The Peripheries of Omnivorousness: Vegetarian Canteens and Social Activism in the Early Twentieth-Century Russian Empire

Abstract

ABSTRACT Unlike the British, American, or Central European vegetarian movements, which emerged in the nineteenth century, organized vegetarianism did not emerge in the Russian Empire until the turn of the century. By the 1910s, enthusiasts had formed vegetarian societies and developed an infrastructure in many of the empire’s cities. Drawing on mainstream literature and utilizing a variety of primary sources, this article examines vegetarian eating establishments started by vegetarian activists in the early twentieth century. It uncovers the rationale behind its emergence, ideological framework and disputes, and the mechanisms that brought it to life, showcasing the collective efforts to promote a vegetarian dietary regimen and worldview. I argue that vegetarian canteens appeared as multifunctional venues resulting from a fledgling vegetarian activism. Finally, the study unveils what was served and eaten in the vegetarian canteens of the early twentieth century, shedding light on urban vegetarian cuisine(s) in terms of its form and content in some European parts of the Russian Empire.