Living in San Francisco, my girlfriend Kimberly and I are amazed at the excellent quality of vegetarian restaurants in our city. However, we wanted to see what else was out there in this great nation of ours, so we took a trip to our local Barnes & Noble hoping to find a guide to the pleasures of vegetarian dining throughout the United States. We were disappointed that such a travel book did not exist, and thus an idea was formed.
Shortly afterwards, I took on the task of producing a guidebook that would help readers find alternative dining options in the United States. After nearly two years of labor, the book in your hands is that guide. Not just a guide to restaurants, natural foods stores and farmers' markets, the book also contains facts and tidbits that health-minded and environmentally conscious individuals will find appealing.
In an effort to make this book useful to the wide range of people who are vegan, vegetarian, struggling to become vegetarian, or simply appreciate meatless cooking, I have included a wide range of restaurants, stores and markets in this guide. You'll find everything from hamburger joints with a garden burger option to gourmet raw foods restaurants that adhere to strict vegan standards and espouse the consumption of easily digestible uncooked foods. I have also given special consideration to budget travelers trying to stretch their dollars. All listings have an eye toward value.