Vegan
Western
Mediterranean
Fast food
Take-out
Catering
Spanish

Opened in Dec 2011, this is another outlet the El Piano restaurant; other locations are in Granada and York, UK. Provides 100% vegan and gluten-free food, served in biodegradable small pine boats; fleets and armadas are also available. Visit their website to learn about El Piano cookbooks. Sept 2013 reported offers Arizona brand beverages that contain honey - pls check. REPORTED CLOSED, SEP 2016.


Venue map for El Piano - Malaga
© OpenStreetMap contributors

28 Reviews

First Review by Tara HD

Czapel

Points +52

Vegan
11 Sep 2016

terminated

The bar is no longer there.

ValenLondon

Points +792

Vegan
12 Jun 2016

fantastic food

Lovely small place with very nice food and value for money.
I got a cold gazpacho for starter, 4 vegan tapas, a vegan desert and a beer all for €9.95
And it was delicious! I'll be back!

simonTjohns

Points +56

Vegan
12 May 2016

Soooooo good

Wonderful little cafe with an amazing value for money meal deal as the other reviews have mentioned. Everything was delicious and the reheating of the food makes sense due to the size of the cafe and the style of food. Everything still tastes fresh and is very well seasoned. The lady behind the counter was also very kind!

Pros: Good amount of delicious vegan tapas to choose fro, Kind and friendly staff, Amazing value for money

Cons: Not much seating if it was a busy time of day.

HannaElizabeth

Points +31

Vegetarian
01 Mar 2016

Try it! Delish

tucked in a side street of plaza de la merced, this tiny restaurant was delicious and well priced! I got 4 fairly-sized tapas, a small cup of soup, a small beer, and a brownie foe 9.95! The food was delicious and warmed my soul to have such international vegan tapas.

Pros: food, price, variety

Cons: a bit hard to find

Pros: food, price, variety

Cons: hard to find

KaosEsther

Points +50

Vegan
23 Feb 2016

Nice :)

Nice and small place in Malaga. There are some various tapas like vegan albondigas, dhal, rice, mushrooms and many more, which are relly great and tasty.
after that you can get cake.

Everything is vegan and not expensive.

We will come back to eat here.

Pros: Food, Price

jtep

Points +189

Vegan
23 Jan 2016

Wonderful!

I've eaten here three times already and will stop in again before leaving Malaga. The food is awesome, there's a great variety, it's very reasonably priced and 100% vegan.

It's setup just like in the first picture. All of the food is displayed in a glass case. She has specials for two dishes or four dishes and you just pick the dishes you want to eat. I always get the four dish special, which is a ton of food but worth it because I get to sample so many different dishes. I haven't found one I didn't like yet. Oh, and every time I go I get the chocolate cake because it's so inviting and sooooo good.

The restaurant is very small, maybe three or four tables. There's one table inside and two or three outside. I ate there once and carried the food out the other two times. The owner doesn't speak english, but she's sweet and we were able to communicate just fine. Oh, it's cash only too.

wyrd

Points +3261

Vegan
17 Aug 2015

Cheap vegan tapas in Malaga

A note of explanation: I've been in Malaga for a long weekend with my girlfriend with the intention to eat at the four vegan/vegetarian places of the city. Unfortunately one was closed, therefore we managed to eat at (in order of preference): Cañadú, El Piano (but it was "almost closed", see below), and El vegetariano del Alcazabilla.

On Friday August 14th we went to El Piano and found it basically closed (a sign on the table was saying "On holidays from August 14th to August 23rd"...). The owner was in, though, and we managed to buy some tapas. I had 4 tapas for 5.95 EUR, and my girlfriend had 2 tapas for 3.95 EUR. We also bought two chocolate brownies (2.50 EUR each). So one thing is clear: everything is very cheap!

The tapas were good, but it was strange to see that there was nothing prepared with chick peas/beans/seitan/tofu... basically it was vegetables all around. Nothing wrong with that, but we would have appreciated something more "substantial". Also, maybe the lack of choice was simply due to the place being essentially closed for holidays!

Brownies were good, but a bit dry.
Updated from previous review on Monday August 17, 2015

Pros: Cheap, Many tapas to choose from, All vegan

Cons: Food tastes good but not amazing

sXe_22

Points +574

Vegan
17 May 2015

Dreadful

This place is totally rubbish! Poor food quality that becomes even worse after microwave heating, with some bits hot, some lukewarm and some cold.
There is nothing I can save of it, not even the price: 4 tapas cost 6€, "normal" tapas places are 2€ per tapa drink included.
Not to mention the broken plate they used to serve us... (see photo)
Unfortunately I cannot rate it less than 2 cows. Seriously guys, set your standards higher.
Do I need to say it is definitely NOT recommended?

amberdaum

Points +53

Vegan
11 Apr 2015

Friendly staff, average food

There were sooooooo many options when we got there and you could choose a number of tapas as part of a meal deal along with a beverage. Good portion sizes too. The food was average tasting, but fills a hole and very reasonably priced.

Staff were very friendly too

AleVIruka

Points +199

Vegan
19 Mar 2015

An OK place to have expensive Tapas...

Being Vegan in Spain can be challenging,so when I discovered a Vegan Restaurant in Malaga I thought :this is it! Well...Been there twice in six months and found pretty much the same menu..4 Tapas, one little bowl of soup,one small drink and a cupcake 10 Euros? Everything gets microwaved on the spot,no hot drinks and the dishes are a bit strange:tarka dhal and tabbouleh in Spain???? Random!!! But,hey,I m Vegan,hungry and don't t eat anything with eyes...

Pros: Vegan

Cons: No hot drinks, Everything microwaved, Limited Menu

Dong

Points +16

Vegan
17 Feb 2015

Good, Cheap And Lovely

Many choices, taste so good, not expensive, welcoming staff!

Pros: Tasty, Not expensive, Nice Stuff

Cons: No

klarathefruitbat

Points +27

Vegan
11 Jan 2015

cheap, yummy and good for non-vegans!

my friends and i visited over the weekend, one of whom is not a vegan or even a vegetarian. we found it a bit cramped (mainly because we had lots of shopping bags with us). anyway, all of us really enjoyed the tapas. we got a menu deal, that came with this really creamy pumpkin soup, 4 tapas, a drink and a dessert (i chose the brownie). the dhal and banana curry were superb, chilli was good considering it was meatless, but the tabouleh and falafels were a bit dry and tasteless. my brownie was good for something gf and vegan, maybe not as chocolatey as it could be but it curbed that sort of chocolate craving. staff were really polite and kind! wish there was something like this a bit closer to where i live.

Pros: good food, cheap, kind staff

Cons: dry food ?, small space

nervy

Points +34

Vegan
28 Dec 2014

Portion sizes are a bit too small

As someone who likes to eat a lot I found the portion sizes and the selection of food to be quite small. Otherwise it's a nice place with friendly staff.

Cons: small portion size

kitty666

Points +118

Vegan
18 Dec 2014

Delicious vegan tapas!

Really nice small place with awesome food! Highly recommended :)
Remember to check opening hours; open for lunch & evening

eartha

Points +41

Vegetarian
15 Dec 2014

delicious food - a couple of tables - great value

Great place to grab a to-go lunch or to get a couple of small plates and sit at one of their outside tables on this pedestrian only street. The food is all premade and displayed. You can either have it at this temperature or have them heat it up in a microwave. Either way the food is delicious. Factor in the very reasonable price and El Piano Malaga becomes a perfect vegan/vegetarian option in Malaga for lunch or a quick tapa snack.

Pros: delicious, value, pleasant staff/location

Cons: less than 20 seats

Brok O. Lee

Points +3380

Vegan
07 Sep 2014

All Vegan Tapas!

Update: I was thrilled to get back to El Piano yesterday - it has been difficult getting vegan food in the area. Again I had the "menu" with different tapas this time. The potato-tofu pastel, flavored with anise seeds, was out of this world. Also amazing was the tofu seviche and guacamole. The service was wonderful both times.

I can't say enough how much I loved this place!

-----------------------
First review:

Located near the Picasso Museum on a pedestrian-only alley lined with lots of lively tapas bars, El Piano is a vegan oasis!

The gazpacho was just the thing for a hot summer night. I got the "menu" deal for €9.95 - soup, 4 tapas, a drink and dessert. All was fresh and delicious. The carrot cake was superb!!

And the lovely woman who waited on me made it a great experience. I will try to get back there.
Updated from previous review on Tuesday September 02, 2014

Pros: Delicious, All vegan, Lovely waitresses

Kimxula

Points +1185

Vegetarian
21 Aug 2014

El Piano Malaga

I've been to the El Piano branch in Granada twice before, so decided to check out the Malaga branch when I was there last weekend.

The Malaga branch is much smaller than the one in Granada - it's pretty much a small eatery, with limited bar stools and some seating outside (as opposed to tables and chairs and an actual piano in the middle of the Granada restaurant) and I believe there was a slightly smaller selection of food available in Malaga.

Nevertheless, both my friend and I were pleased with our choices - I had daal,a veggie burger, falafel and chili and an organic ice tea, all which were hearty, wholesome and tasty. The woman working there was also super friendly and warm. The only thing I was slightly disappointed with was that in Granada you can get a meal deal - so, 4 choices of food, a soup and a drink - in Malaga there was no meal deal, no soup and the price was the same (so less food for the same price - also I think the serving size itself was smaller, as in Granada the 'boat' is usually filled to the brim).
Updated from previous review on Sunday December 09, 2012

Pros: Great wholesome food, Lovely staff, Cute little place

Cons: No meal deal, Slightly smaller serving sizes

Magdalena, owner

21 Feb 2013

Thanks for your comments. It was interesting to read about the contrasts between EL PIANO MALAGA and EL PIANO GRANADA. Cities so near to each other and yet so very different from each other. The weather in Malaga never seems to invite soup consumption so that's part of the meal deal gone...even when it's FREEZING there (when I was working there last February) I couldn't seem to BEG people to have soup...there is no deal on cakes with a meal but there is a great deal on cakes at the weekend (which Granada doesn't do), buy 3 and get the 3rd half price...Check it out...

Brok O. Lee

02 Sep 2014

The meal deal was available today (Sept. 2, 2014). It was terrific! I'll post a review soon.

eagleeye

Points +18

Vegetarian
17 May 2014

vegan heaven in malaga.

This food joint is near Picasso home in malaga.They have got lot of varieties to eat and serves the purpose.Although,they don't have any fresh juices but good variety of food compensates the same.The meals are not expensive and i would say that 5-6 tapas are enough for one person.The 6 tapas will cost you around 6-7 euros.One can eat their meal outside in the street and enjoy the view of street where pablo picasso spent his childhood.
Updated from previous review on Saturday May 17, 2014

Pros: good variety of vegan meals, order as you like ,cost effective, fast food

Cons: no fresh juices available

Jeffeateasy

Points +76

Mostly Veg
02 May 2014

good choice of food

Hi. The staff is welcoming and the choice of food allows to come and eat various meals for many days. You can take away or enjoy the two or three tables in the quiet street. Very central.
It's tasty and not expensive. You can eat for 6€.

Go and enjoy !

JonJon

Points +20239

Vegan
13 Feb 2014

Practical location and friendly staff

We tried this small but (announced) vegan restaurant at the end of September 2013. Not far from the Plaza de la Merced, the location of the restaurant is practical when visiting the city center of Malaga. We ate outside in one of the three tables available directly on the pedestrian street.
The food is vegan and gluten free, which is very nice. We chose 4 different dishes put into 4 small plates. Among them, salads and fried mushrooms were good but the chili was a little bit dry and not spicy at all. We also took a brownie as a dessert. It looked great but lacked a little chocolate taste! To summary, food was ok for the price paid (really inexpensive) but with a little bit more taste would have been perfect.

Last but not least, we found that the restaurant offers Arizona brand beverages that contain honey... which was quite surprising for a restaurant identified as a vegan one...

Pros: vegan and gluten free, inexpensive, good location and friendly staff

Cons: beverages that contain honey, lack of taste

Magdalena, owner

13 Feb 2014

Thanks for such a comprehensive review and also for the HEADS UP on the honey in the beverages...Actually we are careful to claim that the FOOD is vegan and gluten-free (we make it all ourselves so we know) whereas DRINKS often contain hidden ingredients, change their ingredients literally from season to season and beer of course is generally FULL of gluten...Interesting to read your remarks about the spiciness of the chilli. I am sure you are right. IN GENERAL the Spanish palate cannot accommodate spicy food and we tone down our recipes for EL PIANO in Spain...too much for you unfortunately...We take on board your comments and thank you very much for taking the time to make them.

Veganbogey

Points +99

Vegan
20 Dec 2013

Shut?

Went on 17th December about 3pm. The shutter was down :-( had to go elsewhere.

Silvia Naysel

26 Dec 2013

Not shut! It's just Tuesday is their weekly day off. Please try again, you will not regret it ;)

Magdalena, owner

13 Feb 2014

Bless you for your two stars even though you did not get to eat. EL PIANO MALAGA is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays at the moment...Sorry for the inconvenience and we hope you were able to eat well with any of our near neighbours.

matrosin

Points +168

Vegan
03 Oct 2013

Lovely, small place

El Piano is a lovely place- the owner is very nice and welcomes you warmly. I liked the food because it was so international (african, indian, andalusian) and good spiced. You can choose from different dishes and get them in special plates or "boats" (to take away).

It seems to be a nice vegan community, also the owner brought out cookbooks with the receipts.

The cake wasn't my taste.

Pros: international food

Cons: very small, a bit messy

Magdalena, owner

13 Feb 2014

Thanks for your kind words. Nice to see that you enjoyed the food. Another time perhaps try a different cake...some are with sugar and some are without. Do ask about the ingredients in order to choose something you will like.

HelenaS

Points +40

Vegan
18 Aug 2013

Affordable and really good food, worth it.

This place is more a take away than a restaurant, because It's really small. But the food really worth it.

I went there with a non vegan friend and she was as satisfied as me. For 5.90€ we tried almost everything in the menu, and for 16€ we both had a great time.
We had some indian bajhi (hope its that how they call it), vegan kebab with soy yogurt sauce, rice, hummus, chilly and I don't know what else.

In conclusion: I would go back!

Pros: Great food, Good prices, Friendly staff

Cons: Small, Maybe too much fried food (?)

Magdalena, owner

13 Feb 2014

Thanks so much for your positive review. There are usually 17 savoury options to choose from, two of which are deep fried..You can choose fewer fried options...it's up to you!

goamiez

Points +132

Vegan
25 Jan 2013

nice owner

we have been there in summer 2012. its really small but u can sit outside to enjoy the small streets. the owner was very friendly and i liked the food (my boyfriend not but he dont like the style). its great to try very different things - also some sweets. the price was ok.

Magdalena, owner

21 Feb 2013

Thanks for your review. EL PIANO is not for everyone but it's great that people try something new. At less that 6 euros for a meal it's not too much of a gamble. Thanks for stopping by!

Vegantravels

Points +48

Vegan
09 Jan 2013

superb

An amazing all vegan all gluten free tapas bar. Affordable and superb food

Pros: food, staff, price

Cons: none

Magdalena, owner

21 Feb 2013

Aurelia

Points +238

Vegan
06 Oct 2012

Warm Welcome, Tasty Food

Located a two-minute walk from the house where Picasso was born, El Piano is a convenient stop for vegans/vegetarians/gluten-free to enjoy a tasty meal with a glass of natural wine or organic beer.

The formula is simple: You choose any five items from the deli case (some are hot, others cold; the hot bits get microwaved)and either a standard or large-size "boat," AKA a bamboo plate with curved sides to hold the food in.

The choices span the flavor spectrum, from curried potatoes and squash to mexican cabbage salad to corn fritters and falafel. Everything I chose was perfectly seasoned and delicious.

I didn't eat dessert, but there were several choices and each looked mouthwatering. I also appreciated the wine and beer selection, and the pour of natural red wine was generous.

Pros: friendly, tasty, totally vegan

Cons: portions are a tad small, service is casual (not necessarily bad)

Magdalena, owner

13 Jun 2013

Your review was fun, and your blog about your trip to 'rainy Spain' even more fun. Thanks for being so thorough in your observations. Come and see us sometime in Granada (where it was also raining) and in York in England (lots of rain there too this year...) We appreciate you taking time to write about us.

Fuegoblanco

Points +15

Mostly Veg
04 Aug 2012

Lovely food

Excellent tasty vegan and gluten free food from around the world. A real treat for anyone, but a very special treat for those who sometimes find it difficult to find good food they can actually eat. Friendly staff, fluent in spanish and English. Caters for take away, great to take a picnic to the beach - and has a few street tables for those that want to enjoy eating in situe.

As well as delicious main courses lots of cakes and sweets. Also, wine, beer and various fresh fruit juices available

Magdalena, owner

24 Oct 2012

Thanks so much for your review. The wholly vegan and wholly gluten free food from EL PIANO is popular with everyone it seems, from out and out carnivores to people with restrictive diets. Come and see us in Granada or York!




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