Sheep, San Ignacio Mini, Argentina
We’ve are currently traveling through a string of small towns in Northern Argentina. For the first time, we are having a bit of trouble finding decent food (more on this later). While the food might be disappointing, the scenery and animals are beautiful. John has been taking lots of great photos. Here are a few of my favourites. To see more, check out his flickr.
Vegetariano Social Clube, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
We arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with just enough time to catch the end of the carnival celebrations. We packed a lot of activities into our five-day visit. Time zoomed by and before we knew it, we were leaving Rio having only eaten at one vegetarian restaurant. Initially, we’d planned to eat at Universo Organico. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it there before closing. Instead, we headed over to the nearby Vegetariano Social Clube, an all vegan restaurant with a diverse menu.
Candy @ Vida Restaurante Natural, Florianopolis, Brazil
It feels ironic to be writing this post today. We’re back in Argentina, visiting the small town of San Ignacio Mini. Forget the idea of finding vegan treats here, the fruit and vegetable selection is limited. On our first night, John and I split a package of flax seed crackers for dinner. The previous night, while visiting Iguazu Falls, we had Subway vegetarian subs. When pickins are slim, we make do. When good vegan food is within reach, we seek it out and enjoy every bite. This post is all about the high times, finding amazing vegan treats in the land of Brazil.
Vegan Options at Fronteira Buffet, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Pay per kilo restaurants are everywhere in Brazil. They’re very popular and well known for being cheap and quick. We ate at four pay per kilo buffets while visiting Rio de Janeiro and Florianópolis. We found there was always a lot of variety and enough vegan options to keep us happy.
Hummus and Pita Bread
The last time I had hummus I was in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It wasn’t homemade or freshly prepared. It was hummus in a jar. I only needed to try one bite to confirm my suspicion that hummus in a jar isn’t a good idea. Tahini is expensive in South America and not readily available, making fresh hummus hard to come by. In Florianópolis, we found Chårütü’s, a restaurant that serves up Indian, Arabic, Caribbean, Mexican and vegetarian food. They’re not a vegetarian restaurant but their menu includes vegan-friendly samosas, falafel, salads and a variety of delicious dips.
Florianópolis Fruit
After leaving Punta del Diablo, Uruguay, we took five buses and traveled almost 24 hours before reaching Florianópolis, Brazil. Over the course of three short days we had a chance to visit some of the island’s 42 beaches, sand surf, drink lots of Brazilian caipirinhas and participate in some of the carnival street parties. We had no problem finding vegan food near our hostel in Barra da Lagoa. We ate at a few restaurants but the highlight was the abundance of local fruit.
Vegan Breakfast
We just spent four days in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay, a small fishing village with great beaches and a bohemian atmosphere. After spending the first night in a hostel, we realized we could stay in a private cabaña for almost the same price.
When we checked into our first cabaña, I screamed with joy when I saw we had a blender. We were able to make homemade smoothies for the first time since we started this trip. Using the local fruit that was available, we blended up an orange, mango, nectarine, pear and apple smoothie. Yum! Paired with whole wheat toast and peanut butter, it was the perfect birthday breakfast.
If you search for Punta del Este, Uruguay on HappyCow, you’ll find there are no listings for vegan or vegetarian restaurants. Zero. Usually every city has one, or at least a health food store. You’d think there would be a juice or smoothie bar to serve a community where the main sport is strutting in your swimsuit. No such luck.
1949 Hostel Breakfast
Having no appealing restaurant options, we opted for cooking all of our meals at the hostel. We stayed at Hostel 1949, where we had access to a well equipped kitchen.
Fruit cup
When we arrived in Montevideo, Uruguay at 6:00 a.m., we decided to grab some breakfast at the bus station. Settling for what was available, we split a fruit cup and some toast, which we smeared with peanut butter we carried with us from Buenos Aires. When traveling in South America, you may see people spreading what looks like peanut butter on toast but don’t be fooled. It’s dulce de letche, the super popular caramel-like spread that’s made from sweetened milk. I’ve heard rumours that there’s a soy milk version out there somewhere and am keeping an eye out for it. In the meantime, we will be carrying our sacred jar of peanut butter with us.
Carne es Crimen = Meat is Murder
Everytime I spot vegan-themed street art, I squeal with excitement. It makes me so happy, I can’t help it! I dare say it’s more of a thrill than finding money on the street. Here are some pictures of vegan graffiti I’ve come across in Buenos Aires.
Vegan Backpacker posts sent to your inbox
