The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Marbella

Customers who have dined at Gioia describe the chef, Marco, as an artist, so imaginative and tasty are the dishes he creates from plant-based ingredients. The entire menu is meat-free and the Italian-style dishes are spoken particularly highly off, especially the pasta with mushrooms and aubergine sauce and the bruschettas. Clients also love the fresh juices and smoothies.

Located in the heart of Marbella’s old town, La Casa del Té is a favourite spot amongst locals for the merienda – the Spanish equivalent of afternoon tea. Vegetarian options for a mid-afternoon snack (or light lunch or supper) here include crepes and wraps, whilst for dessert you can enjoy a Moroccan-style sweet treat. And of course, a good range of teas and coffees is also available.

The Farmacy is a vegetarian/vegan eatery attached to a yoga studio about a twenty-minute stroll out of central Marbella. It’s worth the (easy) walk, though, as from Monday to Friday the restaurant does a superb Menu del Día: veggie starter and main course rounded off with cake, tea or coffee for just €12 ($14.35). Popular dishes are the vegetarian burger and the “Tofu Scramble” – “spiced-up tofu, toast and salad”.

Situated in Marbella’s modern city-centre, the Green Bar is a friendly and popular restaurant that offers a good selection of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals. Non meat-eaters can choose from dishes that include a tasty veggie version of albóndigas – Spanish meatballs – and several vegetarian pizzas. The set menus also represent excellent value and are priced €9.50 ($11.37) with a starter and €8.50 ($10.17) without.

Located in the Cañada shopping centre on Marbella’s northern extremity, Manuka offers a healthy menu that includes several meat-free options, such as veggie wraps and quinoa-based dishes. Clients here also love the chilled and friendly atmosphere, with one recent customer saying it feels like a “beach bar washed up in the car park [of the shopping centre]”. Its milkshakes and fresh juices are also popular.

This funky Mexican restaurant is actually in Puerto Banús, a flashy marina 5 miles (8km) to the west of Marbella city; but Planet Beat had to be included in this article, as it offers some of the best international veggie food in the area. From its specialist menu, vegetarians can choose from a selection of meat-free burritos, burgers and quesadillas. A good range of imported beers is also available, and the service is highly rated.

The Thai food chain is a safe bet for fast, quality veggie food in the centre of Marbella. This outlet is situated on the pretty Plaza Puente de Málaga, on the edge of Marbella’s old town, and its several meat-free noodle dishes can be taken away – para llevar in Spanish – enjoyed on the tables inside, or on the outside terrace. A bonus is that, unlike many of Marbella’s traditional eateries, its kitchen stays open all day.