How to survive as a vegan on the Faroe Islands

Faroe Islands is not exactly the first country that comes to mind when thinking vegan-friendly places, but you’d be surprised just how easy it can be – even in an isolated North Atlantic archipelago!

Food culture in the Faroe Islands

Faroese cuisine is traditionally based on the available resources, which means lots and lots of meat. The cuisine is mainly based on meat from sheep, marine mammals, fish and birds. However, the food scene is influenced by especially Danish, American and Asian cuisine, which means even more meat, but also lots of imported goods such as vegetables and grains, so it is possible for a vegan to survive there.

This vegan travel guide is based on my experiences from travelling around the Faroe Islands on ten different trips from 2013 to 2019. I hope this travel guide will be useful to you, if you’re travelling to or living in the Faroe Islands as a vegan!

Useful words and phrases

I had my Faroese friend Gwendolyn look through these after I’d written them, so they should be correct (thanks, Gwen!).

Phrases

• I’m vegan = Eg er vegan
• Is it vegan? = Er hetta veganskt?
• I don’t eat meat, dairy or egg = Eg eta ikki kjøt, mjólkarvørur ella egg
• I’m lactose-intolerant = Eg er laktosa ótollyntur.
• Can I order this without meat, milk, cheese or egg? = Kann eg biðja um hetta uttan kjøt, mjólk, ost ella egg?
• Can I order this with soy milk? = Kann eg biðja um hetta við soya mjólk?
• Does this contain…? = Inniheldur hettar…?

Words on ingredient lists

Non-vegan

• Meat = Kjøt
• Pork = Svínakjøt
• Ham = Svínatjógv
• Lard = Svínafeitt, flesk, spik
• Beef = Neytakjøt
• Chicken = Høsnakjøt
• Veal = Kálvakjøt
• Lamb = Lambskjøt
• Turkey = Kalkun
• Fish = Fiskur
• Shellfish = Skeljafiskur, skeldýr
• Whale = Hvalur
• Seal = Kópur, selur
• Milk = Mjólk
• Powdered milk = Mjólkarpulvur
• Butter = Smør
• Cheese = Ost
• Rennet = Kveikamagi
• Egg = Egg
• Gelatin = Beinlím
• Isinglass = Límblað
• Honey = Hunangur
• Beeswax = Býfluguvaks
• Shellac = Glarlakk
• May contain traces of = Kann innihalda spor av

Vegan

• Vegan = Vegan, veganskt
• Vegetables = Grønmeti
• Fruit = Frukt
• Mushrooms = Kampasoppur
• Soy = Soya
• Oat = Havri
• Coconut = Kokus
• Rice = Rís
• Almond = Mandla
• Lentils = Flatbønir
• Beans = Bønir
• Dried fruit = Turt frukt
• Nuts = Nøtir
• Without = Uttan
• Dairy free = Uttan mjólk

NOTE: When the ingredient lists contain animal products such as dairy or egg, it’s often written in bold letters, although this is usually not the case with meat, fish, honey and gelatin.

What to eat as a vegan in the Faroe Islands

Eating out generally doesn’t give you many options as a vegan, but in the nation’s capital, Tórshavn, you’ll be surprised by how many places offer vegan food! Outside of Tórshavn is a different story, but fries is – almost – always an option!

The supermarkets have a large variety of vegan foods and you can even find vegan yoghurt, butter and ice cream – and sooo many different vegan cheeses! There are supermarkets all over the connected islands, Nólsoy (limited selection), Sandoy and Suðuroy, and some of the smaller islands have small shops, but with very limited selection.

If you’re visiting a small island for a while, I advise you to bring stuff from the mainland as your choices will be very limited otherwise.

Go-to vegan brands found in the Faroe Islands

• Naturli’ (all sorts of vegan foods, butters, plant milks and ice creams plus some frozen vegan foods)
• Vegin (vegan sausages, burgers, seitan and chili sin carne)
• Tjois (vegan burger mixes, soy products, pestos, spreads and a honey alternative)
• Upton’s Naturals (jackfruit products)
• Bonzo (vegan ready meals)
• Cofoco (vegan ready meals)
• Clearspring (tofu)
• Marigold (yeast flakes, tempeh, vegan tuna, mock duck)
• Slendier (vegan sauces and ready meals)
• Jeezly (vegan cheese)
• Violife (vegan cheese)
• Simply V (vegan cheese)
• Nurishh (vegan cheese)
• Bute Island Foods (vegan cheese)
• Wernersson FRI (vegan cheese)
• Wilmersburger (vegan cheese)
• Creamy Sheese (vegan cheese spreads)
• Veggie-Naise (vegan mayonnaise, aioli and remoulade)
• Alpro (plant milks, yoghurts and cooking cream)
• Yosa (plant milks and yoghurts)
• Schlagfix (vegan whipped cream)
• Lima Food (plant milks)
• Hälsan Kök (vegan and vegetarian burgers, nuggets, falafel, sausages, grilled pieces, falafel including frozen foods)
• Anamma (frozen vegan foods)
• LikeMeat (frozen vegan mince)
• Nutana (vegan spreads and frozen vegan and vegetarian foods)
• Urtekram (falafel)
• Choice (vegan ice creams)
• King Monty (vegan chocolates and chocolate spread)
• Candy Tree (vegan sweets)
• Lazy Day Foods (vegan millionaire’s shortbread)

Other brands that sell vegan foods

• Daloon (frozen vegetable spring rolls and vegan burgers)
• Gestus (frozen vegan products)
• Magnum (vegan ice creams)
• Katjes (vegan sweets – Salte Fisk and Eventyrland)

Supermarket supplies

The ultimate vegan go-to supermarket on the Faroe Islands is Miklagarður in the SMS shopping centre in Tórshavn. You can get everything your vegan heart desires there! But even if you visit some of the other supermarkets, you’ll be able to find some of the vegan items below. All the items below have been spotted around the islands!

• Basic foods = Pasta, pasta sauce, spaghetti, lasagne sheets, granola, rice, bulgur, couscous, lentils, beans, coconut oil, tinned coconut milk, vegetable oil, plant margarine, ketchup, frozen vegetables, fresh vegetables, tinned tomatoes, frozen fruits, fresh fruits, mushrooms, rye bread, tortillas, tacos and nachos. In addition, some white breads are vegan.

• Vegan foods = Hummus, falafel, tofu, yeast flakes, tempeh, mock duck, vegan tuna, Nøtte nut spread, whipped cream, cooking cream, vegan cheese, vegan cheese spreads, vegan butter, chocolate spread, vegan yoghurts, vegan mayonnaise, vegain aioli, vegan remoulade, jackfruit products, vegan burgers, vegan burger mixes, vegan sausages, seitan, chili sin carne, vegan pestos, vegan spreads, honey alternatives, vegan ready meals, vegan sauces, frozen rösti, frozen falafel, frozen vegan mince, frozen vegan nuggets, frozen vegan pizza, frozen vegetable burgers, frozen broccoli balls, frozen vegetable samosas, frozen vegetable spring rolls, frozen potato samosas.

• Vegan drinks = Soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, soy chocolate milk, almond chocolate milk, oat chocolate milk, oat coffee milk.

• Basic snacks = Dried fruits, nuts, digestive biscuits, rice cakes, oreos (the ones without chocolate coating), crispbread, dark chocolate (some – check the ingredient lists), crisps (salt or paprika and sometimes barbecue), some hard candy, some liquorice sweets, some sour jelly sweets, popcorn and breadsticks.

• Vegan snacks = Vegan chocolates, vegan toffees, dark chocolate soy dessert, vegan ice creams and vegan millionaire’s shortbread.

Restaurants and cafés

Here’s a list of the restaurants and cafés in the Faroe Islands that have vegan foods on their menu:

• Café Smakka, The Nordic House, Tórshavn = A veggie/vegan buffet (changes every day), several vegan salads, vegan soups and bread and soy/oat milk for your coffee or hot chocolate.

• Sirkus Föroyar, Tórshavn = Many vegan and veggie options such as Indian dishes, pitas and burgers. They also have soy milk.

• Kafe Umami, Tórshavn = Several veggie options which can be made vegan, such as the avocado sandwich, hummus sandwich, avocado salad and nachos.

• Etika, Tórshavn = At this sushi restaurant, there are plenty of vegan options such as vegan rolls, vegan sticks, Misosoup, rice, edamame beans, seaweed salad and vegetable sticks.

• No12, Tórshavn = Vegan sandwich, hummus salad and juices.

• Burn Café, Tórshavn = Vegan sandwich, bliss balls juices and smoothies.

• Bitin, Tórshavn = Their buddha bowl is vegan and they also have fries.

• Kafé Kaspar, Tórshavn = Avocado salad, snack plate (without dip), fries and make your own bagle.

• Kaffihúsið, Tórshavn = Vegan wrap and vegan sandwich.

• Katrina Christiansen, Tórshavn = Vegan waffles (lunch), patatas and Summer salad.

• Matstovan Seven, Tórshavn = Fried rice with vegetables, chow fun and green bean noodles.

• Irish Pub Føroyar, Tórshavn = Veggie/vegan burger

• Karet Café, Tórshavn = Vegan/vegetarian soup of the day and vegan salad

• Pitsakjallarin, Tórshavn = Veggie and margherita pizzas (ask for it without cheese)

• Hvonn Brasserie, Tórshavn = Vegan spring rolls, veggie burger (ask for it without mayo) and veggie pizza (ask for it without cheese).

• Smyrjibreyðsbúðin, Tórshavn = Broccoli salad (ask for it without bacon), green salad with barley (ask for it without feta), avocado bread with marinated tomatoes and potato bread (ask for it without bacon).

• Burger King, Tórshavn = Veggie burger (ask for it without cheese and mayo) and fries. The bearnaise sauce and ketchup is vegan.

• Sunset Boulevard, Tórshavn = Moroccan salad with hummus, make your own sandwich, burger with vegan patty (ask for it without cheese and mayo) and fries.

• Paname Café, Tórshavn = They sometimes sell raw vegan cake, and according to a friend, sometimes also vegan sandwiches.

• Café Mormor, Suðuroy = They offer a lentil soup and two kinds of fruit juice with ginger. You can also ask for the smoothie without milk.

• Fiskastykkið, Sandavágur = You can get their coffee and hot chocolate with soy or oat milk.

• Café Cibo, Saltangará = Veggie burger (ask for it without cheese and mayo).

As you can see, there are plenty of options in Tórshavn, but hardly any outside of the city. You might get lucky with salads and soups though, and fries are usually always an option!

NOTE: I haven’t tested all of these restaurants and cafés, so some of the information is based on info found online, and thus their menus may have changed. If you notice any mistakes, please don’t hesitate to let me know!

Prices for vegan foods

In general, food is expensive in the Faroe Islands, but so is everything else. If you’ve chosen to travel there, you’re probably already aware of this. In general, everything is slightly more expensive than in Scandinavia, in particular some vegetables, but if you’re on a budget, you can always buy the frozen ones.

The vegan substitute products cost approximately the same as in Scandinavia. Some restaurants and cafés are more expensive than in Scandinavia, and others are around the same price as in Scandinavia. Soups and fries are usually cheap, though!

Can I travel to the Faroe Islands as a vegan?

Yes, you certainly can! And you don’t have to compromise on your diet.

Base yourself in Tórshavn and travel out from there, and bring some stuff with you if you spend a lot of time on the smaller islands where options are very limited.

One thing to keep in mind is that being vegan in the Faroe Islands is not sustainable at all, since everything but local meat and fish has to be imported. Try to buy seasonal fruits and vegetables if possible, and preferably stuff that has “only” been imported from Denmark or other European countries, so it’s not double import.

Veganism in the Faroe Islands isn’t very common, especially outside of Tórshavn, so you might get a few funny remarks in return when telling people that you’re vegan. Remember to respect the local customs and traditions, which involve A LOT of animal products, even if you don’t agree with them – you’re a guest in their country, after all!

I hope that this guide will be useful to you, if you’re vegan or vegetarian and planning to head to the Faroe Islands! Please let me know in the comments if there’s anything I’ve missed or a restaurant/café that has been overlooked!

And remember never to be discouraged to travel because of your diet – veganism is possible anywhere, even in the most isolated places!

Updated 20/6/2022