Imagine a week long summer vacation on the beautiful, picturesque coast of Italy drinking morning caffè doppios and mid-day aperol spritzes, averaging 15,000+ steps a day exploring while weaving through the crowds of tourists, daily ferry rides, and soaking up the 90 degree sun all alongside one of your girlfriends. It really doesn't get much better than that! Every single day was an opportunity to explore a new coastal town, take in all its rich history and refuel by eating some delicious food.
Speaking of food, it came to no surprise that as a vegan, I would be living off of pasta, pizza, salad, and grilled veggies throughout the duration of this trip, as is the case when traveling to most of Europe. A great thing about traveling to such a tourist trap with plenty westerners is that many restaurants now include disclaimers on their menus noting that the staff is trained on making modifications to dishes to accommodate for any allergies. Awesome! Another thing to note is that we're living in a time where some restaurants have vegan items specifically labelled on the menus, so that makes it much easier for us non- meat, -dairy, and -egg eating people when ordering, but as a general rule of thumb when ordering vegan food in Italy (or anywhere in Europe for that matter) you can assume the following, and just ask the staff to be certain:
Mixed salads are a safe bet - just be sure to get a vinegar-based dressing. The oil and vinegar will usually be presented separately on the table so you can season it yourself
Pasta is typically vegan - ask and make sure it's not fresh pasta (which is usually made with egg)
Pizza can be made without cheese - since the pizza is made fresh, they can usually omit the cheese, but again, just ask. (Tip: I like to get lots of mushrooms and allll the veggies on mine!)
Fries, roasted potatoes, and grilled veggies are common to find and generally vegan by default - just make sure they're not topped with cheese
While service and quality of food was honestly hit or miss, my goal isn't to share all of the top-rated vegan-friendly restaurants in the Amalfi Coast, but rather share the vegan options that are available, because, honestly, sometimes the day or evening just slips away and you find yourself starving and will eat whatever is in closest proximity. So without further ado, here are some of those restaurants listed by town!
Amalfi
Our hotel was situated in Amalfi, so this is where the majority of our dining took place. There is one narrow street named Via Lorenzo D'Amalfi that serves as the main artery for the town where you'll find restaurants, shops, and a stunning 9th century Roman Catholic cathedral named the Duomo di Amalfi which has these beautiful stairs perfect for climbing, sitting and enjoying gelato, or people watching. My favorite characteristic, though, are these near-hidden side streets, the "veins" of the town, which lead you to some more hotels, apartments, and gems of restaurants.
Tip: While most restaurants allow walk-ins, some restaurants such as Lido Azzurro and L'Abside required a reservation.
Bistro folli Pansa
Lemon and aperol spritz
Pizza marinara with mushroom
Lido Azzurro
Mixed salad
Spaghetti with olives, capers, and cherry tomatoes
Locanda del Marinaio
Mixed salad
Fries
Fusilli with seasonal vegetables
Ristorante L'Abside
Fresh bread
Pasta with vegetables and basil
Sant'Andrea
Mixed salad
Pizza vegetariana (no cheese) - *also my favorite pizza from this trip
Andrea Pansa (Gelato)
Lemon and raspberry gelato
Nino & Friends
Not a restaurant, but definitely worth mentioning as this is a great shop to buy some sweet or savory goodies to take home as gifts. Some vegan items I found included olive oils, truffle salt, and chocolate covered coffee beans. The truffle salt is great on pasta and popcorn!
Positano
Arienzo Beach Club
Watermelon
Tomato salad
Spaghetti with marinara
Casa e Bottega
This was by far my favorite restaurant. It's quite a walk/hike from the ferry drop-off area, but totally worth it after you make it up all the stairs and winding streets. We easily spent 2 hours ordering fresh drinks, appetizers, an entree, and a little post-lunch cappuccino while enjoying the breeze that was making its way indoors.
Peach white wine sangria
Hummus with raw vegetables and pita
Vegan casa bowl
Cappuccino with almond milk
Capri
La Terrazza di Venera
Aperol spritz + free peanuts and potato chips
Grilled veg
Ristorante da Gemma dessert
Raspberry and chocolate dessert
Ravello
Lido di Ravello Beach Club
Veggie sandwich that wasn't on the menu, but they were able to prepare vegan upon request (eggplant, tomato, basil on some very tasty and filling bread)
Sorrento
Fauno Bar
Insalata Ortolana (tofu salad)
Espresso
I'm so grateful for all of the seasonal and vibrant foods that were available in this beautiful country.
From traditional Italian cuisine to innovative vegan twists, there are definitely options available for those who prefer to take a more sustainable and compassionate approach to dining. And if you find yourself in the Amalfi Coast as a vegan or traveling with a vegan, I hope this gives you some ideas!
Buon appetito!
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