PETA Likes Portland

Thanks in part to the Red and Black Cafe, Portland ranks second on PETA's list of vegetarian- and vegan-friendly cities in North America.

Other Portland eateries helping vault the city in PETA's eyes to second place behind Washington, DC include Papa G's Vegan Organic Deli and the Blossoming Lotus. Here's the release from the publicity-hungry hounds at PETA:

Portland, Ore. — Local restaurants Papa G's Vegan Organic Deli, the Red and Black Café, and the Blossoming Lotus helped Portland grab second place among large cities in PETA's 2010 survey of the most vegetarian- and vegan-friendly cities in North America.

"Portland residents should be proud that their hometown is on the cutting edge of healthy cuisine that is Earth- and animal-friendly," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Because factory-farmed animals are subjected to intensive confinement and cruel conditions, more and more people are demanding meat- and dairy-free dining options."

The showstopper at Papa G's Vegan Organic Deli is the vegan lasagne, which features organic noodles, sunflower "cheese," tofu, seasonal vegetables, and homemade marinara. Papa G's also offers an array of vegan delights in its bakery. The Red and Black Café excels with its very own "TLP," which includes tempeh bacon, herbed Vegenaise, lettuce, and roasted red peppers or tomatoes. And after one bite of the Blossoming Lotus' barbecue tempeh platter, you'll know that you'll be back. The platter features tempeh and red onions sautéed in a rich, smoky barbecue sauce and comes with spicy black-bean chili, cornbread, and a mixed green salad.

Washington, D.C., took top honors among big cities on the list, and Albuquerque, N.M., placed third. Rounding out the top 10 are Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The winner among small cities was Olympia, Wash.

PETA divided the survey of U.S. and Canadian cities into two categories: cities with a population of 300,000 or more and cities with a population of 300,000 or fewer. For each city, PETA took into account the number of vegetarian restaurants and vegetarian-friendly restaurants per capita and also asked for input from PETA supporters and staff members on the quality of the options. The mayor and tourism bureau of each city that ranked among the top 10 in either category will receive a framed certificate and a letter of congratulations.