Edinburgh has second highest proportion of vegans in UK

Glasgow and Edinburgh have been revealed as the most vegan communities in the UK (Photo: Shutterstock)

Glasgow came out on top in the study conducted by the Mindful Chef - a health-focused recipe box subscription service - which looked into the dietary preferences of 20,000 consumers. 24% of Mindful Chef users in Scotland's most populous city revealed that they adopted a vegan lifestyle.

But, Edinburgh came a close second with 21% of Mindful Chef customers in the capital opting for plant-based diets over omnivorous and vegetarian alternatives.

The two cities north of the border finished comfortably ahead of animal-loving competition from English and Welsh cities, with 17% of residents from Brighton and Leicester revealed to be vegans - 7% less than Glasgow.

The study, however, highlights a dramatic rise in the number of UK citizens adopting plant-based diets. According to Mindful Chef the number of vegan customers has increased by 117% in the past two years.

Burgeoning vegan communities

The findings come ahead of the Scottish Vegan Festival which takes place on October 20 at the Corn Exchange and will celebrate the nation's burgeoning vegan community.

The number of vegan options in both cities and the country as a whole have increased dramatically in recent years with 139 vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurant available in the capital and 144 available in Glasgow, according to Happy Cow.

Popular vegan options in Edinburgh include Harmonium in Leith, Hendersons on Thistle Street and Kalpna on St Patrick's Square; while Mono and the 78 are popular options in Glasgow.

Both cities have valid claims to be regarded as the vegan capital of Scotland - and indeed the UK - but the Mindful Chef's findings suggest that Glasgow are currently edging the green debate.