Being vegan wasn’t always so easy. Going out to restaurants was a near-impossible task, trying to explain to relatives that fish “isn’t vegan” was even. But these days you’ll find a plant-based diet fairly simple – there’s even a whole section in the supermarkets catering for vegans, who’d have thought that would happen? Bristol, more than more cities, is particularly great for vegans.
That’s according to new research by the train company LNER. Analysing Google search data, the number of vegan restaurants listed per city on HappyCow, and the number of vegan takeaway options on Deliveroo in the 20 biggest cities in the UK, it has determined the best cities for vegans in the UK – giving each city a score out of 100.
Scoring 59.9 out of 100, Bristol is the UK’s third-most vegan-friendly city but has the most eager eaters. It has the highest monthly search volume for vegan restaurants per person. With the third-highest number of vegan restaurants per square mile too, Bristol offers 4.7 vegan restaurants and 3.4 vegan takeaways per 100,000 residents – that’s a lot of restaurants, but we could have told you that anyway!
Between plant-based pizzerias like Purezza and “possibly the world’s smallest vegan deli”, Herbivore, vegan eateries are on every corner. Bristol’s veg-forward Root was even nominated as the best vegan-friendly restaurant in the country last year. Other vegan spots we love include Fi Real, VX Bristol, Pastan, Koocha Mezze Bar and Oowee – showcasing the diversity of a plant-based diet.
But veganism isn’t just big in Bristol. It’s seemingly ever-growing in the UK, with the average number of searches for vegan restaurants increasing by 82% since 2021. Since 2021, searches for vegan restaurants have doubled in Glasgow and Edinburgh and tripled in Southampton and Cardiff. But the UK’s best city for vegans is Brighton, with the highest number of vegan restaurants (7.9 of them) per 100,000 people.
“With Veganuary occurring around the world throughout January, many people might be embarking on a transformative journey towards a plant-based lifestyle,” said Richard Judge, Head of Customer Experience at LNER. “For those looking to explore vegan options in the UK this year, our research features some of the most vegan-friendly hotspots and our local restaurant recommendations, ensuring you have a true culinary journey to remember.”
To see the full report head here.
The top 10 most vegan-friendly cities
- Brighton (86.9/100)
- Manchester (64.9/100)
- Bristol (59.9/100)
- Edinburgh (54.5/100)
- London (39.4/100)
- Glasgow (33.9/100)
- York (33.0/100)
- Liverpool (25.5/100)
- Cardiff (23.7/100)
- Reading (22.8/100)