In the land where jamón and queso manchego prosper, it may at first seem difficult to survive as a vegan or vegetarian in Madrid. But fear not! Although it is true that Spanish food is typically meat and dairy-based, the city’s restaurant scene has changed a lot over recent years. Today, Madrid’s world-class vegetarian and vegan-friendly eateries will have individuals with all diets falling in love with Spanish food.

Here are a few Madrid restaurants that all offer delicious vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes with a Spanish twist!

Vega

Located on Calle de la Luna, this restaurant prides itself in creating all organic, vegan, homemade dishes for guests to enjoy. Restaurant-goers will love the smoked aubergine tapas or the beetroot and strawberries Gazpacho for appetizers, both vegan-friendly Spanish favorites. Visitors can enjoy Vega’s delicious salads, black rice with “squid”, “chili con carne”, or “Burrata” tapas. What is so special about Vega is their vegan twist on foods and dishes that are commonly enjoyed in Spain by the locals.

• Image from Facebook
• Address: Calle Luna 9
• Metro: Santo Domingo, Noviciado, Callao

B13

Enjoy typical Spanish tapas at B13, on Calle de la Ballesta, with their mouthwatering patatas bravas (a local favorite), their “calamari”, as well as their variety of vegetarian hamburgers. Whether you’re in the mood for a Spanish tapas-style meal or want to feast on a delicious hamburger or sandwich, B13 has what you’re craving for your next vegetarian meal.

• Image from Facebook
• Address: Calle de la Ballesta 13
• Metro: Callao, Gran Vía

Freedom Cakes

Freedom Cakes, also on Calle de la Luna, is known as the first vegan pastry shop in Madrid. It is truly a wonderful spot to enjoy a quality cup of coffee with any vegan milk that you prefer. Whether it be an iced soy latte during hot summer months or an almond milk cappuccino to warm you up on chilly autumn mornings, you’ll love their delicious coffee options. Better yet, pair your coffee with one of their renowned vegan pastries, ranging from freshly baked cakes, cupcakes, muffins, and cookies, all 100% vegetable-based!

• Facebook
• Address: Calle Luna 14
• Metro: Noviciado, Callao

Sanissimo

Last, but certainly not least, Sanissimo is a wonderful restaurant with a few locations in Madrid, that is pleased to offer an array of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Start your day off on the right foot with one of their juices and smoothies, or perhaps one of their popular bagels. Between their refreshing fruit bowls, sweet bagel options, and rich pastries, you’ll always enjoy starting your day at Sanissimo.  

• Image from Facebook
• Address: Calle San Vicente Ferrer 28 / Calle Campomanes, 5
• Metro: Tribunal, Noviciado / Opera, Santo Domingo

Whether your diet be vegan, vegetarian, meat-based, or fish-based, you’ll never have to fear missing out on the spectacular Spanish cuisine that the city of Madrid boasts. Enjoy mouthwatering vegan and vegetarian dishes, but with the same Spanish influence as what the locals are enjoying.

By Haley Grant

You may also like: Veggie Nirvana at VivaBurger in La Latina

• Facebook, Website
• Address: Augusto Figueroa 21
• Metro: Chueca

I’m a relatively late bloomer when it comes to all things health and fitness wise. I’d love to wax lyrical that the only time a dirty Maccies passes my lips is at the end of a night when only greasy carbs will do, but frankly, I’d be lying. However, there’s something about hitting your thirties (and I really hope that this isn’t just the case for me) that wakes you up to the fact that your body isn’t quite what it once was, and that a helping hand from the old spin class and eating some greens aside from the mint in your mojito is no bad thing.

So Ohanasana was blessing in disguise for something who’s dare I say it, challenged in the clean eating stakes. Ticking all my necessary boxes on the decor front – floral chairs, some fluro neon and an exposed brick, all that was left to approve of was the grub. And boy it did not disappoint.

Now before I extol the virtues of fat free, vegan type fun, let me be clear, I love all things calorific so for me to rave about something without there being a chip in sight it has to be good. I started with a juice called “young, wild and free” – I like to think they named it after me! *my tongue is firmly in cheek here. It was a mix of pineapple, mint, cucumber and coconut water. With every sip I felt like I was radiating the kind of glow that Gisele Bündchen seems to naturally exude. Whilst I may not be Gisele, it was delish and did serve its desired purpose which was to counteract the gins consumed the previous evening.

Next up was a little amuse bouche of gazpacho, it had a a slight chilli kick to it which I loved – having grown up near Birmingham (the balti capital of Blighty) I love all things spicy and appreciated the twist on a Spanish summer classic. Next came the build-your-own bowl section (which a fussy faffer like me loves as it avoids any awkward “can I switch the cucumber for more deliciousness that is an avocado).

I plumped for a quinoa-base laden with gorgeous raw tuna, avo and edamame – topped off with some salty soy while my friend had the “happy” chicken bowl which did exactly what it said on the tin, left her feeling cheery and safe in the knowledge that her lunch was devoid of anything that could hamper “operación bikini.”

But this is me and I’ll never be completely angelic. With the merest mention of a dessert menu I was all over it like a rat up a drainpipe. The best part this time was that the chocolate pot that we shared wasn’t packed with nasties and the mouse was even made of butternut squash – what’s not to love about getting one of your five a day when it’s masquerading as a cocoa fix.

Aside from the food, the service was faultless. Our lovely waiter was the right side of helpful, aka he knew what he was talking about but didn’t enforce menu choices upon you and instead gently suggested that we should order the chocolate pot and for that, I was grateful.

Ohana Sana isn’t just a luxury for peeps in the barrio either, available on Glovo, Deliveroo and Uber Eats there’s no need to exert any energy if you don’t quite fancy going out to sample their wares. Convenient and clean eating, that’s a combo that works for me.

Ohanasana

• Website & Facebook
• Address: Calle del Barquillo 34
• Metro: Chueca
• Phone: 910 66 49 72

You may also like:

• The Circle Food, tasty food for staying trim
• Honest Greens, feel-good food that tastes good too
• Zoco Comidero, eat well and feel great at Madrid’s first (and only) flexitarian restaurant

I really and truly love Italy. So much so that if my finances ever return to ‘normal’ after the battering they’ve taken from buying a flat, it’s where I hope to spend a week over the summer getting some much longed for Vitamin sea.

I love everything from the sing-songy nature of their language, to the style and panache of their locals. And of course, there’s the food. To me, there is literally nothing better than a plate of pasta. Like a hug when you’re feeling blue, it has restorative powers.

Propaganda 12 is so much more than pasta though. It’s like bypassing passport control and finding yourself in the land of limoncello, despite not having left the cocoon of barrio Chueca.

As mentioned, I bought a flat – a process in Spain that felt akin to a root canal, but I survived. And after you’ve survived something there’s only really one rightful thing to do and that’s – celebrate. So off I went (with my Dad in tow) to toast my freshly signed mortgage.

No sooner did we arrive, out hostess (who couldn’t be faulted the entire evening) offered us two glasses of champers – I liked the place already and the fizz combined with the decor (my current obsession is all things paint and plate related) made an excellent first impression. The tiles in the bathroom along with the wallpaper are sure to be papped and all over the ‘gram.

Again, we completely trusted our wonder of a waitress when it came to wine and she gave us a back story with each bottle.

So on to the food. We shared anti pasta to start. Now so far, you may well think so predictable, but the roast pork that we plumped for was literally so a-ma-zing, that we ordered a second portion.

Now I enjoy pork as much as the next person but this was something else. Tasting of rosemary and served with freshly baked bread, I honestly think I could eat it day in, day out. Whilst I’m becoming increasingly open minded with food, my Dad’s a tough crowd and even he couldn’t find enough superlatives to pile on the praise.

We both then had a beef red curry which was spiced to perfection – not bland, not blow your head off hot and two delicious puds, tiramisu and a red fruits cheesecake respectively. Everything was heavenly and as good as anything that I’ve eaten in Puglia. All the while, the setting is chic yet cosy, the staff friendly but not overbearing.

I also spotted that come weekends, they do a champagne brunch for the non too pricey sum of 25 euros. Good food, good booze, good times.

An ideal place to brunch, lunch or dinner, pop propaganda 12 on your to-do list right about – now!

All photos from Propaganda 12

Propaganda 12

When I lived in London it was soooo easy not to have to cook (if you didn’t have the time, energy or inclination). First of all you had Mark’s and Spencer’s, purveyors of all things tasty and all available on the go – I take down all of their chicken and bacon sandwiches on brown upon my return to Blighty.

In addition to this, clean eating had really taken off and it required minimal effort to get something delivered (or picked up) that wasn’t a heart attack on a plate.

I’ve always struggled with the concept of convenient food in Spain, mainly because it seems to culturally evade them. Food isn’t meant to be ‘grabbed’ – and if you want to eat quickly and healthily it’s nigh on impossible.

This is why locales like The Circle Food are to be welcomed with a fanfare by people like me. Combining ease with eating well, it’s showing the clean eating movement is slowly gathering pace in the city.

Now I love tortilla and the like as much as the next person, but from time to time (usually post gym when even the thought of showering feels insurmountable) I want to grab and go. Look no further.

Embracing the trend of organic bowls, The Circle Food is the ideal place to pick up something nutritious (and delicious) or indeed, a place to eat in with a friend. As I veer towards fussiness in the food stakes, I built my own bowl – you pick your base, I opted for quinoa and wild red rice.

Next up you select your toppings and salsa as you please. It’s always a nice feeling for me to chase up a spin class with something containing the colour green. But it isn’t all virtuous – it’s actually really tasty, with the added bonus that you’re doing your bod some good.

They have a fixed menu should you wish to streamline the decision making process and just trust in their food pairings. Aside from savory stuff, there’s also breakfast on offer and Illy coffee which is always enough to get me through the door.

The space is light, bright and airy. A place to eat and co-work. Having thrown an opening bash last weekend and setting their stall out as being something that little bit different, The Circle Food is garnering attention for all the right reasons.

I’ll see you there, I’ll be the one in the post gym leggings ordering extra falafel.

The Circle Food

It’s a warm Sunday afternoon and like all other Madrileños, I make my way to my favorite brunch spot for a few drinks, laughs with friends and some of the best ceviche I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. I’ve been hoarding this brunch spot for months but this place is too good to not share.

Lascar, which means buddy or mate in French, opened in Conde Duque seven months ago. The restaurant first began in Barcelona when the owners, Rob and Peter, wanted to find a way to stay in Spain. At the time, opening a cold food restaurant was cheaper and easier than hot plates. So they settled on a cevicheria.

After a successful run up north, the Scot and Englishman set their sites on Madrid. Rob’s father is Malaysian, so the food has a bit of Southeast Asian influence, with of course a Spanish influence.

I suggest starting with their scallops that are baked in parmesan and are a heavenly bite of slightly crunchy cheese and a juicy bite of seafood.

If you fancy some British grub, their fish and chips are baked in a light and fluffy batter, giving the cod a buttery accent with a dash of cilantro cream dressing.

Of course their stable (and my favorite) is the range of ceviche dishes. The specialties vary by the week, from a classic lemony bowl of fresh fish to a spicier, tomato based ceviche.

As for the bar, you can’t go wrong with one of their pisco sours or specialty Peruvian cocktails.

With summer around the corner, Lascar is the perfect weekend brunch spot, with fresh seafood, cool bites and a sweet, tangy pisco.

By Moriah Costa

Lascar

• Facebook & Instagram @LASCARMAD
• Address: Calle de la Palma 69
• Metro: San Bernardo or Noviciado

Also check out:

• Best brunch on a budget in Madrid
• Brunch at Roll – Gotta roll with it
• Lady Madonna, because Sundays are made for brunching
• Plenti, a great new café and brunch spot in Las Letras

If it were a bestseller then authors of La Hummuseria have written another success story: Falafeleria. Simplicity and sabor are the keys and if, like me, you suffer from indecision and are overwhelmed by the sight of a long menu, then this is your place.

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There are three options to choose from. Each one is to be the contents of a delicious, home-baked pita. However, the main character of this tale has to be the falafel. I would love to tell you the ingredients but when I asked, I was told they were a highly guarded secret recipe, as with the hummus. Whatever it is, they’ve done it right.

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Oh and I almost forgot, they have a genius wrap holder for the table. All embarrassment spared if this is a first date destination. I’m heading back to try options two and three.

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Falafeleria

• Facebook
• Address: Calle Santa Barbera 4
• Metro: Tribunal or Chueca
• Open: Tuesday – Saturday 13h-23h30; Sunday 13h-18h

Also check out La Hummuseria!

Going out to eat or drink on Calle Ponzano, the street with the highest concentration of bars in Madrid, is such an art that it has its own verb, ponzaning. It’s one of the best parts about living in Chamberí, with so many of the city’s best new places all in one place. One of the newest to come on the scene is Toque de Sal, which I learned about from the Madrid Confidential newsletter, naming it one of five new places to try this fall.

It had been on my bucket list all season, but then school got in my way. And finally, my friend and I were able to squeeze in (on a Friday night without a reservation) to finally get to try it. When you go inside you feel as if you’re in a chic restaurant in Paris, with beautiful tiled floors, dark wood, and a wonderfully lit bar. The front was absolutely full of people, which was to be expected because it’s the weekend and this is Ponzano. The dining area in the back is small and intimate, but you have tables to sit for two and larger tables that are more elevated (perfect for a fun dinner with your cuadrilla of friends).

Your place setting is equally elegant, with a menu in a gold leather cover:

…and personalized plates. The golden touches, from the silverware, the placemats, and the menu covers were analogous to the gold standard service we received. Our waitress was incredibly warm and attentive, and it was fitting with how precious and inviting the space is inside.

And now, the food. Was absolutely to die for. My friend chose the grilled sea bass that came with vegetables:

…and I first had the crema del día (which was mushroom when we went), and then, I had something I hadn’t had in a very long time: rabo de toro, or oxtail.

It was absolutely perfect: the meat fell right off the bone, and the sauce gave me the same warm feeling that I get when my father gets inspired to make boeuf bourguignon in his trusty crockpot. It was ideal for a cool fall night, and I’ll definitely be back to have this again and again and again.

If that gem of an Instagram close-up didn’t convince you enough, it’s evident in this shot that I was ready to dig in, and believe me, I enjoyed every single minute of it.

A girl’s night wouldn’t be complete without dessert, and since I really shouldn’t be eating sugar and I wanted to give myself a capricho, I decided to try the tarta de manzana. There was more apple than crust, which for me was exactly what I wanted, and I couldn’t get enough. For someone who doesn’t like heavy desserts I found something that would be worth doing an hour’s worth of cardio the next day for.

As for my friend, she got the chocolate coulant, which is her personal favorite desert of all time.

If the picture doesn’t convince you, take her word for it: it had a muy buena pinta and it was absolutely wonderful.

Toque de Sal definitely lived up to the hype, bringing a touch of chic to Ponzano, and I’ve found my new favorite neighborhood joint that I will inevitably now bring all of my friends to. It’s also a perfect way to enjoy ponzaning while having a great sit-down dining experience, whether with friends, a birthday, or maybe a dinner date.

Info

Toque de Sal Chamberí
Facebook

Address: Calle de Ponzano, 46
Tel.: 914 26 64 65
Metro: Alonso Cano (Line 7)