These U.S. cities lead the way in vegan and vegetarian options, study finds

From foxla.com

There are various reasons why people decide to go meatless, and those who opt to forgo meat may find more options in some cities than others. A new study by WalletHub ranked the best and worst cities for vegans and vegetarians in 2025, with several West Coast cities at the top.

What we know:

As the cost of meat continues to rise, more Americans are considering adding vegetarian and vegan meals to their diets. In its latest study, analysts at WalletHub looked at factors including the percentage of restaurants serving vegetarian options, the cost of groceries for vegetarians, and salad shops per capita. The study ranked the top 10 best cities in the U.S. for vegans and vegetarians as follows:

1. Portland, Oregon
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Austin, Texas
4. San Francisco, California
5. Oakland, California
6. Phoenix, Arizona
7. Miami, Florida
8. Seattle, Washington
9. Orlando, Florida
10. Madison, Wisconsin

With four California cities ranked in the top 10, San Diego narrowly missed the list at No. 11.

Source: WalletHub

More on Los Angeles

Data shows Angelenos eat vegan and vegetarian food 187% more often than the U.S. average. Not only are L.A. residents more open to trying meatless options, but WalletHub said the city ranked high due to the number of affordable restaurants with options that have 4.5 stars and above on Yelp. The number of farmers markets, organic farms, and community gardens also helped land the City of Angels at No. 2.

Cities That Didn’t Fare as Well

Coincidentally, several California cities also ranked among the worst cities for vegans and vegetarians. The cities at the bottom of the list were:

90. Honolulu, Hawaii

91. Arlington, Texas

92. Baltimore, Maryland

93. Santa Ana, California

94. North Las Vegas, Nevada

95. Chula Vista, California

96. San Jose, California

97. San Bernardino, California

98. Memphis, Tennessee

99. Greensboro, North Carolina

100. Anchorage, Alaska

Click here for the full list.

What they're saying:

"While vegetarians and vegans are still a relatively small share of the population, businesses are recognizing their impact on the market. Just look at businesses like McDonald’s and Burger King incorporating Beyond Meat and Impossible burgers into their menus, for example. With meat prices rising significantly faster than vegetable prices, too, we may see a lot more people taking a foray into a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle in the near future," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

https://www.foxla.com/news/u-s-cities-best-for-vegan-and-vegetarian-options-2025