. I would really rethink a tour unless it is set up for vegetarians/vegans.

St Cirq and Ira beat me to it. You will not have time to eat or see the places in which are landing. I sincerely suggest you look at a map and some train or airline schedule and see how much time you will be traveling.

The best foods to eat in Spain are tapas for a veggie/vegan wahtever. There are all sorts of mushroom and pepper dishes.

Unless a restaurant specifically says veggie/vegan, to most Spaniards a veggie meal is one with a little less pork.

For security, how about a packing a couple of jars of peanut butter with crackers and carrot sticks in the luggage? We have some Indian friends who are vegan and their "grand tour" of Europe was most accommodating of their dietary requirements ... special vegan meals awaited them wherever the group stopped. (It was a high-end tour though.)

Just a thought as one who has some severe allergies. If I eat any dairy product or any corn product I would be horribly ill and would especially if I ate any corn product as I would end up in a hospital. I have never taken a tour so when travelling I am cautious and careful but I haven't had a problem. My point is that someone who does not want to eat certain foods such as the OP relatives won't end up ill and possibly in the hospital if they happen to eat something that goes against shall we say their moral values. So in my opinion, and I sure do respect their thoughts as to what they do not want to eat, again if they do have something that is against their beliefs they will will not be physically ill and in most cases probably will not be aware of the "forbidden" ingredient I would think. And again, unless it is an allergy problem they will not become ill. But hopefully all with work out although I can't imagine with such a desired restricted diet and such a fast paced tour how the trip would be enjoyable. But my good wishes that somehow it will be enjoyable.

Thank you all of you that every advices are useful, and sorry I did not mention that we eat dairy products but just avoid smelly dishes with lot of cheese. We can manage with Veg pizza or Pasta. I think Supermarkets only would be the right choice. We are not on organised tour and mostly flying with easyjet flights between the cities. I would appreciate if you can give me a term for "All veg, no meat, fish, or flesh" which I can use at restaurants in Italy, Spain, France and Netherlands. (I know basic German language).We wish to have at least one good lunch or dinner in two day. Rest of the time we may do with carry-on food.

This site enables you to get translation cards in varoious languages to explain allergies and food requirements.

http://www.selectwisely.com/

Looks like you have to pay - it's also availablefor i phone and ipod touch.

In the Netherlands you will almost certainly get by with English, or your German.
Just explain you are vegetarians, but can't eat eggs.

The restaurants listed on happycow will be fine in any case, and some are cheap too.

In supermarkets in the ingredients list you need to look for ei, eiwit, kip, varken, rund. Vegetarian products tend to be marked - often with a green tick sign. Not all cheese is vegetarian by the way - a lot of it isn't.

Quote <b>LoveItaly</b> <i>"Do they drink wine? That might help tied them over, lol."</i>

Vegetarians need to be careful of wine - much is produced using fish finings to remove organic particles. You're best bet for wine is to find a wholefood/organic/vegetarian café/shop/co-op who'll likely stock a range of vegetarian and vegan friendly wines.

Nb. You can generally spot these shops at a distance; they're generally painted garish colours and a high proportion of people milling around infront will sport dreadlocks and copious amounts of facial hair and piercings.

Many of my vegetarian friends who travel to Europe have adopted a don't ask, don't tell policy. They won't order food with recognizable meat products, but don't interrogate about whether is chicken stock, fish oil, or other animal products in the food.

And when food like potatoes or asparagus happen to come served with flecks of ham (not uncommon in Germany), they just brush it aside. Perhaps this practice preserves some level of sanity for them.

Here is a website with how to say I am a vegetarian in different languages. http://www.ivu.org/phrases/westeuro.html

"<i>We are not on organised tour and mostly flying with easyjet flights between the cities. </i>"

Sorry -- but I can't get my head around this. On an organized tour this plan would be nutty but doable (since the tour would manage everything from luggage to transfers to checking in, whatever)

Doing it on your own --IF you accurately laid out your itinerary -- this is impossible. Not the food issue -- the actual trip.

9 cities in less than 2 weeks!?!

A very nice restaurant I can recommend (even though I'm not a strict vegetarian)in Rome is Le Cornacchie which is in the Piazza Rondanini, very close to the Pantheon.

According to www.traveleurope.it - it is a vegetarian restaurant, as are these two restaurants in the city centre...
L'Isola (tel 06 679 25 09, 4th floor, Via delle Vite 14)
Margutta Vegetariano (tel 06 678 60 33, Via Margutta 118)

However, given your time schedule you are going to be spending a lot of time sitting in airports and on planes. Dear old easyjet, who I actually enjoy flying with (several times a year), does not supply any food, let alone vegetarian food, for free on its flights. You will need to plan ahead to ensure you and your family have snacks to keep you going on your flights and airport waits.

I sincerely hope you enjoy your 'budget Europe tour' but feel you will be rushing around like headless chickens (!) to see anything much of European other than the airport lounges.

Please post a trip report when you get back, as I'd really like to hear how you get on, and anyway your restaurant advice may well be of help to others in the future.

Good luck!