Without a doubt, San Sebastian is a foodie’s heaven!
The city has a worldwide fame for the quality of food. From the Michelin Star restaurants, to the sidrerias (cider houses) and the pintxo culture, there’s a lot to be admired on a trip to San Sebastian.
However, it’s fair to say that the Basque Country is a little more traditional when it comes to food. Most of the food San Sebastian is famous for contains meat, fish or dairy products. Not great if you’re a vegan!
However, there is a growing number of vegan and vegetarian restaurants opening up in the city each year.
In this article we’ll run through the top vegan restaurants, plus some of our favourites that offer vegan and vegetarian options.
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The best vegan (and veggie) restaurants in San Sebastian
We’ll kick off with a list of some of the best restaurants that serve predominantly plant-based and lacto-ovo vegetarian dishes.
1. Mapa Verde
We start with one of only a couple of restaurants in the city that serve up a full vegan menu, Mapa Verde.
This small restaurant in the heart of the Gros district has a philosophy of healthy, balanced and environmentally conscious food which is 100% free of cruelty to animals.
The menu features a number of sharing platters, from yac nachos with guacamole to chickpea pancakes with broccoli and hummus. But there’s also an Eastern twist with Bao buns, Thai soup and their Buddah bowls.
Don’t go too overboard though!
It’s worth sticking around for dessert to try the famous tiramisu. The recipe has been handed down by the owners of the first vegan restaurant in San Sebastian (unfortunately now closed).
2. Fresh Green
📌 C. Jose Miguel Barandiaran, 22, bajo, 20013
Hidden in the corner of Gros in the area of Sagues, you’ll find Fresh Green.
In reality, they are in a privileged position at the end of the Zurriola beach with a large terrace area (that’s a bit of a sun trap!).
It’s a vegetarian and vegan restaurant, with a healthy and varied menu designed to cater for both. There are a few more exotic options here with South American influence to some of the dishes.
They serve brunch from around 10am through to more substantial meals in the evening. It’s a great spot on a nice summer afternoon!
3. Orburu
📌 Calle Matia 5 bajo, Callejon Cruz Roja, Antiguo, 20008
Located in the Antiguo district, Orburu is a taverna with a menu based on vegetables with an exotic twist.
The owner Eneko López brings his years of experience living abroad to deliver an internationally inspired way of cooking. It’s mainly vegetarian dishes that are on offer, but around 50% of the menu is also suitable for vegans.
They also have a nice quiet terrace area outside on Calle Matia.
4. Garraxi
Garraxi was one of the first vegetarian restaurants to open in San Sebastian in the barrio (district) of Egia.
They offer a wide ranging menu from pizzas, bocadillos, rice dishes and salads using only the best fresh, local produce.
Alongside one of the most varied menus, it’s probably one of the best value vegetarian / vegan options in the city. For that reason it can get busy, so it’s worth booking in advance, especially on a weekend!
5. Maiatza
Maiatza is a great spot in the Old Town for vegans and vegetarians no matter what time of day.
Their delicious menu makes this not only a great place for breakfast (they serve brunch all day!), but lunch, early dinner or even an afternoon treat to a cake and coffee.
Their vegan cakes are some of the best in the city and well worth a try!
6. Goxo Poke
Whilst not a strictly vegan place, Goxo Poke offers exotic, fresh Hawaiian-Japanese fusion dishes, aligning with vegan values.
Options include rice or quinoa with fruits, salad, protein and other ingredients such as wakame seaweed or shiitake mushrooms.
Their menu also includes hummus, edamame, wakame seaweed and vegetable chips. And they even offer a succulent vegan brownie for dessert.
You can visit their cosy restaurant or take out.
Restaurants with vegan and vegetarian options
If your partner or companion in San Sebastian is a carnivore, you may want to visit a restaurant that will meet both your needs.
Below we’ve compiled a list of some of our favourite restaurants that serve up meat dishes with plenty of vegan and veggie options too.
1. Tedone Jatetxea
📌 Al lado, Calle Corta, Mirakruz Kalea, 10, 20001
Whilst Tedone doesn’t offer a strictly vegetarian or vegan menu, the restaurant is committed to delicious ecological, organic and whole grain food.
They serve up a seasonal menu that changes with the fresh produce available. The result is stunning healthy, nutritious food that is good for you.
Located on the fringe of Gros and Egia, the interior is cosy, accompanied by a small terrace area where you can enjoy a meal outdoors.
2. Kafe Botanika
📌 Gernikako Arbola Pasealekua, 8, 20006
At Discover Donosti, we’re big fans of Kafe Botanika. It features in our best places for breakfast in San Sebastian as well as being generally one of our favourite restaurants.
That’s because they offer a varied, original, healthy food menu, in a beautiful outdoor setting on the banks of the River Urumea.
When any vegan or vegetarian friends are in town, we always take them here as it caters for everyone.
3. Kaxilda
Kaxilda is one of the most interesting restaurants in San Sebastian. It’s situated in Easo in the Area Romantica, near to the Euskotren railway station.
At first glance, it may appear to be more of a book shop or a library. And you’d be right to think so! They label themselves as an “associative library”, as a space for meeting and discussions.
However, alongside all the books and open table meeting spaces, they also operate a restaurant in the space. Whilst the menu is fairly limited in terms of the number of options, a high percentage of them are vegan and vegetarian dishes and they are all delicious!
4. Zinema Corner
Situated in the heart of the Gros neighbourhood, Zinema Corner is a bar restaurant that serves a number of vegan and vegetarian options on their menu.
You can pick up anything from pintxos, bocadillos, tostas (toasts), salads and burgers which all have their own vegetable (vegan or vegetarian) versions.
They have a pretty decent sized terrace area too which makes it a good spot on a nice day.
If you’re looking to experience pintxo pote whilst in San Sebastian, this is one of the few places in the city that offer vegan dishes.
