Vegetarianism - Eating out, restaurants, etc?

I love the large buffet restaurants. Veggie pizza always works too.

I find that eating out is harder the farther south you get. :) When you get to more southern countries, less vegetarian options are available (if any at all) and when you get to the coast, it's all fish.

Burger King does have a veggie burger, and though it's not great, it's better than nothing.

I've found that if you ask, people will usually get you something. Even if there is not a hint of anything, if you just ask your waiter what their vegetarian options are, they will usually have something. Or easier, just modify what's on the menu. One of my favorite moments was asking for the "Shrimp-Boiled Pasta" without the shrimp. :)

Eating in restaurants is by far the most difficult part of being a vegetarian, but it can be done. It just sucks sometimes.

Even if there is no vegetarian fare on the menu, you can always ask them to modify something so you can eat it, or even create a new dish out of ingredients you know they have. i.e. taking meat off of a salad, making a quesadilla without meat, topping pasta with grilled or steamed veggies, etc. I know someone who used to go into restaurants, not look at the menu, and say, "I'm a vegetarian, what can you make me?" He would get delicious, creative dishes that weren't on the menu! Most restaurants will gladly do that for you, if they want their customers to have a positive experience, and many chefs love to experiment. If you are eating somewhere fancy where you have to make a reservation, call ahead to make sure they'll have something available for you.

Um...I'm vegan and eat out like three times a week, so I've never really understood what problem vegetarians could possibly have. Seriously, how hard is it to say "beans instead of meat" or "hold the cheese"? We get fries, veggie plates, onion rings, veggie burgers, stir fry, pasta, pizza, rice, wraps, and salads.

The only place we won't go is McDonald's (I've never eaten there, cause I don't like band-aids in my food). Even their fries are sprayed with beef fat. Yuck! ~_~

I rarely eat out. It's SO hard to find a meal without meat (and for me - dairy products).

If I order a big salad and ask them to hold the chicken, they look at me like I'm form another planet. I live in Ohio and they're ALL about meat here. There really aren't any vegetarian restaurants, so I have to scope out the menu before going to the average establishment to see if they have anything I can eat.

TGI Friday's has a cold pasta dish with fried eggplant. If asked to hold the mozzarella, it's okay...but that's all I've found at a large chain.

When I was on holiday in the caribbean on new years eve, we went to this fancy resterant and I looked at the menue and was shocked to see the only meatless food was appetizers and the middle meal thingy (it was a fancy resterant) and EGGPLANT so I politely told the waiter that I was a vegetarian and asked if they had any entres that were meatless, so I got some pasta. Also if yopu like fast food, you can ask for a burger and then for them to take out the meat. I did this at A&W and it was hilarious the server look at me strange and I told her I was a vegetarian and she laughed, said ok and got it for me! YUM!

good luck

i think as an vo lacto vegetarian it is extremely easy to eat out. most places you can eat any & all pasta dishs...just be sure to ask if any of th cream sauces contain chicken stock. for example chicken & brocolli alfredo can easily bebroc. alfredo & ask the chef to replace the chicken for extra brocolli...yummo! nachos with no meat are always yummy & maybe they even have beans & rice. most places have a quesadilla now. and ask the italian place to thin the pizza sauce with some of the pasta water. most chefs like to do veggie stir frys for you too!

Echoing one poster, I agree that cities are generally easier to find some places to eat out as one with select food choices. I know that Washington, DC has a couple places (Sticky Fingers Bakery and Java Green(?)), but my personal favorite vegan restaurant is in New York, NY: Red Bamboo.

if you live in the city it is much easier to find veggie / vegan food. i know some subway stores have a special veggie patty they throw on sandwiches in the place of meat kinda like a boca burger.

Just ask if they grill the meatless burger on the wame grill that they grill the meat on. They usually do. That is NOT vegetarian.