Originally published on T.O.F.U.’s website on October 7, 2016.

Note: thanks to the addition of veg menu items in such chains as A&W and Tim Horton’s, it’s possible that travelling in NL may now be even easier as a vegan (especially outside of St. John’s). However, I would recommend not depending on these places as it’s quite possible they may run out or not even stock the item depending on the location you visit. So, a trusty sandwich or two (or three) is always advised.

Although I wasn’t born in the province, my family moved back to NL from Alberta just a few years after I was born. Thus, my childhood and the majority of my teenage years were spent growing up in the farthest easterly province in Canada. It wasn’t until I moved away to Halifax, Nova Scotia soon after graduating high school that I really begin to explore outside of the province.

Of course, that’s a different story, and you’re here to learn about what it’s like being vegan in NL, aren’t you?

Since I wasn’t vegan growing up (shocking, I know), I guess my experience of being vegan on the eastern tip of North America began when I came back from Halifax at some point and had made the decision to no longer eat animal products. As you can imagine, that first trip back went down a path I’m sure is familiar to most of you.

Questions. Jokes. Poor food options. More jokes. Lots more questions. Airport.

Sure, it wasn’t terrible, and having a fairly supportive family certainly made it easier, but it was bad compared to how things were during my time there earlier this summer. That trip could be summed up as such:

Food. Food. More food. Questions. Food. Talking about food. Food. VegFest. Food. Airport.

Without going into too much detail about my own life (perhaps I already have), here are some of the highlights that my home offers for those of us who partake in neither the meat nor the breast milk nor the ovum of any creature with a face.

St. John’s

Unless you take the ferry to the island, it’s likely you’ll end up in St. John’s first. Regardless of how you get there, please do yourself a favour and be sure to see more of the island than just its capital. I’m not just saying this due to a lifelong Town vs. The Bay mentality that most residents of the island hold against each other depending on what side of the overpass they reside on. In fact, on a beautiful day (even if they’re rare), St. John’s is probably one of my favourite places in the world. However, if you read this whole post, I think you’ll understand just why I suggest going beyond the old streets of downtown and heading into the less populated parts of the province.

Of course, no matter how long you plan to spend in St. John’s, there are plenty of options for you to choose from. Below are just a few of the ones that I make an effort to visit whenever I’m back home.

Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca

377 Duckworth Street & 60 Elizabeth Avenue | w: piattopizzeria.com

Ever since the first Piatto opened downtown (they now have numerous locations around Atlantic Canada, including two in St. John’s), I’ve happily visited them many times. In the past, they’ve even been willing to add Daiya to my order, if I brought it in. However, given their commitment to the strict Neapolitan pizza regulations, I recommend you simply go the cheeseless route and try the Greca pizza, as well as the Focaccia alla Napoletana (again, minus the cheese).