Options for vegetarian + vegans in Spain

If you are vegetarian or vegan and visit Spain often or even live here.  Some of these tips should come in handy.

This post was updated in 2016.

Find the lastest version here> Guide to Granada Spain: Vegetarian and vegan options

Please be careful when ordering food in bars and restaurants. Stating that you are a vegetarian doesn’t always get the message across.

Tuna (atún) bacon (beicon) and Ham (jamón) can be all considered as Non meat options. (believe it or not!)

If your Spanish is limited this list should help you to order ´safe´ options.

I think that these are readily available in most Spanish eateries.

• Ensalada de queso de cabra Goats cheese salad
• Pimientos del Padron. Small green fried peppers
• Tortilla Española. Potato & Onion omelette.
• Tortilla de Espinacas. Spinach omelette.
• Revoltillo de esparragos. Eggs & asparagus.
• Croquetas de boletus o queso Croquettes filled with mushrooms or cheese.
• Esparragos & Alcachofas. Asparagus and Artichokes. Often used in Granada as it´s locally produced
• Ensalada mixta. Mixed salad. Make sure they don´t put tuna or bacon on it.
• Pisto con huevo. Ratatouille style vegetables with fried egg.
• Arroz a la cubana. Fried eggs with rice and tomato puree.
• Berejenas a la miel. Fried Aubergines and honey.
• Garbanzos y espinacas. Chick peas and spinach.
• Tomate alinado. Sliced Tomato with garlic and olive oil.
• Paella de verduras Rice with vegetables
• Risotto de queso, Risotto de verduras & Risotto de champiñones Risottos are seen on many menus. Cheese, mushroom and vegetable varieties are easily found.
• Gazpacho & Salmorejo. Cold tomato puree lovely in Summer. Salmorejo is slightly thicker as it has breadcrumbs
• Queso y membrillo. Cheese and quince jelly. (More about Quince fruit here)
• Patatas bravas & Patatas a lo pobre. Thick cut fries with slightly spicy tomato sauce, a lo pobre is with green peppers.
• Ensaladilla Rusa (Remember to double check no prawns or tuna are in their version) This is a creamy Potato salad with mayonnaise, peas, hard boiled eggs….
• Setas or Champiñones. Mushrooms
• Falafel, Hummus or Guacamole Harder to find, but some places are now serving these dishes.

Recommended places in Granada for vegetarians

• El Piano at Plaza Gran Capitan & also in Malaga (& York, UK too) offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten free food.
• Raices, Avda Pablo Picasso, Granada. A true vegetarian restaurant with a large selection of tofu, salads and vegan options.
• Il Gondoliere C/Martinez Campos 23, Granada. They have a huge selection of pizzas and pastas. On the menu Vegetarian options are clearly marked. You may even choose your toppings if there is nothing that you fancy on the menu.
• Manila Plaza de las Descalzas, 3 Granada Some vegan and vegetarian tapas here, just off C/Pavaneras
• Om Khalsoum, C/Jardines, Granada. Moroccan tapas. Choose falafel, hummus, aubergine paste, baked potatoes with spinach, cous cous……(photo of Falafel above)
• Babel World Fusion, C/Elvira, Granada. They have huge salads and really interesting fusion food on there menu. Vegan and vegetarian options here. (picture below)
• Fresco, Gran Vía, Granada A self service buffet with soups, pizzas and a large salad bar. In the city centre and inexpensive.
• Paprika, Cuesta de Abarqueros, 3, Granada. A separate vegetarian menu with tofu and seitan options.
• El Botanico, C/Malaga, Granada. They have a vegetarian curry, great salads and vegetarian noodle wok.
• El Hicuri, C/Santa Escolastica, Granada. A large selection of vegetarian dishes. Seitan and tofu too.
• Cacaos bar, C/Solarillo de Granada, Granada. Some vegetarian tapas available.
• Cafe Bar Health in Lanjaron – Varied choice of food with some vegetarian options
• Ruta del Mulhacen in Pampaneira – Great selection for vegetarians at this typical Alpujarra restaurant
• Mirador la Taha in Pitres Lots of vegetarian options here too
• L´Atelier in Mecina Fondales, Las Alpujarras in Granada province. Gourmet vegetarian and vegan meals with fresh organic local produce from Granada. They are open from Mid March until end September. Closed on Tuesdays, open from 7pm to 11pm and lunchtimes on weekends 1pm – 4pm. Please book ahead: 00 34 958 857501

Andalusia

• Seville Gaia is vegan restaurant serving excellent food. They also have a shop.  (Recommended by Fiona Flores Watson )

 

• For Malaga and the surrounding areas I got heaps from of information from Lisa Sadleir Thankyou!!
• Fuengirola has the Restaurante Vegetariano Vegetalia
• The Tropical hut at Fuengirola port has veggie food on offer.
• Elemi in Estepona close to the bullring is highly recommended.
• Coin try Siete Ramas. Restaurant and shop.
• Canadu on Plaza Merced in Malaga
• El Vegetariano de la Alcazabilla is just off Calle Alcazabilla in Malaga city itself
• A favourite places in Malaga of mine is on Pedralejo beach, called La Galerna They have Fresh juices, milk shakes and great salads. Not a strictly vegetarian place, but there are non meat options and the bread is wonderful. It´s great in winter to watch the waves crash on the shore while you have toast and coffee at the weekend.

Major Spanish Cities:

Barcelona

• • I can highly recommend Self Naturista this restaurant has been open since 1986 at Santa Anna 11, just off Portal del Angel in the city centre, great value for money and a large choice of food. Worth queuing for.
  • Another option is Amaltea at Diputacion 164, a proper vegetarian restaurant with 8 euros menu and a lot of information on Yoga workshops and organic food. (metro Urgell)
  • Close to Plaza Molina, La Granja Vegetariana is another vegetarian restaurant, buffet style. C/Sant Eusebi 64.
  • Girona – Head to Amaranta. Their menu degustación is just delicious. They have been open since 2004.

Madrid

• • A low cost option is Maoz at Calle Mayor 4. Fast vegetarian food if you´re in a hurry.
  • At calle Nieremberg 23, there is Sopa a full vegetarian well known for it´s soup but serving a variety of dishes.
  • La Galette, the oldest vegetarian in the city on Calle Conde de Aranda, No 11 and also at Bárbara de Braganza, 10 has marcobiotic food as well as vegetarian find vegeburgers, aubergine based dishes and more.
  • Abona Vida, on Navas de Tolosa and Artemisa have 2 vegetarian restaurants in Madrid also offering some carnivourous options if you should go with a friend
  • El Vergel. An amazing shop, with classes & the restaurant has some innovative vegetarian dishes,
  • La Biotika, a real 100% macrobiotic with a great cheap menu. It also has a nice shop too.
  • El Granero de Lavapies, the best healthy lunch menu for under 11 €
  • El Ecocentro. Order online. It’s a big shop with cafeteria & restaurant. The restaurant is probably the most elegant option in Madrid.
  • Hierbabuena in the city centre, close to Sol boasts nice organically produced Cava as well as an innovative menu.
  • Thanks to Pierre Alban Waters for his Madrid tips!

Valencia

• La Tastolletes on Salvador Giner, 64 has a Creative vegetarian menu, asian style restaurant.
• Casa Salud which is Vegan buffet at Conde Altea 44, Valencia -good price vs quality. Takeaway is available too.
• Copenhagen in Valencia – A vegetarian restaurant with Vegan choices too. Thanks for the tip Maya Middlemiss

 

Up North

• Landare in San Sebastian. A vegetarian restaurant with seasonal produce.
• Bar La Vaina in Gijon at Cervantes 20. Homemade vegetarian food and non alcoholic cocktails too.

The Islands

• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria el Vegetariano Bambu en el Paseo de las Canteras 63. Rice with vegetables or stuffed aubergine are some of the dishes on offer.
• Lanzarote only has one option. The Blooming Cactus restaurant in Puerto del Carmen Thanks Mike CJ  for that tip.
• In La Gomera the Restaurante La Montaña Casa Efigenia in Las Hayas, Valle Gran Rey is popular with vegetarians. Matthew Hirtes nice tip! Appreciate it