Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
International
Buffet
Fast food
Take-out
European
Spanish
Vegetarian buffet restaurant in the Plaza de la Paja. Offers many choices from salad and cold dishes to hot foods and desserts. Comfortable environment. 2015 Changed to VivaBurger.
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Costanilla de San Andrés 16 (at Plaza de la Paja), Madrid, Spain, 28005
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Last update on 20 Feb 2015 by Guest
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15 Reviews
First Review by Lourdes
LauraMay
Points +135
A disappointing change to a pretentious wine bar - Edit
I have no words to describe how disappointing the new viva la vida is in comparison to the old one. I've been going to this place for many years and have also tried vegans and vegetarians all over Europe, from Sweden to Portugal, Viva La Vida was in my favourites. Unfortunately the place was just revamped into some pretentious wine bar with mediocre tapas. The rations are small and pricey (and VLV was already on the pricey side but the originality of the food and being able to taste many things made up for it); there were very few vegan ones, and they weren't even indicated, most of them have to be made vegan on request. The half of the buffet which was salads is less plentiful, has less interesting stuff and you'll have to pay almost 7€ for a small bowl and 12€ for a bigger one. All the pretty decoration has left as well and been replaced with well, not much except blue paint. I didn't see any desserts, out or on the menu. Most of the place is now occupied by a bar.
Read moreThe owners and staff didn't seem to care one bit when I politely expressed my slight disappointment at the change, it seems clear this has been turned into a place to make money and no longer tasty veg*an food. Don't bother.
Cons: Expensive, small portions, Vegan not indicated and few options
Guest
TofuCelt
Points +229
Stodgy food - Edit
I feel guilty giving this place a bad review as the cook never seemed to have stopped bringing out food out to the buffet counters. However, this is how our visit went.
Read moreThe restaurant is a bit difficult to find and is a bit away from the centre. However, we finally found it. It is situated in a dirty area of the city. However, the restuarant itself is clean and brightly coloured.
We were 'greeted' by a fairly numb man. We had to ask how everything worked. He explained to us that we had to pick what we wanted and he would weigh the food to see how much it would cost us.
We proceeded to the counters. There were two counters, a cold one and a warm. There was a good selection so we decided to try small bits of almost everything. It was a huge disappointment. Nearly everything tasted stodgy and no matter which counter it came from, they all tasted lukewarm. Nothing stood out as good.
The cook, like the 'host', was numb and didn't even say 'hola' to us as she passed us. We had to laugh as just above the kitchen door was written '!Sonríe!' (Spanish for 'Smile!').....but nobody there abided by it.
The best part of the meal was the wine.....
Cons: Stodgy food, Numb staff, Expensive
Guest
matrosin
Points +168
Great buffet! - Edit
I was very happy about the food by weigh system and tried everything vegan at the buffet. I really liked the salad, they were experimental and very tasty. Vegan aioli and mayo. The food was fresh, well presented and there was a big variety. Very good spiced! I felt repleted and good afterwards. The do fresh squezzed juices at the juice bar.
Read moreThe place is REALLY colorful. Not my style but I enjoyed it very much, because there was so much love for details.
A pitty they just had one vegan cake.
Price was also totally okay.
English spoken.
Pros: buffet
Guest
AchimG.
Points +260
Good, expensive food - Edit
The food was really tasty, the buffet offered a large variety of spanish and international food, most of which was vegan. However imo, 2,10€ for 100g buffet is rather expensive. In addition, I could not tell weather or not I paid for the weight of the plate, because the scale showed 1.2 kg and the waiter then calculated something and later I only got the 72€ bill (for 4 persons, excluding drinks).
Read moreAfter we were almost finished, the owner showed up. I suppose it was the owner, because she blithely started eating, picking stuff from the buffet with her fingers...
Pros: Delicious
Cons: Expensive, intransparent pricing, Staff eats with fingers directly from buffet
Guest
vsername
Points +164
Tasty but a bit stressful - Edit
Buffet style, where everything is vegetarian and 50% or so are vegan (but there were no vegan desserts). Depending on the time you get there, you get Midday Menu (10€) and Night Menu (15€). Both include at least 500 gr. of food and a beverage. It's quite stressful because you have to constantly check whether you exceed the weight limit.
Read moreThe location is great and the decoration is very nice and original.
The waitress tried to be nice (in fact she was) but she made mistakes when counting how much we had left to eat and she ended up too nervous and talking in an inappropiate tone. After arguing 10 minutes she realized she was wrong and gave us one extra drink and some desserts but still, that conversation should not have occurred that way. Moreover, she didn't really know what "vegan" meant...
500 grams of food is not very much and we all finished hungry. The food was very tasty but I find it a bit expensive in terms of quantity. So, if you are starving, I wouldn't say this is the right place.
Pros: Tasty food, Cool place, Mojitos are good
Cons: Weird and annoying serving method, Expensive, Not many vegan options
Guest
justingross
Points +247
Tasty Food - Edit
We ate here the other night. The location is great...right on a square very close to another Veg restaurant. They have food available buffet style. They weigh the plates after you have filled them up. I do think the prices were a bit expensive. However, I also thought the dishes that I tasted had unique flavors and were overall very good.
Read moreWe make our best effort to only frequent vegetarian restaurants when we travel and if you do the same, you should definitely come here. Try to get a table outside on the square...you might have to wait for a bit. But you can have a drink or juice inside until one opens up.
Guest
fpero
Points +46
don't get me wrong.... - Edit
Don't get me wrong: I really enjoyed the place and the food. The place per se is just beautiful and cosy. The lady managing almost everything upstairs is really kind. The food was good. But I got like the impression that it was a bit more expensive than it should be, both in terms of quantity and quality you have access to. if I remember it right, 100 grams cost 2,50 euros... and this spoils the idea I have of what a "buffet" should be, which is surely not doing maths while selecting what to eat, nor figuring out every few seconds how much does your plate weigh...
Read moreGuest
Fer
Points +600
Good place and food - Edit
Peculiar type for billing: You pay 10 € for 500 g of food and 2.5€ every 100 g you added. Buffet with dozens of vegetarian and vegan products. You must return more times to eat all of them. Very friendly and enthusiast owner. Good ambience and food. Spacious place. Private room 'virtual jarden' underground for events. Needs to mark vegan food much better.
Read morePros: Friendly, Cheap, Quality
Cons: None
Guest
flormadel
Points +266
Pricey but worth it - Edit
I have been here multiple times and I have always left really happy. Not only does the place have a very earthy and colorful atmosphere, but the food is also delicious. The buffet is by weight, so be careful with what you choose. It is indeed not a place to come if you are looking to get full (unless you have a lot of money). But you can easily sample a bit of everything for around 10 euro. It's also an excellent place to come for dessert (they have delicious vegan cakes) and everything is clearly labeled. It has an ideal location, and would definitely recommend it!
Read morePros: nice vibe, good food, many vegan options
Cons: pricey
Guest
aps101
Points +341
Great Variety & Great Atmosphere - Edit
A great choice for veggies, vegans and carnivores too. The buffet has a lot of variety, great foods and interesting combinations. They also present some traditional Spanish dishes in a vegetarian style. A great way to get to experience the flavors of some traditional dishes. The buffet is well marked vegetarian or vegan. Incredible juices and a great selection of liquor. The people are super friendly and the decor is fun and funky. Great value. An absolute must try in Madrid!
Read morePros: Variety, Taste, Value
Guest
sbszine
Points +250
Decent buffet - Edit
This is one of those pay-by-weight buffets. There's a huge selection of food to choose from, including hot and cold mains, soups, salad, and desserts. The food is pretty good but the prices are quite high compared to the cheap menu del dia lunches that you can get elsewhere. Vegan options are not marked, and since it's self service it's hard to find staff to tell you what is and isn't vegan.
Read morePros: Good selection, Wifi
Cons: Expensive, Vegan options not marked
Guest
rjmehra
Points +323
Wow! It's like a better, cheaper Tibits (London). - Edit
My friend and I chanced upon this branch of Viva La Vida quite by accident after leaving El Elstragon (disappointed). I wish we'd gone here instead then. I have since been here twice and loved it both times. The Buffet has an amazing range of Spanish vegan items, hot and cold. The price is according to weight, so unlike a greasy typical buffet, you are not penalised for being a light eater. There are copious amounts of drinks and desserts too, and ample seating.
Read moreVEGAN SUSHI ROLLS too, need I say more?
Pros: Range, Price, Seating
Cons: Desserts not vegan
Guest
lady_linzi
Points +79
Be careful how much you pile on your plate! - Edit
This place is lovely and cosy with lots of seats (you can sit downstairs too). The buffet has a wide variety, however vegan options are not marked and I think we had a few things (accidentally) that might have had cheese or butter in them. Even though I was being careful to avoid any labels that said queso or huevo! I'm not sure they list all of the ingredients in some things. As they weigh your plate you really have to be careful not to overload your plate, it can get expensive! It's a really nice place to hang out with a bottle of wine, we ended up coming here twice. El Estragon is just across the square from here so if you stay in the La Latina neighbourhood, as we did, you have two veggie options right on your doorstep.
Read morePros: Lots of choices, Nice bottles of wine for 13e, Good place just to chill out
Cons: Vegan food not marked, Can be expensive
Guest
sglcklch
Points +2875
Don't come starving - Edit
Quite good food, nice decor and background music. Lots of choices, but the problem is they don't indicate which ones are vegan and all food description is in Spanish. I had a slice of polenta topped with mushrooms, and although the description didn't say queso/leche, it did have a taste of cheese. At a price of €2.1 per 100g, I'd recommend coming here for a light meal; otherwise it's pretty easy to go overboard and pick up a little bit of everything, then next thing you know you'll be paying €10++ for all this prepared not-so-fresh food.
Read moreP.S. Actually I had dropped by their other location on C/ de las Huertas before ending up eating here. That location seemed much smaller and didn't have as wide of a selection, but they sell groceries over there.
Pros: tasty, cute setting
Cons: overpriced, food not indicated
Guest
Lourdes
Points +20
I am local and eat there all the time - Edit
Firstly, let me state that I am American, have lived in Madrid for over twenty years, and am vegan/50% raw vegan. I love Viva la Vida. The decor is so lively and pleasing that I have thought about decorating my house in the same way. The food is all buffet food and absolutely delicious. I know many "omnis" who eat there and love it. I LOVE that it takes maximum ten minutes from arrival to scarfing down piles of food (great when you're starving!). A sizeable plate of food runs about 10-12 euros. It might seem expensive, but it is still cheaper than a restaurant. There is organic beer and wine, the beer costing only about 2.50 euros. You can sit outside on the lovely and popular square, Plaza de la Paja, a bit tucked away and not as touristy as other places. I love that you can eat as little or as much as you want, and try 20 different things without having to order 20 different dishes. Plus, you can occupy a table all night long if you want to (no one rushes you out); my girlfriends and I have started meeting here instead of at someone's house, because it's just as pleasant and creates no work (unlike being a host). Everyone stands in line and pays for their own food, so no issues about splitting the bill. I love the curried vegetables, vegetarian lasagna, polenta, chickpea salads, veg nori rolls, etc. For vegans and raw vegans, options are more limited, but you do have options. Admittedly, a lot of the food is probably fairly high fat. I go there when I want to treat myself and pig out, but that's just me (no one is forcing me to choose all the high fat options). But everyone loves the food here! There is pleasing decor, a varied and interesting crowd, ease of access, delicious food... all very affordable. Keep in mind that organic ingredients are significantly more expensive. A lot of people on weekends. Smoking section downstairs, and sometimes music. It is a great alternative to a typical restaurant format. In short, it is definitely worth checking out at least once... you might love it as much as I and (almost) everyone else do!
Read morePros: great food, vaguely hip, not expensive
Cons: sometimes you don't want buffet
Guest
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