Veggie Chic

Vegetarianism for Beginners: Tips for dining out

by Jul on August 23rd, 2007

Depending in part on where you live, finding restaurants you can enjoy as a vegetarian shouldn’t be too much of a challenge. Assuming you’re still eating dairy and eggs, the only types of restaurants you should definitely avoid are BBQ joints and Argentinian all-you-can-eat-meat style places. And traditional fast food restaurants aren’t a good idea for anyone, veggie or not. Besides that, get out there and explore! Reducing the meat in your diet can open up doors to new favorite foods, dishes, and restaurants if you allow yourself the opportunity to try new things. Here are a few more tips to help you find your way.

1. When frequenting chain restaurants, the more extensive the menu, the better your veggie options tend to be. If you find yourself in middle American mall country, opt for one of the chains with a menu that goes on for pages and pages: Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs, or even TGIFridays will have several vegetarian items for you to choose from. Applebees and Chilis have fewer options for vegetarians, as I remember (please note that it has been years since I’ve been to any of these restaurants, so some of their menus may have changed for the better or worse in the meantime). If you’re stuck with fast food, try to find a Taco Bell or a sub shop such as Blimpie’s.
2. Go east. Asian restaurants almost invariably offer the best choice of dishes for vegetarians. Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Chinese are all usually fabulous bets. Japanese restaurants usually have some great options, and more and more places seem to be offering extensive vegetarian sushi menus. One exception tends to be Korean - I’ve been to a few Korean restaurants which didn’t have anything veggie on the menu, but if you ask nicely they’ll usually put together a vegetarian bi bim bap for you. Vegans should be mindful that vegetarian Indian cooking often involves ghee (clarified butter) and paneer (cheese), so ask about a dish before you order.
3. Seek out an all-vegetarian restaurant or two. I take such delight in perusing a menu that is completely vegetarian. It’s such a nice feeling to have so much choice again, after being relegated to only one or two options at other restaurants. You may think your area doesn’t have any vegetarian restaurants, but you may be surprised. Ask at your local health food store. Check out a guide such as HappyCow. Ask other vegetarians you know.
4. Go Mediterranean. Italian, Turkish, and Greek restaurants usually have delicious vegetarian offerings. Italian pastas, pizzas, salads, and vegetable dishes are best fresh and served in the most authentic restaurant you can find (I know, not always easy). Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants usually offer a wide array of vegetarian salads and appetizers (hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, eggplant salad, cheese salad, stuffed grape leaves, tzatziki, etc.) - I tend to make a meal out of two or more small dishes. A word about stuffed grape leaves: the ones served cold are usually vegetarian, whereas the ones served hot usually contain lamb. When in doubt, ask the server.
5. Ethiopian and Mexican are usually excellent choices, too. I envy you if you have either of these nearby.
6. Wherever you dine, don’t be afraid to speak up. If you’d like to have a modified version of something on the menu (a salad without the bacon bits, a veggie plate made up of various side dishes), ask your server nicely if your request can be accommodated. If you’re not sure if a particular dish is vegetarian, ask. If it makes you feel more comfortable, preface your requests with a big smile and something like “Sorry to be a bother, but I’m a new vegetarian and I’m still trying to figure out what I can eat.” I cannot emphasize the “nicely” part enough - firstly, someone is more likely to help you out if you treat her with kindness and respect; secondly, being rude to someone who will be bringing you food is always a bad idea. Often places will be accommodating to your (reasonable) requests, but sometimes they won’t. You’ll never know unless you try. Also, by speaking up you let them know that there’s a demand for vegetarian options - maybe you’ll even inspire them to add to their menu selection.

What’s your favorite restaurant for vegetarian dining?

Share This

Related Stories

New series: Vegetarianism for Beginners
Will going vegetarian help you drop weight in 2008?
5 ways to slowly go vegetarian
5 tips for having a happy vegetarian holiday season
Veggie Links for 11-Oct-2007

POSTED IN: Becoming Vegetarian, Restaurants