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Good flavor, huge portions, vegan-friendly

4 Posted on 05 / 22 / 2013

As others have noted, the serving sizes here are very generous, making the menú del día a great value. I had to take some of mine away to finish later.

All the courses of my meal had great flavor and texture.

Personally, i'm not that into vegan "cheeses" and i usually prefer to do without, but they do it pretty well here, IMHO, so i didn't mind it.

The vegan flan was great. :-)

Pros: very vegan-friendly, HUGE portions, vegan desserts

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For special events...

5 Posted on 05 / 12 / 2013

Recommended by several friends, this restaurant brings you an excelent vegetarian and vegan food in large quantities and very good products and cooking quality. Has a big and varied menu. Is expensive for ordinary meals, from 10 to 15 euros each course. Corn nachos is a good starter to share...and more...Near Arenal and "Sun gate square". Sometimes needs call for reservation.

Pros: Excellent food, Varied menu, Ambience
Cons: Expensive

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Never left disappointed

5 Posted on 01 / 16 / 2013

Each time I have been to Madrid (3 times) I have eaten here and I have never left disappointed. The staff are friendly and conscientious even if there is a langauage barrier (for some staff) when ordering in English. I was served an apertif which I wasn´t charged for which made the dining experience more pleasurable.

It is not as upmarket as the nearby Isla del Tescoro Atocha restaurant but the portion size and price reflect this.

I will eat here again. Ideal for solo diners who want to eat something nice.

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Yerbanobueno

2 Posted on 01 / 14 / 2013

We tried to enter this place, but were locked out! We got there 2 hours before their posting outside said it closed at. People were inside eating, but the door was locked. A waiter even saw us but didn't come to the door. One of the most bizarre experiences we've ever come across. Attempted again to come in, only to be stared at. I have no idea what this was about - we decided to go to Vegania instead.

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Good food, big portions

4 Posted on 11 / 30 / 2012

Had a nice dinner in a nice atmosphere.
Portions were big so you don't need to get more then a main course.
Carrot cake for dessert was very good.
Prices are a bit high.

Pros: Nice vibe, Tasty food, Big portions
Cons: A bit on the expensive side

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Vegans beware

3 Posted on 11 / 09 / 2012

Not a bad vegetarian restaurant, but vegans be warned that dishes marked 'appropriate for vegans' ('apto vegano') are NOT vegan by default. They seem to be vegan OPTIONS. This is confusing because 'vegan option' ('opción vegano') also appears on the menu. I ordered the moussaka and it came oozing with cow cheese. When I enquired, the waiter suggested I swap with one of my non-vegan friends (who had by chance ordered something that was vegan). She also said I should have specified vegan when I ordered. Not a great experience. I expect this sort of thing at omni restaurants, but hope for better from vegetarian places. Other than that the food was ok - quite rich and artistic.

Pros: Artistic, Plenty of food
Cons: Not very vegan-friendly

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dinner on monday

5 Posted on 09 / 27 / 2012

very good place, central in madrid, vegan opcion right prices and quiet ambient.

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Nice People, very good meals

4 Posted on 08 / 18 / 2012

I like it! Very good prives. All meals are allthough vegan, the starter was not orderd, very nice and good for free! Great lokation nearby Sol. Will come back!

Pros: Starter, Very quick
Cons: To quick for fresh, but very good

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Beautifully Presented Vegetarian/Vegan Cuisine

4 Posted on 06 / 01 / 2012

Well! I ate at Yerbabuena today, around two hours ago. It wasn't a random find, I actually live in the area and had been eyeing up this restaurant for a few months! I decided to finally take action and go for the experience, which is something that I most definitely don't regret.
I opted for the "menú del día", as the majority of people do during the afternoon, which was 13 € and as with most Spanish set menus, included a starter, main course, dessert and drink. I had the soup of the day to start, an aubergine (eggplant) burger for the main course and natural kefir for dessert, along with mineral water. The menu also has many vegan options, ensuring everyone is catered for. No complaints about any aspect of the food, it was all presented so well that I actually had to photograph each of the dishes! The only thing from which Yerbabuena could definitely benefit would be slightly friendlier staff; don't get me wrong, they weren't rude, but my particular waiter was a little... indifferent, we'll say.
My conclusion, though, is that vegetarians/vegans/non-veg fans of the cuisine absolutely cannot miss this restaurant! ¡Que aproveche!

Pros: beautiful presentation, good portion sizes, menu del day very good value
Cons: staff not particularly warm, food is served quickly

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Try it! Try it!

5 Posted on 03 / 26 / 2012

Excellent food, one of the finest cuisine I've ever tried.
Amazing vegan dishes, honest price. You must try "canelones en rollito" , soups, and "hamburguesa".
They always offer an aperitif but beware, it's not vegan!
Despite of the price on the list, a single dish is very satisfying so don't worry for your pocket. If you are 2 or more people, try everything and share.
If you can, ask for a reservation in the front yard because there's more sunlight.

Pros: Excellent food, Lots of vegan options, Big portions

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good place for a pleasant and tasty veggie meal

4 Posted on 02 / 12 / 2012

Small place off the beaten road. Not sophisticated in design. wide range menu, dishes are creative, very tasty and large.
Close to Sol and city center, recommended.

Pros: tasty food, wide selection, small and cozy

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desapointing

2 Posted on 02 / 06 / 2012

I've been there twice and both times I felt unconfortable;
the waiters were cold -almost rude;
the place is somewhat posh and the dishes although sophisticated can be either too salty or too sweet;
although, the place is really vegan friendly, vegans an trust them

Pros: several vegan options
Cons: terrible service, posh

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Unpleasant Customer Service and Taste

2 Posted on 01 / 14 / 2012

I ordered spaghetti bolognese. The texture of the pasta was very soggy like they didn't know the word "al dente" or even how to boil pasta. The bolognese had no taste. I added salt, pepper, and even vinegar, and it finally tasted better. A skinny young waiter was pretty much rude, consistently had no smile. He didn't come to my table unless I rose my hand and called him CLEARLY. I was very disappointed with my dinner that night.

Pros: location
Cons: customer service, taste

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okay food, so-so service

2 Posted on 01 / 08 / 2012

Among the vegetarian restaurants we visited in Madrid, this was our least favorite. The caesar salad I ordered was odd, with the dressing piled on so heavily that it was almost inedible and had a strange aftertaste like gasoline. It was unfortunately one of the worst things I have ever tasted. Thankfully their veggie lasagna made up for it and was actually quite good. My wife's spaghetti though wasn't cooked very well and again had a strange aftertaste to it. Maybe the menu is just hit or miss. Service was also uneven. Our primary server, a youngish skinny fellow, looked like he didn't want to be there at all and was actually quite rude. The other server was friendlier and actually had a smile on our face. This place was hit or miss for us and unfortunately was mostly a miss when we were there. We did not go back.

Pros: Large portions
Cons: So-so service, Weird aftertaste

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Cute & Inventive

4 Posted on 12 / 19 / 2011

This was a cute little restaurant not too far from Puerto del Sol (and around the corner from a 100 Montaditos location). The restaurant was a bit pricey for me but the portion size was really large. I could no finish my soup nor could my husband finish his veggie burger.

This was overall a nice experience. We were given bread (watch out, they charge for this, so if you don't want it, let them know!) and also a little medley of appetizers...olives, a cantaloupe based drink, and something similar to a samosa with some sauces. They even brought us more when we asked.

The food was very fresh and beautifully presented. I enjoyed myself!

Pros: fresh food, beautiful presentation
Cons: expensive

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service could have been better

2 Posted on 09 / 16 / 2011

They did not know the menu in english. good thing they had the menu writen in english, but it seemed not to help in getting the right order.

then charging 1 e more for the drink and when explained that it is cheaper on the menu the waiter just insisted. I refused to pay extra and got it eventually as priced on the menu. no apologises from the waiters mistake.
food was ok.

Still wondering how come in EU there is countries where they dont know a single word in english???

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Pricy, but good

4 Posted on 08 / 20 / 2011

The food is good, but a bit pricy. The waitress we had could have been more service-minded. She seemed to be in a bad mood...

Pros: Nice food, Nice interior
Cons: Not very friendly staff, A bit pricy

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Awesome place!

5 Posted on 07 / 13 / 2011

This restaurant is conventienty located near the big subway station Puerta del Sol and they did an amazing job in catering for some hungry vegans! They have a menu of the day where you get 3 courses + bread, water and mini appetizer for 15 euro. And the food is really amazing! You just need to tell them you're vegan and they'll give you the option of the day, or order one of their lovely dishes from the menu.
We ended up eating there 3 days in a row and every day we left stuffed and delighted!

Pros: cheap, high quality produce, varied menu
Cons: somewhat small, don't speak english

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Great Place

5 Posted on 06 / 01 / 2011

Lovely food, nice decor and great sangria!!!

Pros: Good for friends, Sangria

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huge portions

5 Posted on 11 / 20 / 2010

Really tasty food beautifully presented. Be warned, the portions are so huge, you may want to share.Only a short walk from one of the main shopping streets of Madrid.

Pros: tasty food, huge portions, very friendly staff

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Yes please.

4 Posted on 11 / 17 / 2010

My friend and I really enjoyed our dinner at Yerbabuena. We arrived early for most Madrilenos, so we didn't have to wait for a table. We started with a free amuse-bouche of gazpacho soup and a little slice of tortilla. We were grateful for English-language menus (and a huge jug of sangria, which was lovely). For main, I opted for the cannelloni, whilst my friend had veggie paella. We both agreed the other person's dish was better, so swapped halfway through the meal. The paella was delicious; the cannelloni a little heavy for me, but had a good flavour. The restaurant got very busy, which made up for the lack of ambience and clinical decor.

Pros: wide selection, excellent good, balanced portions
Cons: lack of atmosphere, rich dishes

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Yuk

2 Posted on 11 / 05 / 2010

I am vegan, and love to find vegan-friendly restaurants. I also love Madrid. It is with a very heavy heart that I have to give this place a bad review.

The appetizer, some deep-fried mushroom concoction, was very good. Then the meal went down hill. The vegan paella tasted like wet dog smells. And the other meal we ordered, called a canelon (I think), was too gross to eat--smothered in weird-tasting fake cheesy stuff. The aftertaste was like a melted tire.

The staff was very nice and helpful. We were the only people eating in the place, which was strange for the peak dinner hour. We left feeling very full, and a little nauseous. I really do wish I could have a more positive review.

Pros: Nice Staff, Good appetizer
Cons: Weird tasting food, No ambiance

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Very good experience

4 Posted on 10 / 06 / 2010

I like it very much, cozy place, excelent vegan food, clean, nice envirment

Pros: Good food, Clean
Cons: Hard to find the street

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Another good review...

4 Posted on 10 / 03 / 2010

Ate here a couple days ago. Went in for breakfast at 11am. They had breakfasts of sandwiches. We had sandwiches. Think they were about 8 euros. I was very impressed. You get loads of food and it was really tasty.
We came here again for dinner. Bit more expensive, think I paid 16 euros for my main. Wasn't that impressed with it as it was mainly a big chunk of fake turkey (I hate the taste of fake meat) but I guess thats my problem... The salad was good though and all the other stuff on the plate (there was loads). Boyfriend had calleloni and asked for it vegan. It came out very cheesy. Obviously not vegan. Being very English we didn't complain, the waiter didn't speak english and we didn't want the food to go to waste.
But overall, very good food!

Pros: Great food, English menu
Cons: Very bright inside

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The best vegetarian restaurant in Spain

5 Posted on 09 / 13 / 2010

We ate lunch at this very centrally located restaurant in August 2010. It is a large place but was quite full, which attests to its popularity. Although the food is rather expensive compared to other veggie places, we felt that it was good value as the portions were very large and excellently prepared. There are numerous a la carte options but the set menu (appetizer, main course, drink, desert), which is enough for 2 to share (perhaps with the addition of a small appetizer), is the best value (however it was only listed in the Spanish menu and not in the English one). My fussy daughter had pizza, which she requested without vegetables, and she was very happy with it. For starters the restaurant offers complementary small veggie balls. There is a very good potato dish with cheese (I don't remember the name) and the freshly blended juices are excellent. The food was served aesthetically, the service prompt and the waiter helpful. The owner herself brought the food and enquired as to whether we liked it. The bill for a very fulling meal for 5 people came to 80 Euro, somewhat expensive but worth it (we could have orded less food but didn't realize it).

Pros: excelent food
Cons: somewhat expensive

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Expensive and overly sweet

2 Posted on 07 / 24 / 2010

Yerbabuena is a nice clean place with plenty of clearly marked vegan and coeliac options, as well as an English menu. We ordered a salad and a faux gras, and were impressed by the portions and presentation. The flavour was very disappointing: extremely sweet to the point where we couldn't finish our meals -- pure sugar. The salad was otherwise okay, but the vegan fois gras was just a slab of seitan.

The prices were hefty and we were charged for the bread also. It's a great place to eat if you have a sweet tooth, but otherwise I'd give it a miss.

Pros: Portions, Vegan options
Cons: Flavour, Price

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Yummy and satiating

5 Posted on 07 / 07 / 2010

We came here at 6:30 in the evening absolutely starving and were relieved to find out they were open, which is not usual for Spain. Setting was clean and neat, food was delicious, portions were HUGE. They have a big and innovative menu, and the vegan dishes are clearly marked. I tend to avoid fake meat and vegan cheese, which they use in many items on the menu, but then I still had plenty to choose from. For the quality and portions you get, I think it's quite reasonably priced.

Pros: huge portions, yummy food, opens all day

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To eat and re-eat

4 Posted on 06 / 14 / 2010

Simply delicious, very good quality/prices, good ambiance.Many choices for vegan.

Pros: excellent food, good value, friendly staff

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Average

3 Posted on 05 / 31 / 2010

While visiting friends in Madrid I convinced them to try out Yerbabuena, having read an excellent review on VegNews. Our experience was nothing like the one described in the magazine, in fact I thought the food was pretty average. The menu proposed what sounded like delicious and innovative dishes (the website does a very good job at suggesting that too) but the food didn't live up to those expectations. The tofu and seitan foie had the texture of gum, the boulgur salad was mrerely ok... Even the gazpacho, so easy to get right and perfectly vegan in its basic recipe, had been amended to include what I believe was "pimentón" (paprika) - leaving me wishing for the real thing.

I definitely think Isla del Tesoro is much better, not only from a culinary standpoint, also in terms of service and decor. I was actually really surprised VegNews didn't include it in their article about Madrid...

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Highly recommended

5 Posted on 05 / 30 / 2010

Visited this restaurant on our last day in Madrid as my meat eating friend had been reluctant to go to a wholly veggie restaurant (I'm vegan). Menus were provided in English and there was a huge vegan choice - was very impressed. We both had the veg paella which I followed with chocolate ice cream sundae (vegan) and my friend had teh Yerbabuena sundae (veggie). We both thoroughly enjoyed the food although my friend found her sundae a bit sickly after a way. Food was beautifully presented and the side salad was lovely - the dressing was really good. My meal came to about 21 Euros (included bread roll and bottle of water).
My friend said the sangria (3,50 Euros) was the best she'd had the entire time we were there and if we'd tried the restaurant sooner she'd happily have eaten there every day.
Definitely recommended.
It does get busy though - we arrived at about 13.45 and got a table OK but it filled really quickly.

Pros: Excellent choice, Great quality food, Friendly staff
Cons: Little expensive

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excellent though a bit pricey

5 Posted on 05 / 24 / 2010

It's not really fair to say it but yeah, it's a bit (just a little bit) pricey but hey - it's not a buffet and the meals are deliciously prepared and balanced. I've eaten in much more expensive restaurants where the meals were much smaller and much less care and skill has gone into them so by that standard, this place is excellent. Central location, nice atmosphere and a big menu.

Pros: quality, location
Cons: price

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Make this your first stop in Madrid

5 Posted on 05 / 17 / 2010

In Madrid for a couple of days, I came to HappyCow seeking suggestions for a vegan-compatible place and the many favourable reviews made me try Yerbabuena first. I'm so glad I did! If I were here for a week I'd probably go every day, and still only get to sample a fraction of the tantalizing dishes (and drinks) on their menu. Apparently when they started in August 2005 they had 1 vegan dish: now 90% are either 'vegan approved' or 'vegan option' (and many are coeliac-approved/-option too).

As others have said, the food is presented beautifully, tasted great (some wonderful combinations I want to replicate back home), was filling, and I found the service fantastic and friendly too -- possibly because I went early on a Monday evening, so it was almost empty. The lady from Venezuela serving me good-naturedly tolerated me practising my rusty Spanish as we had a pleasant chat about trends in veg*nism.

It's not cheap by 'vegan burger cafe' standards, but for gourmet food it's not expensive either. Incidentally the menu is now available entirely in English.

I'd love to see this place prosper so that they can aspire even higher -- maybe a Michelin star sometime?

Pros: Huge choice, Very vegan-friendly, Friendly service
Cons: I don't live in Madrid

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This place rocks!

5 Posted on 05 / 08 / 2010

I was very impressed with the quality and taste of these vegetarian dishes. Probably some of the tastiest veggie dishes I've ever had. The service was super fast -- the ambience was good. 5 STARS!

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Popular place

3 Posted on 04 / 10 / 2010

Close to Sol metro, it's a turn off Calle Mayor about a block down.
The decor has a green theme. The front area seats as many as they could fit in but it isn't really too tight, not like Mildred's or maybe Riverside Vegetaria to name two that are squashier off the top of my head. I sat in the front, but I think there is other seating too. The first time I went they were absolutely packed with people standing waiting for seats to become available. I didn't stand a chance of eating there, I was on my own and a table for one wouldn't have been efficient for them. I went early for lunch another day before it was as busy.

The menu is Western food and has some pictures, handy if you don't speak Spanish. There is a bit of English translation if I recall. I ordered the special for lunch which was without pictures. The waiter spoke no English except for "plum cake" and "good" so I took a punt. I thought I had ordered a main and dessert, so when the second course was savoury also I thought I was getting three courses. It turned out I had a starter and main. Not really sure what they were/ were called. The two were similar in size with the first containing a lot of potato and being fairly tasteless/ not so much a taste sensation and the second being a meat substitute I think, very dense and also sweet. It was so heavy I had to leave half the main. My stomach was absolutely compressed to maximum distention. My mouth didn't want anymore either as the sweet taste was disagreeable. I had a mixed juice beverage which was nice enough.

The waiter that served me was very polite and nice. Their service gives the place a fine dining vibe as they are very courteous. I guess I can't complain about the lack of English, it is in Spain after all. It's a good idea to know this if you don't speak Spanish and really want to know what you're ordering though. You'll need to bring a translator.

It was around €15-20 for the special and beverage. A fair price for what they're aiming at but they fell short...

By the time I was through/ the lunch had conquered me, I made haste as much as I could to leave as by this time there were people eyeing up my table from the street outside. A rushed experience in which I left overfull but unsatisfied, similar to another person's sentiments, below.

Pros: pleasant waitstaff
Cons: food, cramped and rushed, language barrier for me

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It's a good choice

4 Posted on 03 / 29 / 2010

I have a friend living in Madrid who swears this is the best vegetarian restaurant in Madrid. I ate there once with her and the food was delicious and beautifully presented. The menu is quite large so one should be able to find something interesting to order no matter your particular tastes. I tend to avoid meat substitutes and had plenty of options. I thought it was a little expensive.

Pros: large portions, beautiful plates, efficient service
Cons: price

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Very nice surprise

5 Posted on 03 / 07 / 2010

When we came in, we expected a cafeteria-like menu. The menu was very extensive and exiting. We tried several dishes and all were good, some were great. All the dishes were ample and we did not finish one of them. The food wis rather rich, but very tasty.
The wine was nice. The juices were great. We recommend the fresh tomato juice.

The atmosphere does not do justice to the quality of the food. If the appearance was upgraded there would be a better balance of the quality of the food and the environment it can be enjoyed in.

The service was good and surprisingly quick. Opening hours suited our Northern European lifestyle. We were able to have dinner at around 19:00, which is not possible in most of the other places.

We definitely recommend going here. Menu is very suitable for young children.

Pros: diversity of the menu, quality of the food, opening hours
Cons: atmosphere, richness of the food

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Disappointing

2 Posted on 01 / 10 / 2010

After reading all the mainly positive reviews I was confident that we would have a good meal here but we were disappointed.

We had the menu of the day which had no English version. Although I speak reasonable Spanish, the list of ingredients for the choices was long with some unfamiliar ingredients which the waiters couldn't help us with and so we weren't exactly sure what we we were getting.

We were given a free nibble of pate on toast while we waited which was nice enough and the first course was also pretty good and as others have said, beautifully presented. We had a soup and what was basically a stew. I thought this was really quite tasty but the meat eater in the group described it as watery and over cooked.

The second course was ill conceived and extremely heavy. It was described as 'a little book' and consisted of aubergine, potato and something we couldn't identifycovered in a brown sauce and wrapped in some very soggy pastry and then fried and then covered in a (very tasty!) pea sauce. It didn't work and none of us finished it.

We all chose a 'turron' (Spanish sweet usually made with eggs and almonds) cream for dessert which was also disappointing. It was also very heavy being almost purely cream with a few nuts and a bit of chocolate sauce.

I really didn't like the decor-it was very impersonal -like a chain fast food restaurant and the waiters while not unpleasant didn't seem as though they really knew what they were doing or serving.

Overall, not very impressed and I wouldn't go back. The menu of the day was 13 euros and although we left full, we didn't leave feeling good. It wasn't good value for money or a pleasant experience. I'm sure there must be much better places to go in Madrid.

Pros: vegan options, good presentation
Cons: Ill conceived dishes, Not good value, chain restaurant atmosphere

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my favorite in Madrid !

5 Posted on 09 / 14 / 2009

We are in a gourmet restaurant :-)
The tortilla is one of the best dishes I've eaten in my life. Time table have changed and go between 11h and 19h to have a menu, which is cheaper.

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Excellent!

5 Posted on 08 / 19 / 2009

We ate at Yerbabuena three times over the four days. The restaurant is seemingly at first sight quite basic. The food however is excellent. It is imaginative, varied, beautifully presented and tastes wonderful. All this and nutritionally well balanced too. Everything a vegetarian restaurant should be and certainly just what is needed for a vegetarian visiting Madrid. Also friendly staff, English menus and lovely fruit drinks.

Pros: Food choice and quality, nutrionally balanced, value
Cons: not posh

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Excellent

5 Posted on 08 / 03 / 2009

We went here during our visit to Madrid last week. The menu was huge and there were many vegan choices. We both had the vegan paella and it was very good, for desert we had their home made soy ice cream, also very good. They have menus in english and spanish. Would definitely recommend if looking for vegan food in Madrid.

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Yerbabuena

5 Posted on 07 / 17 / 2009

This was one of our favorite vegan restaurants on our vacation in Spain. The meal was delicious with lots of fresh veggies and sprouts and everything was presented beautifully and tasted yummy. I got the vegan lasagna with loads of vegan cheese. It was good but a little heavy so I didn't finish it. My boyfriend asked for the veggie burger and was so happy. It came with vegan cheese and he liked the burger although it wasn't the typical veggie burger made with grains and really textured. It came with two sauces and loads of fries. My friend got the salad with vegan caviar; she loved the salad but the caviar had a weird taste that she didn't enjoy too much. It was really a great meal with a huge menu and everyone left really full and satisfied.

Pros: big portions, bright, cheerful environment, fresh and healthy food
Cons: small dining room

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Ok but not the best place in Madrid

3 Posted on 07 / 09 / 2009

The food here was ok, except the salad, which was salted (don't know why on earth you'd want to do that if you claim to be a healthy restaurant) and smothered in oil.
The choice is good, at least for vegetarians, but there is a lot of mock meat on the menu. I'm not a big fan of meals with mock meat, but they were rather good at this place.
The service was good, and the portions were very generous. I couldn't even finish my plate, which is very unusual for me.

Pros: yummy food, good service
Cons: salty salad, mock meat

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wow, is it for real?

4 Posted on 06 / 08 / 2009

aside from every item containing tons of oil, so much so that the only item w/o oil they could prepare for me with the soy burger... the food was presented very well. They menu is extremely large, supposedly there are vegan options for many items, I'd have to wonder how vegan any of it is so stick to the basics!

Pros: presentation
Cons: oil on everything

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Perfect for business meals

5 Posted on 06 / 04 / 2009

It is great! The food is tasty with moderate prices. There are many vegan options which are marked on the menu and the staff is very helpful and friendly.

Tha atmosphere is very nice and clean, not to much. It is perfect to make an awesome impretion eather on family, friends, colleagues or business partners. The food is also very impressiv, a very skeptic colleague of mine didn't want to go the "a vegetarian", but this place gave a positive spin to that subject!

Recommendable to everybody! Have a look and enjoy!
It is even open until late, so you have all the time you wand and need!

Pros: Very good food, Very good prices, Suits everyone

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Good veggie food in the heart of the city

4 Posted on 04 / 16 / 2009

I ate lunch here a couple of days ago, after a friend was handed a flyer for it in the street. Despite being within a stone's throw of both Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, it was nice and quiet. We were given an English version of the menu, though the menu of the day was only in Spanish. This is absolutely not a complaint!! I wasn't even expecting the main menu to be in English. As previously stated, the staff do not speak English, and nor should they. They're in Spain!

So - I plumped for the menu of the day at 13 Euros, for 3 courses, bread and a glass of wine or beer.

My starter was cream of asparagus and spinach - delicious and beautifully presented with a dollop of cream in the middle, a chive across the top and something artistic around the sides of the bowl! Main course was wholewheat macaroni with stir-fried seasonal vegetables, an alfalfa sprout salad and a mayonnaise style dip. Again everything was beautifully presented. I was so full, I turned down the dessert! The bread was brown and seeded, the beer was simply I think Cruzcampo, not an organic or necessarily vegetarian lager I admit.

My friend had just one course - the mushroom risotto which she said was lovely. However, that one course cost her 10.50 Euros so the menu of the day clearly is extremely good value.

Many of the dishes were marked at the end to show that a vegan version could be provided.

The place had a good atmosphere, certainly at lunchtime. It may be a little brightly-lit for a romantic evening meal, but all in all, it was a good experience and I will be going back there.

Pros: Great choice, Good value, Vegan options
Cons: A bit brightly lit

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Beautifully presented food

4 Posted on 03 / 02 / 2009

We were a party of six, with me being the only vegan! We reserved a table by phone a few days ahead, but it wasn't necessary because on the Tuesday night that we went, there were only three more tables occupied. They served a very nice amouse bouche which was a shot glass of gazpacho-type froth, with a garbanzo concotion. The waiter warned us that each dish was quite large, so we shared some salads instead of having a primero and segundo dish. Although everything was beautifully presented and I was grateful to have a place where they served vegans, my relatives were not impressed and I could see why. The dishes were ok, but nothing that would blow you away. The desserts that we had were way too sweet, but this is not a huge complaint. The rest of the time we just ate at regular bars, and had tapas. Tapas that can be vegan sometimes, if you check: esparragos a la plancha, champiñones al ajillo, alcachofas al ajillo, patatas bravas, aros de cebolla, pisto manchego, pan con tomate, pimientos asados, and of course, the bread.

Pros: Clearly marked vegan items, nice and patient staff, very easy to find

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The best hope for a vegetarian future in Madrid

5 Posted on 03 / 01 / 2009

I was really thrilled to find this bright, cheerful, popular restaurant offering near-gourmet vegetarian food in the heart of Madrid. Madrid is the least veg-friendly city I have ever visited, and I found it disheartening to discover restaurants with not even one vegan tapas (not even an olive or potato), as if the concept were completely unknown. The existence of Yerbabuena gives me hope that vegetarianism will be increasingly popular; Madrid residents are finally discovering that you don't need meat to have a wonderful time eating awesome food. I hope it continues to draw the crowds it was drawing when we were there. Though we didn't have to wait for a table either time, there were many more people there than in the other veg restaurants we tried.

On my first visit, I had an exremely filling menu del dia lunch that had as its main course an artfully constructed layered dish featuring an amazing vegan bechamel sauce. The meal didn't come with wine (just lots of good food), so we ordered a carafe of sangria, which turned out to be excellent. We were absolutely thrilled with the experience.

Our second experience was not quite as good, since we came at dinner time, when no menu del dia was offered, and ended up spending way more money for less food. Still, the quality was just as good as before.

Yerbabuena is nonsmoking.

Pros: amazing vegan bechamel, atmosphere, service
Cons: dinnertime prices

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Yummy, bright and friendly

4 Posted on 01 / 03 / 2009

That's about it! It was yummy, bright and had friendly staff. We went back for lunch twice.

Pros: Good food, Good service, Bright decor

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top notch

4 Posted on 12 / 30 / 2008

I went here with a non-vegetarian friend and we both loved the place. The food was really flavoursome and healty. Good portions.

It's in a good location, close to Sol and Opera metro stations.

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I'd go all the time if I lived in Madrid

5 Posted on 12 / 17 / 2008

So wonderful we went back for dinner the next night with friends. The homemade yogurt drink is lightly carbonated and minty - very unique and delicious - and comes in a big pitcher (this is a lot for 2 ppl) for about 5 EUR. The portions are large so one item each will be more than adequate. I recommend the dish with homemade veg sausage, roasted potatoes and a fried egg on top. The nachos were also delicious. The avocado salad had fresh, springy lettuce, sprouts, and sliced orange and avocado. My companion enjoyed the paella but it had a smoky flavor that wasn't to my taste. The baked wheel of cheese (I think it was chevre) also wasn't as well-loved as the other items. The restaurant is cheerfully painted in orange and green and brightly lit. The woman running the show is very nice and didn't mind speaking English with us. She also took the time to help us find something on a map. Top notch experience.

Pros: Fresh, tasty food, Reasonable prices, Good service
Cons: I don't live in Madrid

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Beatiful food!

5 Posted on 11 / 22 / 2008

I was in Madrid for a weekend, and ended up eating here three times! The place in itself is nice and very central. The people working there were friendly (I don't know if they speak English, as I prefere to speak Spansih). The food was really looking like a peace of art, so nicely decorated. I was impressed, is the best I have seen in a vegetarian restaurant. Also the taste was fantastic, especially the canneloni. Several of the dishes were vegan. Totally recomend this place!

Pros: friendly staff, artistic touch, excellent food

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Excellent Gourmet Vegan Food

5 Posted on 11 / 08 / 2008

My wife & I really enjoyed our meals. The presentation / appearance of our salad was so artistic that it should have been in Madrid's Prado Art Museum cafe!

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Muy buena, Yerbabuena!

5 Posted on 08 / 07 / 2008

I can't understand how others didn't rate this higher.

Huge menu. Great selection. Huge portions. Everything was tasty. Attentive service. Convenient to the Plaza Mayor area, and not too far from the museums, hotels, etc. If we had had more time in Madrid, we'd have eaten there again - we didn't begin to scratch the surface of the menu.

Pros: The food, The service
Cons: Having to choose.

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Wow - the Spanish can do vegetarian!

5 Posted on 05 / 31 / 2008

Stunning choice of vegetarian and vegan food, well presented and very tasty. The deceptive simple decor belies the quality of food on offer. The staff are very friendly and can provide English menus. Great wine list as well. In a city where restaurants have names like "Paradise of Ham" and every other shop seems to be a butcher's this is a real find. One issue though - if you like 'real' ice cream then avoid theirs as it (vegan?) tastes like cake mix.

Pros: Great food., Wine list , Staff
Cons: Ice cream!

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Beautiful food

5 Posted on 05 / 29 / 2008

The visual presentation of the food is stunning. I thought we got better looking food because we were eating a la carte, but I noticed the same attention to making the plates look great on the menu del dia dishes on the adjacent tables. We were brought tasty little appetisers before our order, and all in all rated this absolutely the best of the veggie Madrid restaurants we tried. It's also easy to find - we spotted it on day one just wandering down the Calle Mayor as you can see it from the main road.

Pros: Tasty: 5+, Beautiful 5+++, Varied 5++
Cons: Downstairs toilets, Hard Spanish bread

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Stunning food

5 Posted on 05 / 03 / 2008

This place is a must visit if in Madrid. After going here I didn't bother trying anywhere else. This is by far the best vegan food I have ever had. Stunning food, both in terms of taste and presentation. My sister loved her wholemeal marguerita pizza and spring rolls too. Plenty of ovo-lacto options and several vegan options available and on both nights I ate there my meal was wonderful. I had two different lasagne/cannelloni dishes both nights, soy bechamel and soy cheeses used instead of dairy. The dishes are highly creative and so weren't the bog standard italian style of pasta dish. Also tried a delicious soup. The bread rolls and Sangria were lovely too. The staff were great and the waiter went through the menu to show me what was vegan and they went to the trouble of adapting one of the things I fancied to make it with soy cheese, although this wasn't listed on the menu. Also tried cold vegetable soups with mini potato cakes, again, absolutely lovely. At the back of the menu they mention a traditional Spanish stew they do on Sundays and this sounds great. English menu available.Soya milk for coffee. Attractive spotlessly clean interior. Good wine selection.All in all faultlessly brilliant and I can't wait to return. If I lived in Madrid I would never be away from this place.

Pros: utterly amazing food, central location, great staff

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Nice, but...

3 Posted on 12 / 22 / 2007

All in all a nice vegeterian place with a wide range of vegan options too. The menu was in English, but the staff didn't speak any.
The food was uninspired, and served a bit cold. It was made out of all the right things, but lacked a certain passion, as if was not made with love.
The atmosphere was nice, and the price reasonable.

Pros: English menu, OK prices
Cons: Uninspired food

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Stunning Meal

5 Posted on 12 / 11 / 2007

Visited on a Tuesday night with a meat-eating friend of mine.
The presentation of the food was very impressive and also the size of the portions. I had a starter and a main and my friend just had the wholegrain pizza. I cannot remember what my dishes were called, but both were stunning to look at and to eat. The service was very good and they did have a menu in english, which the waiter supplied without asking :)
The restaurant was not too busy, but we were the only non locals as far as I could tell. Washed the meal down with some nice organic german beer and the bill came to about 20 euros each.
This has to be the best veggie I have ever had without dought!

Pros: Great food, Great service, Big portions

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Exquisite Dining Experience!

5 Posted on 11 / 20 / 2007

Yerba Buena saved me while traveling through Spain. My family and I had just returned from an awful, overly-expensive meal and were quite downtrodden, when we came across this restaurant. We ended up eating a second lunch! And returning for dinner that night, and every other night we spent in Madrid. They have a fabulous variety, I'd recommend the avocado salad, there was an egg and sausage dish, and the pizzas. Truly though, everything was excellent. Out of six meals with a family of four, we never once had a bad meal. The wait staff was extremely friendly, and when we said goodbye, it was like saying goodbye to family! We even traded email addresses.

Pros: Wonderful Staff, Delectable Food, Great Environment

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Wonderful

4 Posted on 10 / 11 / 2007

Great food, good size portions and really helpful staff. Not hte cheapest of restaurants but was difinitely worth it. Was very quiet on a Tuesday night when we visited and the waitress was incredibly attentive. Had a fantastic experience and wouldn't hesitate to return.

Pros: Great Food, Attentive service
Cons: Slightly pricey

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No choice for vegans

2 Posted on 05 / 12 / 2007

This place looked attractive but there is no choice for vegans. After showing them my vegan passport (explains veganisms in many languages) they decided to offer me some sort of burger. The portions were tiny, the flavour bland and there was some sort of dressing on the side which looked distinctively 'dairy'. Won't be visiting again.

Pros: Bright, Clean
Cons: No knowledge of veganism

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Nice place

4 Posted on 04 / 12 / 2007

Went here for a lateish evening meal (it opens at 9) and stayed quite a while. Good friendly service and excellent choice of dishes. Food was good standard and decent portions although the seitan escalope was a little rubbery - roquefort sauce was nicely piquant though. Dessert range slightly more limited and I skipped this course as they were out of my my chosen dish ( a sort of creme catalan). Overall would definitely recommend this place but wouldn't say it was spectacular. Also very centrally situated.

Pros: Good location, good range of dishes

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Great presentation, food disappointed a little

3 Posted on 12 / 13 / 2006

I have just come back from a trip to Madrid with my girlfriend who is vegan. We went to this restaurant for a dress-up-nicely romantic meal! The place itself is a vivid shade of green and was very bright, so not quite the romantic feel we were after! The staff were very friendly and helpful and spoke English. The food ranged from very tasty asparagus bruschettas with aubergine puree to a really quite unpleasant mushroom risotto. The food also seems a bit re-heated, rather than nice and fresh, which was a shame. The presentation was out of this world, I have never seen so much visual effort put into vegetarian food. There were a number of vegan options. The wine list was small but the bubbly that we got was reasonably priced and very tasty. The overall bill was surprisingly high, but not unfair.

Pros: great presentation
Cons: quite pricey, quality of food varied

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The Only *Must-Visit* Veg Restaurant in Madrid

5 Posted on 09 / 21 / 2006

Open 13:30-16:00 and 20:00-00:00

We visited six vegetarian restaurants in Madrid and this was, by far, by leaps and bounds the VERY, VERY best. Sadly this was the last place we ate but if it had been the first, we probably would not have gone anywhere else.

This is first-class, delicious food served with flair. My companion and I both had different items from the Menu Del Dia (for 12 Euro). The chef is a master of texture, colour, and flavour. Presentation of the food was perfect. We could not each have our own dessert and had to split one because the other courses were so filling.

The meal was started with bread and a little dish each of fresh hummus. It was capped off with a very rich, delicious-smelling tea. From start to finish it was simply, purely a delight.

The decor was different and much nicer than any other place we visited. It was bright, sunny, clean, and cheery. Music was Spanish and well-chosen. Great, easy-to-find location. English menus available (except for the set menu).

If I went back to Madrid, I would only eat here and at Maoz (for a light meal). I wish the proprietors of Yerbabuena a very, very long and fruitful career in the vegetarian restaurant business.

Pros: Fantastic Food, Incredible Value, A Perfect Ten!