Vegan Guide
Vegan FAQ — Eating out
Short answers to real-world questions about veganism — food, health, shopping, and everyday life.
Eating out
What can a vegan order in an Italian restaurant?
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.
What can a vegan order at a kebab shop?
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.
What can you eat for breakfast out as a vegan?
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.
Is fast food in Poland ever vegan?
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.
Is Indian food easy for vegans?
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”.
Can Korean food be vegan?
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.
Can traditional Polish food be vegan?
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.
Are pesto and parmesan vegan?
Classic pesto alla genovese has pecorino or parmesan (often with animal rennet). Order pesto without cheese, or a vegan pesto. PDO parmesan is dairy.