### **1. Check out the menus from your faves**

If you’re trying to transition to a plant-based diet, it can be daunting to consider giving up your favorite eateries—either due to their wonderful flavors and ambiance, or your own ingrained habits. Start by checking out the menus for these places online. You may be surprised to find that they offer plant-based options. Look for symbols that indicate vegan or vegetarian options.

### **2. Use restaurant discovery platforms**

Many websites allow you to search for restaurants in your area, filter by dietary requirements, and view reviews and photos from other diners. Check out [Yelp](https://www.yelp.com/), [HappyCow](https://www.happycow.net/), [OpenTable](https://www.opentable.com/), and even [Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps) to get started.

### **3. Search for local plant-based guides**

A simple web search with terms like _plant-based_ or _vegan_, and your city name can produce blog posts or other guides that make it easy to find eateries near you. You can also use a similar approach on social media, by exploring local hashtags with similar phrasing.

### **4. Leverage food delivery apps**

Most food delivery platforms, like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and SkipTheDishes, offer in-app filtering for vegan or plant-based options. Simply select the appropriate filter to browse nearby restaurants that cater to your preferences.

### **5. Gravitate to vegan-friendly cuisines**

Some cuisines are known for vegan-friendly dishes, so they're a pretty safe bet:

- **South Indian**: Dishes like dosas, idlis, and sambars are often vegan, relying on lentils, rice, and coconut.

- **Ethiopian**: Many Ethiopian dishes, like injera with a variety of lentil stews, are traditionally plant-based.

- **Middle Eastern**: Look for hummus, falafel, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, and stuffed grape leaves.

- **Chinese**: Many Chinese restaurants offer tofu-based dishes, vegetable stir-fries, and dumplings that can be vegan-friendly.

- **Mexican**: Bean burritos, guacamole, salsa, and veggie tacos are often plant-based or can be made so with minor adjustments. If you’re aiming to eat fully vegan, just make sure the beans aren’t cooked in lard.

### **6. Try plant-based fast food**

You may be able to find plant-based options at mainstream takeout joints, like a [Taco Bell](https://www.tacobell.com/) vegan burrito or [Burger King](https://www.bk.com/) Impossible Whopper. An increasing number of vegan-only fast food chains are also popping up all over. The availability of these chains will vary by region, but some options in the United States include [Veggie Grill by Next Level](https://www.veggiegrill.com/), [Next Level Burger](https://www.nextlevelburger.com/), [Plant Power Fast Food](https://www.plantpowerfastfood.com/), [PLNT Burger](https://www.plntburger.com/), and [Native Foods](https://www.nativefoods.com/).