I’ve spent so many summers in Gran Canaria, it feels a bit like home to me.

Being a Spanish island, a lot of their popular traditional dishes are centered around meat and fish. The capital Las Palmas, which also happens to be my favorite spot in Gran Canaria, does have some great vegan restaurants tho!

A little Las Palmas food tip: They have a tapas night at Calle Mendizábal every Thursday. The ambiance is super lively, there’s always lots of people and music and there’s tapas for a Euro or two at every restaurant! 

Anyways, these are some of my favorite veg spots in Las Palmas: 

• La Hierba Louisa 

This is by far my favorite place. The owners are an incredibly sweet Italian couple that moved to Las Palmas and started a fully vegan restaurant. The atmosphere at Hierba Louisa is so warm, so lovely, and the food! Creative and flavorful, just what vegan food should be. The menu changes quite frequently, but ask for recommendations and I’m sure you’ll be very happy with what you get. The location is super convenient, it’s right at the end of Calle Mendizábal so they offer affordable little vegan tapas every Thursday for tapas night as well:) 

• Bioloco 

Another fully vegan favorite with a great location, its situated right at Playa de Las Canteras, opposite the Reina Isabel hotel (a little tip: „Summum“ on the top floor of the hotel has an incredible view and is a good option for a bit of a fancier dinner experience. Their chef is great, so if you ask him to prepare something vegan for you, he’ll come up with something delicious for sure.) 

Ok back to Bioloco, their food is a little more on the indulgent side, (lost of vegan mayo lots of fat lots of oil) but especially the Caesar Salad and Seitan Sandwich are definitely worth it!

• Bistro La Champiñoneria 

Gambas al ajillo are a top tier tapa, at least top three in my opinion, unfortunately they come with a whole lot of bycatch and environmental destruction tho. However the champiñones al ajillo here are definitely a worthy replacement. This place has a bunch of other yummy dishes too, so if you have the tastebuds of a four year old and still don’t like mushrooms you’ll find something anyways. (grow up tho smh ur missing out lol) Also on Calle Mendizábal and a super popular spot for tapas night. 

• Zoë food

Very cute place in a cute little alley. They’re fully vegetarian and most dishes are vegan or can be veganized. They aren’t open for dinner I believe, but their lunch is always delicious, their breakfast options are great and the setting is just adorable. 

• Franks Vegan 

Great food great vibes, definitely worth checking out as well!

• Churreria Emiliano. 

My favorite churro place in Las Palmas, they have those freshly made, fat hot churros, not the tiny lackluster ones you’d get at a hotel breakfast buffet. They’re usually served with that thick puzdding-esque hot chocolate, but you could probably just bring some soy milk yourself and ask them to use it? I usually just eat them with sugar tho. The place is very fun and very local, there’s always a bunch of old Spanish men playing cards and drinking espresso. How great is the fact that churros are vegan. Love life. 

If you’re not in Las Palmas tho and these vegan and vegetarian spots aren’t an option, don’t worry! There are a few traditional dishes that are already vegan or can easily be veganized, so you won’t be eating plain salad no matter where you are, trust me. 

• Papas arrugadas/ Papas bravas /Papas con Mojo: Wrinkly little potatoes with a mojo sauce, so delicious if you get a good, homemade mojo. 
• Bread with tomatoes and olive oil: Basically a Spanish bruschetta, you really can’t go wrong with this. 
• Pimientos de padron: Little green peppers baked with lots of oil and salt. Super delicious! 
• Paella with vegetables. Self explanatory and always delicious! 
• There’s usually some type of onion and tomato salad, sometimes they add avocado. So good with some fresh bread! 
• Churros! I could probably eat them every day and die fat and happy. Theres good Churro spots all over the island, just ask a local;)