Natural Foods in Madrid
by Katie Goldstein
A Spanish friend of mine calls herself a vegetarian. But, she says, “I make an exception for jamón.” There you have it: it can be a little tough to be a true vegetarian in this country.
In Madrid, though, life is not so bad for those who seek vegetarian-friendly shops or restaurants. First, you’ve got NaturaSí, an Italian natural foods supermarket chain with three locations in Madrid. I buy everything from oats and organic chocolate to tofu and tamari here. Another of the biggies is Ecocentro—a natural foods “center.” In addition to the restaurant with many appetizing options. Finally, in Lavapiés, you’ve got A salto de mata, which is a smaller natural foods store with a serious focus on buying its products locally.
Among the many vegetarian dining options in the city, the organic market and buffet Viva la Vida is excellent for a quick meal. Conveniently located on Calle Huertas, it offers a mouth-watering buffet for 1.80 euros per 100 grams. Make sure to save room for a piece of carrot cake after your meal. El Granero de Lavapiés, on Calle Argumosa, also deserves a mention for its delicious home-cooked, and mostly organic vegetarian food. You’ll feel like you’re at home too, in their welcoming dining room.
See map below for the places mentioned above.
Comments
Comment from Andrew
Date: January 13, 2008, 7:23 pm
Amazing! I have been looking for some Italian products for a while, I will go and check out this shop.
Does anyone know of any other tiendas that sell authentic italian products? (queso, tomates, pasta..)? Gracias 
Comment from Katie
Date: January 14, 2008, 10:34 pm
Yes, there’s one in my neighborhood: I believe at the corner of C/ Galileo and Joaquin María López (or Donoso Cortés)–in the Moncloa area. It’s called Manggia Italia or something like that. Also in any gourmet shop they’re bound to have nice Italian stuff–like the Bodega Santa Cecilia: http://www.notesfrommadrid.com/2007/10/08/where-to-buy-wine-in-madrid/. Good luck!
Pingback from Yerbabuena: Inventive vegetarian cuisine – Notes from Madrid
Date: January 2, 2008, 10:50 am
[...] As mentioned in a previous post, eating vegetarian in Madrid is a fool’s errand or a compelling challenge, depending on how you look at it. There are many establishments that throw ham into every single dish and a large contingent of madrileños that don’t consider fish or seafood to be meat. [...]