Vegan Guide
Short answers to real-world questions about veganism — food, health, shopping, and everyday life.
Tomato or aglio e olio pasta without cheese, pizza marinara (no mozzarella), grilled vegetables, risotto without butter and cheese if the kitchen confirms. Avoid carbonara, cacio e pepe, pesto, anchovies.
Falafel, if it is fried without lard and not egg-battered. Ask about the sauce (garlic sauce is often yoghurt or mayo) and whether the grill is shared with meat. More Polish kebab shops now offer falafel and seitan.
Porridge with plant milk, tofu scramble, hummus and dairy-free bread, avocado toast without butter. Ask about butter on the grill and milk in coffee. Look up cafes in the places database.
Yes — plant burgers, fries (check the fat and cheese seasoning), falafel kebabs. Traps: milk in buns, mayo sauces, cheese, lard in the fryer at some chains. A listing in a place guide is more reliable than a “plant-based” ad.
Often yes: dal, chana masala, baingan, many vegetable curries. Traps: ghee, dahi/yoghurt, paneer, honey, sometimes cream. Ask for “no ghee or dairy, cooked in oil”.
Yes, but watch fish sauce in kimchi, beef stock, some gochujang recipes, and egg. Vegan kimchi, bibimbap without egg, and tofu jjigae are common — ask about fish and stock.
Yes. Cabbage-and-mushroom pierogi (no lard), groats, chłodnik on plant yoghurt, potato pancakes without sour cream, oyster-mushroom hunter’s stew, sour rye soup without sausage and egg.
Classic pesto alla genovese has pecorino or parmesan (often with animal rennet). Order pesto without cheese, or a vegan pesto. PDO parmesan is dairy.
The definition says “as far as possible and practicable”. Some people avoid a shared fryer, some do not. That is a value and a practice, not a lab fact that “meat residue in a fry means you are not vegan”.
Tell the hosts clearly and early. Offer a specific dish you will bring. At a wedding, call the couple or caterer and ask for no dairy and eggs, not just “no meat”.
Scout a few restaurants ahead, carry protein snacks (nuts, a bar, hummus) and learn 4–5 local phrases: no meat, fish, egg, milk, honey.
Be specific: no meat, fish, egg, dairy, honey or animal stock. Listing ingredients beats saying only “veggie”. In Asian kitchens ask about fish sauce and lard; in Italian, cheese and anchovy.
The quickest way is the Vegan Guide map: enter your city and choose a category such as restaurant, café or shop. HappyCow, filters in map apps and local vegan groups on social media also help.
Fish and oyster sauce, shrimp paste, dashi (fish), lard, egg in fried rice, honey in sauces. Often vegan: many tofu dishes, vegetable stir-fries in oil, some coconut curries without nam pla.
Plenty on Christmas Eve (Wigilia): fermented beetroot soup (barszcz), uszka and pierogi with sauerkraut and mushrooms (if the dough is egg-free), cabbage with peas, dried-fruit compote. Easter needs more swaps, as eggs, żurek with sausage and butter cakes take centre stage.
