[Cedre]

Hi...I am going to Rome in a couple of months....and I am very scared! Which is an odd feeling, because...well it just is. I think it's mostly because I don't speak a word of Italian, and I am trying to find the 'vegan passport' here with little luck.

I am hoping someone here might be able to help me. I posted a note in the Italian forum, but there's hardly any activity there...so here's hoping I get luckier here

Soy milk (or any non-dairy milk) - how available is it in Rome? Where would I be able to find some in central Rome? I'm staying at Hotel Nazionale, Piazza Montecitorio 131.

What kind of pastries, if any, are accidentally vegan in Italy that are common place. Yes, I am dreaming here

but you never know. If there are none...is there any good bakery, or something that I should stock up in my hotel room for when I get cravings for something sweet? I have this sweet tooth that just doesn't shut up! Oh, it's annoying!!

Any place I shouldn't miss out on? Other than Gelarmony, where they have soy gelato!?!

Finally, London...we are ending our trip there for 3 days. I won't have much problems here, as I know there are lots of vegan stuff....but if you had one vegan place to go, where would it be, and also if you could bring home one vegan item, what would it be?

cheers....and thanks!
Oh, and any Italian phrases would be appreciated too. I don't trust online translators, as I know how they can screw up the easiest of sentences!

 

[rashelle]

I can't answer all your questions. But, I went to Rome two years ago & absolutely LOVED IT!!!!!!! I ate fruit for breakfast, pasta with marinara sauce, margarita pizza (just has sauce & veggies if you want, no cheese), and whatever seemed to be vegan to me. I didn't eat any sweets, but I heard that some gelato places may have soy gelato; I just don't know which ones. Anyway, it was an amazing place & I'd love to go again. You could do a google search, too, to look for veg*n restaurants there.

 

[Nishani]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cedre

Soy milk (or any non-dairy milk) - how available is it in Rome? Where would I be able to find some in central Rome? I'm staying at Hotel Nazionale, Piazza Montecitorio 131.

Any of the big supermarkets such as Coop in Rome have soy milk. Look for the brand Alpro.

Quote:

Any place I shouldn't miss out on? Other than Gelarmony, where they have soy gelato!?!

Il Gelatone has a decent selection of soy ice-creams.

I dunno whether you'd like these places yourself, but the vegan eateries that my BF and I liked to hang out at in Rome were:

Rewild Club which is a really cool cafe/pub hang out for vegans with a great vegan menu food, music and information on vegan activities.
Via Giovannipoli 18, Rome.
Tidiro restaurant - vegan.
Via of Mattonato 42
(Trastevere)
00100 Rome, Italy
Il Margutta - a vegetarian restaurant but with some vegan options. A bit more expensive but they have nice food.
Via margutta, 118
00187, Rome

Remember you can always get a cheeseless pizza (ask for the pizza "senza formaggio") at any pizzaria, but be careful of the ingredients in the base. It's probably best to stay away from pasta as most of it is egg based, but some places have a vegan pasta if you're lucky. Don't forget that you can also rely on Indian and Asian restaurants having something for you if you get desperate.

If there's something vegan that you can't live without, do what we did and order it online at http://shop.ivegan.it/?vendita_on_line=ok It only took a day to deliver the stuff to us at our hotel.

 

[Identity_thief]

You should go to the natrual history museum in London, not because it has anything to do with being vegan, but because it's awesome.

I can't think of any "must-go" places in particular - but wholefoods is pretty good for vegan bakery/snacks, but if you're from the usa that's probally pretty unexciting. Holland and barret sell goody good stuff sweets which, if you haven't tried (and like sweets) you should because they taste similar to haribo style sweets and are the best vegan sweets I've tried

Resturaunt wise I mostly only ate in cafes - which are nice for a nice lunch but not the ONE place you should go if you know what I mean. I really loved sagar, which is a south indian vegetarian place with a vegan menu, and is probally my favourite place in London, but indian probally isn't very exiciting as vegan indian meals can be obtained almost anywhere in my experience - that said, their dosas are YUMMY

 

[AeryFairy]

I loved Rome, I've been twice as a veggie, but I haven't yet been as a vegan. However, I did go with a (dietry) vegan on my most recent visit, and she didn't have many issues. She was also allergic to wheat, so she couldn't even have pasta. You shouldn't have much problem getting vegan pasta dishes, cheese-free pizzas, fruit to snack on, chips, salads, and the like. Your best bet is to walk around places with a lot of food options (like the Piazza Navona) and have a quick go-over of the menu or a word with a waiter. Maybe keep a few snack items on you for emergency mid-day energy, though. Never hurts to be prepared.

As for London... so many restaurants to try! Peking Palace/Loving Hut is my favourite for chinese food. And if you want to take vegan items home with you, there's a lot of sweets (Jelly Tots, Goody Good Stuff, Flying Saucers), biscuits, snack items... and marmite

 

[ashlend]

Cheeseless pizza with tomato sauce is pretty common in Italy -- more so than in the US; I've seen it on menus as "pizza marinara."

Also agree that vegan pasta dishes shouldn't be hard to come by.

 

[Cedre]

Thanks guys! Very helpful. I am all excited now. I can't wait to go there. I am really really excited about the soy gelato. And I can almost smell the fresh pizzas! Mmm

Though, marmite?? ewwww!

 

[tensai]

Have you checked this
http://www.happycow.net/europe/italy/rome/
for restaurants?

 

[mshuddles]

I haven't been to London since going vegan, but I was vegetarian on both my trips. I found it really easy (and well marked) to find veg stuff

 

[Nimbus32]

veganbackpacker.com!!! They have info on soy gelato