Choosing between vegetarian, vegan and an adapted option
A vegetarian restaurant may serve eggs, cheese and milk; a place describing itself as 100% plant-based makes choices easier for vegans. At a mixed restaurant, a vegetable dish or salad does not tell you the complete recipe. Explain your needs before ordering and wait for an answer about your chosen dish rather than a general assurance about the menu.
For a group, first decide how much certainty you need. If everyone wants a plant-based meal, a dedicated menu avoids discussing each ingredient. If only one person is vegan, read the menu beforehand and check they can have a proper main course rather than just a side dish. An option requiring several ingredients to be removed is not always a satisfying meal.
Three 100% plant-based restaurants to keep in mind
The following businesses advertise 100% plant-based cooking on their websites. They cover several tastes without making you cross the city: burgers in Chueca or Lavapiés, pizza and pasta in Malasaña, and Italian cooking near La Latina. Inclusion here does not guarantee a walk-in table; check that day's opening before setting off.
| Restaurant | Advertised cooking | Full address | Suggested access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Mad Vegan Chueca | Plant-based burgers and sides | Calle Pelayo 19, 28004 Madrid | Chueca, line 5 |
| Mad Mad Vegan Lavapiés | The same 100% plant-based concept | Calle Lavapiés 16, 28012 Madrid | Lavapiés, line 3 |
| Pizzi & Dixie | Plant-based pizza and pasta | Calle San Vicente Ferrer 16, 28004 Madrid | Tribunal, lines 1 and 10 |
| Choose Ristorante Naturale | Plant-based Italian and Sicilian cooking | Calle Segovia 17, 28005 Madrid | La Latina, line 5 |
Prices checked in October 2026: at Pizzi & Dixie, the Dixie pizza is listed at €14.70 and corn gnocchi with pistachio pesto at €14.90. At Choose, spaghetti carbonara costs €16 and pistachio paccheri €18. These are examples of individual dishes; add drinks and any further courses to work out your bill.
Mad Mad Vegan: an option between visits
The brand lists hours of 13:00 to 00:00 for both Madrid restaurants. Choose the branch already on your route: Chueca for a walk through the northern part of the centre, Lavapiés for streets south of Sol. Its burgers-and-sides concept works when you want a straightforward meal without turning lunch into a long food excursion.
If ordering takeaway, check what cutlery you need and then choose somewhere suitable to eat. A reservation and a takeaway order are separate services; do not expect a table because your food has already been paid for. The brand's website helps you locate both addresses and avoid going to the wrong branch.
Pizzi & Dixie: lunch or dinner in Malasaña
Pizzi & Dixie serves 100% plant-based Italian cooking, including pizzas, pasta and desserts. The website lists 13:00-16:00 and 20:30-23:00 Monday to Thursday; Friday dinner runs until 23:30. Saturday services are 13:30-16:00 and 20:30-23:30; on Sunday only lunch, 13:30-16:00, is listed. Remember these breaks if you finish sightseeing at 17:00.
Names such as mortadella, gorgonzola or carbonara can appear on a plant-based menu with substitutes: the restaurant's context and ingredient descriptions make the difference. Read the composition rather than inferring the recipe from its name. For a group dinner, book and check everyone's options; a vegan menu does not automatically meet every other dietary requirement.
Choose: Italian cooking near La Latina
Choose Ristorante Naturale, Calle Segovia 17, describes itself as a 100% plant-based Italian restaurant. Its contact page lists Tuesday and Wednesday closures. Monday and Thursday hours are 13:00-16:00 and 20:00-00:00; Friday to Sunday, 13:00-00:00. Confirm your slot in the booking system: the menu also retains set-menu announcements that may no longer match the listed schedule.
After a walk through La Latina, this address lets you plan a proper meal instead of a succession of tapas needing adjustments. The pasta prices above are reference points rather than a package including starter and dessert. Ask for the day's menu before choosing a set meal and check what is included.
Markets: useful, but not entirely vegan
La Paz Market is useful for shopping if your accommodation lets you cook. A vegetable stall does not guarantee a prepared vegan lunch in the same building. Buy small quantities and think about storage before continuing your day. Ask food counters the same questions you would at a mixed restaurant.
At Antón Martín Market, international kitchens offer several possibilities, but recipes and hours belong to individual traders. Ask whether there is a complete vegan main course, then check stock, sauce and toppings. At San Ildefonso Market, use the same approach: the street food selection is mixed, and an old recommendation for a stall does not prove it is still there.
Avoid promising your companions that a whole market is “perfect for vegans” after seeing just one option. Walk around, identify a counter that suits you and then order. If nothing meets your needs, keep a nearby dedicated restaurant as a backup rather than putting together a meal of nothing but bread and drinks.
Ordering clearly in a tavern
In a mixed venue, start by explaining your diet. For prepared food, removing a topping does not necessarily change the stock or sauce already used in the kitchen. Traditional potato tortilla contains eggs; it may suit some vegetarians but not vegans. A salad or sandwich labelled “vegetal” also needs its whole composition checked.
| What you want to explain | Spanish phrase |
|---|---|
| I am vegan | Soy vegano / vegana |
| I eat neither meat nor fish | No como carne ni pescado |
| No eggs, milk, cheese or honey | Sin huevos, leche, queso ni miel |
| Is the stock made from vegetables? | ¿El caldo es de verduras? |
| Does the sauce contain milk or eggs? | ¿La salsa lleva leche o huevos? |
| Do you have a fully vegan dish? | ¿Tenéis algún plato totalmente vegano? |
Do not turn your request into a list of dishes that are “definitely vegan”. Ask especially about potato sauces, cooked vegetables and soups. If the waiter does not know, ask them to check with the kitchen before you order. You can also accept a different suggestion: a clearly explained dish is better than an adaptation whose ingredients nobody knows.
Planning your day and keeping track of the bill
Keep two addresses in the area you are visiting: one for your planned meal and an alternative with compatible hours. In Malasaña, check Pizzi & Dixie's breaks; for a later meal in Chueca or Lavapiés, consider Mad Mad Vegan. If planning Choose, avoid building Tuesday or Wednesday lunch around it. Book at weekends when your schedule relies on a particular table.
To compare spending, use a concrete basket: one main course, a drink and, if wanted, dessert. A pizza on its own and a set meal with several courses cannot be compared directly. Ask whether sides and extras are included. Plant-based cooking can be simple or elaborate: the word vegan predicts neither portion size nor the total bill.
In an apartment, alternate restaurants and grocery shopping. Cooking a meal with market produce can simplify your schedule, but consider the equipment available and your return journey. Buy perishable items last and go back to store them. For departure, choose packaged products whose ingredients you can read rather than a prepared dish that is hard to transport.
Further reading
Our selection of Madrid markets distinguishes food halls from grocery shopping. The guide to where to eat in Madrid explains meals and local customs; our Malasaña guide helps you plan a walk around your restaurant.
