The Complete Travelers Guide To Vegan Food In Tunisia

As a vegan traveler who loves to eat, I’ve scoured the globe for the best plant-based dishes. But in 2025 I visited Tunisia for something else: the history, the ancient ruins, and the most epic road trip through the desert. Knowing that food would be a bit tricky, my partner and I started our trip in Tunis where 100% plant-based food felt rare and an overall understanding of veganism lacking.

It took us a while to weed out the vegan options and go-to meals, but by the time we left the country we were satisfied with some of the hearty dishes and incredible meals we got to try.

How To Find Vegan Food In Tunisia

Vegan Food In Tunis, Tunisia

This blogpost is an overall general guide to vegan food in Tunisia, but chances are you’ll be starting your adventure in Tunis. If so, my Complete Guide to Tunis shares wonderful street food options in the city, information on Tunisia’s only vegan restaurant, and the best vegan food options on day trips from Tunis like Sidi Bou Saïd and Carthage.

Knowing How To Order Vegan In Tunisia

Speaking Tunisian or French can make your food adventure in Tunisia smoother. Even then, don’t expect people to know what veganism is. I highly recommend learning a few phrases in the local language with Pimsler or another language learning tool. (French is likely easiest, as Tunisians don’t speak general Arabic; their language is a large mix of different languages.) Additionally, having a translation app that works offline will be crucial to communicating food needs as clearly as possible. This is where purchasing an eSim comes in handy. We didn’t speak any French or Arabic outside of general greeting phrases and relied heavily on hand gestures and translation tools.

There were a few times that a local waiter spoke English well enough that we thought that we could forgo translation apps and verbally explain what we were looking for: a meal free of animal flesh or secretions. Even if they understood what we were saying that didn’t always work. There isn’t really a concept of why you wouldn’t want to eat an animal (let alone a fish, eggs, honey, or dairy) so people would try to bring it to us anyway. You must be diligent in making sure dishes are actually plant-based, even if it means checking more than twice.

Aside from browsing the local markets where you’ll find an abundance of herbs, spices, veggies, nuts, and fruit, HappyCow was extremely helpful for traveling Tunisia as a vegan. There aren’t many reviews but you can check out my profile on HappyCow to see my favorite vegan options in Tunisia.

Check out my free guide to finding delicious vegan-friendly food all over the world!

Accidentally Vegan Street Food In Tunisia

If you surf the vegan options in Tunis on HappyCow you’ll see two accidentally vegan food options: sourgum porridge and lablebi. Sourgum porridge is a hearty, any-time-of-the-day dish while lablebi is a traditional Tunisian chickpea stew served over ripped up bread. You can specifically find both of these options in Tunis, but I bet they’re served up in other cities around Tunisia as well.

Sourgum Porridge

At the Sourgum Porridge Stall we each got a bowl loaded with porridge topped by walnuts, cashews, dried fruit and coconut. They may try to add animal-based butter or honey, so just watch as they go and let them know it’s not needed. If you’re feeling ravenous your own bowl will do, but they’re incredibly hearty so consider sharing with a friend. Each bowl was a mere 8 dinar a person, otherwise known as $2.49 USD.

Lablebi

When ordering lablebi request a dish with no eggs, follow the movements of the locals, and enjoy a warm, nourishing meal at just 3.33 dinar, or $1.04 USD, a bowl. Lablebi was one of the cheapest yet most filling meals that we had during our time in Tunisia.

Fries & Veggie Wraps

Though not the most enticing, if you find hanger threatening to take over your body you can always find fries and veggie wraps in the Medinas or from street vendors. They aren’t the most high quality item, and they’ll be confused when you order a wrap with pure vegetables, but it’s a cheap and quick option.

Common Vegan Meals In Tunisia

While traveling Tunisia we encountered some of the best freshly baked bred and vegetable soup that our taste buds had ever laid eyes on. Additionally, the couscous options never failed to be delicious and filling. Most meals in Tunisia will come with a side of bread and harissa.

Vegetable Couscous

Almost everywhere you go you’ll find couscous. In more touristic places it may come with a “vegetarian” label, but if you don’t see it on the menu just ask. We had couscous in just about every city we went to and split a bowl between two people due to the portion size. We ate couscous too many times to count, but you won’t find me complaining; it was always flavorful and topped with a tender array of vegetables.

Falafel + Mediterranean Food

Falafel is a vegan’s best bud when it comes to traveling to new places. It’s almost always made from 100% plant-based ingredients, minus the yogurt sauce that is drizzled on top. While we didn’t find falafel or purely mediterranean food across the country, coming across a restaurant like Oriento like we did in Monastir was a dream. There we were able to chow down on pita, falafel, fries, fresh salad, creamy hummus, lentil soup, and more.

At the beginning of our trip we met a vegetarian who was half Tunisian and spoke the language fluently but grew up in Germany. Together we sifted through traditional Tunisian dishes to find vegan-friendly options. Here’s what she suggested:

Ummak Huriyya Salad | امك حورية

Ummak huriyya salad is made of carrots, onions, garlic, spices, olive oil, and harissa. It’s typically topped with parsley, olives and eggs so be sure to clarify no eggs.

Slata Mechwiya | سلاطة مشوية

Slata Mechwiya is another type of salad, but grilled. It’s a popular first-course dish made up of vegetables, tomatoes, spices, and sometimes eggplant. After being grilled in the oven or on the stove and ground together, they are usually combined with tuna and olive oil with eggs placed on top. Be sure to specify no tuna and no eggs.

Shan Tounsi

Shan Tounsi literally means “Tunisian plate.” This classic dish features all the quintessential Tunisian favorites like olives, capers, harissa, hot peppers, olives, and of course tuna and eggs. Once again, order sans tuna or eggs.

Vegan Snacks In Tunisia

As you make your way through Tunisia you’ll notice that fresh oranges and juicy dates are abundant. Out of that refreshing orange juice, date paste, and savory date sweets are born.

Oranges & Orange Juice

Fresh orange juice can typically be found in most Medinas, street vendor setups, food stalls, cafes, and restaurants. Whenever we ordered an orange juice it was always made fresh and most often right in front of us. It typically costs anywhere from $1-3 USD and we credit drinking OJ everyday to our continued health and wellness on our 20 day adventure in Tunisia.

Dates (Plus Date Snacks)

Dates are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them a healthy and nutritious snack. Dates can be found all over Tunisia but once you get down into the desert you’ll see them being sold in every nook and cranny. After taking a date farm tour in Touzer we learned that date palms may take up to 20 years to produce edible fruits. With that being said, dates are still cheap in Tunisia, being used in all types of deserts, baking, and cooking.

Date Paste

Some of the best food that we had in Tunisia was made by our local hosts. In the morning we were typically offered date paste as a topping for fresh bread. This savory-sweet combination filled us up for the first part of our days while leaving us exciting for the next morning’s breakfast.

Traditional Tunisian Sweets

Many of the sweets in Tunisia were tempting as they appeared vegan-friendly. Lured in by waiters who told me that they didn’t contain any dairy, egg, or honey, I ended up trying many of them on our travels. At the end of our trip I got the idea to message Tunisia’s only 100% ethically vegan restaurant, Inward, to confirm what I had learned before bringing some treats back to the states. Here’s what I learned:

“The one in the middle (kaak worka) has butter in it. The (baklawas) as we call them in Tunis, the high diamond shaped pastries, have also butter in them. The one filled with date jam and sprinkled with sesame (makroudh) can be veganized if oil is used instead of butter. For this one, I would always ask what kind of fat is used. And often times (especially in non-artisanal shops) oil is the go-to fat. As for the pink and green ball shaped treats, I am thinking they are a variation of almond balls (kaaber louz). If they are I know that this type of dough doesn’t have any dairy in it.”

Vegan Packing List For Tunisia

There were some things that we were glad to have brought with us to Tunisia which made eating easier and more enjoyable, like our reusable to-go box. You may find some of the meals to be larger than you expected, so being able to take leftovers home with you trash-free feels good. Additionally, you may find yourself in an area with little options but have access to a kitchen. If so, don’t be afraid to cook your own simple meal and take it with you.

• Portable water filter bottle or portable water filter
• Credit card with no international fees — I used this credit card while traveling (sign up for a $100 bonus!). Though most things require cash in Tunisia, some historical sites and more touristic restaurants accept card. 
• For those who want to use internet for translation purposes, purchasing an eSim over roaming with your regular provider can save a lot of money.
• Travel insurance. While we never got food poisoning or had any injuries in Tunisia, I felt better knowing I was covered if problems were to arise. To avoid hospital bills in another country compare travel insurance via InsureMyTrip.
• As mentioned above, a reusable to-go box and utensils for leftovers and cooking.
• Zip lock baggies will come in handy if you decide to cook for yourself. They’ll allow you to carry spices with you without making a mess and use them again in your next dish.
• If you’re coming from your home country to Tunisia I recommend bringing some snacks so that you can depend on them while you get your food bearings.

Pursue Epic Vegan Adventures On A Budget

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This isn’t another guide that robotically recommends just staying in hostels over hotels. Instead, this unique travel guide teaches you to navigate and find the essentials of life and travel with little money; tools, transportation, shelter, joy, and of course plant-based food. Complete vegan travel meal idea list included. Grab a hard copy or eBook from our online store.