Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2017 | Page 255

Theresa Boehl, BeachDeals.com
author of “Vegan in Santo Domingo: A guide to meat-free, dairy-free
dining in the Caribbean’s largest city.”

Vegan Dining in the Dominican Republic
by Theresa Boehl
On the surface, Santo Domingo might not seem
like a vegetarian-friendly destination. Corner
eateries serving the island’s special fried chicken
are ubiquitous, and mobile vendors wander street
to street in search of buyers for their chicharrones.
Even mofongo, one of the region’s best-loved
dishes, is typically filled with pork or seafood. For
visitors and new residents to the island, the idea
of finding something vegetarian is daunting. For
vegans, the outlook may seem even dimmer.
But meat-free and dairy-free diners need not
fret: Every year brings new options for plant-
based dining in the Dominican Republic’s capital.
Dozens of vegan, vegan-friendly and vegetarian
restaurants have popped up to serve a growing
community of healthy and ethical eaters - not just
foreigners, but also locals open to new ways of
eating.