Minced, spiced and wrapped on metal skewers to be served as Adana kebabs or sliced and stewed in a pot with vegetables, meat lies close to the heart of traditional Turkish cuisine. Yet a growing trend is rejecting that relationship. Veganism has entered the scene as an alternative to the animal-based food culture of Istanbul, where an increasing number of vegans and shops are greeted with curiosity, admiration and skepticism all at once.
There are tens of vegan shops in Istanbul, many of them in the bohemian Kadikoy district on the Anatolian side or the landmark Taksim area. Vegan products are also now sold in higher-end supermarkets and vegan activists answer questions in street booths. The word is out.
