Less than 3 percent of Americans keep a vegetarian or vegan diet. Because the vegetarian and vegan population is a small minority, members claim they're often misunderstood by meat lovers.

All over the country, it’s up to vegetarians and vegans to do their homework to find where they can eat in public. But in a progressive city like Ann Arbor — whose reputation is built on the liberal persona of townies and students bashing with hash and frequenting farmer's markets — it would seem that the veggie-movement would be at the forefront of the University and city’s dining scene.

But if the city and the University were to duke it out for the gold medal in veggie-friendliness, it appears that Ann Arbor takes home first prize.

Ann Arbor is home to three exclusively vegetarian restaurants with many places having vegetarian-friendly options to be enjoyed by herbivores and omnivores alike.

University alum Ananth Pullela recently opened Jazzy Veggie, the most recent all-vegan eatery on Main Street.

“My vision was always meant to make this a very mainstream, fast, casual eatery — not a very upscale vegetarian dining experience with pricey food,” he said. “I wanted this to be a place where people could just grab a bite — a burger or a pizza — it just so happens that it’s all plant-based.”

Pullela, a lifelong vegetarian, explained he was disheartened about vegetarian food options after moving to America.

“When I first came to this country, I had to temporarily eat meat because I was kind of starving,” he said. “You go to McDonald’s, and you can’t get anything else.”

Pullela wanted to create a restaurant where people could find a variety of options — sans animal fat and cholesterol — all underneath one roof. As a former University student and resident of Ann Arbor, he knew there was a vegetarian population here to cater to.

“There aren’t many choices out there, especially for vegans,” he said. “So here, people can come to eat in groups — omnivores, vegetarians, vegans — and find something for everybody.”

Jazzy Veggie makes all of its pizza crust, sauces and dressings from scratch, uses Zingerman’s Delicatessen bread for sandwiches and capitalizes on the variety of vegetable-based proteins available to create a menu of familiar, American food. His trademark lies within the flavorful twist he specializes for each dish.

“The ingredients are all gourmet,” he said. “I wanted to bring all the flavors and sauces traditionally associated with meat options to the vegetarian side. This is not your average veggie burger — a patty thrown on a bun with some greens, tomato and ketchup. A lot of ingredients go into it.”

Pullela emphasized that though he and his restaurant choose to avoid animal products, he isn’t running an anti-meat campaign.

“Different people have different lifestyle choices,” he said. “I’m not advocating veganism or vegetarianism here. I’m just offering food that’s flavorful for everybody.

“We’re not offering ‘vegan’ food — it’s good food. That’s how I like to be seen.”

For some vegan and vegetarian students at the University, like Public Policy junior Joe Varilone, living in Ann Arbor has gone beyond simply supporting a distinct lifestyle choice: It has brought other ethical food questions to the forefront — especially as it relates to the environment.

“Living in Ann Arbor and talking to people, I think it has affected other ways I eat besides just being vegan,” said Varilone, who is also the president of the Michigan Animal Rights Society. “It has definitely made me aware of issues in organic agriculture versus the use of synthetic fertilizers and herbicides, pesticides and insecticides."

Varilone’s top picks for vegan cuisine are Big Ten Burrito for its vegetarian rice and bean burrito and Raja Rani for its channa masala stocked with chick peas — two dishes rich in protein, which is a must for Varilone when eating out.

LSA junior Lyndsay De Carolis, a vegetarian, prefers Chipotle for her black bean fix because the restaurant uses local vegetables and organic beans whenever possible.

Other popular choices among vegan students: Seva Restaurant on East Liberty Street, an all-vegetarian restaurant, Sava’s State Street Café which offers three types of veggie burgers and Mia Za’s on East University Avenue which provides pasta and salad choices that are generally vegetarian or easily modified. Most ethnic restaurants around the city and campus are also vegan-friendly, nutritious and affordable.

Earthen Jar offers an all-vegetarian Indian buffet, No Thai’s menu, with locations on South University Avenue, North 4th Avenue and Plymouth Road, includes noodle or stir-fry dishes with tofu, Jerusalem Garden on South 5th Avenue serves a falafel and hummus sandwich and Sadako on South University Avenue offers a vegetable roll and miso soup.