The vegan lifestyle is blowing through cities all across the USA!
More and more restaurants are taking action and adding vegan options – while new restaurants are popping up entirely dedicated to ONLY vegan menus to support their city’s efforts of adding healthier food options.
You’ll find that some cities on this list don’t line up with the top vegan states in America, and that’s because we weighted the city’s vegan efforts more heavily than what the rest of the state is doing for this article’s purpose.
Either way, if you’re planning to travel across the states to find the #1 vegan city or want to see how your hometown stacks up, we’ve got you covered with our top 10 vegan cities in the USA – some on this list may surprise you as they did me!
How we found the top vegan cities
There are so many lists out there debating what the top 10 vegan cities in America are, but there are always some differences between them.
I’ve dug in and read through a ton of them – but I also looked at a couple studies that brought up some interesting points…
Data is everything – you can’t really argue with it, which is great because it gives us a sense of direction and decision-making (ideal for creating a top 10 list).
In this case, I looked at data that includes salad shops per capita, vegan lifestyle affordability, the amount of restaurants offering vegan options, and more to decipher which city ACTUALLY deserves the vegan crown.
The top 10 most vegan cities in the United States
Check out the top 10 most vegan cities in the USA, with a little bit of extra info on each!
#10. Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
I know what you’re thinking – Kentucky?? Home of the famous Kentucky Fried Chicken, or KFC, has a city on THIS top 10 list??
It’s surprising indeed, but the charming city known as the “Horse Capital of the World,” Lexington-Fayette also has a wonderful and vibrant vegan community.
According to a report by WalletHub, Lexington-Fayette is actually one of the most affordable cities in the USA for the vegan lifestyle. This is awesome news considering the rising costs of living – plus, you can spend the extra cash you save on watching a race at The Red Mile, one of harness racing’s most famous tracks!
#9. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Home to the Philadelphia Flyers and famous Philadelphia cheesesteaks, the booming city of Philadelphia has also become quite the vegan-friendly city!
According to a recent report, Philadelphia ranked 5th among American cities for the highest number of vegan restaurants per capita. “The City of Brotherly Love” offers a growing number of vegan restaurants and cafes all across the city that cater to your unique vegan tastes – you can definitely get creative here!
And you don’t even have to miss out on some of Philadelphia’s classic foods – enjoy vegan cheesesteaks, hoagies, and even vegan versions of soft pretzels! I don’t know about you, but catching an Eagles or Phillies game while enjoying a variety of tasty vegan dishes sounds pretty darn good!
#8. Chicago, Illinois
Home of the Chicago Bears and delicious deep-dish pizza, Chicago has embraced the vegan wave with open arms.
Chicago has one of the highest number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants per capita in the USA – ranking 8th in the USA for the number of purely vegan restaurants, making it a great city to explore not just for its sights, but also for its foods…
The Windy City offers a massive range of vegan-friendly options, including vegan deep-dish pizza parlors and vegan-friendly ethnic eateries for foods from many different cultures. If you’re a food enthusiast, you absolutely have to indulge yourself in the vegan versions of some classic Chicago dishes such as the Italian Beef Sandwich while exploring the city’s vibrant neighborhoods and cultural landmarks – you absolutely have to check out “The Bean” with a hot slice of vegan pizza!
#7. Denver, Colorado
If you’re a skier or snowboarder and a vegan, you will absolutely feel at home in this beautiful city nestled against the backdrop of the majestic Rocky Mountains.
Denver surprises visitors (like myself!) with its thriving vegan community. It’s currently sitting in 10th place for the most vegan restaurants in the USA per capita, but bumps itself up a couple spots for its diversity, affordability, and quality. You can enjoy vegan breweries, farm-to-table eateries serving creative plant-based foods, vegan ice cream parlors, and other awesome vegan options that cater to the city’s active crowd. Not only that, but you get to take in some amazing sights at the same time!
As an avid snowboarder I might be very biased here, but this is definitely a city to go and visit!
#6. Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the coffee capital of the USA – but also quickly becoming one of the top places in the nation for veganism!
According to a report by Veganbits, Seattle ranked 3rd among cities in America for the highest number of vegan restaurants per capita. The city offers a massive variety of vegan restaurants that showcase a commitment to locally sourced, organic ingredients – and we love a city that supports local and organic food!
Whether you’re seeking cozy plant-based cafes or fancy vegan dining experiences, Seattle has something to satisfy all your needs! Plus, you can check out the Space Needle or a Seahawks game while sipping on the famous Seattle vegan coffee!
Or, check out our delicious recipe for bulletproof coffee that you can make at home!
#5. Austin, Texas
I was definitely surprised to not only have Austin on this list, but to have it in our top 5!
Austin defies expectations with its vibrant vegan scene, bursting with vegan-friendly establishments that offer a wide range of plant-based dining options. A report by WalletHub ranked Austin 5th among American cities for veganism based on vegan and vegetarian restaurants per capita, affordability, and overall vegan-friendliness – and we couldn’t agree more!
They have food trucks, restaurants, and cafes in Austin that cater to anyone’s vegan tastes with creative dishes that highlight Tex-Mex flavors – there are even vegan “barbecue” options!
Enjoy the famous Texan hospitality while exploring the rapidly growing vegan movement in Austin!
#4. San Francisco, California
Not surprising to see, San Francisco has a very progressive food culture and commitment to sustainability, becoming a vegan-friendly haven on the West Coast.
The city boasts a remarkable selection of vegan restaurants, ranging from Michelin-starred establishments to local eateries serving creative, colorful, and tasteful vegan options. According to a report by Veganbits, San Francisco ranked 2nd among American cities for the highest number of vegan restaurants per capita, which is impressive with its population of 4.6 million people. The city’s focus on organic, locally-sourced ingredients ensures that your meals are made with the freshest ingredients!
With a picturesque backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge and a progressively vegan culinary scene, San Francisco is a must-visit city for vegans…if your wallet can afford it! San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the USA for vegans!
#3. New York City, New York
Ah, the concrete jungle that is New York. The Big Apple has a thriving vegan scene, offering some of the most vegan options out of this entire list – NYC has the most vegan restaurants out of all the cities in America, and ranks 5th in the USA for the highest number of vegan eating establishments per capita. Chances are you’ll find some pretty sweet restaurants no matter what your taste is!
On top of that, most of NYC’s non-vegan restaurants offer vegan options, giving you peace of mind that you can walk into nearly any eating establishment and still have some awesome options! And that includes street food, another one of New York City’s famous food experiences – NYC really does have it all!
#2. Los Angeles, California
LA is one of the top vegan cities for a reason, and its bright, health-conscious, and progressive culinary culture has made it a remarkably vegan-friendly city.
In fact, a study showed that Los Angeles ranked just below New York City among all American cities for sheer number of vegan restaurants – nearly 500 places offer vegan options! That’s an insane number, but it’s made LA’s vegan scene diverse and unique, ranging from celebrity-owned vegan hotspots to trendy juice bars.
LA is also home to one of the largest VegFests, which is an awesome festival where vendors can show off their unique and innovative plant-based creations – definitely a must-see!
#1. Portland, Oregon
No surprise here…
Hailed as the vegan mecca of the United States, Portland stands out from all the rest for its thriving vegan scene.
It has the highest number of vegan-friendly restaurants per capita, an impressive stat that makes Portland synonymous with “veganism.” A study done by Veganbits showed that Portland has about 6.3 vegan restaurants for every 100,000 residents, blowing by every other city in the nation!
On top of all this, Portland embraces sustainability and locally sourced, organic produce, ensuring a high-quality of ingredients for its MANY vegan establishments.
Conclusion
And that’s it! There were some surprising placings on this list, but the latest data has guided our top 10 vegan cities in the USA!
Any of these cities will welcome you and your vegan tastes with open arms, and I’m sure you’ll find cool inspiration from some city’s signature meals (I’m salivating just thinking about Chicago’s vegan Italian Beef Sandwich).
Let us know which city surprised you the most, and give us the inside scoop if you’ve been to any of these cities in the comments below!
P.S. If you’re interested, check out the most vegan city in the WORLD (hint: two cities beat Portland). top 10 LEAST vegan states in America – they might surprise you too!
More Vegan!
- The Best Cooking Oil for Vegans
- The Best Milk for Vegans
- 50 Foods Only a True Vegan Would Recognize
- What’s the Difference Between Vegan and Whole30?
- Fact or Myth? Oreos are Vegan
Links on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same
