Thailand, the vegan paradise? - Local restaurants and specialities you should try
Do you know what it's like? You're on holiday and wandering around the city looking for local food that isn't half meat? I know the challenge and today, on IMPACKT's sustainable world travel blog, I'm sharing my tricks for having a delicious time in Thailand: from the Happy Cow app to my favourite vegan restaurants. Because after a month in Chiang Mai, I know the "best spots".
Vegan food
While Thai cuisine is very meat-heavy, there are plenty of meat substitutes and vegan versions of dishes. So you don't have to take a supply of your favourite vegan snacks with you on holiday in your IMPACKT suitcase. You don't have to cook extra vegan meals either. At an average of 2-3 euros per dish, it's simply not worth it to get yourself into the kitchen. By the way, you can also order a vegan option of the authentic dishes in almost every street food restaurant.
My tip: It's 2022, Thais even in the side street stalls know basic English and for hardship cases, Google Translator has become a faithful companion.
But how do you find the best street food and the best vegan restaurant? Google is your first port of call. I can also recommend the app Happy Cow from the vegan community, which only lists vegan offers. If you'd rather order food, download the super apps Grab and Food Panda. For a small extra charge of around 50 cents, they will bring your snack to your door from any small stall.
Top 5 spots in Chiang Mai
But where are the best spots now? Here are 5 of my personal favourites.
Charity is also a priority at this vegan cafe. 100% of the proceeds from the Free Bird Cafe, the Pre-Loaded Charity Shop and the my best life cnx zero waste store full of sustainable, local products are used to finance and support the Thai Freedom House, an educational centre for refugees. So the food here tastes twice as good. By the way, I recommend trying the vegan Snickers. But beware: they are really addictive.
Curry fans have come to the right place. Anchan offers the best Green Curry Mixed Vegetables and Tofu. The Tom Khaa Galangal Coconut Milk is also delicious. All for about €3.20 each. More expensive, but still very good value. By the way, the green restaurant has beautifully painted walls and a planted balcony for the perfect ambience.
This cafe is perfect for breakfast, brunch or just lunch. The salads are especially delicious. I recommend the Pumpkin Salad for about €3.65. You can also buy yoghurt and homemade sauces there. All organic.
5. Every street food restaurant ever
Here I would like to beat the drum again for the small street food vendors. Almost every restaurant has a selection of vegan spicy salads and the famous Holy Basil Rice, which you can order without meat. Or you can try Morning Glory, a popular green herb that you can find everywhere, and drink a fresh smoothie with it. Get creative and put together your own personal vegan menu.
Healthy snack
You're just a little hungry? Then I have just the thing for you.
Treat yourself to a vegetable shake, which is offered at the night market. Or would you prefer a fried corn on the cob or a hot potato on the hand? Tastes like home.
In between, I like to snack on fruits. From pineapple to passion fruit, you can find almost anything here. Instead of drinking coffee, my pick-me-up is a fresh smoothie. Or a fresh coconut. My tip: Bring your own straw, coffee mug or Tupperware when you grab a snack. This not only saves you money - you often get a small discount - but also plastic.
By the way, you often get a mixture of chilli flakes and sugar with your meal. That's what people like here. The Thais dip the pieces of fruit in this mixture or sprinkle it on top of their curries. It's not mine, but if you like sweet and spicy, you should definitely try it. No matter what you order and say, always end your sentence with the polite ka - if you identify as female - or krap - if you identify as male. Then you are already integrated, so to speak.
My conclusion
Vegan and authentic food? Easy peasy in Thailand. As flexitarians - people who rarely consume meat and eat mainly vegan and vegetarian food - we like to eat a Tom Yum with shrimps or rice with chicken, but otherwise we eat vegan. We are particularly taken with the variety of options and flavours. All we really need is a cooking course to take the culinary diversity of Thailand home with us, or what do you think?
Best regards,
Your Franzi
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