Yzabelle Bostyn
Despite its carnivorous stereotypes, Spain’s big cities are actually full of amazing vegan restaurants serving up their take on local food.
Nowhere is this more true than in Barcelona.
Long a hive of bohemian free spirits, it’s no wonder the city is teeming with vegans and everytime I go, I make up for time lost in the pueblos of Andalucia.
So, where can you find the best Catalonian crumbs? Here’s our top suggestions.
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This restaurant has multiple outlets throughout the city, you’ll never be far from a Vegetalia.
Whether you fancy pizza, burgers, curry, paella or traditional tapas, there’s a dish waiting for you.
Like many venues in the city, they offer an economical menu del dia or a sharing plate with 1kg of food for just €29.
We particularly recommend the caprichosa pizza and the ravioli with a daily sauce.
The crowning glory however is the crema catalana, a creamy, lemony take on the original custard pudding.
While there are a few venues throughout the city, the Born restaurant has a privileged location just next to the Basilica Santa Maria del Mar.
Inspired by cats, this burger bar serves delicious buns in a variety of flavours alongside the best vegan bravas you can find in the city.
At a purse friendly €9.50, you can choose between Mexican, British, Asian and Italian infused flavours.
A chilled, down to earth vibe, you can also enjoy a range of craft beers and gluten free options.
The bar also frequently puts on live music and supports the local community, so this is a great venue to put your money behind.
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For those looking for great value, Veggie Garden is a must visit thanks to their excellent menu del dia.
It offers diners a drink, main and pudding for just €9.25 (prices last updated online in 2020).
But, because the main dish is a thali, a tray of small portions of Indian dishes, you get to try a variety of food and I’ve never been able to finish the whole plate.
If you don’t fancy a feast, you can just grab a main dish for as little as €6.
Veggie Garden is very popular with students thanks to its cheap prices and locations close to the Placa de Universitat.
Although this restaurant wouldn’t be the first on my list as it is a Netherlands based chain, it nonetheless deserves an honourable mention.
This modern junk food bar has two locations in the Born and Eixample areas, each complete with table football and beer pong.
The menu is replete with burgers and loaded fries and you can even order a tasting menu consisting of three mini burgers.
I also loved how you could swap out your fries for potato smileys or sweet potato fries to give the dish a personal touch.
The drinks menu also had a wide variety of fun cocktails, local beer and inventive juices to get the taste buds tingling.
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As a person with a strong sweet tooth, desserts often outshine my main meals.
But, it is a testament to Flax and Kale’s brunch options that the pudding overtook the main even for my savoury loving friend.
We ordered the truffle pizza and thai french toast to share, unable to choose between a main and pudding.
While the truffle pizza was tasty, it was blown out of the water by the soft coconut toast with touches of mango, chocolate and cream.
I highly recommend Flax and Kale, even if it’s just to try this delicious toast.
The perfect place to try traditional Spanish cuisine made vegan, Bubita offers a menu full of paella, tapas and sangria.
Get a group of friends together to try their deluxe tapas board boasting a host of vegan seafood or the temptations board for vegan cheese, dips and salmon.
If that doesn’t take your fancy, indulge in the mushroom croquettes or seafood paella, followed by a rich pudding.
They also offer a range of sangrias with passionfruit, berry and tequila options amongst many more.
Starting at €9.50 a dish, this is a great place to explore Spanish culinary traditions made vegan.
In the heart of the Eixample, Faire Tapas and Wine offers a sophisticated hideaway for vegans that love a tipple.
The inventive menu includes dishes like white bean dip and baked avocado accompanied by the more traditional patatas bravas and roasted aubergine.
Their wine menu has a wealth of choice, including delicious orange wine.
If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time for a sit down meal, Santa Vegana could be your saviour.
This cafe has two locations, one in the Born area and the other in Cuitat Vella, near the beach.
Each serves up a range of traditionally Spanish cafe options such as tortilla de patatas and jamon sandwiches alongside various cakes and pastries.
I sampled a carrot cake filled with chocolate icing and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Alongside a coffee, my total came to just over €5, not bad in touristy Barcelona.
Photo: Happy Cow
This bakery offers drool worthy doughnuts in multiple locations throughout the city.
The crema catalana doughnut deserves a special mention on looks alone but they unfortunately didn’t have it in stock when I arrived.
Instead, I sampled a mango-chocolate doughnut, which was perfectly sweet with light dough complete with a crispy outer casing.
For €4.95, you can order a doughnut and coffee combo, a dreamy breakfast to fuel a day of sightseeing.
Barcelona’s first ever vegan bakery, La Besneta is inspired by recipes from the owner’s great-grandmother.
Found in the down to earth Gracia area, the bakery has the elevated vibe of a French patisserie, complete with croissants, cakes and pies.
The fridge section is also well-stocked with cheesecakes and a delectably creamy tiramisu.
I also particularly enjoyed the delicate red velvet cupcake and chocolate coated croissant.
Other options
If you’re travelling to Barcelona with non-vegans, it’s likely that they won’t always want to eat plant based, so here’s two amazing options to please even the meat eaters.
Firstly, NAP, standing for Authentic Neopolitan Pizza, is an affordable, quality pizzeria with a few locations throughout the city.
At just €8.90 for a menu del dia including bruschetta and a mariana or margarita, NAP is a real steal.
If your friends want to sample the best of Barcelona’s tapas, try Fabrica Moritz.
The beer factory turned tapas bar, Mortiz offers a range of carefully crafted dishes from bravas to hummus to meatballs.
Despite its prime location and fancy interior, the prices are more than reasonable, making it a great sharing option.
Although this guide has covered a wide range of Barcelona’s vegan offering, it has by no means encaptured it all, so make sure to share your favourite restaurant or cafe below.
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