They say that the oldest known vegetarian restaurant, and reflected in the Guinness Book of Records, is the one Ambrosius Hiltl opened in 1898 under his same surname in Zurich, Switzerland. At that time, his clientele were disparagingly called grass-eaters and many entered through a back door to avoid scorn. Today it is still standing, being one of the city's major gastronomic references, with the fifth generation Hiltl at the helm.
The boom of the 60s and 70s of the last century in vegetarian and vegan food happened thanks to the impregnation of Eastern culture in the West. And although veganism was one of the pillars of these Eastern philosophies, that consumption awareness was planted as a seed so that, especially in the last ten years, it has sprouted in Barcelona with high-quality and personalized vegetarian and vegan proposals. Some of them, of course, are haute cuisine and a point of reference in Europe, following in the footsteps of Alain Passard with his L'Arpège in France, in 2001, or before Pietro Leemann with his Joia, in Milan (the first vegetarian restaurant to win a Michelin star in 1996).
The flourishing gastronomic scene with a focus on vegetables in Barcelona is very interesting and includes both proposals entirely dedicated to plant protein, such as Rasoterra, The Green Spot, Fat Veggies or Roots&Rolls, as well as menus where animal protein is merely anecdotal, such as Xavier Pellicer, the brand new Casa Luz by Tomás Abellán, Rodrigo de la Calle's Virens in the Hotel Almanac or the nearby Frizzant, without neglecting the kings of fast good, Honest Greens.
That vegetables are conquering their space in the gastronomic panorama is due, according to Daniele Rossi, co-owner and chef of Rasoterra, to the fact that "the diner's palate is more formed and more demanding. Thus, the incipient vegan and vegetarian options in Barcelona have shifted towards more complex and evolved proposals. It has been a slow process that has migrated from the naturist vegetarian of the 70s to a current, more sophisticated vegetarian."
In addition, hospitality schools are bringing new professionals specialized in vegetarian and vegan cuisine to the market. When entering gastronomic kitchens, the level rises, and the circle closes in which the diner learns by eating. That slow evolution, which began 50 years ago, is beginning to bear fruit.
Rasoterra
Rasoterra is the elevated version of Daniele Rossi and Chiara Bombari's first project in Raval, Sésamo, in 2001. Already focused then on a vegetarian proposal, the Rasoterra we find on the table today, eight years after opening its doors, is also an evolution: from vegetarian for sustainability reasons to vegan, which also seeks to give greater meaning to its activity, embracing the rejection of animal abuse and a conscious way of impacting the environment. Always under a gastronomic approach: a local vegan proposal with natural wines, because in the solid and liquid part in unison is how the maximum representation of the territory can be offered.
A good example of this is one of their most recent seasonal dishes, whole mushrooms with Jerusalem artichoke puree and Garraf vegetable fricandó. With this simple dish, they transfer the work of these farmers who are rebuilding themselves after the pandemic to a diner who seeks to enjoy with pleasure.
Roots & Rolls
That sushi is already strongly rooted in our gastronomic desires is a consolidated reality. What is not (yet) is vegan sushi, and to approach that universe of surprising flavors and ingredient combinations, there is nothing like trying the sushi selection from Roots&Rolls. The mere presentation of the cuts is an invitation to enjoy, whatever the diner's dietary preferences: colorful and fresh, each bite is an explosion on the palate. The ingredients are seasonal vegetables and fruits seasoned with more than a dozen homemade sauces that seek to amplify the taste spectrum. The grace is also in the diversity of rice and quinoa varieties they use. Their homemade desserts are also a good way to end that vegan discovery party.
Fat Veggies
Following in the footsteps of Lennox Hastings, at Fat Veggies, plant protein is enthroned with fire. With embers, to be more precise. That seasonal and organic vegetable not only has an impeccable presentation and flavor, but everything from it is used: in the carrot, romesco, and gremolata dish, for example, both the stem and the leaves (for the gremolata) and the root are used. So eating here is not only opening a window to a world of powerful vegetable flavors but also learning that another reality in kitchen management is possible.
The Green Spot
The restaurant The Green Spot, from the En Compañía de Lobos group and created by Tomás Tarruella, stands as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the world, specifically the second nationwide according to the We're Smart Green Guide. With several years on the scene, The Green Spot offers a menu with plant-based proposals that adapt to seasonal ingredients. The inspiration for the dishes comes from different cuisines around the world, from Japanese to Arab, passing through Indian, Mexican, Latin, or Southeast Asian, thus achieving a spectrum of options for all palates and preferences. A place where one enjoys the careful interior design in addition to vegetarian dishes that, due to their presentation and flavors, are appealing to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.
Beyond a restaurant...
If the penetration of vegan and vegetarian options in restaurants is a proven fact, no less so is the inclusion of this diet in the domestic format. To the greater knowledge we have about fruits and vegetables in their seasonal splendor, a curiosity to learn how to cook them is added. And when the home cook doesn't feel like cooking, they don't want to give up that standard of discovery and quality.
For those moments, options like Honest Greens at home or the fun vegan sandwiches from Dirty Vegans solve more than one lunch or dinner. The first, with its options to create combined dishes (80% plant-based), offers color, variety, and satisfying satiety. And the second offers imaginative, fun, extremely succulent sandwiches, prepared by Georgina Gore Browne and Barbara Doherty entirely from their workshop.
Even drinks enjoyed at home can be vegan, like Tea Shop's Veggie Purity infusion. A surprising infusion made with a selection of ten super-vegetables, complemented with spices and aromatic herbs, to provide vitality and health: carrot, chicory root, tomato, beetroot, spinach, pumpkin, cucumber, turmeric, basil, and parsley. The charm here is not so much in its surprising flavor but in its positioning as a Zero Waste product: once infused, the content can be reused in cooking, with desserts or smoothies.
Veganism and the vegetarian spectrum have arrived to consolidate, evolve, and grow. In our Barcelona and throughout the world. Demonstrating once again that gastronomy is not only culture but a faithful reflection of an era and a socio-economic context. The great advantage is that this context can be savored.