By Jon Lecki

Vegetarianism is no longer relegated to that one-third cousin who lives on the other side of the country. While not exactly mainstream, consider that 22 percent of the world's population is vegetarian. Sure, that number drops to just 5 percent in the U.S., but that number is growing.

Considering that a vegetarian diet reduces the risk of heart disease by 40 percent and diabetes by 50 percent — not to mention that vegetarians are 12 percent less likely to get cancer — it's only a matter of time until the rest of the world catches on.

Fortunately, plant-based dining out is no longer limited to meat-shaped soy entrees and underwhelming salads. These 10 cities take “veggie-friendly" to a whole new level. Meat-free eating has never tasted so good. To find out more about these top 10 cities, as well accessing a list of the top 50 vegetarian havens in the country, click here