Eating Vegan In Madrid

In a city where ham is an acceptable form of ceiling it might be incredibly challenging to keep a vegan or even vegetarian diet in Madrid. Where’s one to turn when Museo del Jamon is on every street corner?

Image courtesy of Ed Schipul from Flickr

Eat at Rayen Vegano

Rayen Vegano is simply adorable. The decor is welcoming and humble, the walls feature artwork of local artists on a rotating schedule, and the plants crawling the walls bring the outdoors inside. Sit back with a glass of fresh mango juice and browse the list of whatever is fresh and local at the time. Rayen Vegano has a menu that follows the seasons and availability of produce, so you never know what you’re going to get, but you will always find good choices. Found in the artists neighborhood of Las Letras, the restaurant offers 100% vegan food and is usually buzzing with local hipsters who come to nourish themselves and catch up over a long lunch. The space is small, so come early to take advantage of the great priced Menu of the Day for only twelve euro; it includes first plate, second plate, a drink, homemade bread, and dessert or coffee.

Always Something New at Sanissimo

Sanissimo is the perfect place to top up your energy level with clean fuel. Fresh fruit smoothies, bagels, and vegan bakery ensures you’re going to find something you love here. They’ve added vegan hamburgers and ice cream to their expanding menu, so stop in and see what’s cooking!

Indian Food at Restaurante Swagat Indio

Lavapies is a colorful neighborhood famous for the smells of curry wafting down the street and the barrage of men with flyers hustling to get you to sit at their restaurant … and this is where you will find 99% of Indian food in Madrid. Swagat Indio is unlike others in the city, starting with their two locations — neither of which are in Lavapies. While most Indian restaurants cater to vegetarians, it’s harder to find ones that make vegan food, as many Indian dishes contain ghee (clarified butter). You will find the best naan in the city, thanks to creations such as pistachio and apricot fresh from the tandoori. Mmm.

Image courtesy of Enrique Goméz from Flickr

Aliño has the Cheapest Menu of the Day

If you’ve got money on your mind, and your mind on healthy, fresh, food in a hurry, head over to Aliño on Calle Espiritu Santo 2 where you can get a drink, main entrée, and side dish for only five euro daily. Choose from dishes like basil and sun-dried tomato farfalle pasta, roasted red peppers and polenta, vegetarian pizza for two euro per slice, and homemade lemonade everyday. In the summer, cool off with a serving of fresh gazpacho, and in the winter warm up with stewed garbanzo beans and spinach. This is the best value for your money when visiting the vegetarian side of Madrid on a budget!

Sadly, there are no strictly vegan hotels in Madrid, so it’s best to find a cheap hotel in Madrid and spend your money supporting the vegan restaurants.

Please note : This is part of a series for #HipmunkCityLove. Hipmunk.com is low-cost and budget travel service that I use while planning budget travel, and am thrilled to write for. I know you will find the articles as well as their services useful.

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