#LifeInCzechia Relocating to Czechia and worried about being able to find plant-based foods and cruelty-free cosmetics? Well, you don’t have to worry too much – if you’re moving to Prague or Brno, you’ll be able to find vegan options on every corner. This article will give you the lowdown on what it’s like to be vegan in Brno. Written by a local vegan who’s excited to share her favourite spots!
One of the Božský kopeček ice cream trucks with vegan gelato
Vegan restaurants
When it comes to going out for a meal, you’ll have many options in Brno! As a born local and vegan of 7 years, I’ve had an opportunity to visit and try many (if not all) of them. Let me tell you about 3 of my personal favourites:
Although the vegan scene keeps changing year to year, there is one constant that remains – Forky’s. This trendy restaurant is located on Jakubské náměstí near St. James’s church in the former Savoy Café building. It’s a great spot for both casual lunch and special occasions or dinner dates. The downstairs offers bistro-style dining while the upstairs is fancier with table service. There’s also outdoor seating and you can also bring your kids.
The cuisine can be described as an international fusion with burgers, kebabs, Asian-style bowls, and nachos. Yum!
Kimchi rice with mushrooms and nori from Forkey’s
The second fully vegan spot I’d like to recommend is Pilgrim, a home-style restaurant located on Třída Kapitána Jaroše, near Park Lužánky. This restaurant offers hearty plant-based meals inspired by Czech cuisine. There rarely comes a day when Pilgrim isn’t serving dumplings and sauces as an option in their lunch specials. They also specialise in Thai curries and Vietnamese recipes. Some of their meals are also gluten-free. As a bonus, if you come to Pilgrim, you can enjoy a beer from small Czech breweries as well as ethically-sourced coffee.
Take-away nuggets with dipping sauce and greens from Vegalite.
My third tip for a cool vegan restaurant to visit in Brno is Vegalite. Vegalite is an alternative-style pub, located in an underground cellar on Slovákova 10. What’s truly special about this pub is its atmosphere. Because it’s under the ground and close to Masaryk University’s Faculty of Arts, it’s usually the young alternative punk crowd that comes here.
If you’re looking for a vegan version of traditional Czech dishes, Vegalite is THE place. You can order a goulash, cabbage with dumplings and “pork”, classic Czech “svíčková” with dumplings or one of their signature burgers.
Other great vegan options in Brno include the co-op restaurant Tři ocásci, to-go window Fryends with delicious burgers and baguettes, Pizza Punk with 100% vegan pizza, and all-vegan bistro Mooi offering kebabs, gyros, wraps and salads with dips.
Vegan gelato and other sweet treats
If you have a sweet tooth, there are also several options in Brno! My favourites include the cat café Pelíšek (with live kitties looking to be adopted), which – although not 100% vegan – offers vegan cakes and snacks. Another great option is the fully vegan sweetshop Tři ocásci on Gorkého 39 which makes to-order cakes and Christmas cookies! If you’re into raw vegan cakes, then you definitely have to try Raw with Love on Čápkova 28.
Lastly, I’d like to recommend something to ice cream lovers. If you’ve lived in Brno for a while, then you definitely saw little colourful ice cream trucks zooming around. Well, good news, because these trucks are carrying vegan gelato! Božský kopeček offers vegans scoops of different unique flavours – dare to try one if you catch one of the trucks in the city!
Poppyseed vegan gelato from Božský kopeček in Park Lužánky.
Vegan foods & other products
Of course, not everyone has the money to eat out all the time.
Luckily, Brno also offers a lot of options when it comes to buying vegan food! All of the major chain supermarkets (Albert, Lidl, Tesco, and Globus) sell different kinds of tofu, seitan, tempeh and other vegan meat substitutes as well as plant milk and cream (mainly soy, oat, almond, and rice). The DM drugstore also stocks some vegan foods and this is also where you’ll find cruelty-free cleaning supplies and cosmetics.
If you want to visit smaller vegan/healthy corner stores, my advice is to try Alfa health store on Joštova, Zdraví s chutí on Náměstí Svobody, or Zdravý život (Healthy Life) – health food and organic food store on Lidická.
Happy Cow will show you the way
First of all, let me tell you about an amazing hack you can actually use all over the world and not just in the Czech Republic. If you’re vegan and worried about travelling to places where you might not find something to eat, download an app called Happy Cow! This app is a true treasure. It will give you a list of vegan food near you based on your location wherever you are and Brno is not an exception.
Interested in learning more about life in Brno? Sign up for our newsletter and you’ll get a weekly email for expats, important news, and tips on what to do in the city. Also, follow us on our social media at Foreigners Brno.
Looking forward to your newsletter
Many thanks
Kate
Thank you Kate!