Vegetariano El Calafate

El menú del medio día, a 12€ por persona, merece mucho la pena. Pedimos una ensalada mediterránea y una crema de verduras de entrante y ambas estaban buenísimas. De segundo, pasta con pesto vegano y burrito con tapenade. La mayor sorpresa es que tenían un postre vegano (además de la pieza de fruta que puedes pedir) de arroz con leche. Acabas muy, muy lleno.

A hopeful start to our meal as we sat down in the modern relaxed surroundings of the restaurant and looked over the 12 euro menu of the day and gave our orders.

Our starters were fine really - a standard salad with a spoonful of baba ghanoush on it and a reasonable but uneventful vegetable soup.

However what we hadn't been told and nor did it seem had the manager who served us, was that the kitchen had run out of the aubergine and tomato pasta sauce that we'd chosen from the blackboard menu (which was already replacing the printed menu, as items from there weren't available). So without warning, we were instead presented with a pepper, courgettes and coconut milk sauce on pasta spirals. Think really basic thai curry with pasta. Now to us, this just doesn't work as a dish. Can't say we've seen coconut milk and pasta before and there's probably a reason for that. However we were advised by the waiter that other people liked the dish and it wasn't a one-off. So I guess you'll have to decide for yourself what to think of this.

We complained and were offered choice of another item. But the remaining items on the set menu were courgette in coconut milk (felt a bit deja vu) and mushrooms and mashed potato. Not feeling as if one goes out for a restaurant meal to have mushrooms and mash, we opted for a bean casserole from the starter list. Which one of us liked a bit and the other didn't.

When it's possible to find all sorts of interesting recipes online, there's not any longer a real excuse for not serving better food. If this restaurant upped its game with the food then it would be a winner - being in a great central spot and with a nice interior.

I'd suggest if you eat here then before sitting down you decide if there's something on the menu that you definitely fancy eating and then check with the staff if it's actually still available. In which case you might be fine. But on balance, we wouldn't go back.

Pick your fave's from today's menu and enjoy the ride. Service is friendly and swift and the food is hearty. Although this is not a 'raw' place the food we had was luke warm and we heard another table ask for their food to be reheated...boost the oven El Califata and you'll get another star! All in all this place is a very good option if you're looking for somewhere central away from the jamon iberico.

We ate here and had the menu of the day. The portions are huge but the taste is limited. I was hoping this was going to be the place for us Malaga to eat. We are in our 60's but food for us was disappointing. I had a chick pea casserole that was more like soup. My husband had the potato leek soup that was quite heavy with it seemed a lot of cornstarch. and pasta with overcooked zucchini. Rice pudding for dessert.
Believe me we wanted to like this place. Go for yourself and see...let us know your thoughts.

voor net geen 10 euro krijg je een vegetarisch 3 gangen menu'tje. verschillende keuzes bij elke gang.

I like very much

We went here yesterday with our almost 3 year old daughter and three month old son. Staff was accommadating, provided colored pencils, and spoke English. Food was good (porra and pasta with sweet potato) to very good although a bit more winter food (chick pea stew and mashed potatoes with peas and tomatoes). Dessert was also nice: lemon tart and carrot cake. Good value for your money at 9.70 euros for a menu!

This restaurant was a godsend during a week long stay in Malaga. The 3 courses for 9.5 euros was a bargain and they served enormous bowls of the best Ajo Blanco in Malaga. The desserts were still limited with only cold rice pudding or watermelon for vegans, neither of which were really appealing but all the other food we ate there was very good indeed.

Good news for those who have previously reviewed complaining of the lack of vegan desserts. They have at least one now, it's a rice pudding with a taste of cinnamon and it's fantastic. Really sweet, really tasty. (Life's short, eat dessert first, right?)

For the rest of the meal, we had hummus as an appetizer which was superb. I had lentil soup, cous cous mixed with vegetables (awesome!), and of course the rice pudding for dessert.

Our waiter spoke english and knew off the top of his head which dishes were vegan and which dishes could easily be converted to vegan. I went with his recommendations and was very happy I did.

We are planning to eat here again right before we leave Malaga.

I went there with a group and everyone had the set menu for 9.50€.

The vegetarians seemed to do okay, but as the only vegan I found the choice very limited and didn't feel particularly re-assured that the starter I was eating was actually vegan.

As other reviewers have mentioned, there's no vegan dessert either.

I wouldn't go back again.

Size of portions and presentation of a food is great, but no vegan deserts.

We went here twice, the first time wasn't great, the food was bland and we felt there was a lack of effort put into it. The second time was better, soups were still pretty tasteless but the main dish, a cauliflower and mushroom bake type thing, was delicious and full of flavour!

Some members of staff didn't seem knowledgable on what options were vegan, just replying to our questions with "everything on todays 'set menu' is vegan", which just wasn't true as a majority had different cheeses listed or had a warning pictures of 'contains egg' or milk next to it. With regards to the symbols used on the menu (contains egg, milk, gluten, soya etc.) they are not accurate, i.e. some items had no symbols next to it but the description clearly labeled cheeses, (hence asking the waiter for advice).

Over all, its cheap, but the experience can be hit and miss.

Been to El Calafate finally!!! Cheap food is not the issue,but how plain everything was...I m Vegan, so I knew I would struggle, but my seitan steak was as hard as a shoe, the soup was OK, but nothing I couldn't cook at home...Presentation was great,shame I wasn't t there to take pictures.Would not recommend, sorry...

So I read reviews and got recommended to this place. It was a bit hard to find. Decoration of restaurant was basic vegetarian (more a sinner place still I guess), staff nice and told about food. Anyhow 3 course menu was a really disappointing. Food was pretty/well presented but the taste, it was just a normal-avarage restaurant food with no special taste. My friends mIn course was a pasta with only oil and cheese, terrible!. Desert was some not-homemade cake and all options were not vegan. I really misssed good taste but the best was their organic wine selection :)
Updated from previous review on Sunday December 07, 2014

Fantastic place - a shame I only found out about it towards the end of my time in Spain and only managed to go once, otherwise I would've gone to El Calafate whenever I had been in Malaga.

It's been a while since then, but I can still remember the food was superb and well presented and that the waiter spoke English very well and was very attentive.

I had the menu del dia, which came with a grilled vegetable salad to begin with then, followed by stuffed pumpkin(stuffed with wild mushroom and rice) and fruit for dessert. All the food was fantastic and it was so refreshing to find a decent vegetarian place in Andalusia, as they are hard to come by!

This is my second option in Malaga. They have nice menus with 2 dishes and dessert (the joghurt is the best!)for a very convenient price. Food is quite good.

Service sometimes is a little slow, though.

The restaurant offers a three-course meal for less than 10 euros. Vegan options are sufficient for entry and flat but there is no vegan desserts.
The food is very good and well presented. Portions are generous. The staff is very friendly and will help you to find vegan options.

Amazing vegan food! Freshly made, very well prepared, delicious. Waiter and chef were both super friendly and forthcoming to prepare vegan food. The sizes of the portions were huge, we were both full after the starter! Two three-course meals and a sangria each were 21 euros together for the both of us. For desert the vegan options included fruit, tea or coffee. After that much food however, there was no need for anything else. Just perfect! Best dining experience in Malaga!

lots of great vegan and vegetarian food, and the choice was really hard to make. We had seitan, which was cooked beautifully and really juicy. Our vegetables were cooked exactly as requested. Very helpful english waiter too.

I had been meaning to go here for ages and so treated myself to my birthday lunch today. For some reason (maybe the name) I was expecting predominantly middle-eastern dishes (not a huge fan of cous cous) but was pleasantly surprised with the variety of vegan wholesome and tasty options.

The atmosphere was nice. Mobile coverage is very low there if you're thinking of doing any business as it's in a small side street (just so you know).

The service was excellent and I enjoyed a cream of courgette soup with lovely bread and a layered roasted vegetable dish with a tofu and spice rice dish (see photos) I was very full afterwards.

Vegan desserts were disappointingly limited to fruit however the lunch menu was good at under €10.

I would definitely return there. They also had disabled access for toilets.

the food tastes really good at this place and is vegetarian. I found the food very satisfying and wholesome. Also i was very impressed that they made fresh smoothies to order - not standing around in the fridge all day, instead they used all fresh ingredients and blended them to order. Superb, because i like my juices fresh. Well worth a visit. Also nice atmosphere and waiter speaks perfect english so you wont have any problems ordering.

Nice atmosphere and was mostly full while we were there. Waiter was very nice and spoke perfect English, we think he was English. So he explained what could be made vegan and how. We took the 3-course menu of the day, but veganised. This means desert was just slices of fruit. Serves coffee. Reasonably priced.

my favorite restaurant in Andalucia. Friendly staff, nice with vegan people. portions are big. Take a menu at 9€50 and try the calafate juice !!! good presentation also

I have been about 5 times to the restaurant, and have always found the food excellent and well presented. The staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful. We recommend this place to our Fuegoblanco B&B vegetarian clients. They always come back speaking highly of the food, the value (especially 'menu del dia'), and the service.