Madrid: Exploring the Food Scene as a Vegan!
Yes, you read that right. I’m a vegan here in Madrid, and I am fully alive and well!
Many people expressed concern to me about my going to Madrid, and Europe, in general, as a vegan. Europe is known for its extensive use of meats, eggs, and cheese in everything they eat and so even I was worried that I would find it difficult to live here for months together.
No Shortage of Plant-based desserts in Madrid!
To my pleasant surprise, living in Madrid on a plant-based diet has been incredibly easy. The neighborhood that I chose to live in, Malasaña, actually is a rebellious, youthful, and trendy district of Madrid and filled with vegetarian and vegan
Churros with Dark Chocolate Sauce!
restaurants. Not only are there plentiful restaurants with only vegetarian and vegan cuisine, but most other restaurants have options for me too! There’s even a fully vegan market in Madrid. I’m so grateful for how diverse and vegan-friendly Madrid has been.
And if you’re wondering about dessert, don’t worry – churros are vegan! There’s a fabulous chocolateria here that also serves vegan chocolate sauce along with its famous churros, so I have not been missing out at all.
For the most part, I try to cook at home for dinner at least a few nights of the week, and the grocery stores do not disappoint with vegan options like plant-based milks, yogurts, veggie burgers, vegan pizzas, and of course
The Fluffiest Pancakes at a local cafe
loads of fresh produce to choose from. Buying groceries here is very affordable, as well.
Furthermore, I’ve done a little bit of traveling to other parts of Spain and have found it wonderfully easy to eat vegan there too! In Cordoba, I ate lots of authentic food from the region like Salmorejo, Gazpacho, and vegan paella! In Granada, we found the cutest vegan café that had fabulous vegan options and the most delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever had!
Pizza from a Vegan Italian Place
Burger from a Vegan Restaurant
Veggie Gazpacho in Cordoba