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Traveling to Ericeira in the near future and wondering if it’s a good fit for vegans? I got you! In this post, I will tell you if Portuguese cuisine is vegan-friendly, where to find the best restaurants in Ericeira that cater to vegans, and what vegan products you can expect to find in the supermarkets.
The streets of Ericiera
Ericeira is a small Portuguese village located about a 40-minute drive from Lissabon. It is characterized by beautiful white and blue houses and narrow cobblestone streets and is known for being a World Surfing Reserve.
While it still holds an authentic charm, the center of Ericeira has become quite popular among tourists and ex-pats in recent years. As a conscious traveler, if you don’t like to share the beaches and streets of Ericeira with too many other tourists, it’s best to visit Ericeira in the spring or fall.
The beautiful coastline of Portugal
To get straight to the point, Portugal is not the easiest country to travel to as a vegan. Although there are plenty of vegan hotels in Portugal, traditional Portuguese cuisine consists mainly of meat and seafood dishes, and, unlike countries like Greece, there are not many local Portuguese dishes that are “accidentally” vegan.
That said, you won’t have trouble finding many decent dining options in and around Ericeira. There are a lot of healthy coffee shops and lunch bars and even Portuguese restaurants where you can find a few vegan options.
Below you can find a list of bars, coffee shops, and restaurants in Ericeira that I tried and tested myself. At the end of the post, I will share some more places that I didn’t try but that also cater to vegans. Here we go!
Vegan restaurant Ericeira: GIG
Green is good is by far the best breakfast and lunch bar in the center of Ericeira. When you arrive, you will probably see that people are lining up to get a table and it’s always crowded. That is, of course, because the food and service here are excellent.
Sweet potato bruschetta and a chocolate verrine.
Green is Good is a healthy food bar but does offer meat and fish on its menu. Nevertheless, the vegan options are clearly indicated and the food is truly amazing. Even the drinks are of another level than anywhere I went in Ericeira.
Vegan food Ericeira: Sauté tofu with vegetables and black rice.
GIG offers different types of lunch formulas that are very reasonably priced. A starter, main course, and dessert will set you back € 18. At the time of my visit, all the starters and desserts on the menu were vegan and three out of the five main courses were vegan too.
Sweet potato brownie and delicious juices and cold teas.
I tried the bruschettas as a starter, sauteed tofu as the main course, and a sweet potato brownie with raspberry sorbet as dessert. They also offer a brunch plate that can be veganized and vegan breakfast options like mushroom crostinis and avocado toast. GIG should be your first choice when arriving in Ericeira!
Website: GIG
Where: Directions
Vegan pizza near Ericeira @ Souldough.
If you’re looking for the best pizza in the area around Ericeira then look no further than Souldough pizza. Located a ten-minute drive from the center of Ericeira, Souldough pizza has four vegan pizzas on its menu all made with local and natural ingredients and the best crust you will have ever tasted.
Vegan lunch @ Souldough.
Souldough is an outdoor restaurant consisting of two trucks, one converted to a bar and the other one to a kitchen with a woodfire oven. The DIY vibe of this place makes it extraordinary. They only serve pizza at night but they have a lunch option too. When I visited for lunch it was a delicious tofu salad.
Website: Souldough
Where: Directions
Dear Rose café, Ericeira.
The best coffee bar in town is Dear Rose café. Not only do they serve vegan bagels and a delicious vegan cinnamon roll, but the staff here is so friendly and funny that it will feel like a second home.
A Vegan cinnamon roll and delicious locally brewed Kombucha.
The skilled baristas know how to make their coffee and produce some beautiful latté art. And yes, that’s with oat milk. The only downside is that Dear Rose is closed on Monday and Tuesday and you’ll have to look for another place on those days for good coffee.
Website: Dear Rose
Where: Directions
Ericeira vegan guide: BE U store, Ericeira.
The best supermarket for vegans in Ericeira is BE U. You can find everything you need here, from fresh organic fruit and vegetables to plant-based milk, vegan cheese, and dried goods.
Vegan restaurant Ericeira: vegan tofu empanada from BE U.
The best thing about BE U is their in-store kitchen where they sell amazing baked goods like vegan empanadas, cakes, and soup. They also serve a vegan daily hot lunch that you can eat inside the store or take away for a picnic on the beach.
Website: BE U
Where: Directions
Vegan burger @ Barzhino.
My favorite bar was not located in Ericeira itself but in the small town of Ribamar a 5-minute drive from Ericeira. Aside from drinking Aperol Spritz, you come here to enjoy the great local Portuguese vibe and the cute terrace.
Portuguese petiscos: bruschettas and grilled mushrooms.
Although it’s a bar, they also have food on offer and much of it is vegan. Here you can enjoy bruschettas with vegan cheese and grilled mushrooms with your beer or cocktail and have a vegan lasagna or burger as the main course. Although the burger could use some salad, the fries that accompany the burger are utterly delicious.
Website: Barzhino
Where: Directions
Vegan Ericeira: Taberna Lebre.
For a real traditional Portuguese restaurant experience as a vegan, one of the best choices in town is Taberna Lebre. Taberna Lebre is known in the area as the best place to eat a prego, which is a Portuguese steak sandwich.
Of course, that’s not our cup of tea and there was no vegan version of a prego available on the menu. But the staff was familiar with the vegan diet and the funny and friendly waiter suggested taking the veggie prego (with eggplant, mushrooms, and goat cheese) but replacing the goat cheese with caramelized onions.
This is truly the best place for a traditional Portuguese restaurant experience in an informal setting. The small street where it is located is my favorite street in Ericeira. People are lining up outside to get a table. it’s not possible to make a reservation, they operate on a first come first serve basis.
Website: Taberna Lebre
Where: Directions
→ PRO TIP: Are you a vegan and also into yoga? Check out the best yoga studios in Ericeira!
Another Portuguese restaurant in the center of Ericeira that caters to vegans is Tik Tak. As a starter, they had the soup of the day or an eggplant salad on offer and as a main course grilled mushrooms with broccoli and sweet potato or a lentil bolognese.
Although Portuguese people tend to be a little grumpy sometimes, they are in general truly welcoming hosts that are friendly, easy-going, and funny. You will find these traits in the attentive staff at Tik Tak.
Website: Tik Tak
Where: Directions
Spending a day by the beach and looking for a great vegan lunch spot nearby? Then go to Praia da Foz do Lizandro, one of the best beaches in Ericeira. It’s an extraordinary beach where you can see the Lizandro river flowing right into the sea.
On the pier, you can find a beach shack called Barbatana. The cute and cozy interior makes for a perfect break away from your book and beach towel. On the menu here, you can find a variety of vegan salads, burgers, and sandwiches. Al the vegan options are clearly indicated and they served plant-based mild and vegan banana bread.
Website: Barbatana
Where: Directions
Vegan icecream Ericeira
After swimming, surfing, supping, or just sunbathing it’s time for…yes, ice cream. The best options for vegans can be found at Nutwood Geladaria. The vegan flavors at my time of visit were mango, strawberry, fig, and melon sorbet, and peanut butter ice cream.
Website: Nutwood
Where: Directions
Pu ro is a small fully vegan eatery in Ribamar, a 5-minute drive from the center of Ericeira. It’s the only fully vegan eatery in the whole area which makes it quite unique especially due to its location in a small village.
On the menu, you can find a burrito bowl, an all-day brunch plate for two, burgers, and a dish of the day. However, the best thing about Pu ro is their vegan Pasteis de Nata! I seriously got addicted to these, since it was just around the corner from our accommodation.
(Update June 2023: a recent traveler reported that Pu ro is not vegan anymore, though still caters to vegans. The vegan Pasteis de Nata tend to be out of stock a lot.)
Website: Pu ro
Where: Directions
vegan Ericeira: vegan toast with grilled vegetables.
If you are taking surf lessons in Ericeira then chances are it will be at Praia de Ribeira d’Ilhas where you will find this surf restaurant and bar. It is the perfect place to come for a Sunday brunch but do be aware that half of the people in Ericeira will have the same idea so if you don’t want to wait in line, it’s best to come on a weekday.
Spaghetti integrale with tofu @ Ribeira d’Ilhas surf restaurant and bar.
The terrace is nicely decorated and overlooks the ocean while the inside of the restaurant is huge with a lot of big tables and an airy feel. On the menu, you can find vegan toasts, tofu pasta, vegan curry, and sauteed mushrooms. I especially enjoyed their huge cups of coffee with soy milk.
Website: Ribeira d’Ilhas surf restaurant and Bar
Where: Location
After having a stroll through the cute center of Ericeira, Sunset Bamboo is a nice place to stop for a coffee or a quick bite near the main square. The menu clearly indicates the vegetarian options and they can easily be veganized.
On the menu you can find quesadillas, toasts, sandwiches and burritos. As for as I know, the pancakes and sweet were not vegan but they do offer smoothies and acai bowls which can normally easily be veganized.
Website: Sunset Bamboo
Where: Directions
Vegan empanada @ Ay Mamita, Ericeira.
tired of the Portuguese cuisine and all the healthy food options around Ericeira? Then you go to Ay Mamita for some Argentinian delights. The menu is not extensive, the only thing you’ll find are empanadas and bolos de Caco, something between a burger and a sandwich.
I wasn’t that wild about the taste of the vegan empanada and bolo de caco. It could have used some fresh salsa in my opinion but hey, it was my first time trying Argentinian cuisine so I don’t want to be too judgy. Aside from that, I loved the energetic owner of the place and here fantastic taste in music.
Website: Ay Mamita
Where: Directions
Before I travel, I tend to research toroughly and, since it’s impossible to try every restaurant, I want to share the restaurants with you that were on my list but that I didn’t get a chance to try when I was in Ericeira. If you try any of these, please let me know how it was in the comments below!
There you go! I hope you enjoyed this vegan Ericeira guide. Let me know in the comments below if you think I might have forgotten to mention a great place for vegans in Ericeira. And be sure to let me know your opinion if you have tried any of the restaurants I highlighted in this post!
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
ENJOY!
Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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