Barcelona’s Vegetarian Restaurants

Being a vegetarian in Barcelona, or anywhere else in Spain for that matter, isn’t always easy. This is a country whose association with meat-eating is legendary and whose record on animals rights is hardly exemplary (…just think of bullfighting and the Running of the Bulls festival).

Indeed, apart from the odd rice or seafood dish, traditional Spanish cuisine involves almost exclusively bread and meat. Even tapas restaurants, with their wide variety of dishes, provide little in the way of plant-based nutrition.

The good news is that Barcelona is a bit different from the rest of Spain. The capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia – the first region to ban bullfighting – the city is a bit more progressive and European in its thinking, compared to the deeply traditional south for example.

A city full of immigrants, expats, Bohemians and intellectuals, there are enough different ways of life in Barcelona to support a decent-sized vegan and vegetarian dining scene, with some truly high quality and creative cuisine.

11 Best Veggie & Vegan Restaurants

Check below for some of the best restaurants where you can eat eco-friendly food in the city…

1. Faire Brunch & Drink

This vegetarian brunch spot has quickly become one of the coolest congregation points in town for ethical eaters, with its delicious menu of vegetarian brunches and all-round conscientious approach to dining. Being vegetarian, obviously no meat is served, while those few dairy products used are carefully sourced from cruelty free farms – such as the eggs from free-range chickens happily running free and munching on insects up on the Costa Brava. Those organic huevos are used to make shakshuka, tartufo and eggs benedict, while tostadas and the Beyond Burger with vegan bacon are other popular choices. True to their holistic approach to environmentalism, the restaurant in run on 100% renewal energy and the owners plant a tree for every meal billed.
C/Girona 81
www.fairebrunch.com

2. Flax & Kale

The motto at Flax & Kale is “Eat better. Be happier. Live longer.” The meals they serve are all based around this concept, and are created both for taste and nutritional value. Their ‘flexitarian’ menu is in fact almost all vegetarian, with the odd fish dish, and includes creative meals like raw vegan lasagnas, Thai-inspired curries and plenty of veggie-packed salads. It’s all so tasty that even the most devoted carnivores will enjoy a meal here.
C/Tallers 74b
www.flaxandkale.com

3. Alive

Mediterranean cuisine goes (predominantly) vegan at this gorgeously-styled restaurant, where animals are held in such high esteem that you can even bring your pet to dinner with you. On the menu the likes of pumpkin ravioli, crunchy boletus burgers and mushroom and asparagus risotto tickle the taste buds.
Travessera de les Corts 180
www.aliverestaurant.metro.rest

4. Sesamo

This all-vegetarian joint in the very hip Sant Antoni neighbourhood specialises in tapas and Italian food, much of which has innovative twists on classic dishes. You can choose from a regular menu or a chef’s tasting menu. They also give you a great range of desserts and sweets.
C/Sant Antoni Abat 52

5. Vrutal

If you’ve ever wanted to convert a carnivore to the joys of meat-free eating, then booking a table at Vrutal is a great bet. Serving up the best veggie burgers in Poblenou, in our opinion, if not the entirety of Barcelona, diners can choose from cheekily-named patties such as Blind Date, French Kiss and BBQ Pulled Mushroom Bap. With a pleasant garden at the back and a street terrace on the bustling Rambla del Poblenou, Vrutal is fun place to hang out and fuel up.
Rambla del Poblenou 16
www.vrutal.es

6. Veggie Garden

This colourful spot just around the corner from the MACBA and CCCB museums is certainly tough to miss with its eye-catching decor. With a long list of smoothies and freshly-squeezed fruit juices, they also do a great line of dishes inspired by Nepal and India, as well as veggie burgers and salads. Their three-course lunch menu is great value.
C/dels Angels 3
www.veggiegardengroup.com/el-raval

7. Cat Bar

If you love one-of-a-kind restaurants, then you could easily find yourself falling for this wacky hang out in El Born. Amidst a chaotic ensemble of feline-themed furnishings, the Cat Bar serves up a wide variety of strictly vegan dishes. Quiches, tortillas and even vegetarian sausages and burgers are all on the menu and you can even order your coffee with soya milk. Click on the link above for reviews, photo and location map.
C/Mercè 29

8. Salterio Tearoom

Though the menu isn’t especially lengthy, Salterio is still a firm favourite with the veggie crowd in Barcelona. The Moroccan food they serve includes quite a few vegan options, and the portions are generally quite large. One of their most popular dishes are their flatbreads, which come stuffed with cheeses and vegetables. They also offer a tea menu and Middle Eastern pastries.
C/Salomó Ben Adret 4
www.facebook.com/teteriasalterio

9. Maoz

Needless to say that if you’re after gourmet vegetarian grub, this expanding global chain is not the place for you. However for a cheap lunch, be it a quick falafel, or a sturdy helping of salad, it can be a life-saver, and keep the legs going for a second round of sightseeing. Find it on the lively Carrer de Ferran in El Gotic.
C/Ferran 13
www.maozusa.com

Vegetarian Friendly Restaurants

Below we mention a list of venues with a wide range of vegetarian options, which might come in handy for those eating in a mixed group of eaters.

10. Eat My Trip

For a healthy plant-based brunch made from fresh ingredients head over to Eat My Trip, a supercute cafe in Barcelona’s Eixample district. Here you can tuck into delicious vegetarian breakfasts like Alpine Brunch and Thai Benedict Eggs, while vegans can enjoy the venue’s Guacamole Toast and Asian Bowl (Thai curry) amongst others. They also have all natural smoothies, ice creams and cakes.
C/Consell de Cent 378
www.eatmytrip.com

11. Sol Soler

By no means a vegetarian restaurant in the strictest sense, this lively and rather hip tapas joint in Gracia does nonetheless have some great veggie options. Alongside some of the more regular dishes you’ll find in any tapas bar in Barcelona there are a variety of pasta dishes, inventive salads, tortillas and of course patatas bravas.
Plaça del Sol 12
www.solsoler.barcelona

More Food & Drink Related Fun…

If treating your taste buds in an integral part of your trip planning, then be sure to read our articles on wine tasting, cocktail bars and Xampanyerias.