Latin America is experiencing an extraordinary rise in plant-based dining options. A new study, spearheaded by Veganuary in partnership with the food discovery platform HappyCow, reveals that Latin America now boasts over 10,000 vegan, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly restaurants—an impressive 21.6% jump compared to last year.

Brazil takes the crown as the number one country, with 2,953 vegan-friendly restaurants. Hot on its heels is Mexico, with only 33 fewer establishments and boasting the highest number of fully vegan restaurants in the region. Colombia secures third place, while Chile ranks fourth, standing out with a remarkable 27.7% growth, adding nearly 200 new restaurants in a year. Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Paraguay round out the top ten.

Mauricio Serrano, director of Veganuary Latin America, praised the findings: “The results are very positive, showing that there is a wide – and often unknown – range of possibilities for eating vegan outside the home in Latin America, allowing many people to enjoy a menu without ingredients of animal origin, both when travelling and when they don’t want to cook at home. Ideal for the millions of people who will surely join Veganuary’s Vegan January.”

Among cities, São Paulo leads as the number one most vegan-friendly city in Latin America. Mexico City takes second place, having also earned a spot in HappyCow’s prestigious list of the world’s top ten vegan cities for the first time, coming in eighth.

Santiago ranks third, while Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro rose to fourth and fifth place respectively, displacing Bogotá to sixth place. Lima follows in seventh, Brasília in eighth, Medellín in ninth, and Tulum, making its debut in the rankings, in tenth place.

Despite global economic pressures leading to a decline in vegan businesses in major cities worldwide, HappyCow founder Eric Brent highlights the silver lining: “2023-2024 has been a very difficult period for vegan restaurants around the world. Economic factors have caused the number of vegan businesses to decline in most major cities around the world. Mexico City is an exception that has continued to see some growth. Globally, trends in vegan options and plant-based products continue to be on an impressive upward trajectory.”

This surge in plant-based dining offers a promising future for vegans and the vegan-curious alike. With Latin America’s culinary scene thriving, there’s never been a better time to explore the vibrant and delicious world of plant-based cuisine.