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.