Being vegan in Colombia

I have been vegan for about four years now. Since this lifestyle is a big part of my life and very important to me, I didn’t even think about giving it up when going to Colombia. Having lived in European countries all of my vegan life, I knew that there were going to be challenges and uncomfortable situations because of my decision to exclude all animal products from my diet.

Colombia is a meat-loving country. Almost all national dishes (e.g. Tamal, Arepa, Bandeja Paisa) are based on meat. Most street food contains meat, so do most dishes at restaurants. Apart from the meat, there is also a strong passion for cheese. I once contemplated with a friend how difficult it must be to be seriously lactose intolerant in this country – even if not indicated in the menu, most food is served smothered in cheese.

To me, it is absolutely unthinkable to give up veganism. To me, it is the best way to help the planet and end animal suffering, and – most importantly – it was always extremely easy to me. Access to vegan alternatives for anything imaginable is pretty much given in most European countries; at least in Austria and England, where I spend most of my time. Plant-based milk, yogurt, chocolate, junk food, ice cream, hummus – everything a vegan could wish for is mostly available in common supermarkets.

In Colombia, things are different. Thankfully Bogotá is the capital of Colombia, thus probably one of the most progressive ones. Yet, I really struggled in the beginning to a) find sources of restaurants and supermarkets that cater to vegans and b) avoid all animal products. Regarding the latter, I have had a LOT of incidents of me buying and eating a meal and later realising it contained cheese or eggs. These things happen, and they have also happened to me outside of Colombia. While it is annoying, I try to not get too hung up on it, move on and see it as a lesson to be more careful.

Now coming to the more cheerful part: Bogotá actually has a lot of wonderful vegan options to offer. While I was living off Subway sandwiches and fruit 5 weeks ago, I am now getting to know more and more vegan food places and products. Some of my favourite dishes are pictured below. Among others, there is a fully vegetarian restaurant with an insane amount of vegan options in my apartment building (Sabyi), a completely vegan restaurant with amazing vegan pasta, burgers and vegan tamal (Nativa), an Arabic place with delicious pita bread, hummus and falafel (Pita Wok). There is even a student-run programme at my university that provides a vegan lunch every day. My favourite so far is a vegan restaurant called ‘De Raíz‘ that carries the most incredible vegan food. So far I’ve only been there once, but I will definitely become a regular costumer in the future!

Telling people I’m vegan here usually receives the response of pity. “You’re vegan? Here?” They often say. And yes, being vegan in Colombia is definitely more challenging than in areas with higher levels of veganism. However, I have also learned that you can always find a way to continue your lifestyle, even in a more difficult environment. I never went hungry nor was I ever tempted by non-vegan options.

On the other hand, I am curious to see if everything will work out as easily when I start travelling. Especially when going to the pacific coast, where even roads or an internet connection are not commonplace yet. In any case, I will do my best to stick to my lifestyle and will report back with results!