If you’re vegetarian, Barcelona is a great place to be. From tapas to curries, here are some of our favourite spots.
Looking for good vegetarian food in Barcelona is like looking for hay in a haystack (isn’t that the expression?) You might think that this coastal city is only good for seafood paella and ham-centric tapas, but we’re here to tell you that the veggie scene is on the rise.
With vegan delicacies, modern vegetarian dishes and classic veggie tapas popping up on menus everywhere, it could feel overwhelming to narrow down your choices for a veggie-centric meal – here are our top picks in town.
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At this trendy spot, it’s easy to forget that you’re even in a vegetarian restaurant. Soggy tofu and wilted greens are nowhere to be found, and healthy, inventive dishes abound. We’re talking hearty wraps, fresh roasted veggies, handmade pastas and veggie-forward soups as well as yummy tapas. Aguaribay also has a carefully curated selection of beer and wine, so you can feel like you’re indulging even when there’s no meat on the table.
This charming spot is set apart by their unique menu. Most of their dishes are a mix of traditional Catalan fare and haute-cuisine technique which makes for a truly wonderful dining experience. Don’t forget to wash everything down with a glass (or two) of something from the formidable wine list.
This phenomenal vegetarian restaurant, owned by the creators of Slow Food Barcelona, is open for lunch and dinner. At noon they have an affordable menu with soups and dishes that stray from the predictable vegetarian trope. At night they serve homemade pasta dishes and international delicacies that pair nicely with the wine and craft beer. With all this variety under one roof, there’s no way you’ll grow tired of dining at Rasoterra.
At this healthy hotspot, you can find raw foods, vegan options and gluten-free dishes along with ‘flexitarian’ creations containing lots of veggies and small amounts of animal protein. The menu also boasts cold pressed juices from fresh fruits and vegetables. Whether you visit for lunch, dinner or weekend brunch, you’ll leave Flax & Kale feeling full and plant-powered.
The owners of The Green Spot set out with the goal of creating a a restaurant for everyone – not just vegetarians. With this in mind, this spot focuses more on featuring vegetables than calling the itself 'vegetarian'. The international recipes incorporate tons of fresh produce, and everything you’ll find is flavourful, fun and made from legumes, seeds, nuts and herbs.
Entering Macrobiotic Zen feels like stepping into another world – a veggie-filled, peaceful haven. You choose between five main ingredients to create your own culinary adventure. No matter which direction you head in, everything on the menu is vegan and macrobiotic and can be combined in different ways.
This classic institution has been a Raval staple for over two decades. People flock here to enjoy traditional vegetarian dishes and vegan options all made with the freshest produce. Additionally –thanks to the varied clientele – you’ll always get your meal at L'Hortet with a delicious side of people-watching.
Biocenter has been going strong for 30 years. When you enter you have the feeling that it's not a restaurant that's just for vegetarians, but for anyone who wants to eat well, with generous portions and healthy options at an incredibly good price. Their quality range of vegetarian and vegan options for traditional and ovo-lacto-vegetarians is made using all natural and organic products.
A vegetarian restaurant with fantastic drinks, good wines and tasty snacks? Sign us up. No matter if you’re looking for a bar scene or a cozy place for a romantic dinner, Sésamo is a great option for veggie fans (although there aren’t too many vegan options available).
This small bistro-style restaurant serves up simple, fresh vegetarian fare. Crisp salads, hearty soups and plenty of vegan options makes Arco Iris the perfect spot to stop for lunch on a weekday.
The third location of Flax & Kale is truly a wonder to behold. Two rooms frame a pizza oven that churns out burbling Neapolitan pies, but don’t fret – the people behind this iteration of the healthfood staple are just as committed to creating gut-friendly dishes as they are to experimenting with the perfect chewy pizza crust.
One of the first vegetarian restaurants in Barcelona, Amaltea has something for every veggie enthusiast. The big space is usually full thanks to the menu’s variety, so head over and see what all the fuss is about.
This punk restaurant-bar serves up a killer veggie burger and trendy craft beers. We really couldn’t give you a better recommendation for an all-day spot with unmatched, casual vegan vibes.
This isn’t the kind of place where your veggie plate is served with a side of moral preaching on the environmental or health attributes of vegetarianism. The team behind La Vitamínica certainly cares about plant-based diets, but part of their bar also serves up omnivore-friendly sandwiches. This is a restaurant where anyone – meat-eater or not – can incorporate some more veggies into their life.
What started as a business dedicated to producing natural, organic vegetarian food has transformed into two of Barcelona’s favorite restaurants. For €20 you can sample a whole range of tasty, imaginative dishes, some of them vegan. And don’t leave without sampling one of the beatiful cakes displayed at the front – they taste as good as they look.
A vegetarian Indian restaurant without a drop of alcohol on the menu isn’t exactly what many people think of when they think of the Barcelona food scene, but don’t use that logic to dismiss Govinda. Since the 1980s, they’ve been providing Barcelona with hearty Indian cuisine, pizzas and a formidable salad bar. Go with a lot of friends or when you’ve worked up a real appetite, as portions are generous.
They say good things come to those who wait, and that's exactly the case with the brunch at Arrel restaurant, located on the ground floor of the InterContinental Hotel: you can only enjoy it once a month! This brunch arrived in Barcelona with very high expectations – in Madrid it's famous for being one of the best –and luckily we weren’t dissapointed. For €75, everything is included (food, drinks, and coffee, the works) and you choose from 20 options plus dessert. Start with Iberian ham, oysters and salted prawns, continue with lobster eggs, and finish by trying dishes like glazed veal gigot, cep mushroom risotto served in a wheel of parmesan, or the romesco sauce with monkfish, squid and prawns. The dessert section deserves its own encyclopedia. Go there hungry.
Eat My Trip is one of the hottest breakfast spots in town, serving up sweet and savoury all-day delights. Sample ‘American waffles’ (which happen to be both sweet and savoury) or an amazing ‘Guacascramble’ that also includes salmon tartare. Try eggs Benedict with a Thai touch (panang sauce), salad bowls and smoothie bowls, and homemade desserts. To drink, try one of their special lattes.
You’re in good hands at Solc, where vegetables come from its own garden in Maresme, its meats from local producers, and its fish from Barcelona’s fish market. But the brunch is something special, featuring dishes and flavours from the early 20th century with modern techniques. It’s €65 per adult, €23 for kids, every Sunday from 12:30 to 16:30. You won’t regret it.
Don’t be fooled by the unassuming decor at Auto Rosellon. The keep it simple and they make great food. As part of their excellent brunch menu, you might choose the Nordic scrambled eggs with cured salmon, crème fraîche and dill (all the egg dishes are out of this world, and all made with organic eggs), or maybe you’re in the mood for a bowl of granola with home-made Greek yogurt and organic fruit, or perhaps some toast with home-made jam. If you’re feeling frisky, get a brunchy cocktail, like a Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Kir Royale or Bellini. This is quality food with an eco-friendly attitude.
Federal Cafè is done up in a style befitting the trendiest, most cosmopolitan of cities. Natural light, tasteful decor, good music, fast and friendly service, and a menu specialising in breakfasts that can resuscitate you after a night of overdoing it: juices and smoothies, eggs and sausages, fruit and sandwiches... Federal was one of the pioneers on the brunch scene in Barcelona, and it’s still living up to and surpassing expectations.
Fat Schmuck started as a bar but is now serves up a delicious American brunch with southern influences, from two guys that constantly find themselves at the top of best bars list. Here you’ll find a private terrace, vintage interiors and a late 80s gangsta-rap soundtrack. Their famous waffles with fried chicken, or pancakes with shredded duck confit and hoisin sauce, are like their cocktails: top-notch, with a touch of brilliance and reasonable prices.
Specialising in brunch, Can Dendê serves up four different versions of eggs Benedict, sweet or savoury pancakes, and deli items for lunch that are simple yet exquisitely made, like pulled pork sandwiches with pork that’s marinated for hours before it’s grilled. You’ll also find a few Brazilian dishes from chef Patricia Leona’s country of origin.
Dopietta is right next to Benzina, one of the best – and coolest – Italian spots in Barcelona, and they're under the same ownership. Dopietta is an updated version of the ‘salumeria’, the Italian delicatessen shop, featuring cheeses and cold cuts (some of them homemade!). On weekends, you'll find their version of brunch, which could be seen as a spin-off of the Italian aperitivo served at midday. Every Saturday and Sunday there’s a buffet of cold cuts, pastas and an aperitif cocktail. We know what you’re thinking, but it’s brunch, okay? Because they say so.
The offering at Flaherty’s isn’t a brunch per se, but they’ve got some breakfast items on the menu served until 3pm every day and some served until 7pm for those who get a late start. Your traditional Irish breakfast includes Irish bacon and sausages, a fried egg, baked beans, black pudding, hash browns, grilled mushrooms, white pudding, slow-roasted tomatoes and toast. And that is all for less than a tenner! There are also creative vegetarian and vegan options (meaning they don’t just scrape off the meat!). Until 3pm you can get eggs Benedict, chorizo baked eggs, sweet and savoury waffle, and more.
Ugot (which means ‘cakes’ in Hebrew) owner Adi Nachson is proud that her ‘bruncherie’ has grown without losing its heart and soul. Now serving some of the best eggs in Barcelona, Ugot offers five versions of eggs Benedict – the ones atop shredded pork and their version of French toast are heavenly – and five other hearty options. Other featured options include omelettes and soups, and you can also get tapas, salads, burgers, and cakes that are out of this world.
The concept was to serve breakfast all day but gear the idea toward locals. And so they’ve become a staple in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood, with even the grannies having learnt to order pancakes with their cup of ‘suizo’ chocolate. The menu can make you dizzy, featuring pretty much everything you can imagine served in a diner, using local Catalan products. We’re still dreaming about the Manchito’s tail: their version of French toast with scrambled egg and cheddar, and ridiculously crispy bacon. Take your time drooling over the pancake menu – there are nearly a dozen and a half types to choose from.
Baldomero defines itself as a country house in the middle of the city, and the description is spot on. You step into a bright space with high ceilings that feels like a farmhouse: in other words, a restaurant in a former parking lot in Eixample (so called because the owner, Baldomero, was a bon vivant, one of the first to own a Mercedes in Barcelona). During the week, there's a fabulous Mediterranean lunch menu (the pistachio cake and low-temperature lamb are the star dishes) available from Monday to Friday. On weekends, they offer a lavish brunch with all-you-can-eat options for €35.
Picnic’s brunch is already known as the best place to recover from a night out on the town with its eggs Benedict and an ace cocktail selection. Since Tara and Jaime opened the space in the first half of the 2000s, the tradition of an American-style brunch has become a favourite in Barcelona, and you can dig into other scrumptious fare like pancakes or huevos rancheros as well. Plus, outside of brunch and depending on the season, you can gobble up dishes such as pork ribs with mashed potatoes, a New Orleans–inspired gumbo, or lighter options like ceviche.
Three friends who graduated in philosophy, journalism and art history have turned a corner bar into a delicious miniature restaurant, where they rework and update classic dishes from Basque and Galician cuisine. Stop by on Saturday mornings and try their brunch menu, which includes toast and home-made jam that has become a reason to make the pilgrimage.
Green Vita is exactly what you‘d expect: no processed foods, artificial additives or frying, just real, fresh, whole, and organic ingredients. For brunch, tuck into eggs, potatoes and truffled mushrooms, Korean tacos, salads and more. To drink, grab a fresh juice or a smoothie, and a very nice coffee. If you‘ve been over-indulging somewhat, this is the spot you need.
You’ve got to respect this powerhouse that opened in 2005 as one of the city’s brunch pioneers and has never lowered its standards. They serve brunch every day of the week from 9am to 4.30pm, and the impressive repertoire includes four different versions of eggs Benedict, bagels, a selection of pancakes, Turkish eggs, chorizo hash, huevos rancheros, gourmet burgers and more. Plus, you are sitting in a bar, so don’t forget to order a brunch cocktail. And if you’re not feeling up for that, try a smoothie.
Elsa y Fred have reinvented the classic tapas bar with creative and signature cuisine, making it one of the most visited spots in the area. But their brunch is something to shout about, served every weekday from 9am to 1pm and weekends from 9am to 4pm. The menu features eggs benedict, scrambled eggs, shakshuka and English breakfast (also available vegan).
Trópico was made famous for its beautiful, light-filled space, but now people have caught on to its brunch offering. Here you’ll find everything from impeccable eggs benedict and pancakes to huevos rancheros and açaí na tigela, a Brazilian bowl with hearts of palm ice cream, fruit, chia and homemade granola. Our favourite? The arepas stuffed with huevos pericos (scrambled eggs with tomato, onion and mozzarella) and avocado.
The duo from Australia and England who own this minimalist place define it as a gastropub. Here you can find delicious and original recipes with British, Italian and Catalan influences. They serve up good breakfasts in sweet or savoury options, as well as imaginative dishes like the American-style fried rabbit. There are excellent home-made desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. And really, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, from confit ribs grilled over low heat to the now-ubiquitous healthy poke bowls packed with raw fish and 10,000 other ingredients.
Barcino Food takes its speciality (brunch) very seriously. There aren’t many brunch restaurants in Barcelona that operate every day of the week, but this spot is committed to the cause. Find acai bowls and yogurt with fruit and granola, burgers, bagels and eggs benedict, and don’t sleep on the homemade pastries. Oh, and try a ‘poptail’, a fusion of cocktail and popsicle (can be alcoholic or not).
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