New research from Betway reveals the cities emerging as vegan-friendly hotspots in the U.S. and Canada.
North America is home to thousands of cities with growing vegan scenes, but a select group are emerging from the pack thanks to their high numbers of vegan restaurants, stores, and strong positive sentiment among locals.
Visiting these cities has become a popular activity for plant-based travellers, with restaurant quality, community support, and access to vegan products all considered important factors.
By comparing the number of top-rated vegan restaurants, vegan stores, and online sentiment, analysis from online live casino Betway reveals the most vegan-friendly cities in the United States and Canada – ranked by their final indexed score out of 100.
Major cities like New York and Chicago with well-established vegan scenes were excused for this research, making way for alternative locations to enjoy their moment of glory:
Top Vegan-Friendly Cities in North America
Rank | City | State | Vegan Restaurants | Top-Rated Vegan Restaurants | Vegan Stores | Positive Sentiment | Final Score |
1 | San Diego | California | 429 | 405 | 240 | 23 | 98.51 |
2 | Orlando | Florida | 466 | 394 | 146 | 31 | 91.30 |
3 | Austin | Texas | 320 | 282 | 163 | 19 | 67.77 |
4 | Tampa | Florida | 232 | 203 | 157 | 19 | 53.97 |
5 | Cincinnati | Ohio | 122 | 113 | 240 | 23 | 51.91 |
6 | Richmond | Virginia | 136 | 123 | 205 | 17 | 45.96 |
7 | Reno | Nevada | 87 | 80 | 60 | 57 | 38.70 |
8 | Athens | Georgia | 34 | 31 | 240 | 16 | 35.22 |
9 | Chattanooga | Tennessee | 83 | 76 | 17 | 61 | 34.14 |
10 | Des Moines | Iowa | 45 | 44 | 20 | 71 | 34.10 |
San Diego, California, tops the list as the most vegan-friendly city on the list., with 429 vegan restaurants, 405 top-rated options, and 240 vegan stores, earning a near-perfect final score of 98.51.
Orlando, Florida, ranks second thanks to its 466 restaurants – the highest in the country – and strong local enthusiasm (positive sentiment of 31), giving it a score of 91.30.
Austin, Texas, takes third with 320 restaurants, 282 top-rated, and 163 stores, supported by a vibrant vegan community earning a final score of 67.77. Tampa, Florida, follows with 232 restaurants, 203 of which are top-rated, and 157 stores, scoring 53.97.
Cincinnati, Ohio, stands out for its 240 vegan stores, emphasizing a retail-focused vegan infrastructure despite fewer restaurants, earning 51.91.
Smaller cities like Reno, Nevada (positive sentiment 57) and Athens, Georgia (240 stores) show that even limited dining options can foster strong local enthusiasm. Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Des Moines, Iowa, also highlight growing excitement for plant-based living, with high positive sentiment scores of 61 and 71, respectively.
Top Vegan-Friendly Cities in Canada
Rank | Location | Vegan Restaurants | Top-Rated Vegan Restaurants | Vegan Stores | Positive Sentiment | Total Score |
1 | Victoria, BC | 186 | 152 | 47 | 14 | 97.44 |
2 | Québec City, Québec | 97 | 97 | 90 | 28 | 93.84 |
3 | Hamilton, Ontario | 124 | 93 | 59 | 22 | 78.24 |
4 | Winnipeg, Manitoba | 153 | 117 | 41 | 14 | 75.32 |
5 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | 89 | 89 | 60 | 15 | 59.90 |
Victoria, BC leads the Canadian list with the highest number of vegan restaurants and top-rated options, while Québec City follows closely, showing strong community support and a significant number of vegan stores.
Other cities such as Hamilton and Winnipeg demonstrate growing plant-based infrastructure, whereas cities like Halifax still provide meaningful vegan options despite fewer stores.
Methodology
The most vegan-friendly cities were identified by analysing the number of vegan restaurants, top-rated vegan restaurants, vegan stores, and positive online sentiment.
Each city was then given a normalised score out of 100 based on these factors and ranked from highest to lowest.
Data correct as of December 17th, 2025.
