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Lisbon Is Europe’s New Vegan Paradise!

Although Lisbon didn’t get the vegan memo early, it sure has been making up for lost time and it’s becoming a small vegan paradise. In the past 3-4 years a lot of changes have contributed to Lisbon deserving a place among Europe’s vegan capitals! It’s changed a lot, and the best is still to come.

Lisbon esplanadas.

Why is it a New Vegan Paradise?

For one, there are new places popping up everywhere. Week to week you can pass by the same place and see a new vegan shop, restaurant or bar. But the fact is, that can be said about a lot of capital cities around the world. That’s globalization and gentrification. So, what makes Lisbon so deserving of this title?

One thing is Lisbon’s love for embracing the new. Granted, it may seem resistant to change: all the same-looking snack bars and cafes; ‘vegan’ and ‘veggie’ meaning ‘salad’ and ‘soup’, we get it. This was the case for a long time but a big change has been happening. No matter where you are in Lisbon, there are vegan restaurants to eat at, vegan grocery stores to shop at and even markets to buy vegan clothes. You can definitely make it here as a vegan.

One of Lisbon’s hilly streets in Rossio, the centre for many vegan spots.

Eating Out in Vegan Lisbon

Nowadays you can have any type of plant-based craving satisfied. From fancy upscale vegan restaurants like Horácio Trattoria, O Gambuzino or the Food Temple, to fast food done right by Vegan Junkies, it’s easy to not repeat yourself eating in Lisbon. And Plant Base has the Neapolitan-style pizzas that are always light but fulfilling. 

Not to mention that lots of restaurants that cater to non-vegans have started including vegan options in their menus.

Plant-Based Everything

Awareness of plant-based diets and eco-friendly living has changed the way you can enjoy Lisbon. There is a genuine concern for impacting your health positively as there is for the planet’s health and people are increasingly going after it.

You’ve got plant-based alternatives for even some of the most exclusive Portuguese things, like cold-cuts and cheeses. There are vegan shoe and clothes shops all across the city, and places that sell kitchenware offer more and more plastic-free alternatives.

It also helps that you have a bicycle path around the city, which now allows you to go mostly everywhere. Apart from all of the hilly areas, those aren’t going anywhere.

The Vegan Lifestyle in Lisbon

Another reason why Lisbon is a vegan paradise has to do with the way vegan culture has been blending with other new ideas. Street art, music and all types of cultural events can often be found in the same places where you can eat cruelty-free. From the events at Arroz Estúdios, featuring second-hand markets, art, workshops and music, to the walls of Beets Bar at Plant Base, covered in art from our friend and local artist AKA Corleone (where there are also weekly in-house DJ sets), choosing the vegan lifestyle is choosing to enjoy the newest in Lisbon culture.

Neon sign in Pink Street, downtown Lisbon.

Check our Vegan Junkies map to see all the vegan treats Lisbon has to offer you.

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