You guys. I just went to Rome and it was fucking MAGICAL. I have some tips and tricks and recommendations for vegans and I just want to hop right in because we’ve got a lot of ground to cover!
First, I got a lot of my recommendations from Quarrygirl’s Instagram as she recently visited the Eternal City and is a genius in all things food. I also checked out our earlier review of Rome, Happy Cow, Yelp, and Frommars. Plus, if you just google “Rome Vegan”, you’re gonna find lots of blogs featuring tours and what not. Some are out of date so double check to make sure things are still open and that hours are correct.
Another tip I have for all those who want to travel to Italy (or really anywhere in Europe!) is to go over Thanksgiving! The plane tickets are much cheaper than any other time of year and the cities sparkle with holiday lights! A++++!!!
OK, here’s what I ate:
GELATO. It’s everywhere and literally every place I went to had vegan options — from soy or rice milk-based creamy flavors to blow your mind sorbets. Here’s a rich chocolate and vanilla almond milk-based gelato from some place in the Trastevere:
Next up! La Boccaccia in the Trastevere. Lady operated. Amazing pizza. TONS of vegan options. Like most restaurants in Rome, you’ll find an adorable dog hanging out inside. Buy a bunch and some beer and just sit and watch the Italians do their thing. MOLTO BENE! (Please note: most pizza places like this where you pay by the gram (is it gram? or another metric unit? I cannot remember!) has vegan options, so don’t be dissuaded from just walking in and chowing down!)
CamBio Vita. Skip the stuff at the counter, get the gelato (a whole case of vegan flavors!) and the seitan or tofu sandwiches. And these delicious and adorable sodas!
Pizzarium. Near the Vatican. Made by this famous chef guy in Rome (Bonci?) makes these innovative pizzas that are so damn good. Vegan options marked. So many. So good. The lines are crazy around lunch. I walked several miles in a thunderstorm for this pizza and it was worth it.
PASTA BREAK! Um, there is amazing pasta to buy everywhere. And sauces. And spices. Just buy it.
Il Margutta. Amazing vegetarian brunch with tons of vegan options. At night, turns even fancier and has a vegan prix fixe menu that almost killed a friend of mine with its goodness. If you want a blowout meal in Rome, this is the place. Or it might just be a good place for a hearty lunch after the Spanish Steps. OH, and their risotto is INSANE.
Tofu scrambles, vegan French toast, and vegan Carbonara at Baylon Cafe. Also, the carrot, ginger and magic juice combination. So damn good.
Rome in general: Vegan options are EVERYWHERE. And I went everywhere from vegan restaurants to hole in the wall Italian joints and there were always options. Whether it’s a pizza marinara or spaghetti with olive oil and garlic and peppers or a seitan burger at an “American food” joint, you won’t go hungry. You will go stuffed.
The most amazing SOY CAPPUCCINOS you EVER drank. And they are everywhere! I got this one in a restaurant dedicated to mozzarella!
And let’s end it the way we began it. Gelato from Blue Ice. (It’s a chain so you’ll find ‘em all over.) They have tons of vegan options and they’re all so damn good EAT IT ALL.
There were some places I missed and was super bummed about, especially ReWild (which a vegan dinner club that’s supposed to be awesome) and Arancia Blu. I was in Rome for five days and didn’t get to eat at hardly any of the places I wanted to try. I could not believe how vegan friendly Rome was — every single place I went to knew the term “vegan” and with a few basic phrases, you’ll be eating the entire city.
Also the wine and art was pretty okay, too. I guess.
Soon I’ll post pics and descriptions of everything I ate in Florence, which was EVEN MORE insane than Rome. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE. FLORENCE POST IS UP: http://vegansaurus.com/post/106641655962