A new study analyzing the best cities in the U.S. for vegan travellers has been revealed, shedding light on the culinary landscape of cities across the country. More than 15 million people in the U.S. follow a vegetarian-based diet – two million of whom are vegans. Food tourism, in particular vegan tourism, has grown significantly in recent years and this report provides valuable insights into dining options for residents and visitors seeking diverse culinary experiences.
To accomplish this, we standardized the latest available data in 48 cities in categories including, the quality and cost of restaurants and the availability of vegan amenities. The data is standardized using min-max normalization and values were multiplied by 10 to create a score from 0-10.
New York took the number one spot as the best city for vegan travelers, scoring 8.14 overall, showcasing its commitment to offering a diverse and vibrant culinary scene for residents and tourists alike.
The city’s overall quality of restaurants was determined by averaging 93 restaurant ratings (4.41/5), resulting in an impressive rating of 9.82 out of 10. The analysis found 73 low-cost restaurants and nine high-cost restaurants in the city, yielding an overall cost rating of 7 out of 10.
One noteworthy trend observed was the emphasis on vegan amenities. The study highlights the availability of juice and smoothie bars, as well as farmer’s markets, to determine the scope of vegan-friendly options in each city. New York stood out with 79 juice/smoothie bars and 22 farmer’s markets, contributing to an impressive amenity rating of 6.97 out of 10.
The city’s strong performance in restaurant quality, affordability, and vegan-friendly amenities reflects its dedication to providing a wide array of dining options that cater to various tastes and preferences.
Following in second, Chicago achieved a 6.33 score overall. The Windy City stood out with 46 vegan restaurants, with an average rating of 4.5/5, contributing to its overall quality score of 7.39/10. It missed out on the top spot due to its low scoring for vegan amenities. With only 27 juice/smoothie bars and 32 farmer’s markets, the city scored a mere 4.57 out of 10.
Los Angeles(6.14), Washington DC (6.14) and Las Vegas (6.04) complete the top five U.S. cities for vegan travelers.
At the other end of the scale, Hartford, CT is the least favorable city for vegan travelers – scoring 2.64 overall. With only 18 low-cost restaurants and two high-cost restaurants, it contributed to its low-cost rating of 1.83.
Detroit (2.73) and Jacksonville, FL (3.01) complete the three least favorable U.S. cities for vegan travelers.
Sarah Webber, Director of Marketing at InsureMyTrip Commented: “It can be tough for vegans to find suitable options when dinging out – especially when on vacation. With the popularity of food-tourism, we hope this study will help all travelers find a destination that they can really sink their teeth into!”
