Germany’s vegetarian and vegan food landscape has transformed dramatically since 2015. The country that once led the world in processed meat consumption now has the largest vegan food product market in Europe. Here is the honest assessment for plant-based eaters.
What Has Improved
Supermarkets: Rewe, Edeka, Lidl, and Aldi all have extensive plant-based product ranges. Oat milk, almond milk, and soy milk are standard. Vegan ready meals, plant-based sausages (notably DM Bioqualität brand), and vegan cheeses are available everywhere. Restaurant menus in major cities now routinely include multiple vegetarian and vegan options — a notable change from even five years ago. Berlin leads the country by a significant margin in vegan restaurant density.
What Remains Difficult
Traditional German cooking is heavily meat-centric. Outside major cities (and particularly in rural areas, Bavaria, and the former East Germany), vegetarian options in traditional German restaurants may be limited to one or two dishes, often cheese-based. The Speisekarte (menu) structure — starter, main, dessert — may not include a complete vegetarian main. Asking is always necessary; asking in German is more effective.
The Best German Cities for Plant-Based Eating
Berlin by a wide margin — the city has hundreds of dedicated vegan restaurants, a large international and young population, and strong vegan-oriented supermarkets (Veganz chain). Hamburg and Munich follow. Smaller cities (Freiburg, Münster, Heidelberg) often punch above their weight because of strong student populations.
Hidden Animal Products
German food labelling is regulated but animal products appear unexpectedly: many German beers use isinglass (fish product) in clarification (not listed), Gummibärchen (Haribo and most German gummy sweets) contain gelatin, many broths (Brühe) in restaurant cooking are meat-based unless confirmed otherwise.
