Since my last visit to Bonaire, I've switched to a vegan diet. Can anyone recommend restaurants that may have some good vegan or vegetarian options?

My wife has also gone vegan and even though we ate in 99% of the time we did find the owner at WIL's in town did what he could to accomadate her. There is also a new Thai restaurant that was supposed to open just last month that may be suited to your dietary needs. Remember, some vegan foods will not be available on the island.

my sister has been a vegan for over 20 years ... she now lives on bonaire and has no problems either in the grocery stores or eating out. the Latin restaurants such as el fogon ,mi banana and plazita limeta .. also the true kriollo (local fare restaurants) ..can offer more of a variety of choices ....

Thanks Nestor. I heard about the new Thai place as well. We'll check out Wil's. I'm planning on bringing some items from home that I suspect won't be available in Bonaire.

Pietri, what are your sister's favorite things to order at the local restaurants and snacks? I love eating local in Bonaire but don't like being fussy and asking about the ingredients in everything, so I feel like I'm probably missing out on some yummy vegan items by sticking to the same few things all the time.

Rudy, I've had pretty good luck finding vegan options, but since most of the restaurants change their menus periodically I try to check to see what's available before making reservations. It seems like the options are usually at least as good as I find at home, and there are lots of dishes that can be modified by asking to have cheese left off, etc. If you like to cook for yourselves, the grocery stores have just about everything you need, including tofu and soymilk. I haven't been lucky enough to find tempeh on previous trips, but I think I heard a while back that it's sometimes available, so I keep looking for it.

I cannot possibly imagine life without cheese.

e.

If I went to Bonaire to eat, I'm afraid I'd be a disappointed vegetarian diner. But I don't go there to eat, so I find there is enough to keep me fueled for diving. Now that the Garden Cafe is gone, I find the best salad I an find is at Bistro de Paris. His ratatoulle is pretty darn good, too. Pasa Bon Pizza without the cheese is good, and their salads are decent, too. and I agree that the tofu one buys there is quite good, even if I find the vegetable selection not so great....where do the restaurants get the good lettuce?

Pietri, if you look in, please do list some local vegtan/vegetarian specialties: you've mentioned them before, but not by name, and I'd love to know, too....

Oh, if you end up at Casablanca with you carnivore friends, they may offer to make you pasta with mushroom sauce. It has veal stock in it unless it's been changed. I know they just have a different opinion of what makes a vegetarian meal than I do, but I was sad to learn this fact after the fact...