Whether it is for ethical reasons or health, increasingly large numbers of people are turning towards veganism. According to the Veganuary website 620,000 people tried being vegan last January, from more than 220 countries and territories.
Here is our guide to how to be vegan in January both at home and during your travels.
Veganuary in the UK
Many of the best restaurants in the UK are embracing Veganuary with meat-free menus. The Talbooth Restaurant in Essex has a vegetarian menu while sister establishment Milsoms in Dedham has gone the full vegan hog. Aldeburgh’s seafront Brudenell Hotel has a Veganuary prix fixe menu from 5 to 31 January (£25 per person for two courses and £32 for three).
Not only is Thornbury Castle one of the most enchanting hotels to stay in the UK but it also has a wonderful vegan tasting menu created by Executive Head Chef Carl Cleghorn.
Vegan Afternoon Teas
Just because you have given up dairy doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy afternoon tea.
Dukes London is offering a Vegan Afternoon Tea menu, with beetroot hummus and vegan feta, smoked aubergine on coriander onion bread with sweet dishes lemon drizzle cake or apricot mouse, from £39.50 per person.
The English Cream Tea Company has a Vegan Afternoon Tea Hamper for two. They also have a plant-based vegan section for you to sample.
Best Vegan Travel Destinations
However, veganism isn’t just for Veganuary, so here are some ideas for vegan-friendly destinations you can explore in 2023.
Pop Up in the Maldives
Travel to W Maldives where Indian American vegan chef Priyanka Naik has created a pop up menu for Veganuary.
Veganuary in Estonia
Estonia has a focus on seasonal and foraged produce. Tallinn’s Restaurant V was the capital’s first fully vegan with dishes such as beetroot ravioli with cashew cream cheese and passion fruit ‘cheesecake’ bite. Spargel in Tartu offers a separate range of vegan dishes including beetroot ravioli, broccoli salad with courgettes, and a raspberry-hazelnut cake.
Tel Aviv : Vegan Food Capital
Dubbed the World’s Vegan Food Capital, Tel Aviv has more than 400 vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants, as well as an all-vegan culinary school. Restaurants you might try include: Opa with its rooftop urban garden, rustic organic kitchen, Meshek Barzilay, hip eatery 416 and vegan street diner, Goodness.
Forage in Bermuda
Join Doreen Williams-James, of Wild Herbs and Plants of Bermuda, on a foraging tour through Bermuda. Based upon the idea that food is medecine, Doreen takes guests on a tour of the island demonstrating the curing benefits of organic food and the plants we can freely find all around us. This naturally is followed by a cookery demo and tasting.
Go Vegan in Borneo
Shangri-La Rasa Ria, Kota Kinabalu, has introduced a wide range of vegan dishes and delights across its ten restaurants and bars. The hotel even has its own jungle nature reserve, the Rasa Ria Reserve, where visitors can see native animals in their natural habitat, including slow lorises and long-tailed macaques.
Vegan Travel in the States
Austin Vegan Foodie Paradise
You might not associate Texas with veganism, but Austin has more than 75 fully plant-based establishments. These include vegan Mexican truck-turned physical restaurant, Nissi Vegan Mexican Vegmex, vegan Counter Culture, and plant-based barbecue food from food trailer, BBQ Revolution.
Join Scottsdale’s Veggie Whisperer
Charleen Badman, also know as The Veggie Whisperer has developed a veggie-forward, wine-centric menu at FnB in Scottsdale. The former Best Chef in the Southwest winner uses local ingredients from the Sonoran Desert, in her seasonally-fluctuating Arizonan menu. Alternatively, try Farm & Craft’s seasonal wellness menu.
Farm to Fork in Sacramento
California’s capital city known for its farm-to-fork dining is redefining itself with an array of vegan eateries. Burger Patch is a plant-based fast-food restaurant, Bambi Vegan Tacos, is a plant-based taco restaurant originating from a more than popular food truck with vegan tuna melts and Baja tacos, made with locally sourced vegetables and pulses.
Viva Las Vegan
Surely not veganuary in Las Vegas? You might be surprised to discover the destination has plenty of vegan options. Located in Resorts World, Crossroads Kitchen opened in 2022 as the first fully plant-based fine dining restaurant on the Strip. Other plant-friendly options include VegeNation with 100% vegan street food and Truth & Tonic, which offers a fully vegan menu in a casual environment.
SLO CAL Vegan Wine
Alternatively ride an e-bike through the vineyard at Justin’s Vineyard and Winery in Paso Robles, California. The award-winning vineyard uses 100% vegan methods and fining agents to produce its wines.
Vegan Travel Tours
Be an Intrepid Vegan
In a bid to reduce the carbon impact of travel, Intrepid Travel has relaunched its Real Food Adventures tour range with 21 tours revamped to include a new plant-based experience on every itinerary. These include India, Mexico, South Korea, Vietnam (main image), and The Balkans.
Contiki Vegan Tour of Europe
Contiki will re-launch its vegan-first tour of Europe in the summer of 2023. With plant-based cuisine only on the menu; the trip visits plant-based restaurants in Berlin, Prague and Warsaw, as well as dining with locals.
Veganuary at Home
Of course, you don’t have to leave your home to try being vegan. Here are some Veganuary recipes for you to try.
