Only one Arizona city makes Top 10 list of most vegetarian-friendly cities
Phoenix, Arizona: With around 6% of US considering themeselves vegan or vegetarian that's 15.7 million people in need of specific and delicious food. Now, as any vegetarian will till you, they are far too often overlooked when it comes to restaurants, food trucks, etc. But that has been changing, and now WalletHub has conducted a study that has revealed the top cities in the US for vegetarians
A common concern about plant-based diets is cost. However, with meat prices rising faster than fruits and vegetables, adding vegetarian or vegan meals to your diet may be more affordable. Certain US cities offer a variety of budget-friendly options for plant-based eaters, while others lag behind. WalletHub compared the 100 largest US cities across 17 indicators of vegetarian-friendliness, evaluating factors like grocery costs, the availability of meatless restaurants, and the number of salad shops per capita.
Los Angeles ranks as the top city for vegans and vegetarians in 2024, with Phoenix coming at number #9, Tuscon at #22, Scottsdale at #26, Mesa at #35, Chandler at #51, Gilbert #63, and Glendale at #68.
Residents eat plant-based food 187% more often than the US average, and LA has the second-highest number of highly rated restaurants offering affordable vegetarian and vegan options. The city also boasts a wealth of fresh produce markets, organic farms, and gardening shops, along with numerous cooking classes and meetups for plant-based enthusiasts.
Orlando, Florida, comes in second. It ranks high for juice bars, salad shops, and vegetarian-friendly restaurants. It’s also one of the most affordable cities for plant-based groceries, like bananas and cooking oil, and hosts the Central Florida VegFest.
Portland, Oregon, takes third place. Known for its abundance of highly rated vegetarian restaurants, farmers markets, and organic farms, Portlanders embrace plant-based living, consuming vegetarian and vegan meals 148% more often than the national average. The city also has a high percentage of daily vegetable consumers.
The five worst cities for vegetarians were Baltimore, Memphis, San Bernadino, Chula Vista, and Anchorage came bottom of the list, although with their weather veggies will either be extremely difficult to grow or very expensive to ship in,