Vegetarian Versus Vegan: Choosing the Right Restaurant for Your Meatless Meal

Despite the fact that the terms "vegetarian" and "vegan" are often used interchangeably, there is a significant difference between these two dietary choices. When you are dining out, choosing a vegetarian restaurant or a vegan restaurant can make a difference in whether you'll enjoy your experience. Here is some information to help you make an informed decision.

First, let's get our working definitions in place:

Vegetarian Dishes

- Vegetarian: Typically refers to a diet with no flesh, but allows dairy and eggs
- Vegan: Refers to a diet with strictly no animal products including no dairy, eggs or honey

Like all definitions, there is some wiggle room. Some people who consider themselves vegans do eat honey; some people who are vegetarians don't eat eggs. It's your diet; set your line wherever you feel most comfortable.

Which dietary category you fall into will make a big difference in how satisfied you will be with your restaurant choice. A good restaurant's chef designs entrees and side dishes to combine the flavors of his or her selected ingredients. To get the most mouth-watering meal, you should try to choose an entree that doesn't require any substitutions to make it fit your diet.

Believe it or not, you may find it easier to locate a vegan restaurant than a vegetarian restaurant. Many meatless restaurants prefer to avoid dairy products all together, basing their dishes entirely on plant products and meat substitutions. Unfortunately, if you don't care for tofu or tempeh, you may struggle to find a non-salad entree at a vegan restaurant.

A vegetarian restaurant typically has several options with dairy or egg as a primary ingredient. Meat replacements are also common, much like the vegan restaurant. If you are vegetarian, the benefit to choosing a vegetarian restaurant is the option to have a cheese or egg entree if tofu or tempeh doesn't appeal to your tastes. If you are vegan, a vegetarian restaurant typically has some dairy-free choices that will also fit your needs.

Occasionally, a vegetarian restaurant will offer different vegetarian and vegan options, allowing the restaurant to serve a wider variety of patrons by designing separate entrees for each taste. For example, The Organic Grill, a popular vegetarian resturant in NYC's East Village, has both a traditional omelette and a tofu omelette among its offerings, each with its own unique blend of spices and ingredients. Separate vegan and vegetarian dishes allows you to get a meal designed to appeal to your particular diet. Many combination restaurants do allow substitutions in their vegetarian choices as well, which you can take advantage of if you get tired of the truly vegan options.

Combination vegetarian restaurant / vegan restaurant choices are an especially good when you're dining with friends or family who fall into the other category. You can have the egg sandwich and they can have the tofu sandwich, leaving everyone satisfied.

By choosing either a vegetarian restaurant or a vegan restaurant to suit your particular diet, you can ensure that your meal will be custom blended to your tastes and needs. Choose carefully for a truly satisfying dining experience.

Vegetarian Versus Vegan: Choosing the Right Restaurant for Your Meatless Meal

About The Author
Mr. Grinberg has been involved in the natural food industry since 2001. He has made it his mission to promote healthy food choices by educating readers about the benefits of natural and organic foods.

To help make healthy food more convenient for busy people, Mr. Grinberg also started OrganicDirect, an organic food delivery service for the New York Metro area. For more information, visit https://www.OrganicDirect.com

The Organic Grill, Mr. Grinberg's organic, vegetarian restaurant has been serving diners in Manhattan's East Village for over ten years. The Organic Grill serves both vegan and vegetarian dishes, plus a fish special for meat-eating companions. To learn more go to http://www.theorganicgrill.com.

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