Thursday, February 13, 2014

Vegan on the Road: Natural Food Grocery & Deli, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

The jewel-blue waters of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
I wrote before about what a vegan-friendly experience I had on Celebrity Cruises. This most recent cruise - departing from Miami and visiting Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten - was similarly accommodating, if not quite so seamlessly as the ship leaving out of the Port of Seattle I traveled aboard last year.

Still, after several days aboard, I was ready for some food choices I didn't have to think about. But after a lengthy excursion to St. John, I had little time in port to look for vegan friendly restaurants. Imagine my delight to spot this, just one block over from the dock:


Yes! A natural food store and deli, with a vegan menu! They offered vegan soups and chili, salads, and sandwiches - including veggie burgers, tabbouleh wraps, or straight-up veggie subs.

I stopped in for a bowl of lentil soup (only $3!) and a bag of raw almonds that took care of my snacking needs for the rest of the trip. My traveling companion grabbed the soup too, as well as a package of gluten-free vegan cookies.

It's a small store, there is no seating, and to-go is the only option. But the food was homemade and hearty, inexpensive, and the store offered a good cross-section of vegan foods and products. If you find yourself docked in Charlotte Amalie, it's a handy place to know - a little oasis on a distant shore!