Is There a Need For Vegan Cafe's And Restaurants?

 Being a great gourmet cook of vegan food at home, I could say there is no place like home to enjoy a freshly cooked vegan dish. The dilemma of having to go out with family and friends who are not vegan can cause some anxiety for the compassionate consumer. Much to my disappointment, I have visited many restaurants that are known to cater to vegans, which means they will not serve their customers food that contain any meat or dairy.

I have spoken to many vegans who are disgruntled at receiving poor quality food, which has failed in presentation and variety, not to mention overcharging vegan patrons. I was invited to lunch and stopped on the way home to buy a veggie burger from a local takeaway shop as I was still hungry after leaving the vegan cafe.

Most vegan eateries are not run by vegans, and most are not qualified, chefs. Most people are not aware of this. The best advice I can give any vegan is to find an ordinary eatery; I have my favorite local hot spots. What upsets many vegans' is that they would rather eat among those who share the same passion for ethical eating. Therefore going "ordinary" just isn't it for them. I can well understand this.

I have realized that cafes and restaurants that specialize in vegan food have the idea that vegans are so desperate to eat ethically that they are will pay a ridiculous price for a shiny green salad loaded with oil and perhaps a few pinenuts and that is about it. I have been caught out with this myself on a few occasions.

It pays to visit a few eateries locally and examine their menu. Often you will be surprised as to what you can order that doesn't contain meat or dairy. You may even feel inclined to put forward some suggestions to the manager, or if you don't feel comfortable confronting a person, you can email or write to them, explaining how you enjoy eating at that particular cafe or restaurant, and whether would they be prepared to incorporate a small vegan menu. I'm sure they would be happy to do this.