10 things you should know when you visit Cape Town as a vegan

South Africa is a meat loving nation so VEGANISM is only slowly but surely making it’s way to society. Here are some tips while you visit / eat out in Cape Town as a vegan. I hope you find them helpful. Let me know in the comment section down below.

1.) The word “vegan” isn’t that known yet in South Africa and often gets confused with “vegetarian” by waiters / restaurant staff.Rather give examples of what you can eat and the restaurant will usually make a plan for you.

2.) It can happen that the term “vegan” sort of gets allocated to the “gluten free” family. At some restaurant in Cape Town I was served something like fried fish balls. It obviously freaked me out and as I complained about it with the manager I was told “but they are gluten-free”?? Arrrrrrg……

3.) Beware when you order pizza or pasta. For some odd reason “feta cheese” is somehow not regarded as cheese by some waiters. So if you spot it on the menu always state that you DON’T want any feta with your meal.

4.) The good news is that the chefs in Cape Town are generally quite flexible. You can always throw vegan items from the menu together and make a nice meal of out of it. Just ask for the price before you order.

5.) Don’t panic when you are invited to a traditional “Braai” (BBQ). Plenty of meat alternatives from Fry’s family foods are available at most supermarkets in the freezer section or at the Wellness Warehouse. You can of course get vegetables etc. in every grocery store. There are many vegan wines that you can take to a braai. Stellar Organics has got fantastic vegan wines and I also love Delheim wines, which are vegan friendly.

6.) Sushi is fairly cheap in Cape Town. There are plenty of sushi bars / eateries with specials and vegan options. If you are a sushi fan like me, than you won’t starve in Cape Town.

7.) Email your accommodation host in advance to notify them about your dietary requirement. You might just have to explain a bit what you can eat and most hosts /guest houses are very flexible. Supermarkets like Pick’nPay and Checkers offer a variety of plant milks etc.The Wellness Warehouse in the V&A Waterfront as well as on Kloof Street have got many vegan products.

8.) Cape Town has got 4 vegan/vegetarian ‘only’ restaurants in the city center. “Plant Café” and “The Hungry Herbivore” are my favourites.

9.) Why not take a vegan food tour to get to know all the cool vegan places? You find it on Facebook “Veganfoodtourcapetown.”

10.) Visit the markets. The market culture in Cape Town is fairly big and you’ll find many vegan options. I like to hang out at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, close to the Waterfront, Granger Bay. The market happens every Saturday from 09:00-14:00. Get there early! This is also a great way to mingle with the local community.