Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Vegan Guide to Madrid, Spain

There are a TON of vegan options in Madrid. I was so surprised and very happy with a full tummy. Most of these listings are within walking distance from the Plaza del Sol (the area in Madrid where we were staying).
Feel free to use this post as a guide for a vegan Madrid adventure. To find even more vegan options in Madrid, here are some tips!
RayƩn Vegano has my heart. I fell in love with this restaurant immediately. We went there twice for brunch. (They were open on Easter Sunday!) Isn't it the cutest? & the food? Really great. What makes me love it more is how intimate this restaurant is. The kitchen is small & you can see it from the front of house. It's like you're in someone's home with a very friendly staff that treats you like family. And all of the little details of the restaurant made me feel like home. They take pride in their baked goods so I suggest having the avocado toast. The bread is made from scratch and is extra delicious!
La Pizzateca was a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting to find a vegan option on the menu. It's a cheeseless pizza FULL of vegetables. The make the pizza whole or by the slice. They have many slice options that are available to see in the deli case. You choose your slices and they bake them while you wait. (The vegan pizza does not come by the slice, but that didn't bother me. :)) There seemed to be a decent amount of vegetarian options as well, but it's an omnivore restaurant. Also, they have a special that if you add on a beer it's only one euro. Do it! You're on vacation! ;) 
Our first night in Madrid we went to Al Natural, a vegan restaurant near the Plaza del Sol. We weren't too fond of the price point but we needed something to eat. I got vegan paella! Paella is a very popular Spanish dish comprised of rice, vegetables and some type of meat (usually seafood or chicken). So mine was just without meat. Rice and veggies sound somewhat boring but paella spice is very flavorful.  

Tierra Burrito Bar provides a simple meal. Very similar to Chipotle, you can build your own burrito. The rice and beans are vegan. These burritos are HUGE and filling so perfect for a day of exploring. (& isn't the interior very cute?)

It's always a great time when I can find a completely vegan grocery store. Planeta Vegano is the perfect spot to find some vegan goodies. Unfortunately while in Madrid, we didn't have a kitchen or fridge, so I couldn't indulge as much as I liked. But it was a perfect place to by Clif Bars in bulk, so that was helpful for the rest of the trip!  

There were many times on this trip where we needed to eat cheap. Falafel is where I turned. City Kabab had tremendous service and prices. & the food is great, too! When I ordered, I would always have to reiterate that I didn't want any "sauce" or "salsa." Typically (as a non Spanish speaker), you would equate "salsa" with the tomato sauce you'd dip your tortilla chips in but salsa actually means any type of sauce. It could be tzatziki, mustard or any type of dressing. So when ordering in Spain, say "sin salsa." "Sin" meaning without. "Without sauce."  
Viva Chapata is omnivore but vegan friendly. This was a delicious but messy pizza. I shouldn't have eaten it with my hands but it was so flavorful. See that knife on the right? I should have used it. The pizza was served with vegan cheese, so it was nice to get my cheese fix.
La Biotika serves as a market and a macrobiotic restaurant (they're located right next door!). We tried to go to the restaurant for lunch but they weren't open at the time. So check their hours! We ended up going back for dinner and had a 3 course macrobiotic meal. You can really feel the difference in your digestion when you have a macrobiotic meal. And when you're traveling, keeping your digestion on track is key.

A vegan does not go hungry in Madrid. There are SO many options. Madrid is a hidden vegan gem in Spain. What looked good to you? Feel free to click around the blog for more vegan options in Europe! (LondonDublinCardiffParisBilbao) & if you want to see what we did in Madrid (other than eat ;)) click here.

- Christina

8 comments:

  1. So, I try everything you posted! My brother's classmate was hella lame for not studying in Madrid instead lol... these all look delicious. I am liking how restaurants are starting to show that vegan meals can be good! I think so many don't realize it's not all soy dogs. These restaurants all sound amazing!

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  2. I want to go to Madrid just for the food now, hah - this all looks awesome - so many options! :D

    Four Leaf Clover

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  3. Definitely worth trying out! Seems like there are options in your area. Try and use Happy Cow as a guide. :) http://www.happycow.net/asia/south_korea/seoul/

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  4. Where exactly in Spain did your brother and classmate stay? Sorry if I already asked. & ya, I really appreciate when veggie restaurants are creative and don't just recreate an omnivore meal. The pizza was so great! I had to resist eating it all in one sitting!

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  5. Yes! I was so happy! Wish I was there now. ;)

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  6. Nah I can't remember if I already told you. He studied in Salamanca and I think spent a weekend in Barcelona. I'm sure Barcelona had vegan options but most of their time was spent in Salamanca. I'm sure there are vegan options there now too. Actually, I'd bet there was at least some vegan dish somewhere in Salamanca if she had researched it but I could be totally wrong. This was four years ago.

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  7. Well, there are vegan options there now! http://www.happycow.net/europe/spain/salamanca/ not many but they're there! Better luck next time (for her)!

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