According to the European Union of Vegetarians, around 10% of Italians are vegetarian – the highest percentage in Europe. In Rome, you’ll find meat-free meals almost everywhere. Most pizza-by-the-slice places serve vegetarian-friendly combinations (such as potato and rosemary) for €5 – €10. Rome also has an array of Kebab shops where you can pick up felafels and a quick salad for under €10.

There are a number of vegetarian restaurants located in the city center. Note that the lunch menus are a particularly good value and that not all serve alcohol.

Here are five of the most popular vegetarian restaurants in central Rome:

Fresh and healthy meals at Il Margutta RistorArte. Photo: VeganTraveller

Bibliothè
Via Celsa 5, Rome. Ph: 0667 814 27, Open: Mon-Sat 12:30 – 3:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Nestled in a chic cobbled alley off Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Bibliothè is conveniently located near most of Rome’s key tourist attractions (a 5-10 minute walk from the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Foro Romano). Bibliothè serves Ayurvedic food, whole grain and organic pasta in a cozy library-inspired environment. Many of the dishes are vegan, and the daily lunch special is popular and inexpensive (cost varies, but it’s usually around €13).

The service can be slow at times (so I’ve been told – but I’ve never had this problem myself) but the atmosphere is chilled-out and fairly unpretentious.

Govindas
Via di Sardegna, 55. Ph: 0668 891 540. Open Tue-Sat 12 – 2 p.m., Fri – Sat 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
www.harekrsna.it

Govindas is a popular Hare Krishna spot known for low-fuss vegetarian nosh. They are currently in the process of moving to a new location near Via Veneto and will be closed until the start of April 2012 (the restaurant on Via Santa Maria del Pianto is gone). The new spot will be about a ten-minute walk from metro stop Spagna (Line A) or a 15-20 minute walk from Termini.

You can choose between different menus ranging in prices and the food is presented buffet-style. Choose from rice with vegetables and spices, grilled vegetables, bread and desserts. Second helpings are available. Govindas does not serve alcohol.

REWILD Cruelty-Free Club
Via Giovannipoli, Garbatella. 18. Ph: 0697 613 910. Open: from 8 p.m.
www.rewild.it

You’ll need to take the metro out of the center to find this place (Line B – Garbatella), but it’s an interesting spot. Rewild is a vegan pub – so to speak. It serves burgers, hotdogs and beer, but all dishes are vegan. They also put on concerts, films and exhibitions (check their website for information). It’s really cheap and not at all touristy.

To eat here, you need to become a card-carrying member – but don’t worry, it’s free and you can sign up on the spot. They also have menus in English – you just need to ask.

Il Margutta RistorArte
Via Margutta, 118. Ph: 0632 650 577, Open: 12:30 – 3:30 p.m., Dinner from 7 p.m.
www.ilmarguttavegetariano.it

Il Margutta is a Roman institution – more than 32 years and counting. Located north of Piazza di Spagna and minutes from Piazza del Popolo, art lovers will appreciate the trendy art-gallery vibe. The nearest metro stop is Flamino. Dishes get pricey at dinner, but they do a pretty good value brunch menu.

Arancia Blu Cucina Vegetariana con Enoteca
Via Prenestina 396e, Tel: 064454105, Bistrot open from 5 p.m.
www.aranciabluroma.com

If you ask a Roman to recommend a vegetarian restaurant, they’ll probably mention Arancia Blu. It’s not cheap, but the food is delicious and for a light dinner, they do a fixed degustation menu for about €20 (including beer). No list of vegetarian restaurants in Rome would be complete without it. Save it for a night when you’re feeling particularly extravagant.

Also in our guide: Hungry for a great affordable hotel? We’re here to help. Our editors have visited, inspected and reviewed the best inexpensive hotels in Rome, all central, clean and affordable. Read more in our Rome guide.

The post Rome: 5 vegetarian restaurants for a great (meatless) meal appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are some vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Berlin worth checking out:

Yellow Sunshine
Wiener Straße 19
Tel: 030 695 987 20
Web site

You can have your döner and eat it too. Kreuzberg’s vegetarian/vegan fast food joint does Berlin staples meat-free. Currywurst? Check. Hamburgers? Of course. Don’t let the title “fast food” fool you, though. The wait can be quite long–it’s that popular.

Die Rebellion des Zimtsterns
Schlesische Straße 38
Tel: 030 612 888 98

This tiny bad-ass cafe on action-packed Schlesische Strasse is vegan. Grab that butterless, dairy-free apple strudel and down it with soy latte. Daily lunches are €5.

Samadhi
Wilhelmstrasse 77
Tel: 030 224 888 50
Web site

Samadhi serves vegetarian Thai and Vietnamese dishes–whoop de doo, you may say. But, notice the prime location–right by the Brandenburg Gate.

Yoyo Foodworld
Gärtnerstraße 27
030 49 787 384
Web site

This 100% vegan joint is a stone’s throw away from the Boxhagener Platz flea market in hip Friedrichshain.

More advice: If you’re also hunting down the perfect hotel for your trip, be sure to swing by our city guide to read our reviews of our favorite cheap Berlin hotels, all of them inspected and photographed by our editors.

The post Berlin: Vegetarian and vegan food on the cheap appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here is what the city has to offer in terms of vegetarian, vegan and kosher restaurants and markets, which often also specialize in organic and fair trade food.

Il Vegetariano
Via delle ruote, 30r
http://www.il-vegetariano.it/

This is the best-known vegetarian restaurant in Florence, literally named “The Vegetarian.”  The prices are pretty low, starting at €4-6 for “primi piatti” (light dishes), and €8-9 for “secondi piatti” (main dishes). They pride themselves on using fresh organic ingredients and offering a menu of both vegetarian and vegan options.

The set up is similar to a cafeteria, so when you arrive go straight to the cash register in the back. There you can pick out your meal, pay for it and bring your receipt to the food bar to be served. Don’t forget about excellent desserts and wine, which again are all organic and vegetarian or vegan.

Caffellatte
Via degli Alfani, 39

I know it seems odd to send vegans to a cafe with “milk” in the name, but trust me on this one. This cafe deserves its own (non-veg /vegan) post for its huge cappuccinos and caffe lattes and to-die-for desserts with homemade warm cream sauce. (Side note: If you don’t order the special sauce, Vanna, the elderly woman who runs the place, will hound you for the rest of your stay about why you didn’t get the cream sauce!)

However this small cafe, housed strangely enough in an old butchery with marble butcher counter and all, also offers a vegetarian and vegan menu at mealtimes. You’ll find cheeses made from vegetable whey, fair trade cocoa and organic vegetables. It’s not the cheapest meal in Florence, but it’s worth it for the quality of the food and the ingredients, the cozy atmosphere, and the passionate Vanna who takes pride in her small establishment and her homemade treats.

Dolce Vegan
Via San Gallo, 92r

This recently re-opened pastry shop and mini-market is a great place for a snack. The shop bakes their own vegan sweets, such as croissants, danishes, cookies and tartlets, as well as salty snacks such as sandwiches and mini pizzas. The atmosphere may be a bit banal and stark, but the sweets are delicious! The mini-market in the back room offers a wide range of vegan foodstuffs as well as refrigerated items like drinks and tofu.

Ruth’s Kosher Vegetarian Food
Via Luigi Carlo Fanno, 2
http://www.kosheruth.com/inglese.htm

Those of you who would like to stay kosher during your trip will find that there are a few options; however, they are almost exclusively located in the area around the Synagogue. In Via dei Pilastri (between the San Marco and Sant’Ambrogio areas) and Via Luigi Carlo Fanno, which houses the Synagogue, you’ll find various kosher restaurants and mini-markets, although they do seem to have shorter hours of operation than other markets you’ll find in the city. Ruth’s, in particular, is well known for its tasty dishes, which are both kosher and vegetarian, and its warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Special diets at the grocery store

Dairy alternatives such as soy are easily found in most supermarkets. There is a large brand, Valsoia, that makes a range of soy milk, yoghurts, ice cream and other staples when doing some budget-friendly grocery shopping. You can also find a lot of great vegetarian options, such as tofu and seitan, at local Asian markets sprinkled around the city.

The post Florence vegetarian restaurants (plus vegan and kosher options) appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Lehká Hlava
Borsov 2, New Town – Prague 1
website

Often listed as a vegetarian fave, “Clear Head”  gets raves from meat eaters as well. As the restaurant leans a bit Mediterranean, you can graze over their eggplant tartar, pasta with tofu or tempeh, or choose one of their decent Mexican items (especially the big burritos). Lehká Hlava has a funky, semi-spacey decor, and reservations are recommended.

Bona Vita
Václavské námestí 43, New Town – Prague 1

Bona Vita is the local health food company that produces a lot of natural and vegetarian foods. Their restaurant is in a passageway off of Wenceslas Square, quite convenient if you’re in the center. Bona Vita’s menu used to be much larger and more exciting; they offered Mexican, Asian, Italian, and more with the front half being with meat; the second half with meat substitutes. Now they only have 2 pages of meatless offerings and prices have gone up a bit. Nonetheless, the food is still tasty.

Country Life
Melantrichova 15, Old Town – Prague 1
website

Another natural and organic restaurant, Country Life is a buffet-style restaurant close to Old Town Square that is popular to say the least. Food is sold by weight, so you pay for what you think you can eat. Hot and cold selections, plus soup, desserts, and free water make this a bargain hunter’s dream. Beware: lunchtime sees the smallish place packed with area business people. Make it an early or late lunch for more assured seating. There’s a decent sized health food store out front; the restaurant is in the courtyard.

Maitrea
Týnská 6, Old Town – Prague 1
website

Lehká Hlava’s not-so-wild cousin is one of the newest veg places in town. The decor is a bit milder, the space bigger, and the menu slightly more affordable. They offer a daily set lunch menu for 108 CZK ($5.90) that includes soup, a main dish, and small water. There’s even a vegetarian version of the traditional Old Bohemian Plate; this time with beets and tofu.

Veg Food
Londýnská 35, Vinohrady – Prague 2
website

Nestled on a residential street, Veg Food is not just a clever name. It is all veg with lots of items using meat substitutes. The spring rolls and sushi are two of the best choices. It’s easy to find something under 100 CZK ($5.45), so it’s also a great budget choice. Only non-alcoholic drinks are served here, and the restaurant is non-smoking. Veg Food offers a great daily lunch special, and the place fills up. Dinnertime, however, is quieter and the staff is very pleasant.

Beas Vegetarian Dhaba
Týnská 19, Old Town – Prague 1
Belehradská 90, Vinohrady – Prague 2
website

This is one of the best Cheapo finds, whether you are vegetarian or not. Beas is a cafeteria-style Indian restaurant with a daily meal that includes your choice of two kinds of subji; two kinds of dhal; two kinds of rice; plus a small salad and cup of soup. The small menu is 88 CZK ($4.80), the large 98 CZK ($5.35). They also have other items you can order separately and there are pitchers of free water on every table.

The Old Town location is a bit smaller, and gets crowded quickly. It’s better in the summer thanks to the large front courtyard. The Prague 2 location is bigger and also has a small outdoor eating area. Beas is a non-smoking restaurant.

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