Vegan-friendly
Macrobiotic
Organic
Spanish
Offers a menu of the day. Also a small store that sells a few basic vegetarian goods. Metro Anton Martin. Open Mon-Sun 13:00-16:30, Tue-Sat 20:00-23:00.
62 Reviews
First Review by Parasol
wyrd
Points +3524
Healthy and good - Edit
La Biotika offers lunch menus which are well constructed in terms of vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates. You have a few options, including vegan ones. It's inexpensive, and the service is amazingly quick. Although everything is good, there's nothing to write home about (and I would cook the vegetables for less time, personally), but it's certainly one of the best option to eat healthy and quickly: no veggie burguers, no sandwiches, no mock meat. It's good and healty vegetable food!!!
Read morePros: Healthy, Quick service
Guest
Rosa veg
Points +2060
Good lunch menu - Edit
Good lunch menu . Everything Is macrobiotic and healthy. Amazing soups . Quite place good for a break .
Read moreGuest
MMCM
Points +286
Vegetarian Macrobiotic, mostly Vegan - Edit
Always open, offers macrobiotic vegetarian cuisine, mostly vegan (only exception are some diary deserts).
Read moreTends to promote the fix price daily menu, tasty and healty. Also available à la carte selection, more expensive.
The atmosphere and the cold behaviour of the waiters do not make you feel very comfortable.
Pros: Always open, Healty, Tasty
Cons: Uncomfortable atmosphere
Guest
Lauracamino
Points +15
Great food - Edit
So glad I found this restaurant with my Happy Cow app. They offer a menu of the day with four different course options, from vegetarian to macrobiotic. The soup was great and so was the main course, but the dessert was exceptional. All for 15 euros.
Read moreGuest
brooklobete
Points +26
Kind staff and peaceful place - Edit
It's inexpensive and the best of the menu are the desserts. The staff is very kind and it's a very peaceful place, which is good if you've been sightseeing all day.
Read moreGuest
John Doyle
Points +22
Good Spot - Edit
I personally enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. My partner found it a little bit "worthy' I.e. eating Vegan or Veggie or Macro should never have the feeling of being a sacrifice - if being a Vegan was difficult, I certainly wouldn't be one! On the whole delighted to have found this little gem - and in one of Madrid's coolest Barrios - las Letras
Read moreGuest
Fionio
Points +97
I enjoyed it - Edit
easy to find, and next to a small health food shop for stocking up on take-out supplies.
Read moreLa Biotika offers a 'menu of the day'- something many Spanish restaurants offer (and an issue that seems to have confused many of the others).
You pick an option from sections 1-5 of the menu and pay the price quoted (13Euros, I think...which is pretty good value for 5 courses). A drink is included. Bread and water is free. What's to complain about?!
It's not gourmet standard, but surely you know that when you order a meal at that price. However, it is warm, filling and tasty and the staff are happy to meet your dietary needs
Guest
Skovraeven
Points +24
Just don't - Edit
I arrive, and it wasn't cozy or anything like that, but, i gave it a shoot, with the Vegan menu. the young woman taking orders seemed a little stressed - and that didn't make anything go faster, but what the hell. I got a salat and a soup at first - the salad was sooo! borring -however - the soup was ok i guess (or maybe it was just because the rest of the meal sucked) - the rest of the meal arrived, and looked like something i would do at home, if i wanted a quick dinner - i didn't even bothered to stay for a cup of tea.
Read moreoh and by the way, the water that was served tasted like the crappy tapwater spain got - sorry to say - didn't even wanted to drink it.
Guest
Sarah Baker
Points +222
Original but Irregular - Edit
I like this place, probably because of the different courses that are included in the menu (a little soup, a little salad, a main plate, desert, tea... that's my kind of meal!). Also, there is always something on my plate which is not in my own cooking repertoire.
Read moreBut, the people I go with are never very enthusiastic and I can see why. The quality is irregular, sometimes it tastes great, sometimes it is bland and dry. The same goes for the service. Sometimes they are lovely, but it is clear that the staff is not used to dealing with stress. And after the redecoration they did a few years ago it is not as cozy anymore either.
But still, I like it there - all for giving it another chance until they get it all right. I hope they will...
Pros: Each menu has many tastes, Central location
Cons: When busy it becomes hectic, Irregular quality
Guest
Taoistnun
Points +17
Shockingly poor food! - Edit
As a big fan of macrobiotic food I was very excited about finding this little restaurant. It was however extremely disappointing. The place had no charm. The waitress was extremely unfriendly and curt and appeared to lack patience as we struggled to understand the Spanish menu. There is a choice of two set menus. The soup was the only thing that was really quite nice. The salad that came with it was some rather limp iceberg lettuce, very dry grated carrot and half a cherry tomato with what appeared to be vegan mayonnaise. I would have considered it an extremely poor salad even if from a non heath orientated cafe. The rice was the only thing that was reasonable about the main meal. The beans were not even luke warm. I am far from being a fussy eater, and am generally happy with anything reasonably healthy that is put in front of me. However I found myself having to just try and get the food down me for functional reasons as it was so unpleasant. Dreadful food and dreadful atmosphere. i couldn't wait to leave. I'd avoid at all costs. In contrast the heath food shop next door is well stocked with pleasant staff and quite a treat, with plenty of vegan and gluten free choices. I have given 2 cows only because the system does not allow you to give less!
Read morePros: the soup was nice
Cons: Cold food, old dry salad, Atmopshere, Unfriendly staff
Guest
Yamuna
Points +138
Nice spot - Edit
Prepared with Love
Read moreNot a lot of choice but delicious macrobiotic food.
Thanks for the lovely evening
Pros: nicely prepared plate, fast serving , highly frequented Restaurant
Cons: not so many choices
Guest
Jeffeateasy
Points +76
Good experience - Edit
Good, welcoming and moderate.
Read moreI was served by a man who explained me how the menu worked. Very gentle. All was good except the cake made from "beans" which was a bit dry. Pity ! It could have been perfect.
But good experience: may be the "rude" waitress is not working anymmore in the restaurant.
The price is moderate (10
Guest
NiccolaJane
Points +22
Average experience - Edit
Came here looking forward to a tasty dinner judging by previous reviews. My very long review in short: service was bad and food was bland; would not recommend especially compared to other places in Madrid.
Read moreSat down and was brought some bread in a basket - asked the waitress if it was vegan, and she replied 'no tengo ni idea' - she had no idea. She went and asked the man in the kitchen and came back saying it was.
She then brought me the menu and came back no more than 20 seconds later (no exaggeration!) to ask me quite brusquely what I wanted. I vaguely asked for the vegan plate because I hadn't had enough time to see that the menu includes 5 separate courses - soup, salad, main, dessert, and hot drink. She corrected me quickly and I hurriedly made my choice (the only vegan choice there was). I felt extremely rushed with her standing over me which was bizarre because I got there two hours before closing and they weren't busy at all.
The food is all pre-prepared and the soup and salad came very quickly. The soup - creamed cauliflower - was quite nice, the salad had various elements in it but the mayo was bland and there was a lot of it. I was about halfway through the plates when I looked up to see the waitress and the chef looking at me and obviously talking about how I was getting along with my food so they could bring out my next dish. I had just finished my salad and still had about half the soup to go when the main plate was brought to me. It consisted of brown rice and artichoke topped with roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, a chickpea casserole-type thing, and some cooked vegetables. It reminded me very much of a basic Hare Krishna-type meal. The rice was nice and the seeds added a great crunch, the chickpeas were savoury but just okay, and the vegetables were nothing to write home about. I felt like I could have cooked the entire thing myself just as well at home.
As I was sitting eating my meal a woman walked in and walked around the restaurant offering jewellery for sale. This was obviously an arrangement she had with the restaurant. Not sure if I was just grumpy by then but I didn't appreciate someone trying to sell me jewellery in the middle of my meal.
I turned down dessert as the meal was very filling, and I'm glad I did because the poached pears I saw going to another table looked about as squishy as they could possibly get.
When she realised I wanted to pay with my card not cash the waitress had to have the card machine fetched from the store next door which took a couple of minutes.
All in all I was not overly impressed, but the meal was filling even without the dessert and drink, it was certainly healthy and vegan, and at 13.50 not badly priced either. There are just better options in Madrid in my opinion.
Pros: Healthy, Reasonably priced
Cons: Service
Guest
vsername
Points +164
Nice, tasty and cheap - Edit
They offer a menu with a soup or gazpacho, a salad, a main dish (3 possible option: one vegetarian, one macrobiotic vegan and one which is a combination of the vegetarian and vegan), a dessert and a coffee/tea.
Read moreEverything was delicious. We paid just 10,50 each and ended up very full.
The waitress was not the nicest person in the world, but ok enough. There was a man, who seemed to be the owner of the restaurant, who was very kind.
Totally recommendable vegan option in the center of Madrid.
Pros: Macrobiotic and vegan, Price, Taste
Cons: None
Guest
beegantravels
Points +92
Would Not Recommend - Edit
After spending all day on a bus from Barcelona, I went to this restaurant since it was open late and it was close to my hostel. I was very disappointed and wouldn't recommend it. The staff seemed completely uninterested in serving me and took a very long time to bring my dessert (even though it was pre-made and they weren't busy with other customers). Also, a fruit fly crawled out of my salad.
Read morePros: open late
Cons: uninterested waitstaff, could be cleaner, language barrier
Guest
m@earthville
Points +10464
Warm, peaceful, wholesome - Edit
La Biotika serves salubrious food in a relaxing atmosphere. Some items have very simple flavors, while others have a little more.
Read moreMenu of the day provides good value and vegan options.
Baked apple dessert was nice. Fresh juices are a plus.
The shop next-door sells fresh produce and many vegan items.
Pros: healthy, wholesome food, vegan-friendly, good shop
Guest
Fer
Points +600
A new experience: Macrobiotic - Edit
This is a small macrobiotic restaurant with a strange vegetarian menu with vegan options. They bring you small quantities of several different foods combined in a healthy way. Afordable price. It has a store with a lot of products in next door premises.
Read morePros: Halty, Different food
Guest
AdamAAAA
Points +25
Tasty, wholesome food at a reasonable price - Edit
Tasty, fresh and wholesome food at a reasonable price. Friendly and helpful staff, and prompt service.
Read morePros: Good food, Good value, Friendly staff
Guest
mv3
Points +26
Friendly and Great Desserts - Edit
I visited La Bio Tika today and thoroughly enjoyed it. As other reviewers have noted, the lunch menu has five parts: soup, salad, main plate (with three dishes), dessert, and tea. The waitress who seated me was very friendly and when she realized that my Spanish wasn't so hot, she translated all the words I didn't know and explained the menu. I felt very appreciative. Ultimately, I ordered the vegetable soup with tofu and potatoes, the standard macro salad, the macrobiotic plate (which had a vegetable and grain pilaf, curried cabbage, and white bean stew), carob tart, and kukicha tea. The soup and salad arrived first. The soup was unobjectionable, but bland -- more the sort of thing one would want to eat when sick. They'd used vegetable stock that erred a bit on the celery side and that was a little watery, and there were no vegetables, potatoes, or tofu to speak of -- only cabbage and a dark green. The salad, in contrast, was excellent, with crisp lettuce and little piles of grated carrot, finely chopped purple cabbage, and alfalfa sprouts topped with a yogurt-y dressing (though it was milk-free) with a little lemon. Very good. The main course came next and it was good, but not particularly outstanding. The vegetable and grain pilaf was mostly grain (bulgar and wild rice) with perhaps a few mushrooms (?) -- I couldn't really taste them though. It was more like eating rice. The curried cabbage was exactly what one would expect. It had curry and cumin in just the right amount...I'm just not a huge cabbage lover. The bean stew was the best of the three -- smokey like baked beans with soft cooked carrots. After the main course came the best part of the meal: dessert and tea. I ordered the carob tart, which dairy and sugar free. It was like banana bread (made with millet perhaps?) with carob topped with a really sweet carob icing. So. Good. I could have eaten three more! The kukicha tea that accompanied it was perfectly brewed so that it had a robust flavor but hadn't yet gotten bitter. It was almost maple-y (though not sweet). After that, I sat and read a bit, and, because it was late, the restaurant slowly emptied. The staff were so nice about it and said I could stay as long as I wanted. They gave me a free cup of tea and the whole family said goodbye to me as I left. It made me feel very uplifted and good. Definitely visit La Bio Tika!
Read morePros: Super nice people, Amazing tea and dessert, Cheap with big portions
Cons: Main dishes and soups a little bland, Plain (but friendly!) interior
Guest
CatBarCat
Points +86
Super healthy vegan foods. - Edit
I have been eating here since 97, usually on Sunday afternoons, as the food is always guaranteed to make you feel better after a weekend of Madrid's partying.
Read moreIt is located on the Sunday route between the top of the Rastro Market and Retiro Park.
Super healthy food.
La Bio Tika has been recently refurbished, and the shop has moved next door.
Pros: Super healthy food, good location, english spoken
Cons: Only super healthy food
Guest
rjmehra
Points +331
Very useful store - Edit
I only made use of the store, but the deli items did look interesting.
Read moreThe range of produce was brilliant, some very hard to find things indeed such as specific grains, vegetables and Asian products.
Pros: Location, Range, Fresh produce
Cons: No seating
Guest
aifos
Points +53
Really nice - Edit
I didn't have big expectations on this place but was very surprised.
Read moreThey offer a 5 course meal, everything really tasty and healthy.
The place is small and a bit old looking, but the food is so good you won't care.
Really cheap plus there's free water (tap).
Pros: cheap, free water, vegan options
Cons: small
Guest
lady_linzi
Points +79
Yummy and healthy - Edit
For only 10 euros at lunch the menu del dia consists of soup, salad, a main course (either vegan, veggie or macro) and a dessert and tea (which I think was kukicha). We had the vegan option which consisted of a lovely bean dish with quinoa and slow cooked veggies, with carob cake to follow. Totally yummy and we felt really good on the inside afterwards! I would definitely recommend this place. Service was efficient and fast.
Read morePros: Healthy, Vegan options!, Good value
Guest
nuttybrunette
Points +42
Big portions, small price - Edit
I'm sometimes in the mood of treating myself to a nice healthy meal. You know - The type that makes you feel full but good inside.
Read moreI'm not thinking about a elegant or fancy restaurant. It's actually like dinning in you own living room. That's when "La Biotika" comes to my mind.
It is located in the center of Madrid, near Puerta del Sol, in Huertas. The outside of the restaurant doesn't call much one's attention, but as soon as you walk in, a small store of bio-products catches your eye, and the waiter welcomes you in. The inside is simple with an open kitchen.
As soon as one sits down, the waiter brings water, bread, and some nuts.
A minute later, the menus are handed out, and the fun begins.
The meal consits of soup, salad, a main dish with 3 different veggie-dishes, dessert, and tea. There are normally two differents soups to choose from. Also, one may picks a macrobiotic or a vegetarian meal. For dessert, they offer home-backed cakes (Algarroba is espectacular!), baked apple, soy yogurt or kefir. Teas vary from day to day.
Great place to enjoy with friends or family. Even better for dates, specially if your sweetheart likes vegetarian food. It's always crowded for lunch during the weekend, so it is better to make a reservation. At night, on the contrary, it's enought to go a little early (around 9 o'clock is fine). It also makes a good choice for celebrating birthdays. Once can order a cake... they are great.
It is a very affordable restaurant. Plus, every now and then they have 2x1 promotion for dinner during weekdays.
So... anyone feeling like some homemade vegetarian food?
Oh! Almost forgot. On Sunday afternoons they offer cooking classes, so the restaurant is closed. They also have different events :)
Pros: healthy, excellent food, good price
Cons: small, too hot in summer, busy for lunch during weekends
Guest
mymudra
Points +54
Kind and nice place - Edit
I live in Barcelona and everytime I travel to Madrid I love to eat in this place. I am macrobiotic and you cand find there your perfect meal for low price. Veggie-friendly, little store to get your products, and very kind people. It is a must in Madrid.
Read moreGuest
Clur
Points +253
Worth a visit - Edit
I was the only vegan amongst carnivores in Madrid so I was the only one to eat here. I had lunch (12 Euros). For that you get 5 courses - soup (I didn't bother), salad (very nice side salad), main course - only 1 vegan option and you get 3 items. Mine was a slice of tofu in miso sauce, veg paella and broccoli with mayo. I thoroughly enjoyed it. About 4 of the 8 desserts are vegan and I opted for the baked apple. I didn't have the 5th course of coffee as we short on time. I would have happily gone back if it had been closer to where we were staying. My friend who sat with me wasn't too impressed with the venue but I found it fine. The female staff member spoke enough English to explain what was vegan. I'd recommend it.
Read morePros: Great value, Free water, Lovely food
Cons: Only 1 choice for vegan
Guest
gonga
Points +47
Terrible - Edit
3 of us ate there Feb 6, 2010. 2 vegetarians. Food is downnright bad tasting, and the presentation is awfull. Among the 3 of us we tried all the options on the "menu of the day". The only edible item was the desert, a baked apple that was way over-baked, loosing all shape, but this is the only item they did not manage to destroy.
Read moreWe waited 20 minutes at lunch. What a waste of time and money..
Even Madrid has many better places...
Pros: not expensive
Cons: Tastless food, Bad presentation, Crowded
Guest
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