Vegan food app HappyCow has released its list of the world’s top vegan cities
HappyCow has announced its list of the top 20 vegan cities in the world, with London and Berlin once again leading the way.
The ratings come from a combination of criteria, including the number of vegan restaurants and vegan-friendly businesses, their densities in each city, and the growth of each year-over-year. The final score also includes a qualitative assessment of the availability of vegan consumer products, public vegan awareness, and the vibrancy of the local vegan community.
Bartek Filipowicz, Head of HappyCow, said in a statement: “We are thrilled to share HappyCow’s annual cities report once again, highlighting the vibrant growth of veganism worldwide. This list is a celebration of global progress in vegan cuisine, and I’m proud of the role HappyCow plays in this ever-evolving journey.”
London and Berlin are the most vegan cities
Topping the list once again are London and Berlin. These cities boast approximately 2,000 listings each in HappyCow’s database, within their metropolitan areas.
London has previously been named the number one four years in a row. It currently has 161 fully vegan restaurants and over 350 fully vegan establishments. “London remains a global frontrunner in vegan consciousness and the diversity of plant-based offerings,” commented Emma Cebuliak, Head of Marketing at HappyCow.
Berlin is also a perennial highflyer. Earlier this year, the German government pledged a “groundbreaking” investment of $41 million USD (€38 million) to promote plant-based foods and alternative proteins in the country. According to HappyCow, Berlin has experienced a “post-covid uptick in the vegan scene,” with 21 percent growth in the number of vegan businesses and 34 percent growth in vegan-friendly listings.
“Berlin, alongside Germany as a whole, consistently anchors itself as a pivotal force in the vegan movement internationally,” Cebuliak commented.
New entries to top-ranked vegan cities
This year’s list includes some breakthrough performances. Hamburg, Germany, has entered the list for the first time ever, along with returning cities such as Paris, Portland, and Lisbon.
Hamburg has seen a “surprising” 55 percent growth in vegan businesses in the last year, HappyCow found. It now has 56 all-vegan restaurants and 1,009 total HappyCow listings within the city center. Other fully vegan establishments include a hair salon and culinary school.
Portland is another city on the up. It has 53 all-vegan restaurants, 102 vegan businesses, and 574 listings within the city center. A recent study named Portland the most vegan-friendly city in the US – HappyCow agrees.
Also returning to the top 10 is Paris. The rankings noted “a growing awareness of the vegan lifestyle” in the French capital. Filipowicz added: “It’s exciting to see newcomers like Paris leading the way, expanding the vegan frontier into French pastries and cheeses.”
Elsewhere in the top 20, there is “reshuffling due to global economic concerns,” Cebuliak noted, with some restaurants in key cities having shut down. Cities including Los Angeles have experienced a slight decline in fully vegan restaurants but keep their high rankings as “vegan havens due to the strength of their community.”
The full top 20 is as follows:
1. London
2. Berlin
3. Barcelona
4. Amsterdam
5. Hamburg
6. Portland
7. Los Angeles
8. Paris
9. Bangkok
10. Lisbon
11. Tokyo
12. Warsaw
13. Brighton
14. Singapore
15. New York City
16. Taipei
17. Munich
18. Ho Chi Minh City
19. Prague
20. Edinburgh
