Vegetarian Recipes
Our Guide to Barcelona
https://greenkitchenstories.com/our-guide-to-barcelona/

We love Barcelona and if you are following us on social media you might have noticed that we return there in the summers. Our family has an apartment in the Raval area and Barcelona has therefore become almost like a second home to us. It has that rare combination of big city vibe, great weather and long beaches. We have shared a few recommendations on instagram but we wanted to put together a more proper guide of the places we like to visit for good food and family friendly places.
We are leaving out the Gaudí attractions, the Picasso museum and all other regular tourist attractions and focus on good vegetable centered places to eat, great coffee and delicious ice cream. There are thousands of restaurants and places in Barcelona and this is by no means a complete guide. But it’s the places that we often return to or have been recommended by people that know our preferences. If you think we have missed something good, please leave a comment and we might include it when we update the guide.
We have also marked all these places in a Green Kitchen Barcelona on Google Maps so you can easily find them. And to make things even better, we also marked all our favorite playgrounds because they can be pretty tricky to find. (If you don’t have kids you can just close that layer.)
Thanks for following along and enjoy Barcelona!
Cafés
– Satans Coffee – This has been one of our favorite coffee bars for years. It’s hidden away in an alley in Gotica. Apart from awesome coffee they serve a couple of cool food options and served quinoa bircher before we did 🙂
– Caravelle – This place quickly became one of our favorites. The ambience and service is great and the coffee is on spot. The food are inventive and taste amazing. You can easily ask for your flat white with oat milk and their cow’s milk comes from small farm just outside Barcelona.
– Little Fern Cafe – A New Zealand / Aussie style cafe in Pobleneu with lots of modern veggie options and great coffee. We loved the corn fritters and avocado and smashed pea sandwich.
– Federal Cafe – A typical hipster place with cool interior and good coffee. They allow laptops so we go here when we need to work and enjoy a tomato and melted cheese croissant sandwich.
– Bohl – If you are looking for smoothie bowls and porridge bowls in Barcelona, this is the place to go. A beautiful location located in the Eixample neighborhood.
– Nømad Coffee Lab & Shop – Specialty coffee roasters with 3 locations serving hot coffee and signature cold brew.
– Onna Coffee – Serious coffee café, making their coffee with small batch hand-roasted coffee beans. You can find sweet breakfast and match lattes too. Located in the nice neighbourhood Grácia.
Restaurants
– Bormuth – A classic catalan tapas restaurant in Born that we always return to. It’s decently priced and has many good vegetarian tapas options. Try the red pepper and goat’s cheese, the aubergine with honey and the wilted spinach with pine nuts and raisins.
– Teresa Carles / Flax & Kale – This is a vegetarian institution in Barcelona. Famous for their creative vegetarian food, colorful smoothies and beautiful locations. Teresa Carles was the first restaurant but now they have a few more have two sister restaurants and also Teresas Stairway as their third location focused on smoothies and smaller bites. A little pricey but shouldn’t be missed if you are a vegetarian visiting Barcelona.
– El Jardi – A little tapas and drink bar hiding inside a garden in the middle of busy Raval. They often have live music in the afternoons and then it’s well worth stopping by for a drink and a snack.
– Bar Lobo -A fancier tapas bar on a quieter street just behind La Rambla. The food is good and the location is pretty although a little expensive. It’s a good place to bring friends to as they have a big outdoor seating area in the sun, but you might want to reserve a table first.
– Tantarantana – An old favorite tapas restaurant in Born that we have visited for years. Food and service are great and they make the best fried aubergine.
– Honest Greens – New cool and huge restaurant and café with breakfast, lunch and dinner and a separate coffee bar with healthy-ish treats and snacks. Perfect if you are around Plaça de Catalunya and are looking for something green. Extra points for their kombucha on tap.
– The Green Spot – A fancier vegetarian restaurant right in the beginning of Barceloneta. We have tried their charcoal pizza with zucchini and smoked burrata, root carpaccio with spirulina and iced turmeric latte with espresso.
– Parking Pita / Parking Pizza – These two neighbor places were recommended to us by a bunch of people but we went there without checking their opening hours and came before they were open for dinner (kids life!). We didn’t have time to go back but will def try it next time we are in town. The photos on their instagram look great.
– Sopa Barcelona – We haven’t made it here yet but heard that we should go for good vegetarian food and soups. Might be worth a visit if you are in the Poblenou neighborhood.
– Baldomero – We haven’t made it here yet, but it has been recommended to us by many. And the photos on their instagram looks aesthetically pleasing with shades of pink and a communal style kitchen.
– Väcka – A small vegan place with lots of fun and creative vegan burgers, waffles, vegan cheeses and cakes.
Ice Cream Bars
– Gocce Di Latte – A great ice cream bar between Born and Barceloneta. We often stop by here own the way back from the beach. They have an all vegan location around the corner.
– Amorino gelato – Super touristy but our kids love that they shape their ice cream into roses. They have serval locations in the city, we usually go to the Portaferrissa street.
– Dela Crem – Several people tipped us about this ice cream place which is located on a cosy walking street with several nice cafes and restaurants a little north of Plaça Catalunya. The salted pistachio ice cream was insanely good and their coffee and mascarpone too.
– Bar Campana – Located next to a cute courtyard in Born. Worth a stop for their coffee ice cream and good nougat flavors too.
– Paralello Gelato – Artisinal ice cream shop. We actually never made it here but it’s on our list for next time.
STORES
– Veritas – This is an organic supermarket where we go if we want decently priced and clean ingredient products like nut butters, plant milks, quinoa, vegan ice creams, kombucha, veggie sausages, the best tempeh and tofu. We often stop by here during our first days and stock up on things that we enjoy to keep at home.
– La Bouqeria – The classic market in Barcelona filled with colorful and creatively displayed fruit and vegetables, (sweetened) fruit juices, nuts, cheeses, restaurants (and meats)
– Santa Caterina Market – This is a similar market to La Bouqeria but indoor with a little less tourists.
– Ferment 9 – An entire shop and workshop space devoted to ferments like sauerkraut, kimchi, vegetables and kombucha. If you love bubbles and gut friendly bacterias, you must stop by and if you haven’t tried it yet, go and get your ferment addiction started.
– Origo – An organic sourdough bakery in Graçia, in case you get tired of the standard Spanish baguette type of bread.
Things to do with kids
There are plenty of small playgrounds spread out in every neighborhood in Barcelona and many of them also have a coffee shop or tapas bar next door which we think is excellent. They aren’t really marked on any official maps, so we have marked a few of our favorite playgrounds on our Google Map so you easily can find them. If you are looking for larger playgrounds, check out the parks Joan Miro,
– Labyrinth de Hoerta – Take the metro here and walk up through the peaceful garden, watch the old fountains and then get lost in the large garden labyrinth. We usually bring lunch and have it there as there aren’t any good food options. They have a pretty fun playground as well.
– Tibidabo Amusement Park – A little tivoli on top of a mountain with a view over Barcelona. It’s a fun day trip if you have kids but bring food as they don’t have many vegetarian options other than fries and popcorn.
– Beach – Barceloneta is a long beach that can be reached within a 15 minute walk from La Rambla. It’s well taken care of and have lots of lifeguards although water can get a little dirty as with most city beaches. If you rent a bike, it’s worth riding a bit further away to Bogatell beach and further on. Water gets cleaner and it gets a little less crowded. If you are in Bogatell, you should also take a walk up the beautiful Rambla del Poblenou after the beach.
– Swimming Pools – There aren’t that many great swimming pools for kids (unless you want to invade one of the hotels). However, if your kids can swim you should go up to one of the two swimming pools on Montjuic. Both places only have deep pools but they are reasonably priced and have 50 meters pools. Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc has an amazing panoramic view over the city but apart from that it’s all very basic with no sunbeds or shadow places. Piscines Bernat Picornell don’t have the view but it has both an indoor and an outdoor pool, lifeguards, sunbeds and a little café.
Vegetarian Recipes
Easy Homemade Falafel
This Easy Homemade Falafel recipe is one of the first recipes I shared on here after getting my food processor 15 years ago, and it’s stood the test of time as a reader favorite. These protein-packed, budget-friendly vegan patties are perfect for a healthy lunch or dinner, and they’re so easy to make at home! Traditionally, they’re deep-fried, which gives them a wonderfully crispy exterior with a soft, warm center. I have an irrational fear of deep-frying, so I shallow-fry my falafels in a skillet. They still turn out crispy and delicious, but with less mess and hassle!

What is Falafel?
If you’ve never had falafel before, they’re a classic street food originating from the Middle East. These little fried patties are made of mashed beans (fava or chickpeas/garbanzo) mixed with tons of fresh herbs and spices, like parsley, cilantro, and cumin. They’re browned and crispy on the outside, with a soft center. If you’re veggie, vegan, or trying to reduce your meat intake, homemade falafel is the perfect protein-packed alternative!
My version of this tasty treat is definitely not authentic, as I use canned chickpeas and flour. But if you’d like to try your hand at making authentic falafel or read more about the culture and history behind them, check out this recipe from The Mediterranean Dish.
“These are hands down the best falafels I’ve ever had! They’re easy to make, crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside and taste fantastic! I also made your hummus & Greek yogurt sauce to go with them. Stuffed a pita with falafels, hummus, fresh greens and topped with the sauce, All I can say is Wow! Thank you!!”
MaryBeth
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy falafel recipe:
- Canned Chickpeas: I always use canned chickpeas because they’re quick (no soaking required), readily accessible, and CHEAP. You can use dried chickpeas if you like; just be sure to soak them overnight and prepare about 3 cups worth (which is equivalent to two standard 15-ounce cans).
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour to help bind the mixture together. You can also use chickpea or garbanzo bean flour to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Baking Powder: The combination of canned chickpeas and flour can make the patties quite dense, so I add some baking powder to offset this. It helps create a lighter texture on the inside while still maintaining crispiness on the outside.
- Red Onion: Adds a nice bite and texture. Any color onion will work here, but I love the flavor of red onions in this recipe.
- Fresh Parsley and Cilantro: These add a fresh and vibrant flavor. Don’t like cilantro? No problem—just use extra parsley. I don’t recommend substituting dried herbs here, as they won’t taste the same fresh.
- Garlic: I use four whole cloves, so the garlic flavor certainly isn’t lacking here!
- Cooking Oil: Use any neutral cooking oil suitable for frying. Some options include avocado oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Seasonings: Salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin add flavor with a little kick of heat. Feel free to reduce the amount of cayenne or omit it altogether if you’re sensitive to spice.
Can I Bake Them?
I always get questions about whether you can bake falafel, and I really wouldn’t suggest it. In my testing, I found they don’t get a nice brown crispy exterior like you do with frying, and they can get quite dry. Some readers have had success using the air fryer for about 15 minutes at around 370°F, but I haven’t personally tested this method.
Recipe Success Tips!
- Process the ingredients in batches if you have a smaller food processor. This recipe makes a fairly big batch of falafel mix, and I don’t want you to overwork your food processor! If you have a smaller one, divide the ingredients and process in batches.
- Avoid big chunks of ingredients. I like my patties to have some texture, but big pieces of onion or chickpeas can cause them to fall apart when frying. Make sure to process the ingredients until a chunky paste forms.
- Don’t skip the flour, and add it in batches. The mixture will hold together without adding flour, but as soon as you cook it, I can almost guarantee the patties will fall apart. You want to add the flour in batches (starting with 2 tablespoons) until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when formed into balls.
- Let the mixture rest. This rehydrates the flour, enhances the flavor, and makes it easier to form into patties. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before cooking. You can even leave it overnight and fry them the next day.
- Make sure the oil is hot. One reason I prefer pan-frying over deep frying is because I don’t have to check the oil temperature constantly. However, it’s still important to make sure the oil is hot. It should be hot and shimmering but not smoking. The hot oil immediately creates a crispy crust on the patties when they hit the pan (another trick to help them hold their shape).
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. Adding too many patties to the hot oil will cause the temperature to drop and affect the cooking time and texture. I like to cook them in batches, leaving enough space between each one for even cooking.
How to Serve Falafel
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of falafel wraps or flatbread with fresh greens and tahini sauce. But recently, I’ve been making hummus bowls from our white bean hummus, whatever raw veggies I have in the fridge (usually cucumber, tomatoes, and bell peppers), pickles or pickled red onions, and these yummy little patties. Or, to please a crowd, I love to create a mezze platter with several dips, like tzatziki sauce or baba ganoush, marinated olives, pita bread, crudités, and homemade falafel! They’d also add a delicious, garlicky flavor to just about any salad, but I like one with a tangy dressing, like our Greek salad.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
I usually freeze some of the uncooked patties as a grab-and-go option for busy nights. I form the mixture, but instead of frying, I freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid and transfer to a freezer bag. Because they’re only small, you can pan-fry them from frozen without thawing.
Any leftovers (after cooking) should be cooled and stored in the fridge for 3-4 days, making them great for meal prep! You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven (best for maintaining the crispy exterior) if desired.


Homemade Falafel Recipe
Equipment
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Food Processor
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Baking Sheet
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Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz. cans chickpeas $1.72
- ¼ red onion $0.26
- 1 handful fresh parsley, about ¼ bunch $0.26
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, about ¼ bunch $0.17
- 4 cloves garlic $0.12
- 1 tsp salt $0.01
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper $0.13
- 1 tsp ground cumin $0.08
- 1 tsp baking powder $0.04
- ½ cup flour* $0.07
- ¼ cup neutral cooking oil for frying $0.22
Instructions
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Rinse and drain the chickpeas in a colander. Add the chickpeas to a food processor with the red onion, parsley, cilantro, salt, cayenne, garlic and cumin.
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Process the mixture until it forms a chunky paste. A little texture to the mixture is usually desirable. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to make sure the mixture is an even texture.
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Place the mixture into a bowl and add the baking powder. Begin adding flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture becomes cohesive enough to form into patties and not stick to your hands. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
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Using a small measuring cup or scoop (about 1/8th cup or 2 Tbsp), form the mixture into small patties.
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If freezing the patties for later, place them on a parchment lined baking sheet so they can freeze without sticking together. The patties can be transferred to an air-tight container or freezer bag for long-term storage once they have frozen through.
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To cook the fresh or frozen patties, heat oil in a skillet (or pot if deep frying) until very hot and shimmering, but not smoking. Cook the patties on each side until deep golden brown and crispy.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition

How to Make Falafel — Step By Step Photos

Gather all your ingredients.

Rinse and drain two 15oz. cans of chickpeas (or about 3 cups if cooked from dry) in a colander. Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with a large handful of parsley, a large handful of cilantro, 1/4 of a red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and 1 tsp salt.

Pulse the mixture until you have a chunky paste. Chunks add great texture, but too many will keep the mixture from holding its shape in a patty. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Stir 1 tsp baking powder into the chickpea mixture. Then begin adding flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the paste is dry enough to form patties and not stick to your hands. I only used 1/4 cup of flour when I made these recently! Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors blend.

Scoop the mixture into about 2 Tbsp portions and shape into small patties.

If you’d like to freeze your falafel, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment, then place them in the freezer. Once frozen solid, you can transfer them to a freezer bag for long-term storage. I got 19 falafel with a 2 Tbsp scoop. I cooked some immediately and froze the rest.

To cook, add enough oil to a skillet to completely cover the surface (one of my favorite pans). Heat over medium until the oil is hot and shimmering. Add the formed patties and cook on each side until brown and crispy.

Let them drain on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

And that’s it! If you’re a garlic lover, you’re going to LOOOVE these homemade falafel!
More Easy Chickpea Recipes
The post Easy Homemade Falafel appeared first on Budget Bytes.
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