It can be said that London is one of the most vegetarian-friendly cities in the world. Actually, according to animal rights organisation PETA, it’s THE best place in the world to be a vegetarian.
How did London earn the title?
According to Roger Swallow, the owner of a vegan restaurant Manna, London has a long vegetarian and vegan history.
”The early Vegetarian and Vegan Societies began in London and Manchester in the mid 1800s and mid 1900s, respectively, hence the importance of our city in the modern ever-popular and growing movement.”
London’s multicultural history had a major influence on the vegetarian movement.
”London has always been a major trading centre and a magnet for colonial immigrants, attracting large communities of cultural vegetarians and sentients; for instance, Hindus. The discovery of the Indus Valley and the large Indian subcontinent, with its large vegetarian population, had a significant effect.”
“The empire builders, colonialist and adventurers circulating around the globe from the ports of London, through the spice routes and the far-eastern exotic places in particular, began to take note.”
According to Swallow, London, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles led the way to a healthier lifestyle.
”A corporate, profit-only attitude towards filling stomaches with toxic and less than nutritious substances began to take hold and it horrified us, so we easily turned towards more exotic, sensible and sensitive attitudes towards wellness. Mass-produced animal products, the treatment of animals, eco-destroying toxic processing, and this corporate ‘food’ thought-control were red-flagged by the cultural revolution sweeping the lands, literally forcing concerned people towards humane alternatives.”
It’s not just that London has a lot of vegetarian restaurants (according to Tripadvisor, 299 restaurants list their cuisine as vegetarian), but you are almost guaranteed to find multiple vegetarian dishes in every menu in the city. There is always a variety of options – not just a green salad or a boring vegetarian burger.
The variety and quality of vegan and vegetarian dishes in London provide new taste experiences also for non-vegetarian culinarists.
”50% of our customers are not full time vegans and somewhat less are not vegetarians. This is non-scientific, of course,” Swallow says.
The stores are packed with vegetarian-friendly food, which makes cooking at home easy and tasty. The meat-free diet is not expensive, compared to London’s average prices, since meat is quite pricey here. Often the vegetarian or vegan options are clearly marked, which makes shopping simple.
There are 1,9 million vegetarians in the UK and the amount is growing each year. It’s campaigns like Sir Paul McCartney’s Meat Free Monday that raise the awareness on the benefits of vegetarianism and make it a part of our everyday life. It’s completely normal to be a vegetarian in London and no one makes a big deal about it.
Paul McCartney himself said: “After 40 years of touring as a vegetarian, I’m proud to say that when it comes to eating, there’s no place like home.”
Find out more about Manna here
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