New York

Best City for Vegans and Vegetarians Is in the Tri-State, Study Reveals

However, the report also lists some local cities as being among the worst

What to Know

  • The best city for vegans and vegetarians is New York City, according to a WalletHub study
  • Aside from NYC, no other place in the tri-state area breaks the top 25 when it comes to the best locations for vegans and vegetarians
  • The lowest placing tri-state city on the list is Newark, New Jersey, WalletHub determined

Becoming a vegan or vegetarian is a lifestyle choice that can prove to be a challenge, particularly since, depending on where you are, it can become increasingly more difficult to find meatless options at restaurants and grocery stores at affordable prices.

With this is mind, WalletHub looked at the 100 largest cities to determine which are the best for vegans and vegetarians based on various key metrics — and it turns out that the city that tops the list as being the best for this culinary lifestyle is right in the tri-state area.

New York City reigns supreme as the best city for those with a meatless- or vegan-based diet. The Big Apple tops the list thanks to coming in at No. 1 in the “Diversity, Accessibility and Quality” rank. It also placed high, at the No. 7 spot, in the “Vegetarian Lifestyle” rank. However, when it came to the “Affordability” rank it came in at a mediocre 48th spot.

In individual metrics, New York City was also a standout. It tied at the No. 1 spot for having the highest percentage of restaurants serving vegan options and it placed in second place for having the highest percentage of restaurants serving vegetarian options.

The Big Apple also placed in second place when it comes to having the most farmers markets and community-supported agriculture programs per capita.

WalletHub also determined that New York has the most juice and smoothie bars per capita, as well as the most salad shops per capita.

According to the study, no other city in the tri-state placed in the top 25. After New York City, Buffalo is the second highest placing city in the tri-state, coming at No. 29.

At No. 68, Jersey City is the highest placing city in New Jersey, according to WalletHub. The study determined that in individual metrics, Jersey City is one of the locations analyzed with the fewest salad shops per capita as well as the fewest vegetable nurseries per capita.

The city of Newark, New Jersey’s largest, also holds a dismal spot in the study, coming in at No. 82, thanks to it placing in 99th place (second to last) in the “Diversity, Accessibility and Quality” rank. The city also didn’t fare too well in the “Affordability” rank, holding the 94th spot. When it comes to the “Vegetarian Lifestyle” rank, Newark did a bit better, placing at No. 25.

Additionally, in individual metrics, WalletHub determined that Newark has the lowest percentage of restaurants serving vegan options and is in second place for having the lowest percentage of restaurants serving vegetarian options.

Newark has the fewest vegetable nurseries per capita and is one of the cities with the fewest farmers markets and community-supported agriculture programs per capita, according to the study.

Which city fared the worst in the study? The Louisiana-based city of Baton Rouge was designated as the worst city for vegan and vegetarians, according to WalletHub.

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