Germany
Level 1 for nationwide supermarket coverage and city vegan scenes, less forgiving if you rely on traditional restaurant menus in rural areas.
Level 1 is driven by supermarket coverage and a strong city vegan scene. Traditional Gasthaus menus are a separate challenge entirely.
Ranking and city scoreGermany ranks #5 in the VTG index. This is a country rank, not a city rank. Berlin consistently places among the top two or three cities worldwide when measured at city level, which is a separate score. What lifts Germany to #5 as a country is how reliably the experience holds beyond Berlin: Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Frankfurt all have well-developed plant-based coverage, and even mid-sized cities benefit from a nationwide supermarket landscape that treats vegan labelling seriously. A country where one exceptional city carries the entire national score does not reach this level.
What makes this Level 1The V-Label, the yellow sunflower certification logo, is the most practical shortcut to learn before arrival. Thousands of supermarket products across Lidl, Aldi, REWE, and Edeka carry V-Label certification. Germany's supermarket vegan ranges are among the best in Europe, with dedicated shelf sections in most branches of all the major chains. Stores like Veganz in Berlin operate as fully vegan supermarkets. Selection varies by branch size, so stock up at larger stores when visiting smaller towns.
Traditional cookingTraditional German cooking uses animal fats as a default, and kitchen staff at Gasthäuser often do not flag this because it is simply how the dish has always been prepared. Schmalz (rendered pork or goose fat) is used as a bread spread, as a cooking fat for vegetables and potatoes, and as a filling ingredient in Knödel and certain bread rolls. Vegetable soups are very often made with meat stock at traditional venues. Side vegetables and potatoes are routinely finished with butter even when no butter appears on the menu. Confirm the cooking fat and stock base before ordering anything at a traditional Gasthaus.
Vegetarian does not mean veganVegetarian on a German menu does not mean dairy-free. Vegetarian cooking in this context routinely includes butter, cream, and cheese. Always ask specifically about dairy and the cooking base.
Always check labelsAllergen disclosure rules in Germany are strong and broadly comparable to EU standards for packaged supermarket products. The 14 major EU allergens, including milk and eggs, must be clearly emphasised on prepacked food labels, usually in bold, but sometimes by a different typographic style. Milk derivatives such as whey, lactose, and casein are all covered. What the system does not cover are non-allergen animal ingredients: Schmalz, gelatine, and meat stock. These appear only in the standard ingredients list and require a full read. Always check individual labels: formulations change between flavour variants, and a product that was safe on a previous visit may have been reformulated.
What not to rely onDo not rely on a dish appearing plant-based without confirming the cooking fat. Schmalz and Fleischbrühe are typically invisible on the menu in traditional German cooking.
State this at the start of every meal before ordering
Full exclusion list. Show this in writing to avoid misunderstanding
Ask at any traditional Gasthaus before any cooked dish or bread spread
Ask before any soup, stew, or braised vegetable dish at a traditional venue
Say this for every potato, vegetable, or Spätzle side dish
Quick check when the menu is unclear at any venue type
Ask at bakeries, dessert counters, and confectionery sections
Opening question at any restaurant where the menu is ambiguous
Ask when you want staff to check with the kitchen before confirming
If cross-contamination matters: ask at traditional Gasthaus and hotel restaurants
Use supermarkets as your base
REWE, Edeka, Lidl, Aldi Nord, and Aldi Süd all maintain dedicated vegan sections with clear shelf labelling. The V-Label sunflower logo is a certified-vegan shortcut. Selection varies by branch size, so stock up at larger stores before travelling to smaller or more rural locations. Specialist ranges including vegan cheese and deli items are available at fully vegan-only shops in Berlin, Hamburg, and other major cities.
International cuisines are your restaurant fallback
Germany has a high density of Vietnamese, Thai, and Middle Eastern restaurants in almost every town above 30,000 people. Vietnamese pho with tofu and rice-based dishes are straightforward to order vegan. Falafel kebab shops are ubiquitous: a falafel döner with salad and without yogurt sauce is one of the most reliable quick vegan meals in the country. Dedicated vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants are abundant in city centres, particularly in university districts.
Beyond Berlin: every major city has a scene
Berlin set the benchmark, and other German cities have followed. Hamburg's Schanzenviertel, Munich's Maxvorstadt, Cologne's Belgian Quarter, and Leipzig's Connewitz neighbourhood all have well-developed plant-based clusters. Mid-sized cities such as Freiburg, Münster, and Heidelberg also have dedicated vegan restaurants and strong supermarket provision.
Read labels using the EU allergen system
EU allergen regulations require the 14 major allergens, including milk and eggs, to be clearly emphasised on prepacked food labels, usually in bold, but sometimes by a different typographic style. Milk derivatives such as whey, lactose, and casein are covered. What the system does not cover are non-allergen animal ingredients: gelatine, Schmalz, and meat stock appear only in the standard ingredients list and require a full read. Always check both sections.
Germany's vegan coverage is consistent across major cities and supermarkets, but traditional restaurants, rural areas, and hotel dining still take work. A simple rule covers most situations: inside a city, the scene is there. Outside a city, self-cater from a supermarket.
Small towns in rural Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Thuringia serve heavily meat-based cuisine with limited plant-based awareness. Traditional Gasthäuser in these areas may have no clearly vegan menu option at all. Self-catering becomes the most reliable strategy once you leave urban centres. All major German supermarket chains reach small towns, so this is a practical fallback everywhere.
Restaurants built around classic German food may have limited vegan awareness, and kitchen staff often do not know which fats are used in which dishes because the choice was made long before service. The Schmalz and stock questions from the phrases section are especially important here. A degree of patience is realistic: the concept of vegan cooking may not be familiar in these settings.
German hotel breakfasts are dairy-heavy by default. Quark, yogurt, butter, and cheese dominate the cold section, while breads may contain Schmalz or be finished with butter. Many hotels offer no clearly labelled vegan option beyond plain fruit and jam. Email ahead to ask whether the hotel can do a vegan breakfast. Confirm cooking fats for any hot items: do not assume vegetarian buffet options are dairy-free.
A classic German green salad at a traditional Gasthaus often arrives dressed with a warm Speck (smoked bacon) vinaigrette rather than a plain oil dressing. This is standard preparation, entirely unannounced, and invisible from the menu description. Ask whether the salad dressing contains Speck or Tierfett before ordering. It catches many travellers who order what looks like a safe option without checking.