Listen up, Veg-heads!
Plant-based dining is still an option in Mexico during a pandemic.
So- good news for people who want to eat less animal products.
A quick scan of google maps or happycow.com will give you an idea of the options you have. I wasn’t on a foodie tour so I didn’t make it a point to try all the meatless options in Morelia, but I can tell you about a few places.
I can certainly recommend Tierra Mona. I ate there a few times because it was near by the hotel I stayed in. The space is tiny so I would not recommend going there during peak hours. Be considerate. And try their dish of the day.
It impressed me that the folks who came to eat here weren’t only idealistic youths or trendy ‘strawberries’ -rich brats. (I like to call them strawberries instead of fresas. It’s more insulting, in my opinion.)
A local mother came in with her young daughter to have a no-meat burger and fries; an average looking, middle-aged Mexican couple who looked like they just discovered the vegan lifestyle exuberantly enjoyed their food; two older Americans came to eat and chat quietly. (Maybe they were Canadian?)
There was a French speaking couple, too. The butch of the pair seemed to be very comfortable in three languages: endorsing the food in English and then dealing with the check in Spanish. May I be that verbally- vocally confident one day.
LU is a more upscale place I ate at. It’s attached to The Casino Hotel right at the main plaza in the city. They had their one item on the menu that I could have without modification. It was basically a fancy baked potato- but that is over simplifying the dish- which was quite good.
LU’s setting is nice too. It’s nicer if you sit inside, actually. I felt like the tables were far enough apart to sit comfortably without a mask and it’s quieter. The majority of the people chose to sit outside so it felt very crowded. Plus so much else was happening on the street. A generous heart could lose a lot of coin out there between all the beggars, performers, and hustling kids.
I made sure to hit up a chocolateria for some drink of the gods. Shokolate ended up being the place I landed at. Classic, real hot chocolate made simply with water (there were no plant alternatives to cow milk offered there) can be so satisfying sometimes.
If you find yourself in a joint that does not serve vegan options, try to ask if the kitchen can modify a dish for you. I was surprised when a chef was willing to make a vegan version of one of his dishes. I have been to some places where requesting a change would destroy the order of the whole universe… but I won’t get into that.
I think a person seeking meatless dining can do well in Morelia without suffering lack of options.