Germany
Nationwide retail clarity, predictable labelling, and a plant-based scene that extends well beyond the major cities
One of the world's most systematically vegan-friendly countries for both dining out and self-catering
Germany ranks #2 in the VTG index — this is a country rank, not a city rank. Berlin consistently appears among the top two or three cities in the world for vegan-friendliness when ranked at city level, which is a separate measurement. What pushes Germany to #2 as a country is how reliably the experience holds beyond Berlin: Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, and Frankfurt all have strong plant-based infrastructure, and even smaller cities benefit from a nationwide supermarket landscape that treats vegan labelling seriously. Countries where a single exceptional city carries the entire national score do not reach #2 — Germany's strength is in breadth.
The V-Label (the yellow sunflower logo) is the most practical thing to learn before you arrive. It is a certified vegan mark used across thousands of supermarket products in Germany — Lidl Germany alone carries hundreds of V-Label certified products. EU allergen regulations mean that packaged food labelling is more consistent here than in most of the world, but you should always check individual labels: formulations change between flavour variants, and a product that was safe last trip may have been reformulated. Never assume a product is safe without reading the label on that specific visit.
Rendered pork or goose fat is deeply embedded in traditional German cooking. It appears as a standard bread spread at Gasthäuser, inside traditional bread rolls and Knödel (dumplings), mixed into potato dishes, and used as the cooking fat for fried vegetables. At traditional restaurants, kitchen staff often do not flag it because they do not consider it an ingredient worth announcing — it is simply how the dish is made. If a menu item does not explicitly state what fat was used, ask.
Vegetable soups and stews in traditional German restaurants are frequently built on a meat or bone stock base rather than a vegetable one. Sauerkraut is often braised with pork fat or stock, and sauces accompanying potato dishes regularly contain meat fond. The dish may look entirely plant-based on the menu. Ask specifically whether the base is Gemüsebrühe (vegetable stock) rather than Fleischbrühe (meat stock) before ordering.
Germany is home to a deep culture of Gummibärchen and gummy sweets — and essentially all traditional versions use pork gelatine. Beyond confectionery, gelatine appears in Quark-based desserts, cream cakes (Sahnetorten), aspic dishes, and some yogurt products. In supermarkets, it can appear in products that otherwise look vegan-friendly. Milk is one of the 14 EU allergens and will be declared on labels, but gelatine is a non-allergen animal ingredient and will only appear in the standard ingredients list — read it fully.
In traditional Gasthäuser and hotel restaurants, side vegetables and boiled potatoes are routinely finished with butter as a standard step — this is almost never listed on the menu because it is considered part of preparation rather than an ingredient addition. The habit is so automatic that a specific question is needed. "Ohne Butter?" (without butter?) is an essential phrase at any sit-down restaurant serving German cuisine, particularly for any potato, vegetable, or Spätzle side dish.
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 that eliminates guesswork on own-brand products — Lidl's Vemondo range and REWE's plant-based own-label line are reliably marked and widely available. For specialist ranges including vegan cheese, deli items, and prepared meals, Veganz stores operate in Berlin, Hamburg, and other major cities as fully vegan-only supermarkets. Always check individual product labels regardless — formulations and flavour variants can differ.
International cuisines are your fallback
Germany has a very 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, without yogurt sauce, is one of the most reliable quick vegan meals in the country. In any larger city, dedicated vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants are also abundant, particularly in university districts and inner-city neighbourhoods.
Beyond Berlin: every major city has a scene
Berlin's vegan infrastructure — hundreds of dedicated restaurants, vegan bakeries, fully vegan supermarkets, and a culture of explicit labelling — has raised expectations across the country. Hamburg's Schanzenviertel, Munich's Maxvorstadt, Cologne's Belgian Quarter, and Leipzig's Connewitz neighbourhood all have well-developed plant-based clusters. Even mid-sized cities such as Freiburg, Münster, and Heidelberg have dedicated vegan restaurants and strong supermarket provision. Germany's Level 1 ranking reflects this national distribution, not just one city carrying the score.
Read labels using the EU allergen system
EU allergen regulations require the 14 major allergens — including milk, eggs, and sulphites — to be clearly emphasised on prepacked food labels, usually in bold but sometimes by a different typographic style. This makes scanning ingredient lists faster than in many other countries. Milk and egg derivatives will be flagged, so whey, lactose, and egg albumin are all covered by this system. What the system does not cover are non-allergen animal ingredients such as gelatine, animal fat, and bone-char processed sugar — these appear only in the standard ingredients list and require a full read. Always check both sections.
Germany's vegan infrastructure is consistent across its major cities and supermarkets, but traditional cuisine, rural areas, and certain hospitality settings still carry friction that is worth knowing before you travel.