"The implicit rule of phở is: Don't fuck with phở." Those were the words of Peter Cuong Franklin, the founder and head chef at Anan Saigon, when he gave me his take on phở's controversial history earlier this year.
25.09.2023 - 17:27 / forbes.com
When it comes to veg-friendly cuisine, few cities have as much to offer as Portland, Oregon. It’s the best city for vegans and vegetarians in the U.S. for the fifth year in a row, according to new research.
Researchers from the financial website WalletHub conducted its annual comparison of the 100 largest cities in the U.S. to figure out the best places for vegans and vegetarians in the country.
They evaluated each city based on 17 key indicators of vegan- and vegetarian-friendliness across three categories: affordability; diversity, accessibility, and quality; and vegetarian lifestyle. Some of the data the researchers looked at includes availability of vegan and vegetarian restaurants, vegetarian cooking classes per capita, cost of groceries for vegetarians, and availability of affordable vegan and vegetarian options at highly rated restaurants in each city. Each city could earn a maximum of 100 points.
With a total score of 61.38, Portland earned top honors as the most vegetarian- and vegan-friendly city in the country—just as it has every year since 2019. It’s no surprise, considering that Portland is a top wellness destination, as well.
But the City of Roses just barely squeaked by Los Angeles, which earned 61.24 points, largely due to Portland’s high affordability score. On the low end of the rankings were Baltimore, Maryland, and Greensboro, North Carolina, which were nearly tied for the worst cities on the list.
Perhaps the most compelling findings for travelers are WalletHub’s rankings of which cities have the best dining scene for vegan and vegetarians. Five cities—Irving and Plano, Texas; Henderson, Nevada; and Gilbert and Mesa, Arizona—tied for first place in the list of cities with a high percentage of restaurants serving vegetarian options. There was also a four-way tie between Scottsdale, Arizona; Orlando, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts; and St. Petersburg, Florida for cities with a high percentage of vegan-friendly restaurants. New Orleans, Louisiana took fifth place among the cities with the highest percentage of restaurants with vegan options on their menus.
Between the high cost of animal products, concern about the environment and animal welfare, and an increasing interest in wellness and healthy food, growing numbers of Americans are cutting meat from their diets. In fact, the share of American adults who are vegan or vegetarian has doubled to about 10 percent in recent years, according to the Alliance for Science. WalletHub’s rankings offer important insight about which U.S. cities are catering to those who want to eat less meat and dairy (or avoid it altogether).
With World Vegetarian Day (October 1) less than a week away, take a look at the list of the best cities for vegans and
"The implicit rule of phở is: Don't fuck with phở." Those were the words of Peter Cuong Franklin, the founder and head chef at Anan Saigon, when he gave me his take on phở's controversial history earlier this year.
Iceland has become a victim of its own popularity. As travelers continue to be drawn to the island nation’s dramatic—and Instagram-friendly—natural landscapes, the impact on its environment is growing. In an attempt to curb that mounting pressure, the country’s Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir announced late last month that a new tourist tax—with specifics still being discussed—will be implemented in 2024.“Tourism has really grown exponentially in Iceland in the last decade, and that obviously is not just creating effects on the climate,” she told Bloomberg. “It’s also because most of our guests who are coming to us are visiting unspoiled nature, and obviously it creates a pressure.”
While many Americans associate kaleidoscopic fall foliage with New England, Seattle also brims with autumnal appeal with cool, crisp air and a stunning backdrop of tree-covered hills and mountains. Also: where else can you take in awe-inspiring views of Mount Rainier, knock back a chambong (champagne glass-beer bong hybrid), savor spicy Laotian chicken laap, and retire to a plush room overlooking Elliot Bay in a single day?
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Vacationing with one of the major cruise lines means meeting passengers from all ages groups and walks of life, and this often includes friends groups, work groups and family members who opt to plan a reunion at sea. I was reminded of this recently as I boarded the new MSC Seascape out of Miami, Florida. Several groups wore matching shirts with their family name and reunion details emblazoned on the front, not only for fun but also to help them easily locate each other at the port.
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I started traveling on cruises alone when I was 26. I was immediately hooked on the mix of adventure and solitude.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a city on the rise; so much so that it just joined our Readers’ Choice Awards list of the best big cities in the US, ranking third—just behind San Diego and Chicago. Long considered nearby Chicago's little sibling, Milwaukee has finally come into its own by growing amongst younger people for its affordability over the Second City, allowing people to buy homes and rent better apartments. Not to mention the growing restaurant scene, new infrastructure increasing walkability, and enough city amenities for the Midwest gem to truly feel desirable—it’s no longer just a small town. And with so many local colleges and a venerated art museum, there is strong curiosity and willingness to embrace the new.