A vegetarian traveller's guide to India

India has one of the largest vegetarian populations in the world, and this shows up everywhere in daily life: vegetarian menus are the default rather than an afterthought in most restaurants, and dedicated vegetarian and 'pure veg' restaurants are common in every city. South India in particular is strong for vegetarians, with Tamil Nadu and Kerala's cuisines built naturally around rice, lentils, coconut and vegetables, while Gujarat and Rajasthan in the north are known for elaborate all-vegetarian thalis. This makes India, on balance, one of the easier countries in the world to travel through as a vegetarian.

Vegetarian is easy. Vegan is a real step up in difficulty, because ghee (clarified butter), yoghurt and paneer (a fresh cheese) are used throughout everyday Indian cooking, including in many dishes that look plant-based at first glance. A vegan traveller needs to ask specifically about ghee and dairy in almost every dish, whereas a vegetarian traveller can eat comfortably from most menus without extensive questioning.

• South India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka): naturally vegetarian-strong; dosa, idli, sambar, rasam and Kerala's sadya are all classically vegetarian.
• West India (Gujarat, Rajasthan): elaborate all-vegetarian thalis are a regional speciality in their own right.
• North India (Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab): vegetarian options are widespread alongside meat dishes; paneer-based curries are common.
• Kashmir: predominantly meat-focused (the wazwan feast), but vegetarian versions can be arranged with notice.
• Coastal regions (Goa, Mumbai, Bengal): more seafood-forward, so vegetarians should ask specifically when ordering.

• Learn the phrase for 'no onion, no garlic' if travelling Jain, as it is a specific and recognised dietary category in India, not an unusual request.
• 'Pure veg' on a restaurant sign means the kitchen serves no meat, fish or eggs at all, useful for strict vegetarians wanting to avoid any cross-contamination risk.
• Street food and snacks are very often vegetarian by default (chaat, dosa, pav bhaji), making them an easy category to explore without extensive questioning.
• Tell your guide or host about dietary needs in advance for feast-style meals and cooking classes, where the menu is often planned ahead rather than ordered a la carte.