Rome Embraces Veganism: A Guide to the City’s Growing Plant-Based Scene
Gone are the days when finding tofu and seitan meant a trip to expensive organic stores. Rome, a city steeped in culinary tradition, is now at the forefront of Italy’s vegan movement, witnessing a surge in specialized shops and delis. These establishments offer far more than basic ingredients, providing a diverse array of plant-based options including burgers, cold cuts, cheeses, preserves, and fresh pasta. This shift is transforming Rome into one of Italy’s most vegan-friendly cities, boasting a growing number of vegan bakeries, restaurants, and delis.
The Best Vegan Stores in Rome: A Comprehensive Overview
From traditional cheese shops to old-school delis and fermentation labs, Rome offers a wealth of options for plant-based shopping:
- Vegan Store – Testaccio: Located in the historic Testaccio market, this small but mighty store offers a vast selection of vegan products. Beyond deli items, shoppers can find flours, dried and fresh pasta, nut butters, snacks, ready meals, and seasonal sweets like Carnival fritters and panettone. The store also stocks skewers, burgers, meatballs, biscuits, and legumes, ensuring a fully stocked pantry.
- La Drogheria Veg – Infernetto: Since 2023, Infernetto residents have enjoyed this valuable addition, offering beverages, baked goods, bulk foods, cosmetics, and packaged cold cuts. A standout feature is the delightful deli counter with sandwiches, ready-to-eat or take-away dishes, paninis, homemade seitan, cakes, and pastries. Seasonal highlights include pastiera, and impressive aperitif platters. The vegan lasagna Bolognese is a must-try.
- Fermaggio – Piazza Fiume/Trionfale: As the name suggests, this is the kingdom of plant-based cheeses. Production began in Cave, outside Rome, but demand quickly led to a flagship store in the heart of the capital. Their products, all made with Sicilian cashews and almonds, are exceptional, ranging from Ecotta to Mezzrè, Better butter, and Pri, a bloomy rind vegan cheese that even skeptics will love. Their products are also available at box 155 in Mercato Trionfale.
- Vegustibus – Garbatella: A true benchmark for vegans across Rome, Vegustibus in Garbatella exemplifies how appealing aesthetics and communication can attract everyone, including non-vegans. It evokes the charm of an old-fashioned grocery store, complete with a ‘pizzicagnolo’ (deli worker) in a white hat, ready to offer advice. The store is fully stocked with cold cuts, cheeses, burgers, sausages, calzones, sandwiches, supplì, breakfast croissants, pastries, and stuffed pasta. Pantry essentials include creams, pâtés, ready-made sauces, and dried pasta. The frozen section features sausages and burgers perfect for grilling, while the refrigerated counter offers butter, cheeses, mini salamis, smoked salmon, and breaded fish fillets. The large deli counter is the star, showcasing a variety of specialties, including Roman ciambellone, biscuits, and pastries.
- Veganize IT! – Dragona: Surprisingly, even Dragona, a peripheral district south of Rome, now boasts a fantastic vegan shop. Notably, it opened in a former butcher shop, symbolizing changing times. The extensive and varied selection includes vegan alternatives, bulk pasta, bulk dried fruit, delicious sweets, sandwiches, burgers, and pizza. Opened in 2024 with the motto “eat your quinoa yourself,” it has delivered on its promise. For those seeking plant-based fast food, Snoopy Vegan Food in the Ardeatino district now offers both dine-in and delivery options.
- Cimadù Vegan Market – Caffarella: The latest addition to Rome’s vegan scene, Cimadù is a sleek, refined design store with shelves and refrigerators fully stocked with every vegan specialty. Beyond purchasing seitan, tofu, tempeh, and vegetable steaks and meatballs, the deli counter offers options for any meal. Breakfast includes pastries and croissants, lunch features sandwiches, seitan stews, freshly made rotating dishes, and sweet treats and aperitif platters.
- Julietta Pastry & Lab – Ostiense: Primarily known for its morning pastries, this extraordinary vegan patisserie near the Gazometro originated as a spin-off from Romeow Cat Bistrot, a long-standing vegan culinary reference in Rome. The high quality of its laminated pastries (especially the pain suisse) is undeniable, but Julietta Pastry & Lab offers much more. It’s also a fermentation lab, producing 100% plant-based blue cheeses and bloomy rind cheeses, kombucha, and kimchi, all displayed in a warm, bright, and meticulously curated store. The cheeses, ready-made sauces (especially the mushroom ragù), homemade tempeh, and seitan are highly recommended, as is the ‘false tuna’ sauce. Whatever your choice, you’re guaranteed quality here.
Beyond Rome: Veggy is Artisanal – Monterotondo
Monterotondo, a town northeast of Rome, is traditionally known for its hearty cuisine. Despite this, Veggy is Artisanal opened its doors in early 2026. This isn’t just a shop but a true plant-based deli offering homemade burgers, meatballs, nuggets, cheeses, supplì, and faux meats. It’s an address worth noting and visiting as soon as possible.
As Rome continues to embrace plant-based living, these establishments are making it easier than ever for both vegans and curious foodies to explore a world of delicious and innovative options.
Source: https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/rubriche/miniguide/negozi-vegani-roma/
