See the Winners of Spots on PETA’s ‘Vegan-Friendly Cities’ List

For Immediate Release:
December 14, 2020

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

The results are in for PETA’s 2020 ranking of the Top 10 Vegan-Friendly Small Cities in the U.S., and Asheville, North Carolina, has nabbed the number one spot. For many years, PETA named the most vegan-friendly big cities in America—but this year, as so many people are migrating to less-populated areas in the midst of the pandemic, the group shifted its sights to smaller cities.

“The small cities on PETA’s list are big hotspots for the delicious animal-friendly cuisine that today’s diners demand,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “From jackfruit BBQ in Asheville to roasted cauliflower tacos in Bend, Oregon, outstanding vegan meals are popping up in restaurants from coast to coast.”

Asheville won the top spot thanks to its Vegan Awareness Week and annual vegan festival; its standout eateries, including Zagat-rated upscale vegan restaurant Plant and the vegan-friendly ice cream café The Hop; and its unique hotspots such as Zen Ink (a vegan tattoo parlor) and No Evil Foods, which ships its delicious vegan meats nationwide.

Coming in second is Dayton, Ohio, where local favorites include the next-level vegan-friendly bar food—think Buffalo cauliflower bites and vegan pesto chicken grilled cheese—at Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery. Rounding out the top three is Frederick, Maryland, where diners rave about the griddlecake sandwich (stuffed with vegan eggs, cheese, and sausage) at Glory Doughnuts & Diner. They’re followed by Tacoma, Washington; Boise, Idaho; San Marcos, Texas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Bend, Oregon; and Bisbee, Arizona.

The number of vegan Americans has increased by 600% in just three years, according to research firm GlobalData. Each person who goes vegan prevents nearly 200 animals a year from enduring daily suffering and a terrifying death; dramatically shrinks their carbon footprint; reduces their risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes; and helps prevent future pandemics. SARS, swine flu, bird flu, and COVID-19 all stemmed from confining or killing animals for food.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.