There are a good number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the city, which is to be expected in a metropolitan area with international influences. We have made a google map of vegetarian-friendly restaurants in the city which you are welcome to use. We have not tried all of the restaurants listed, but it's handy when you are out and hungry and want to find a place close by. Of these, our favorites are Teresa Carles, Addis Abeba (Ethiopian), Veggie Garden, Sesamo, L'Hortet, Maoz, and Biocenter.
Of course a hungry vegan can also go to just about any Thai, Chinese, or Indian restaurant, but note that many Chinese places, though abundant, are not very authentic and may not carry tofu or Chinese greens. I'm sorry to say, compared to the California Bay Area, the international cuisine here has not been quite up to snuff. Catalunya is a bit like Italy in that they love their own food and are happy to eat it every day for every meal, and other cuisines tend to adapt their foods to suit Spanish tastes.
Awareness and understanding of veganism amongst the general population is not very high. For example, when our kids go to parties or to a friend's house, I will often provide food for them since sometimes people are hard-pressed to come up with vegan options on their own.
One cannot really just go to any old restaurant and expect to find enough food to make a meal. But here are some typical local dishes which are generally vegan:
Aside from the obvious: patatas fritas (french fries), salad, bread, olives, hummus, and guacamole, look for these treats:
pimientos de padron a la plancha
grilled padron peppers
fantastic!
pa amb tomaquet
pan con tomate
bread with tomato, olive oil, and salt
simple but delicious
Setas a la plancha
Grilled mushrooms with garlic and parsley
More common in the fall. Delicious!
Alcachofas al horno
Baked artichokes with salt, pepper, and olive oil
Bueníssimo!
Escalivada
Oven roasted onions, sweet peppers, & eggplant
Swimming in olive oil
Patatas bravas
Oven fried potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aioli.
Aioli is garlic mayonnaise, which sometimes contains egg, so ask.
Famous for a reason.
And if you are around in March, try the calçots, a type of onion, like a cross between a green onion and a leek in that it has flat leaves rather than round, and they bury the bottom to keep it pale and tender. The are roasted over an open fire until they are complete black on the outside and soft on the inside. At a Calçotada (a traditional onion roasting party), one peels off the outer layer and dips what looks like a banana slug into the special sauce (Salsa de Calçots, a type of Romesco made of tomato, garlic, almonds, olive oil, and spices) then savors the sweet flavor. Your hands get all black. It's lots of fun, and tastes amazing.
In addition fresh fruits of excellent quality are available everywhere. Most restaurants offer a menú (a menu of your choice consisting of an entree, a main course, drink, and dessert) which includes a postre (dessert) and they will have fresh fruit as an option.
Buen provecho!
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