So I am currently in sunny Spain, the sun is beaming down, the birds are tweeting and I feel wonderfully relaxed. Spain is pretty hit and miss when it comes to vegans and you can often find yourself in the miss zone, if you don’t know where to go or what to ask for. So I will compile a list of the best places to eat in Andalucia, but to begin with, in this post I will write a list of tapas that are vegan or can be veganified, which you can order anywhere…

PATATAS BRAVAS

These are delicious fried potatoes, which come in a spicy tomato sauce. It is worth checking that they don’t have mayonnaise in, which can happen very occasionally, but usually they are a safe vegan bet, which they sell in pretty much every bar.

ESPINACAS (CON GARBANZOS)

Great together with ‘zumo de naranja’ (orange juice) for an iron boost, they serve this spinach warm with tomatoes and garlic, and it’s a delicious treat. Sometimes they do it with ‘garbanzos’ (chickpeas) as well, so you can get some protein too.

CHAMPIÑONES

Grilled or fried mushrooms with garlic and oil are delicious, plus they are a great source of vitamin A. Occasionally these come with meat, so you can ask for them ‘sin jamon o carne’ (without ham or meat) – worth saying both as they often don’t regard ham as a meat…

SALMOREJO (SIN NADA)

This is a delicious, cold tomato soup – not as cold as iced gazpacho, and in my opinion, tastier! It is a mixture of fresh tomatoes, garlic and oil, but make sure to ask for it ‘sin nada’ (without anything), as it often comes with eggs or ham on top.

TOSTADA CON TOMATE Y ACEITE

Okay, not technically a tapas, but this combination of toast with cold blended tomatoes, oil and garlic is a wonderfully refreshing breakfast/brunch. For maximum amazingness, poke some holes in the bread with a knife to let the olive oil really seep in. Again, occasionally you might need to order it ‘sin jamon’ (without ham) to be safe.

So these are your bread and butter (or vegan margarine if you will) for pretty much all restaurants in Spain. Look out for a forthcoming post on specific cafes and restaurants that are great for vegans!

Lots of love,

Sunny Kitty