Significant effort required

French supermarkets (Carrefour, Leader Price) stock familiar EU-labelled products — self-catering is your safety net. Creole cuisine relies heavily on fish stock and butter; ask "sans poisson, sans beurre" but expect confusion outside resort restaurants.

Same French retail advantage as Guadeloupe — Carrefour and Casino supermarkets stock mainland products. Fort-de-France has the most options. Traditional accras (fritters) contain salt cod, and colombo dishes often hide chicken stock.

Vilnius has a small but genuine vegan scene in the Old Town — Maxima and Rimi supermarkets stock EU imports. Traditional cuisine relies on sour cream (grietinė) and pork fat — ask "be pieno produktų, be mėsos" (without dairy, without meat).

Rīga's central market is excellent for fresh produce, and the city has a growing vegan scene. Rimi and Maxima supermarkets stock EU products. Traditional dishes hide sour cream (skābais krējums) and lard — ask "bez piena, bez gaļas".

Chișinău has limited but improving options. Mămăligă (polenta) is naturally vegan, but traditional dishes rely heavily on sour cream (smântână). Linella and Fidesco supermarkets stock Romanian imports. Ask "fără carne, fără lactate" (without meat, without dairy).

Belgrade's Vračar and Dorćol districts have the strongest vegan presence. Orthodox fasting ("posno") creates seasonal options but permits seafood and honey. Maxi and Idea supermarkets stock EU imports. Ćevapi and pljeskavica are meat by default.

Tbilisi is improving rapidly, but Georgian cuisine hides cheese everywhere — even "vegetable" dishes often contain matsoni (yogurt). Lobio (bean stew) and badrijani (walnut-stuffed aubergine) are your safest bets. Ask "khortsis da rdzis gareshe" (without meat and dairy).

Skopje's Old Bazaar has some options. Orthodox fasting ("posno") helps during fasting periods. Tavče gravče (baked beans) is often vegan — but check for lard. Vero and Tinex supermarkets stock EU imports. Ask "bez meso, bez mleko" (without meat, without milk).

Sarajevo's Baščaršija district has the most options. Somun bread is vegan, but ćevapi fillings are meat. Vegetable pies (zeljanica) contain cheese by default. Bingo and Konzum supermarkets stock regional imports. Ask "bez mesa, bez mliječnih proizvoda".

Coastal towns (Kotor, Budva) have better tourist infrastructure than the interior. Voli and Idea supermarkets stock EU imports. Njeguški pršut (ham) and cheese dominate traditional menus — stick to grilled vegetables and salads, specifying "bez sira" (without cheese).

Pristina has a very small vegan scene — mostly international restaurants. Viva Fresh and Maxi supermarkets stock basics. Albanian cuisine relies heavily on dairy and lamb. Fasule (white bean stew) can be vegan — ask "pa mish, pa qumësht" (without meat, without dairy).

Italian supermarkets (Conad, Lidl, Carrefour) make self-catering easy. Palermo and Catania have the most dedicated options. Caponata and pasta with tomato sauce are naturally vegan, but anchovies hide in many "vegetable" dishes. Ask "senza pesce, senza formaggio".

Cagliari and Alghero have the most options. Conad and Coop supermarkets stock mainland Italian products. Pecorino appears in almost everything — even bread (pane frattau) contains egg. Ask "senza formaggio, senza uova" and stick to simple grilled vegetables.

Nairobi's Westlands district has the strongest vegan scene. Carrefour and Naivas supermarkets stock decent imports. Safari lodges generally accommodate dietary requests with advance notice. Ugali (maize porridge) and sukuma wiki (collard greens) are often naturally vegan.

Safari lodges accommodate dietary requests well if notified in advance — use booking forms, not verbal requests. Dar es Salaam has limited but improving options. Shoprite and Game supermarkets stock South African imports. Pilau rice often contains meat stock.

Stone Town has more options than the beach resorts. Indian influence helps — daal and vegetable curries are common. Spice farm tours can arrange vegan lunches. Ask in advance as seafood dominates local menus. Coconut-based dishes are your friend.

Muscat's Al Qurum and MQ areas have the most options. LuLu Hypermarket stocks excellent international imports. Indian restaurants are your safest bet — ask for "bina ghee" (without ghee). Traditional Omani cuisine uses animal fats liberally.

Bridgetown and the south coast have the most options. Massy Stores stocks US and UK imports. Resorts handle vegan requests well with advance notice. Cou-cou (polenta with okra) can be vegan, but flying fish is the national dish — seafood is everywhere.

Nassau and Paradise Island have tourist infrastructure. Super Value and Solomon's stock US imports. Conch and seafood dominate local cuisine. Peas 'n' rice is often made with bacon — ask specifically. Resorts accommodate dietary requests better than local restaurants.

St. John's and resort areas have basic options. Epicurean and First Choice supermarkets stock US imports. Fungie (cornmeal) can be vegan, but local cuisine is heavily seafood-based. Specify dietary needs when booking resorts — verbal requests get lost.

Rodney Bay and Soufrière have the most options — local towns are much harder. Massy Stores stocks regional imports. Resorts accommodate dietary requests significantly better than local restaurants. Green fig and saltfish is the national dish — fish is everywhere.

Providenciales (Provo) has the most infrastructure. IGA and Graceway Gourmet stock US imports at high prices. Conch is the local specialty — seafood dominates. Resorts handle dietary requests well; local restaurants rarely understand "vegan". Self-catering is expensive but reliable.

Kingstown has basic provisions only. C.K. Greaves and Coreas stock limited imports. Breadfruit and roasted plantains are reliable staples. Yacht charter tourists may have better provisioning options than land-based visitors. Very limited vegan awareness.

St. George's has the most options. Real Value and Food Fair stock basic imports. Oil Down (national dish) contains meat by default. Nutmeg and spices make produce flavourful. Callaloo soup can be vegan if you specify "no crab, no salt meat" — but check every time.

Basseterre has basic provisions. Ram's and TDC supermarkets stock limited imports. Short cruise stays are manageable; extended visits require planning. Stewed saltfish is everywhere — ask for "provisions" (root vegetables) without fish or meat additions.

Roseau has very limited options. Whitchurch and Astaphan's stock basics. Eco-lodges may accommodate dietary requests — contact directly before booking. Mountain chicken (actually frog) and crab back are local specialties. Fresh tropical fruit from markets is reliable.

Cairo's Zamalek and Maadi districts have the most options. Ful medames (fava beans) and koshari are often naturally vegan — but street food versions vary. Carrefour and Seoudi stock imports. "Ana nabati" means vegetarian; add "bidun lahem, bidun laban" for vegan.

Kampala's Kololo and Nakasero areas have some options. Shoprite and Capital Shoppers stock South African imports. Gorilla trekking lodges accommodate dietary requests with advance notice. Matooke (steamed banana) and beans are naturally vegan staples.

San Salvador's Zona Rosa has the most options. Super Selectos and La Despensa stock basics. Pupusas contain cheese by default — ask for "pupusas de frijol sin queso" (bean pupusas without cheese). "Vegetariano" doesn't exclude cheese here; say "vegano, sin lácteos".

Managua and Granada have limited options. La Colonia and Pali supermarkets stock basics. Gallo pinto (rice and beans) is often cooked in lard — ask "sin manteca" (without lard). Political instability affects import availability. Markets have fresh produce but limited packaged vegan products.