Fear not: Spain may love its meat, but eating vegetarian or vegan in Madrid is surprisingly easy. The trick lies in knowing where to go and what to order!
At first glance, Spain may not seem like the most herbivore-friendly of destinations. With giant legs of ham hanging from the ceilings of traditional bars, and market stalls overflowing with fresh seafood, it can seem like meat-based products are the way to go here.
But look a little closer, and you’ll soon find that eating vegetarian and even vegan in Madrid can be surprisingly simple. From traditional dishes that are naturally plant-based to a growing scene of contemporary vegan restaurants, here’s where to go and what to order while you’re there.
Best Vegan Restaurants in Madrid
B13
Tortilla de patatas without the eggs? Yes, it’s possible—and you’ll find it at B13 (Calle de la Ballesta, 13).
This casual spot in Malasaña is the go-to place for vegan versions of delicious, traditional Spanish food like croquetas and the aforementioned tortilla. Because nobody should have to miss out on some of the most typical foods in Madrid.
VEGA
This is asily one of the best spots for those eating vegan in Madrid. VEGA has an extensive menu of vegan dishes made with love! From a plant-based twist on traditional arroz negro to dishes with international flair (jackfruit al pastor tacos, anyone?), there’s something for all tastes at this cozy cafe.
La Encomienda
If you’re looking for a trendy, vegan brunch spot, La Encomienda is it! But no worries if you can’t make it first thing in the morning. Stop by later for a drink and enjoy the free tapa that comes with it.
Santa y Pura Vegan
Need to refuel after a morning at one of Madrid’s amazing art museums? Then the super-central Santa y Pura Vegan (located by the Reina Sofia and Prado Museums, is a great bet. They serve vegan pizzas, sandwiches, and bites for sharing, along with a drink menu that includes everything from craft beers to kombucha to hard cider.
Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Madrid
Reineta Vegetariano
Reineta has achieved the seemingly impossible. It’s a vegetarian restaurant so delicious that many of its regulars aren’t even vegetarians!
You can’t go wrong with anything you order here, but definitely try the spiced lentil “meatballs.” Just be sure to save room for dessert: their rich chocolate cake with bitter orange marmalade is the stuff dreams are made of.
Yerbabuena
Yerbabuena offers hearty plates of healthy comfort food. Our favorites include the seitan al ajillo sandwich with vegan cheese and tomato, vegan nachos and the eggplant moussaka. Bring your appetite; the portions here are very generous!
Local tip: Order their veggie-friendly menú del día for a delicious and filling lunch that won’t break the bank.
Viva Burger
If you find yourself in the artsy La Latina neighborhood, stop by Viva Burger for lunch. Here, you’ll find goodies such as veggie paella and meatballs in addition to delicious vegan burgers. For something different, don’t miss their fresh-pressed juices and vegan desserts.
Shi-Shang
Falling into the “off-the-beaten-path” category is this all-you-can-eat veggie buffet just off of Gran Vía (Calle de Concepcion Arenal, 3). They specialize in vegan and vegetarian Asian dishes, so if you’re looking for something besides typical Spanish tapas, this is the place to be!
La Hummusería
Specializing in vegetarian Middle Eastern slow food, La Hummusería is a gem of a restaurant in Chueca. Their five hummuses (from “the Classic” to “the Irresistible”) are the stars of the show, but they also serve salads and veggie tapas on their regularly changing menu.
Vegetarian and Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Madrid
While the following places don’t offer an entirely vegan or vegetarian menu, they do have plenty of options for plant-based or meat-free dishes!
This vegetarian-friendly café and store is a true oasis smack dab in the middle of central Madrid. Both the terrace and eclectic seating inside Abonavida offer a tranquil escape from the massive crowds of tourists in bustling Callao just around the corner.
Taberna La Chilostra
Taberna La Chilostra is your typical Spanish bar that just happens to have a few vegan options! This is a good choice if you’re looking for something traditional, not trendy.
Spanish Vocabulary for Eating Vegetarian and Vegan in Madrid
When you have dietary restrictions, we understand how important it is to communicate your needs when ordering food. In an unfamiliar language, it can seem like an overwhelming task!
To help make your life a little easier, we’ve put together a handy list of Spanish words and phrases that you can use to communicate with bar and restaurant staff.
- Soy vegano/a. I am vegan.
- Soy vegetariano/a. I am vegetarian.
- No como ni carne, ni pescado, ni huevos, ni productos lacteos. I don’t eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy products.
- ¿Me recomiendas algo rico por favor? Can you recommend me something tasty please?
- Yo no puedo comer… I can’t eat…
- Carne: Meat
- Cerdo: Pork
- Jamón: Ham
- Pollo: Chicken
- Pescado: Fish
- Atún: Tuna
- Mariscos: Seafood
- Leche: Milk
- Queso: Cheese
- Mantequilla: Butter
- Nata: Cream
- Huevo: Egg
- Miel: Honey
- Yo puedo comer… I can eat…
- Verduras: Vegetables
- Ensalada: Salad
- Judías/Habichuelas/Alubias: Beans
- Lentejas: Lentils
- Soja: Soy
- Leche de soja: Soy milk
- Almendras: Almonds
- Nueces: Nuts
- Arroz: Rice
- Aceite: Oil
- Pan: Bread
- Champiñones/Setas: Mushrooms
- Espinacas: Spinach
- Fruta: Fruit
7 Vegetarian Tapas in Madrid
In the city center, you can almost always find a vegetarian tapa (or several) on menus. These are our some of our favorites.
Pisto
Spain’s version of ratatouille is a medley of delicious veggies. It often comes served with an egg on top, so vegans just need to ask for it sin huevo.
Croquetas de queso, espinacas, o boletus
Croquettes are made with béchamel, breaded and fried. They often include meat or fish, but look out for cheese, spinach, or mushroom ones for a delicious vegetarian option.
Tempura de verdura
Batter-fried vegetables are usually a delicious bet for vegetarians, but those eating vegan in Madrid should double check that the batter is egg-free (¿la masa lleva huevo?).
Often, tempura veggies will be served with a yogurt sauce. However, vegans can ask to substitute it with salmorejo sin huevo y jamón for dipping.
Salmorejo
Speaking of gazpacho’s richer cousin, salmorejo is a cold tomato soup, thickened with bread and made smooth and silky with lots of olive oil. It often comes topped with ham and egg, so vegetarians should specify sin jamón, and vegans, sin jamón y huevo.
Berenjenas
We’re sure you’ll love berejenas con miel, or lightly fried eggplant with honey. If you’re a vegan in Madrid, you can always ask for the traditionally North African plate sin miel, or con salmorejo vegetariano for dipping.
Huevos rotos
If you needed another reason to fall in love with Spain, allow us to introduce you to huevos rotos. Any country where olive-oil fried eggs and potatoes is a traditional dish has to be a keeper, right? Just make sure it comes without ham or sausage (often chorizo or chistorra).
Tortilla de patatas
Step aside, paella—this is Spain’s real national dish! It doesn’t get better than a slightly runny tortilla. We prefer ours with onion, but you’re free to order yours without!
7 Vegan Tapas in Madrid
It might surprise you to learn that some typical tapas in Madrid are already vegan-friendly! Dishes like these make eating vegan in Madrid a breeze.
Patatas bravas
Found just about everywhere, patatas bravas consists of flash-fried potatoes with a spicy tomato and paprika sauce that is unbelievably delicious.
Traditional Madrid-style bravas will be mayonnaise-free, but vegans in Madrid should double check that yours are sin mayonesa before digging in. Some places also include a bit of beef stock in their bravas sauce. While not common, we suggest asking just in case!
Pimientos de Padrón
A favorite among all our vegan friends, these fried green peppers are a real treat and can be found in most tapas bars in the center. They come out of the kitchen with a slightly crispy skin, tender inside and a dusting of sea salt, making for a succulent start to dinner.
Pan con tomate
Always a safe bet for breakfast or tapas, pan con tomate takes toast to a whole new level. Perfectly toasted bread is rubbed with garlic, drizzled with good olive oil and slathered in fresh tomato, making for a belly-filling and very tasty bite.
Gazpacho and ajo blanco
Two of Spain’s classic cold soups are great options for vegans in Madrid. Gazpacho is the tomato-based soup you’re probably familiar with, and ajo blanco is its almond-filled, tomato-free predecessor.
Salteada de verduras
Vegetable stir-fry is a go-to dish for all vegans, and vegans in Madrid are no different. Here, chefs use amazing local olive oil and garlic to make the plate extra special and will sometimes even use a little flour to thicken the sauce.
It’s a little harder to find veggie stir-fry in tapas bars, but any sit-down restaurant will happily serve it to you if you ask nicely.
Parrillada de verduras
A more common tapas option while eating vegan in Madrid is the parrillada de verduras. Make sure to order this at least once and tuck into a classic assortment of grilled veggies!
Setas al ajillo
It’s easy to be vegan in Madrid with mouth-watering veggie dishes like garlic-sauteed mushrooms.
Made with mushrooms, a healthy amount of olive oil, white wine and lots of garlic, setas al ajillo is one of the most hearty dishes vegans can order at a tapas bar. This plate will often come with jamón, so make sure your waiter you know you want a plato vegetariano and you won’t have a problem.
Vegan and Vegetarian Shops in Madrid
As madrileños become more health conscious, even the corner stores are filling up with fresh plant-based options! For all the rest of your needs, you can stop by one of the following specialty shops in Madrid.
- Planeta Vegano: A haven for vegans in Madrid, Planeta Vegano has everything you need to create your own vegan version of any traditional Spanish dish.
- Nanyea Market: This secret spot has vegan Asian food to go. Nanyea also stocks vegan ice cream, healthy snacks and a great craft beer selection.
- El Corte Inglés: No matter where you are in Madrid, you’re never far from a Corte Inglés. The trusty Madrid department store offers an expansive health food section. Consequently, the massive store can be overwhelming, so ask an attendant to help you to find the tofu (¿Me ayudas a encontrar el tofu por favor?).
This article was updated on January 26, 2023.
Some good tips here for vegan and vegetarians, thanks! Whilst in Madrid we went to some of the restaurants mentioned here and enjoyed the food indeed, this shows that vegan and vegetarian food can be found in Spain too where meat and fish are the king in the kitchen 🙂
So many delicious looking vegetarian dishes, there’s no need for meat!
When I was a vegetarian, I’d always say “No puedo comer carne” and the answer was usually something like “No tiene carne, sólo cerdo.”
In English we use “meat” in a general sense, but in Spanish it’s usually just used for “beef” which means “no tiene carne” could still have some other animal in it.
I do not want to mean they were pulling your leg, but “carne” refeers to any kind o meat. I might admit the possibility that someone could consider chicken as not meat, but pork or beef… they are really carne for all of us (“chicha” for little kids)
Can you find tofu or soy and oat/rice ecc. milk in a big store too?
Hi Sophia, generally yes! Most supermarkets have at least soy milk (UHT). Oat and rice are a bit more complicated and a heath store generally has much better brands! Hope this helps!
Hi Sophia, you generally can, although the are generally UHT (the milks).
Hi!
I’d like to add a couple more places to the list.
B13 bar vegano, in Calle Ballesta 13 and Punto Vegano are both close to the centre and fully vegan and affordable places to eat.
El Vergel, near Príncipe Pío, es an organic vegeteran restaurant that serves a number of vegan options.
I don’t remember all of the addresses, but they can be easily found in goigle maps!
Thank you for the tips, we’ll check them out soon!
Can anyone tell me where to find kale in Madrid? Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, If you request in advice we can order you some 😀 We are an new Organic Juice & Snacks Bar based in the Mercado de Antón Martín.
Find us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/urbanorchardmadrid/
Hi, we stumbled across this amazing little restaurant near the Museo National Del Prado in Calle Alameda 4 called El Fogon Verde, offering a menu including starter, main, desert, water, bread and wine for 11€… wonderful food!
Hi!
I’d like to add a new place to the list, called REINETA VEGETARIANO, en 5 Infante St.
A new vegetarian restaurant in Madrid, very close to Plaza Sol. Warm place with homemade food, very tasty and healthy.
Hi Eva! Thanks so much for your suggestion!
It’s wonderful that there are going to be vegetarian places for me to visit when I come to Madrid in December. I will be staying in the city centre at the Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes, Del Prado 6. Which are the nearest Vegetarian eating places to that location please?
Definitely, Edna, lots of great options! That hotel is in the Literary Quarter, so looks like Rayen Vegano would be a good option!
Some good suggestions here especially for traditional tapas. Though I’m a bit surprised to see this labeled as a complete vegan and vegetarian guide..there is a lot of inaccurate information here and it’s clear that this was not written by even a vegetarian. There are also a ton of places missing for it to be a complete guide – there are 24 all vegan restaurants in Madrid and here you only have 2. I get that maybe these are the only ones the author has tried but it’s hardly comprehensive or all-inclusive. Also, Viva Burger is not a buffet restaurant anymore (and hasn’t been for a long time) and AbonoVida is not an all vegetarian place, it just has veggie options. Cheers!
Great tips, Ally, thanks! We’ll get the post updated ASAP 🙂
What are the 24 vegan places Ally?
Can you please send me a list of the 20 all vegan places. Thanks
Useful list of recommendations, although I’d also like to add El Perro Gamberro to the list, a vegan tapas restaurant on calle Segovia, it’s our favourite restaurant in Madrid….the food is incredibly tasty!!! Go and see for yourself!
Great tip, Katie—thanks!
Hi Guys,
we are from Germany and bist Madrid legt Werk for a Bachelorette-Party. The Bride and two Girls of the group are vegan. Do you think it is possible, that we book a foodie tour that visits vegan places oder vegan friendly places? Tia !
Hey Ayla! Thanks for getting in touch. We’ll send you an email!
Are they vegan hotels in Madrid?
Thank you
Hi there! The only one we know of is outside the city center. http://lafuentedelgato.com/blog/
Hi. Can you suggest vegan-friendly lodging for our family coming to Madrid on vacation? Thank you!
Hi William,
While we’re not familiar with any vegan-friendly lodging options, you’ll see in this post there are lots of vegan-friendly options in the city. Let us know where you end up staying!
The Rayen Vegano is permanently closed.
Thanks for letting us know! We’ve updated the post
The B13 link you have links to a sex site.
Thanks for letting us know, we’ve just updated it!
I’m afraid the original recipe for “salsa brava” which comes with “patatas bravas” includes beef stock among its ingredients . Sorry to say it’s not suitable for vegetarians nor vegans.
Since that depends on the recipe, we’d ask at the bar you’re visiting before writing off all bravas everywhere 🙂
I’m from Madrid born and raised, my family owned two restaurants and I’ve never even heard of patatas bravas with beef stock-based sauce. Maybe some restaurant makes it like that, but it sounds quite rare.
This was so helpful! Can’t wait for our trip to try many of these. Thank you so much for compiling this list and doing all of the work for us!
Our pleasure!! Enjoy!
This is amazing thank you for all the lovely ideas! I’m visiting Madrid for the first time with my partner. He does eat meat, so it is useful to have ideas of places to go which cater for both!
So happy to hear it, Chelsea! Enjoy your time here!
Hey, just visited Madrid, these are some great recommendations. some places that are definitely missing are Bite Me Café, that’s currently number one on happy cow for Madrid,
and Thunder Vegan Food which is more for takeaway, but has the best vegan burgers
Thanks for the tips, Jake! We’ll check them out 😀
Thanks for your good website and information !
Thanks so much for reading!
Great!! Thanks for your good information. Can anyone tell me where to find kale in Madrid? Thanks!
Hi Elouise, you can find kale at some fruterías (ask for col rizada) and many Carrefour stores also carry it. We hope this helps, thanks for reading!