Good Vibes and Vegetarian Delights
Somebody mentioned a healthy and very delicious lunch? I am in! Raval? Perfect! It is close to work, especially if I cycle there, not far from home to drop by on the weekend. It is also a very cool neighbourhood of Barcelona so let me share with you some names of great vegetarian restaurants in Raval.
BioCenter
My colleagues introduced me to this fantastic restaurant and I fell for its warm, lively and very welcoming vibe immediately. The three course menu option is generous and the concept together with prices is clearly explained in Catalan, Spanish and English. Unless you decide to go for a soup, a salad bar at the back of the restaurant is a place where you pick your starter. There are some filling options like tasty lentils, spicy potato, brown rice or pasta available and it is self-service so do not worry if you are hungry.
Welcome to BioCenter
The main dishes are served by friendly waiters so place an order with them once you made up your mind about one out of three choices that change every day. Will it be a vegetarian paella, a moussaka or a falafel in a creamy hummus sauce? That is a tough call for me!
I recommend freshly squeezed juices at BioCenter. Although they are not very cheap, they are worth it. Except water and fizzy drinks, there are alcoholic beverages on offer if you prefer to sip a beer or a mojito with your seitan burger. During the week I tend to skip a dessert or I take it away with me. On a weekend when I do not have to rush back to the office I treat myself to a coffee and their fantastic strawberry cake.
Carrer del Pintor Fortuny, 25
Good Vibes at BioCenter
L’Hortet
This restaurant is just two steps away and across the street from BioCenter. As it is not a big place it gets busy so keep it in mind when making your lunch plans. L’Hortet also has the menu option with a great quality salad bar and delicious main dishes like tofu with curried vegetables, different quiches and burgers. It is the veggie paella that always steals the show for me though. The menu is only available in Catalan so luckily my friend Dana helps me with that but we sometimes take guesses. Oh well, it is all delish anyway.
Carrer del Pintor Fortuny, 32
L’Hortet
Veggie Garden
A funky decor, an outside area with a couple of tables and a close proximity to my favourite contemporary art museums are the reasons why I discovered this restaurant. I love that there are often Nepalese dishes like momo dumplings available on the menu. Their thali tends to be my favourite choice too. Those familiar tastes always bring back my amazing memories from Kathmandu.
Veggie burgers are a little bit on a dry side due to the bread but the juices are fantastic. If you want a lighter lunch go for a menu option with no starter or desert. You get to choose your main dish and the juice of the day.
Carrer dels Àngels, 3
Juicy Jones
Colourful decor? Tick. Amazing juices? Tick. What about a thali? Yes, they serve it too and it never disappoints. However Veggie calzone or burgers also have their fans so give them a try if you spot them on a lunch menu and you prefer a non-spicy option.
Although Juicy Jones is based in Raval, it is not very far from famous La Rambla and only few steps away from Liceu metro station.
Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, 7
Vegetalia
This restaurant is a good option on a warm day if you want to stay outdoors as it has a fairly spacious outside area hidden in a small square of Raval. Their burgers with seitan and tempeh can cause food envy so order carefully. I enjoyed my Asian-style noodles with smoked tofu but… it will be a veggie burger next time I visit! There are actually two Vegetalia restaurants in Barcelona. If you plan to hang out in Barrio Gótico check out the other one.
Plaça Emili Vendrell, 1
Vegetalia
Organic
This restaurant is very spacious so it has never been a problem for me to get a table there. It is always a bonus in my book especially if the menu deal is also on offer.
There is an open kitchen where you see the chefs preparing food and a salad bar next to it with a really good choice. I tend to go for their classic dish with brown rice and vegetables. It is simply my favourite.
Carrer de la Junta de Comerç, 11
