Sian Victoria © - Sunset near Cabogata Jardin Hotel, Retamar

Places You Can Eat Vegetarian & Plant-Based Near El Toyo

Welcome to Retamar, a hidden gem on the southern coast of Spain. Whilst this picturesque town may not be the first place that comes to mind for vegetarian or vegan foodies, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of plant-based options available here. From traditional Spanish dishes to international cuisine, Retamar has something for every vegetarian and vegan palate – if you look closely.

Whilst visiting Spain in the past, I've had trouble finding plant-based dishes that I truly enjoy. As a result, I was initially hesitant about spending 10 days in Almeria's El Toyo area, where meat-centric cuisine is more prevalent and fewer tourists tend to visit. Despite these concerns, I decided to book the trip and conducted extensive online research on all the food options available in Retamar beforehand.

My goal was to compile a comprehensive list of local eateries that my partner and I could frequent without feeling rushed or pressured to enter the restaurant when checking out the boards outside. Through careful restaurant mapping and social media browsing, I was able to narrow down our evening dining options to those that would offer the best vegetarian and vegan meals.

So, come along with me as I share our experiences dining in Retamar and indulging in some of the area's most delectable meat-free dishes.

1. Bastardo Come//Bebe

Sian Victoria © - Spainish tapas, Bastardo Come//Bebe, Plaza Del Mar, Retamar

Located at Plaza Del Mar a short walk from the luxury Cabogata Jardín Hotel & Spa where we stayed, you’ll find Bastardo Come//Bebe. With its intriguing name, this is a must-visit restaurant for vegetarians and vegans visiting Retamar.

This relatively new and trendy eatery offers delicious plant-based tapas dishes that will leave you craving more. We visited Bastardo three times throughout our holiday, not just because of the flavoursome tapas and friendly staff but because of the wonderful alfresco dining views that could be experienced at the Plaza del Mar in El Toyo that’s situated facing a man-made lake that mirrors the beach behind – making it the perfect spot to enjoy a sunset.

Despite the menu offering a lot of meat dishes the chefs at Bastardo Come//Bebe truly understand the art of vegan and vegetarian cooking and create their spin on delivering meat-free Spanish tapas. They use fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create innovative and mouthwatering dishes that will leave you wanting to re-create the recipes at home.

In this region of Spain, few people speak English, and our Spanish isn’t great either. However, thankfully ordering here was easy and the young guys serving were very welcoming. From the tapas menu, we ordered ‘hummus de espirulina’ which consisted of lemon, tahini, chickpeas, spirulina, and garlic on toast.

As well as the ‘perrito vegano’ which is a hot dog made of pickled carrot to replace the meat and topped with sauerkraut and mustard. The pickled carrot had a smoked-like flavour adding to its meatiness. The two tapas dishes were 2.80 euros each which we accompanied with crispy potato slices for 4.00 euros.

Overall, every time we visited the food and service were great and we were able to eat a fully vegan meal on a budget. So, whether you're a resident or a visitor to Retamar, dining at Bastardo Come//Bebe is a must for any vegetarian or vegan foodie to enjoy some of the best plant-based meals that Retamar has to offer.

2. Pizzería Italiana Versilia

Sian Victoria © - Vegan pizza, Pizzería Italiana Versilia, Plaza Del Mar, Retamar

Sian Victoria © - Garlic bread, Pizzería Italiana Versilia, Plaza Del Mar, Retamar

Located next door to Bastardo in the vibrant Plaza Del Mar, Pizzeria Italiana Versilia is a slice of heaven for vegetarian and vegan foodies in Retamar. This charming restaurant specialises in authentic Italian cuisine, making it a must-visit for those craving a taste of Italy.

The menu at Pizzeria Italiana Versilia is a delightful mix of classic Italian dishes. From wood-fired pizzas to freshly made pasta dishes bursting with flavour, there is something to satisfy every palate. The chefs here are passionate about using the freshest ingredients, including locally sourced produce, to ensure each dish is a culinary masterpiece.

The atmosphere at Pizzeria Italiana Versilia is warm and inviting, so whether you're dining with friends, and family, or on a romantic date, this restaurant offers a cosy setting for a memorable meal. Since my partner and I are always craving pizza, we were thankful to spot the option to have ‘lactose-free – vegan cheese’ on the menu. This is something we struggled to see when checking out the many other Italian restaurants nearby.

So, this was our place to go for pizza topped with vegetables, with a side of chips, and cheesy garlic bread on two occasions during our trip leaving us truly satisfied. Just double-check that the kitchen and server have made a note to add vegan cheese and you’ll have a delicious visit here.

3. Itálica

Sian Victoria © - Vegan wrap, Itálica, Retamar

Located at Residencial Alboran a short walk from the Plaza Del Mar, the Itálica restaurant in Retamar offers an affordable dining experience serving vegetarians and vegans as well as meat eaters. This eatery combines a range of cuisines, not just Italian-style food. To cater to plant-based diets it has a dedicated section on the menu, thankfully with a few options to choose from.

On the ‘Veganos – Vegetarian Food’ menu you’ll find a plant-based kebab, burger, and pizza with sides of nuggets, croquettes as well as chips. We opted for the vegan kebab and were pleasantly surprised to find that they used Oumph! as the meat replacement or something identical to my favourite meat-free brand.

So, we truly enjoyed the scrumptious wrap stuffed with plenty of salad and a generous portion of crispy fries. To further indulge that evening we also tucked into a sharing plate of chicken-style nuggets, these weren’t as good, but we certainly didn’t leave any golden deliciousness behind.

Whether you're a resident or a visitor to Retamar, Itálica is a must-visit restaurant for any vegetarian or vegan foodie as from what I could find they offered the most plant-based dishes of all the restaurants in Retamar, at a great price too.

4. Restaurante Indio Lakshmi

Sian Victoria © - Korma, Indian food, Retamar

If you're craving a taste of authentic Indian cuisine in Retamar, look no further than Restaurante Indio Lakshmi, located at Residencial Alboran next door to Itálica.

At this eatery, the chefs take pride in creating delicious curry dishes that showcase the diversity of Indian cuisine offering flavourful curries to fragrant rice dishes. Since we are picky eaters and didn’t fancy anything too hot, we played it safe and chose a sweet coconut dish of korma with mixed vegetables to replace the meat – although we forgot that it contains yoghurt too. To accompany the curry we ate garlic naan, chips, papadums and rice.

As many other diners have said in the restaurant’s reviews, the garlic naan is certainly not one to miss. Overall, we had a pleasant evening here and Restaurante Indio Lakshmi should be considered to let your taste buds embark on a culinary journey.

5. Döner Kebab Retamar

Looking for a quick and tasty plant-based option in Retamar? Look no further than Döner Kebab Retamar located on P.º Marítimo de a short walk from all of the above restaurants. This affordable takeaway or dine-in eatery offers a delicious falafel-based kebab that can be made vegetarian or vegan from the choice of sauces to satisfy your cravings. This was the first food place we visited, and we ate it to go so unfortunately I never took a photo since I didn’t plan to do this post.

For just 6 euros you can enjoy a falafel kebab stuffed with plenty of salad, chips, and a can of pop. My photo certainly does not do it justice as I was eager to tuck in and honestly, I wasn’t planning to blog about any of the food during my trip. However, as a food blogger, of course, I had to share how I got on eating vegan food in Almeria.

Also, on the menu at Döner Kebab Retamar, you’ll find a vegetable burger. So, this place is a great choice for a quick and tasty meal on the go, especially if you're on a budget and need something hearty to fuel your wanderlust, with there being many things to do in Almeria nearby.

If you visit the kebab shop during the day, I recommend you go for a scenic beach walk along the nature reserve that’s just steps away from this independent food place in Retamar.

To conclude

Although these personal foodie snaps of mine aren’t as good as the effort, I put in when I’m visiting places for work. Hopefully, you’ll see that there are some delicious plant-based meals to be enjoyed while you are visiting Retamar in the El Toyo area of Almeria.

Best of all, all these restaurants are located on the beachfront of the beautiful Playa del Retamar. So, after a day at the beach, you can simply cross the road and eat delicious plant-based dishes at lunchtime or in the evening.

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