How to eat vegan in Germany
★★★★★ Outstanding. Germany has the highest density of vegan products in supermarkets globally and Berlin is one of the world capitals of vegan dining.
Germany is the easiest country in Europe to eat vegan, full stop. Berlin alone has hundreds of dedicated vegan restaurants, every major supermarket (Rewe, Edeka, Lidl, Aldi, Kaufland) carries a serious V-Label range, and "pflanzlich" (plant-based) labelling is reliable. The traditional Bavarian dish scene is the only place you need to plan, and even there a Kaufland is usually nearby.
Berlin is genuinely one of the vegan capitals of the world. Brammibal's Donuts has multiple shops, Swing Kitchen does vegan schnitzel and burgers as a chain, Vincent Vegan runs the vegan döner and currywurst game, Katzentempel pairs cat cafes with a fully vegan menu, and Veganz operates 100% vegan supermarkets. Even neighbourhood kebab shops in Kreuzberg and Neukölln will do a vegan döner without blinking. Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap has long had a vegan option. The density of options means you basically never need to plan a meal in advance.
The supermarket scene is the real differentiator. **Rewe, Edeka, Lidl, Aldi, and Kaufland** all carry deep vegan ranges marked with the **V-Label** (the European Vegetarian Union's seal, with separate vegan and vegetarian variants). Beyond Meat, Vivera, Like Meat, Garden Gourmet, and the **Rügenwalder Mühle** vegan line (a former meat brand that pivoted hard) are widely stocked. Oatly, Alpro, and supermarket-own oat/soy/almond milks are everywhere. Vegan cheese, vegan quark, vegan yogurt, vegan deli slices, vegan frozen pizzas - all in normal supermarkets at normal prices.
**ProVeg International** (based in Berlin) and the European **V-Label** certification are the two trust signals worth recognising. The V-Label vegan logo on packaging is third-party audited and reliable - if it is on the pack, it is vegan. ProVeg also runs the V-Label scheme in Germany and pushes restaurant certification. Some chains and independent cafes carry V-Label menu items, which is the strongest restaurant-level signal you will find anywhere in Europe.
Regional variation matters but is shrinking. Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, and Stuttgart all have strong dedicated vegan scenes. Munich in particular has Max Pett, Bodhi, and Prinz Myshkin. Bavaria and rural areas outside the cities are more traditional and meat-heavy - Schweinshaxe, Bratwurst, and Käsespätzle country. Even there, you will find a Kaufland or Edeka within reach, and most bakeries stock at least one vegan bread. Just do not expect a vegan-friendly menu at a village Gasthof without calling ahead.
Key phrases
| English | In Germany |
|---|---|
| Is this vegan? | Ist das vegan? |
| I am vegan | Ich bin Veganer (m) / Veganerin (f) |
| No milk, cheese, eggs, honey please | Ohne Milch, Käse, Eier, Honig bitte |
| What is vegan here? | Was ist hier vegan? |
| Does this contain animal ingredients? | Enthält das tierische Zutaten? |
| Can you make this vegan? | Können Sie das vegan machen? |
| I cannot eat milk / eggs | Ich vertrage keine Milch / kein Ei |
| Plant-based | Pflanzlich |
| Without cream / butter | Ohne Sahne / Butter |
| Oat milk or soy milk? | Hafermilch oder Sojamilch? |
Dish dictionary
Reliably vegan
Ask before ordering
Avoid (or ask for a swap)
Hidden ingredients to watch for
- Gelatine in cake glazes (Tortenguss) and fruit toppings on supermarket pastries - check the label.
- Milk powder (Milchpulver) in pretzels and breads from chain bakeries - especially supermarket bake-off.
- Sahne (cream) in many soups labelled "cremig" or "Creme" - ask "ohne Sahne."
- Butter (Butter) brushed onto pretzel dough or laminated into pastry at small Bavarian bakeries.
- Fish gelatin in some yogurt-style desserts and fruit gummies - check ingredient lists.
- L-Cysteine (E920) in some mass-produced bread doughs - usually from duck feathers. Rare in vegan-certified products but worth knowing.
- Honey (Honig) in some mustards, salad dressings, and breakfast pastries.
Practical tips
- Download PlantsPack or HappyCow before a Berlin trip - between them you have over a thousand listings in the city alone, more than any other capital in Europe.
- Veganz operates 100% vegan supermarkets in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, and Cologne. Worth a visit even if you are not shopping - it is a useful snapshot of what the vegan grocery market actually looks like.
- Rewe, Edeka, Lidl, Aldi, and Kaufland all carry serious vegan ranges. The V-Label on packaging is third-party audited and reliable - trust it.
- Berlin is the densest city for vegan options anywhere in Europe. Even kebab shops do vegan döner. You basically do not need to plan meals.
- Bavaria and rural areas need slightly more planning. Find the nearest Kaufland or Edeka for groceries, and check PlantsPack for the city before heading into smaller towns.
- Bakeries everywhere stock at least one vegan bread - look for "vegan" labelled loaves. Roggenbrot (rye bread) and most Vollkornbrot (wholegrain) are usually vegan by default.
- "Pflanzlich" (plant-based) labelling on menus and packaging is reliable in Germany - it is used precisely, not as marketing fluff.
- ProVeg International runs the V-Label scheme and certifies restaurants - a V-Label vegan stamp on a menu item is the strongest restaurant-level signal you will find anywhere in Europe.