Is it Possible to be Vegetarian or Vegan in South America?

It is possible to be vegan or vegetarian in South or Central America? Short answer: YES! First, I’ll share a frustrating time I had ordering vegan in Lima, Peru to show you sometimes things get hard, but do not let those times deter you from the veg life! You will go to some restaurants and leave frustrated. It happens to all of us!

So, first I’ll share a story. Scroll down for vegan and vegetarian tips for traveling South America!

“You can just pick out the ham. No?”

My partner and I walk into a restaurant after walking miles and miles on the beautiful boardwalk of Lima, Peru. Starving. We’re in a trendy neighborhood called Barranco. It’s a normal restaurant with typical Peruvian food. Darien and I have been to what seems like millions of restaurants like this before. The menu of course does not list anything vegetarian (like always). We tell our server we’re vegetarian and do not eat any animals. She says they don’t serve anything vegetarian (most restaurants say this by the way). I ask if it’s possible to prepare beans, rice, and French fries because I see all 3 listed on the menu. She goes and asks her manager or the chef. She comes back, yes they can.

We get, by default, the salad for appetizer. Most places you get an appetizer, entry, and a juice for one price, it’s called “menu” or “almuerzo.” She brings orange juices, then a salad, then comes the entry. Looks great! Garbanzo beans with what looks like spinach, white rice, and fresh steamy french fries. Then I see something in the garbanzo beans that looks like ham. I make Darien try it. It’s ham. I call the server over and ask what it is. She says it’s pig. The look in her eye shows she knows she had made a mistake. The manager then comes over. Keep in mind, I served for over 5 years, I absolutely HATE making scenes in restaurants. If there’s a mistake, I’ll eat it. If they forget something, I ignore it. The manager explains that no where on the menu does it say vegetarian and that they are not a vegetarian restaurant. We have to pay for it because we touched it. Why don’t we just pick out the pieces of ham?

Look. We’ve been to small pueblos where they had never even heard of vegetarian or people not eating certain animal products. We’ve been traveling for 2 months and have yet to have any issues. A lot of restaurants have even gone above and beyond making special dishes for us. But this situation was bound to happen eventually. I explained to the manager that we had told the server that we’re vegetarian and don’t eat animals. There’s no way I could eat this, it would send me right to the bathroom for hours. I expected her to apologize, maybe say we could pay a lower price just for the rice and fries. If she was nice, I honestly wouldn’t have made a fuss, I would have eaten the potatoes and rice and shut up. She insisted we pay for everything while holding her hands at her hips hovering over me. I translated what was happening to Darien and he could not believe it. She kept saying how she could not serve that to another customer and how we need to go to a vegetarian restaurant, this was not one of them. I kept saying “Es una broma?” (Is this a joke?) My blood boiled. We ended up over paying for the juice and salad. I felt taken advantage of. We left without eating.

Arepas Saved The Day

We walked down the street and found a little restaurant selling arepas, typical Venezuelan food. There were tons of veggie options. The owner spoke English and welcomed us with a nice smile. Exactly what we needed. We talked to him the whole time about his country and what there is to do in Lima. I ordered an arepa with black beans. Delicious. It was like a thick corn tortilla with tasty black beans inside. Darien got a vegetarian Lomo Saltado arepa, a traditional Peruvian dish. After filling up, we laughed about the previous situation. After thinking about it, I’m surprised that hadn’t happened sooner.

The Lesson

I wanted to share this story to not deter you from traveling as a vegetarian. It does take some extra effort, but it’s worth it! Although some might not agree, for me it’s been pretty easy. The main dishes in Latin American all include meat (for the most part), but there are ways around it. In Ecuador, I ordered mostly rice, beans, and plantains without ever having an issue. Sometimes I would have to explain a couple of times because they couldn’t comprehend why you would want the dish without chicken. In Peru, almost every city I’ve found restaurants with a vegetarian section on the menu! I’ve even found exclusively vegan restaurants in FOUR cities (Lima, Peru, Chiclayo, Peru, Trujillo, Peru and Montanita, Ecuador)! Woot woot! Vegetarianism and veganism is spreading!

In Chiclayo, Peru we went to a place and didn’t see much on the menu for us, so we asked if it was possible to get omelets. We had ordered veggie omelets at restaurants before. They are called “tortillas,” but to me, it tastes and looks like an omelet. The server asked the chef and the chef came to our table to inquire. He offered to make omelets with a bunch of vegetables with personalized sides. He really went above and beyond for us. It was so nice.

I never really liked asking for modifications at restaurants before being veggie, but I’ve found most respond with kindness. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want!!

Best Cities for Vegan Travelers in South America

1. Lima, Peru (THE BEST!!)
2. Chiclayo, Peru
3. Trujillo, Peru
4. Montanita, Ecuador (best veggie burger!)
5. Cartagena, Colombia
6. Bogota, Colombia

Vegan Tips for South America

1. Chinese restaurants always have veggie options (and surprisingly there’s tons of Chinese places in South America)
2. Find a hostel with a kitchen and go to the market to find fresh fruits vegetables, and grains!
3. Travel with oil and spices (I travel with coconut oil, pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, etc for cooking)
4. Key Spanish phrases:
   • “Soy vegetariano/vegano” (I’m vegetarian/vegan)
   • “Por favor, no carne, pollo, y pescado. No animales.” (please no beef, chicken, and fish. No animals)
   • “Muchas gracias!” (Thank you so much!) *always say thank you for making modifications and be as kind as possible! They are doing YOU a favor.
   • Note: you have to be specific. Sometimes people don’t understand what vegetarian or vegan means. You must list all meat. People don’t consider fish meat. Some people don’t even consider ham or imitation crab meat. Try to be as specific as possible.
5. Google vegetarian/vegan restaurants and pin them on your map before arriving to a new city
6. Happy Cow App is amazing. Use it.
7. ALWAYS BE PREPARED! Whether it be packing snacks to avoid meltdowns while searching for places to eat (hangryness is real) or doing some extra research on places to eat beforehand. I can promise you, I’ve never been put in a situation where I couldn’t find something to eat! (Thanks for preparation and some creativity!)
8. Be flexible. I understand you may have been vegan or vegetarian for years. It is MUCH easier to be vegan in the states. When you are traveling, sometimes you may have to eat something with animal fat or hidden seasonings. Do not starve yourself. I believe your health always comes first. I suggest being more flexible while traveling and focus on the adventure.

I hope this helps! Cheers to your South American adventure! If you have any questions or suggestions, comment below!

More Resources for South America:

• Vegan Guide for Lima, Peru
• Packing Guide for South America
• How to Teach English in Colombia
• How to Learn Spanish for Free
• Apps to Download for Your South American Trip!
• Podcasts for Long Travel Days!

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