Hotel/Hostel/B&B in Santiago with vegan breakfast?

[Tanja_camino]

My Camino is getting closer, so I have some questions.

I am travelling as a vegan. I will manage I guess...but the real problem I think will be when my boyfriend will arrive in Santiago to meet me there. We are planning to stay there for some nights...and want to book something ahead. Breakfast will be a problem I think...would be nice not just to eat fruit everyday, so.....if anybody have any suggestions about where they do serve breakfast that we both can eat... (he doe`s NOT eat vegan) that would be nice! I thought about asking in front...but then, you never really know what you'll get

Thank you in advance!

 

[Landon Ricketts]

Here is a website you could try. https://www.happycow.net/europe/spain/santiago_de_compostela/
LR

 

[Tanja_camino]

Thank you Landon. I have the app, where you don`t have the possibility to search for B&B. Plenty of places to eat though
I had a look, but in spain there are only 4 B&B listed. And 0 in Santiago....

 

[Lucy Longpath]

Maybe you could stay in a hotel without breakfast such as La Salle. Then you can try different places for breakfast.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Almost all hosts will accommodate dietary needs for breakfast. Just ask when you arrive! You may not be offered anything more than juice, bread, butter, jam, and cheese anyway.

 

[Tanja_camino]

Maybe you could stay in a hotel without breakfast such as La Salle. Then you can try different places for breakfast.

Maybe that would be the answer yes La Salle seems to be overbooked though, so we will have to look for something else. But thanks for the input!

 

[Tanja_camino]

Almost all hosts will accommodate dietary needs for breakfast. Just ask when you arrive! You may not be offered anything more than juice, bread, butter, jam, and cheese anyway.

That was just what I was afraid of...I don`t eat butter or cheese. Bread is difficult, most of the time it`s prepared with eggs and/or milk...which leaves me with juice and jam Ohhh, I know that I have chosen a hard life. My boyfriend endures it so far though

 

[Lucy Longpath]

Maybe that would be the answer yes La Salle seems to be overbooked though, so we will have to look for something else. But thanks for the input!

We ate some meals at a restaurant called Cedros which served Lebanese, Thai and other types of food. I am sure they would have some vegan food. Maybe not breakfast but might be good for lunch or dinner!! It's a shame La Salle is overbooked. It is quite a big place and we did not book as like many people we did not know when we would arrive in Santiago.

 

[Paul McAmino]

Hi,

When I find myself needing a vegan or vegetarian option for any meal, I plan ahead and get what I need from a tienda or supermarket.
If the hotels you find yourself in don’t have any vegan options, you may have to supplement what is offered with your own store of plant-based food.

Cheers!
Paul

 

[Deleted member 67185]

while Spain is not vegan unfriendly, it seems to be vegan ambivalent. If you request a specific menu item, like a salad, be sure to ask if has any fish or fowl in it, as well as beef or pork, as many 'regular' salad offerings, and other seemingly vegetarian or vegan friendly fare, may include fish, like tuna or anchovy.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

Bread is difficult, most of the time it`s prepared with eggs and/or milk...

If you are buying supermarket, mass produced bread that may be true, but the fresh made bread in Galicia is made with just grain, water, yeast, and salt. Some hotels will serve this excellent bread, some will serve commercial bread. I strongly recommend stopping by local panadería for great Galician bread to take with you!

Once you are in Santiago, an exceptional loaf can be found in the Abastos market at the Panadería Divina stall. (Link) Their bread is made with organic grain that's stone ground in a nearby town, their own "madre masa", water and salt. It's served in many of the finest restaurants in town. Buen camino!!

 

[Albertagirl]

@Tanja_camino
As a vegetarian, I have wider dietary choices than yourself, but I do pay attention to what is available. I would suggest that you and your boyfriend stay at San Martin Pinario, right across the plaza from the cathedral. For a basic single room on the pilgrim floor, they charge about 23 euros per day, including an extensive buffet breakfast. I don't know what the price might be for a double room. For breakfast, you might have to make do with a couple of varieties of fresh fruit and tea or coffee, but there would be more variety for your boyfriend, and no limits as to quantity eaten. If you want to ask them further about food and bookings, email them at info@sanmartinpinario.eu . Be sure to ask about accommodation on the pilgrim floor and do not try to use a booking app or go the the hotel's general web site, if you want to find out about pilgrim rooms, costs, and breakfast buffet. Buen camino and good luck in finding vegan food along the way.

 

[trecile]

I only stayed in pensiones and also Hostal La Salle in Santiago. None of which offered breakfast. I definitely wouldn't choose a place to stay based on breakfast, as you can eat elsewhere.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

That was just what I was afraid of...I don`t eat butter or cheese. Bread is difficult, most of the time it`s prepared with eggs and/or milk...

Most standard bread does not use eggs or milk in the recipe. The ingredients are flour, water, salt, and yeast. A lot of artisan style breads, like baguettes, french-bread boules are the same. There are breads which do use eggs and milk, but that is more typical of either sweet breads, or egg breads like challa.

 

[natefaith]

Hi Tanja,
I second the recommendation for San Martin Pinario hotel, as well as any other hotel with a buffet breakfast so you have some choices. In my experience, hotels with buffets are more likely to have options for people with special dietary needs and be more used to special requests. If you look on Booking.com and enter in your Santiago dates, pick "Breakfast included" in the filters and see what places come up (some will be simple breakfasts, but some will have buffets).

There's also a hotel/spa a bit outside of town called A Quinta da Auga and it has a great breakfast buffet with nuts, cereals, bread, and juices (among a lot of other stuff). http://www.aquintadaauga.com/es/hotel-santiago-de-compostela

Other options after breakfast include "Alice in Wonder Pie" that has vegan snacks https://www.facebook.com/wonderpiescq/, and a restaurant called Malak has vegan food as well for lunch and dinner. http://www.malakbistro.com/

Enjoy all the planning and Buen Camino!
Faith

 

[natefaith]

We ate some meals at a restaurant called Cedros which served Lebanese, Thai and other types of food. I am sure they would have some vegan food. Maybe not breakfast but might be good for lunch or dinner!! It's a shame La Salle is overbooked. It is quite a big place and we did not book as like many people we did not know when we would arrive in Santiago.

Hi Lucy,
Sadly, Cedros closed a couple years ago! We all still miss it

 

[kdwettstein]

That was just what I was afraid of...I don`t eat butter or cheese. Bread is difficult, most of the time it`s prepared with eggs and/or milk...which leaves me with juice and jam Ohhh, I know that I have chosen a hard life. My boyfriend endures it so far though

I wish we got butter with breakfast! Most of the time it was just bread and jam, or a tomato relish. And don't worry about the bread; unless it is something very fancy like a brioche or croissant, the ingredients will be flour, water, salt, and yeast. For the most part, normal, everyday breads in Spain do not contain dairy products.

 

[Lucy Longpath]

Hi Lucy,
Sadly, Cedros closed a couple years ago! We all still miss it

Oh, what a shame, that was such a good place for me to eat as a vegetarian and such a nice atmosphere!! I have to admit it was 2015 when I was there!!

 

[natefaith]

Oh, what a shame, that was such a good place for me to eat as a vegetarian and such a nice atmosphere!! I have to admit it was 2015 when I was there!!

2015 makes perfect sense as I think they closed in late 2015 or 2016!

Try Malak Bistro the next time you're in town - Johnny is Palestinian and lived in the US for a while. He serves a mix of dishes (such as vegetarian curry) on the menu, and vegetarians who eat there have really enjoyed it.
Buen Camino!

 

[SYates]

The breakfast at San Martin Pineiro (book pilgrims room via email or phone as not available via website) is pretty varied. Cereals, different breads, fruit salad, jam, marmalade plus the usual non-vegan fare. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Tanja_camino]

Hi,

When I find myself needing a vegan or vegetarian option for any meal, I plan ahead and get what I need from a tienda or supermarket.
If the hotels you find yourself in don’t have any vegan options, you may have to supplement what is offered with your own store of plant-based food.

Cheers!
Paul

That is indeed one way to solve the problem. Not sure though if they will appreciate that I bring my own food inside at breakfast. Did you actually try this?

On the camino itself I am sure I will manage, I am planning to cook as much as possible, and will search the supermarkets when I am in the bigger city`s.

 

[Tanja_camino]

while Spain is not vegan unfriendly, it seems to be vegan ambivalent. If you request a specific menu item, like a salad, be sure to ask if has any fish or fowl in it, as well as beef or pork, as many 'regular' salad offerings, and other seemingly vegetarian or vegan friendly fare, may include fish, like tuna or anchovy.

Yeah, I know. I already have the Nomadic Vegan cheat sheet downloaded, so I know how to ask for this in Spanish. Now I just have to learn how to pronounce it in a way that they understand it

 

[Tanja_camino]

If you are buying supermarket, mass produced bread that may be true, but the fresh made bread in Galicia is made with just grain, water, yeast, and salt. Some hotels will serve this excellent bread, some will serve commercial bread. I strongly recommend stopping by local panadería for great Galician bread to take with you!

Once you are in Santiago, an exceptional loaf can be found in the Abastos market at the Panadería Divina stall. (Link) Their bread is made with organic grain that's stone ground in a nearby town, their own "madre masa", water and salt. It's served in many of the finest restaurants in town. Buen camino!!

Thank you for this information. I know that there are some bread that I can eat, but if I can`t read or see what`s in it, I will rather choose not to eat it. But now I know it`s ok. And I will
definitely try the "Madre masa"

 

[Tanja_camino]

@Tanja_camino
As a vegetarian, I have wider dietary choices than yourself, but I do pay attention to what is available. I would suggest that you and your boyfriend stay at San Martin Pinario, right across the plaza from the cathedral. For a basic single room on the pilgrim floor, they charge about 23 euros per day, including an extensive buffet breakfast. I don't know what the price might be for a double room. For breakfast, you might have to make do with a couple of varieties of fresh fruit and tea or coffee, but there would be more variety for your boyfriend, and no limits as to quantity eaten. If you want to ask them further about food and bookings, email them at info@sanmartinpinario.eu . Be sure to ask about accommodation on the pilgrim floor and do not try to use a booking app or go the the hotel's general web site, if you want to find out about pilgrim rooms, costs, and breakfast buffet. Buen camino and good luck in finding vegan food along the way.

Thank you, I will defiantly check this out!

 

[Tanja_camino]

Hi Tanja,
I second the recommendation for San Martin Pinario hotel, as well as any other hotel with a buffet breakfast so you have some choices. In my experience, hotels with buffets are more likely to have options for people with special dietary needs and be more used to special requests. If you look on Booking.com and enter in your Santiago dates, pick "Breakfast included" in the filters and see what places come up (some will be simple breakfasts, but some will have buffets).

There's also a hotel/spa a bit outside of town called A Quinta da Auga and it has a great breakfast buffet with nuts, cereals, bread, and juices (among a lot of other stuff). http://www.aquintadaauga.com/es/hotel-santiago-de-compostela

Other options after breakfast include "Alice in Wonder Pie" that has vegan snacks https://www.facebook.com/wonderpiescq/, and a restaurant called Malak has vegan food as well for lunch and dinner. http://www.malakbistro.com/

Enjoy all the planning and Buen Camino!
Faith

Had a look for the A Quinta da Auga.
Looks really nice, but a little bit pricey for us I`m afraid.
Breakfast, however, would not be a problem there I guess

Thank`s for the other information, will try these ones!

What concerns the planning.....I am enjoying every single bit of it!

 

[natefaith]

Had a look for the A Quinta da Auga.
Looks really nice, but a little bit pricey for us I`m afraid.
Breakfast, however, would not be a problem there I guess

Thank`s for the other information, will try these ones!

What concerns the planning.....I am enjoying every single bit of it!

We've only gone to A Quinta for breakfast but judging by the place I'm not surprised it's pricey!

Buen Camino!
Faith

 

[Wendy Werneth]

Hi Tanja,

I'm glad to hear that you've already downloaded my cheat sheet. I hope you find it helpful! As others have said here, bread is usually vegan in Spain. A very common breakfast offering in Spain is "pan con tomate", which is toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with grated tomato pulp and olive oil. It's delicious, completely vegan, and very widely available.

I honestly wouldn't worry about breakfast when choosing your accommodation in Santiago. Instead, stay wherever you want and then go somewhere else for breakfast if needed. Here are a few good options that I tried last year:

Alice in Wonder Pie - vegan-friendly bakery with pies, brownies, croissants and cupcakes, and also
savory items like pizzas that are sold later, after 1pm or so. Rúa Ensinanza 12 Bajo

SCQ Café - Has smoothies, and the churros with hot chocolate can be made vegan (with soy milk in the hot chocolate). Also has vegan fajitas, burgers, salads, arepas, etc. for lunch (from 2pm). Rua das Orfas 2

O Xardin dos Soños - health food store on the Camino Francés, near the Cathedral. Also has a café inside with vegan cakes, croissants, etc.

 

[cowolter1]

I would recommend Hospital de Orbigo .
We were a group of four who hiked the Camino de Santiago in September 2013. This was our favorite place among the many we stayed at during our walk. Well prepared vegetarian food and a good yoga class. Comfortable and open atmosphere.

 

[Wendy Werneth]

I would recommend Hospital de Orbigo .
We were a group of four who hiked the Camino de Santiago in September 2013. This was our favorite place among the many we stayed at during our walk. Well prepared vegetarian food and a good yoga class. Comfortable and open atmosphere.

I think you're probably talking about the Albergue Verde, which is in the town of Hospital de Orbigo. I agree that it's a fabulous albergue with great vegan food, but I believe the OP was asking about a place to stay in Santiago.

 

[Landon Ricketts]

Great thread Tanja just wondering what you and anyone else would have for a vegan breakfast as Wendy's 'pan con tomate' sounds really good.

 

[Tanja_camino]

Hi Tanja,

I'm glad to hear that you've already downloaded my cheat sheet. I hope you find it helpful! As others have said here, bread is usually vegan in Spain. A very common breakfast offering in Spain is "pan con tomate", which is toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with grated tomato pulp and olive oil. It's delicious, completely vegan, and very widely available.

I honestly wouldn't worry about breakfast when choosing your accommodation in Santiago. Instead, stay wherever you want and then go somewhere else for breakfast if needed. Here are a few good options that I tried last year:

Alice in Wonder Pie - vegan-friendly bakery with pies, brownies, croissants and cupcakes, and also
savory items like pizzas that are sold later, after 1pm or so. Rúa Ensinanza 12 Bajo

SCQ Café - Has smoothies, and the churros with hot chocolate can be made vegan (with soy milk in the hot chocolate). Also has vegan fajitas, burgers, salads, arepas, etc. for lunch (from 2pm). Rua das Orfas 2

O Xardin dos Soños - health food store on the Camino Francés, near the Cathedral. Also has a café inside with vegan cakes, croissants, etc.

Hi Wendy,

I found "cheat sheet" very helpful, and my worries about what to eat are all gone. I will manage for sure!

Thank you very much for the tip about the " Pan Con tomate" I will definitely try it, sounds great! Who said that vegan food is boring and tasteless?

And thanks a lot for all you´r other information, I think this what we will end up doing... going out for breakfast...as I think of it, we will probably sleep long anyway and will be too late for the breakfast anyway. Brunching will be the answer I guess. And then I don´t have to worry about anything

 

[Wendy Werneth]

Hi Wendy,

I found it very helpful, and my worries about what to eat are all gone. I will manage for sure!

Thank you very much for the tip about the " Pan Con tomate" I will definitely try it, sounds great! Who said that vegan food is boring and tasteless?

And thanks a lot for all you´r other information, I think this what we will end up doing... going out for breakfast...as I think of it, we will probably sleep long anyway and will be too late for the breakfast anyway. Brunching will be the answer I guess. And then I don´t have to worry about anything

Great, I'm so glad it was helpful. Buen camino!

 

[Tanja_camino]

I think you're probably talking about the Albergue Verde, which is in the town of Hospital de Orbigo. I agree that it's a fabulous albergue with great vegan food, but I believe the OP was asking about a place to stay in Santiago.

Yep, sounds great, but won't be passing there.

 

[Tanja_camino]

Great, I'm so glad it was helpful. Buen camino!

It´s really helpful, watching the video from you´r Camino at the moment, really great, and so comforting!

So thank you again

 

[Tanja_camino]

Great thread Tanja just wondering what you and anyone else would have for a vegan breakfast as Wendy's 'pan con tomate' sounds really good.

Thank you Landon, love all the response as well!

I thought about that too, here at home I always eat a mixture of vegetable milk (rice/oat/coconut) and a mix of oatmeal/broken linseed/hemp seed/chia and sesame seeds. I am going to bring that with me, enough anyway to get passed the first week I guess. Since the vegetable milk may be a problem, I will try it with water, and a banana to sweeten the taste. Just to get me going in the morning that is

 

[mguillen]

Here is a website you could try. https://www.happycow.net/europe/spain/santiago_de_compostela/
LR

Thx so much for this!!