Tomavida: Organic and Eco-Friendly Food Store in Madrid

It became popular in the U.S. and parts of Europe a while ago, it’s even had a start up in Barcelona, but the concept of organic and eco-friendly food has yet to settle in for good in Madrid. Enter Tomavida, perhaps the city’s only mini market, deli and takeaway that adheres to the health benefits of organic products and eco-minded philosophy of using products from environmentally responsible companies and individuals.

Open for less than a year in a small locale in the Chueca neighborhood, Tomavida is still adjusting and struggling to get its name out and find a solid customer base. It’s something that I hope this family run business can achieve because it’s as eclectic as it is honest about what it sells: you can tell the owners don’t just sell their products to make a living but also do so believing they are doing something good.

But enough praise about family businesses and eco-conscience; what does the store actually sell and is it worth going? The answer is a lot of things and yes, definitely worth visiting.  Apart from selling a variety of local and imported products from grains to fruits and vegetables, it is also a deli that offers delicious sandwiches, hamburgers, salads and soups. What gives this place its special twist is that because the owners come from the Balkans the menu is a mixture of eastern European and Spanish food, even with a little bit of Mediterranean added in.

Evidently there are many things that set this small kitchen apart from others you might find in Madrid, unfortunately one of them is that its products tend to be a bit more expensive than in your standard store. This is understandable and may be expected since healthy and eco-friendly products usually cost more than your standard, but don’t be dismayed: higher costs do point to better quality and this applies to products on sale—as far as prices for cooked meals go these aren’t more expensive than your average lunch spot in the city center. Also, because Tomavida wants your attention they’ve set up a facebook account where you can check out the day’s menu and order free home delivery (starting from 20 euros and up and with a 3 euros surcharge).

As it’s already been said this a very small store, but you’d be surprised at all the stuff that fits inside: natural juices; a wide selection of grains (rice, lentils, chickpeas, beans, cuscus and more), all sorts of marmalade and honey products, pasta (with and without gluten), sugar and different varieties of coffee. This being what you may call a “health nut” store it’s obvious that there’s enough muesli, granola, soy and tofu to feed a whole green peace guerrilla squadron.  Other hard to find items available are dried seaweed, sesame paste, foie gras and tofu products. You’ve also got a selection of ordinary canned and bottled products such as ketchup, wok and soy sauces, olive oil, bottled green beans, corn and the like. Finally, don’t forget the wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and milk products available too.

As for the cooked and prepared meals, most look as tasty as they are. There’s ham, salami, meat and turkey and lots of cheeses—feta, Greek, parmesan, manchego to name a few—for sandwiches and also many vegetable combinations for big salad plates. Chicken and meat main courses are especially good quality; the meat, originating from small farms in Asturias and Galicia, can also be bought uncooked per kilo.

If your eating habits border the healthy and sustainable this is a place you’ve got to know about, if not, it’s a good chance to taste the difference—they’ve even got eco-friendly San Miguel beer!

Menu prices:
Soups – 4.00
Salads – 4.80
Starters – 5.20
Mains – 7.50
Sandwiches – 4.60
Burgers – 5.00 to 9.00

Tomavida
c/ Valgame Dios, 2
Metro: Chueca
91 182 5488
Hours:  11:00 a.m. – 23:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays / 13:00 p.m. – 23:00 p.m. Sundays
Delivery Hours: Mondays through Saturdays 13:30 p.m. – 16:30 p.m.

By Daniel Sznajderman

La Carlota: Quick, Healthy and Tasty Meal

La Carlota is located in the calle Paseo de recoletos, half a block away from the busy streets that are always being drilled at and remodeled—Calle de Alcala, Serrano, Paseo de la Castellana. To say this small mostly tostas place is in the middle of Madrid is an understatement: it’d take you about the same time to get to Plaza Cibeles, Gran Via, the Prado and Thyssen Museums, the Retiro Park and the Chuecas district from La Carlota. This busy and business-y spot is why the customers of this breakfast and lunch are mostly shirt and tie workers enjoying their lunch or break. And that’s what this place caters for: it’s casual and quick, offering small dishes or a filling lunch, unless you just want to enjoy a good coffee and read the complementary newspapers.

If you walk a few steps up the same street you’ll run into a Delina´s, the franchise that offers a variety of mostly healthy sandwiches, soups, salads, yogurts and the like. Now Delina´s isn’t bad, but for the twelve euro meal you’ll have to spend to be satisfied there you get much cheaper and tastier options at la Carlota. By tastier I don’t mean greasier either because practically all of the food here is  healthy (think soft bread soaked in olive oil, tomato and mozzarella toasts and stewed lamb with cuscus).  The menu breakdown is simple: normal salads come in medium and large bowls and are 6 or 6.50 euros each, juiced up salad dishes are 7 euros, all tostas are 2.90 euros, soups are 4 euros and main dishes cost 7.50.

The tostas in this place are amazing, especially if you´re not looking for a huge meal. Always using fresh warm bread, some of the favorite toppings Iberic ham, mushroom and blue cheese, salmon with peppers or eggplant and olive oil. Think a salad can´t get you full? You´ll have to think again once you´ve had the bowls here, which include all types of veggies you can think of. The daily specials—or weekly or monthly, they don´t change the specials too much here—are excellent: the cuscus with stripped juicy lamb and chicken and the calamari and rice dishes are quite popular. One thing strangely not written on the menu is the tasty unchanging desserts: chocolate cake, tiramisu and the highly recommended yogurt with forest fruits.

So for a coffee, snack, salad or full meal in the middle of the city, look for the small restaurant with a big orange carrot as its logo—you won’t leave unsatisfied.

La Carlota
Paseo de Recoletos, 11
Metro: Banco de España / Recoletos (renfe)
Hours: Monday´s through Friday´s from 9:00am to 16:30 p.m.

By Daniel Sznajderman

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2. Paseo de Recoletos, 11

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Madrid Vegetarian Restaurant: Al Natural

Al Natural
Calle Zorrilla, 11
91 3694709
Book a table online.

After admiring the paintings of Valazquez, Goya and more Spanish greats at the Prado Museum, or the eclectic private European art collection at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza head over to Al Natural for dinner. From the outside the establishment looks like any restaurant, but inside it’s breathtaking. Brick arches, dim lighting, stained glass windows, and natural colors mix together to create a romantic and relaxing ambiance. The menu is simple but the flavors are anything but that: Croquetas with mushroom and asparagus, tarta de setas y espinacas (mushroom and spinach tart), ensalada templada con queso de cabra (goat cheese salad), escalpe de seitan a la pimienta verde o al roquefort (seitan with green peppers and Roquefort), and let’s not forget the incredibly rich tarta de requesón con chocolate (chocolate cheese cake). Yum! For over fifteen years Al Natural has drawn a diverse crowd, leading to an addition of vegan dishes and four non-vegetarian plates on the menu. Although most restaurants offer a menu del día, Al Natural offers a menu del día and a menu nocturna from Monday – Thursday. If you’re in town for New Years Eve, ring in the New Year at Al Natural. But make sure to reserve a seat ahead of time; the restaurant fills up fast.

Make a reservation at Al Natural below:

To go to the main Food and Tapas page click here

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Vegetarian Delights at Madrid Hare Krishna center

The Hare Krishna center restaurant is a great option for cheap, healthy, and extremely satisfying food. The restaurant is also a community center and house of worship.  For 5 euros during the week and 6 euros on weekends you’ll find a freshly cooked vegetarian meal on a large cafeteria style plate. What’s more, you have the opportunity to grab seconds, but because the portions are large – there’s rarely anyone that can take a second serving.

Taking up a small space along Calle Espitiru Santo, the center is located somewhere in between Tribunal and Gran Via—in other words, somewhere in between the cafes, bars, bakeries and bohemian stores that represent a lifestyle completely antagonistic to Krishna.  It is nevertheless a thriving place with many regular members and occasional drop-ins who, like yours truly, come right after the chanting and right before the chow. For those following a similar plan, here´s the simple breakdown: Mondays to Fridays the chanting ceremonies begin at 14:45 p.m. and the food begins a half-an-hour later. On Saturday´s lunch begins at 15:00 p.m.. The ceremonies themselves take place in the center´s basement and involve group chanting accompanied by a few instruments. It’s an enlightening, enjoyable, and possibly an odd sight depending on who witnesses it—either way the wooden floor, yellow walls, decorated ceiling, beautiful shrine and amiable atmosphere are sure to make anyone comfortable.

The food is served buffet style and includes salad, rice and vegetables, other specialized vegetable recipes, bread, biscuits, and delicious warm tea. The salad is never dull with a zesty sauce, nuts and pieces of fruit, while the vegetables that accompany the steamy rice are usually flavorful green beans, corn, potatoes and carrots. The extra vegetable recipe is the one that most varies from day-to-day; my personal favorite is the slow cooked sweet plantains mixed with tofu and a dense red tomato based sauce. The dessert biscuits are also good: blocks of sweet bread with nuts and raisins, which by the way go down well with the exotic teas that are in store.

True to what you might expect from a crowd at a Hare Krishna center, the people are very nice and welcoming, not to mention diverse: you´ve got shaved heads and Hindu attire, families that bring their small children, couples that come in together and even businessmen that come in for lunch—all´s good as long as you take your shoes off at the entrance. Apart from the buffet there are usually a couple of tasty items for sale to take home. Among them are traditional empanadas filled with cabbage, corn and other vegetables for 2 euros as well as a foot long pound cake that goes for 3.50 euros.

The Hare Krishna center  has good and healthy food, big portions, cheap prices, friendly atmosphere and in a great location—a place worth considering, especially if you are a vegetarian.

Asociacion Conciencia de Krisna
Calle del Espíritu Santo 19
915 213 096‎
Lunch hours:  15:15 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and 15:00 p.m. on Saturdays

By Daniel Sznajderman

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Vegetarian Restaurants in Madrid: El Estragón Vegetariano

Set in the sloping Plaza de la Paja in La Latina, a place that whispers of Medieval Spain, El Estragón Vegetariano is surrounded by quaint buildings with red tiled rooftops, bell towers of churches, a gated garden, and lively and traditional tapas bars. While you could very pleasantly sit outside and enjoy this view from the restaurant’s terrace, stepping into El Estragón is akin to stepping into an inner garden courtyard. Pumpkin-colored walls contrast with crisp blue and white Spanish tile, the brick archway and bar are adorned with vines, and white tea candles burn on small tables for two or four in the cozy setting. If you arrive around lunch time (between 3 and 4 p.m.), you will be welcomed by the optimistic hum of chatting Madrileños, while soft piano and jazz music plays in the background. Although the restaurant has three levels, it holds less than twenty tables and retains an innate feeling of intimacy.

Adding to the illusion of a garden escape is the extensive menu of fresh vegetarian dishes. Particularly distinctive in Spain—where so much of the cuisine prominently features ham, sausage, beef, seafood, and whatnot—El Estragón offers a variety of fresh vegetarian options and mouthwatering new recipes. Such as thick and savory cream of pumpkin soup, sprinkled with toasted almonds, a refreshing option on a bright sunny day, or warm and aromatic during chillier seasons. Or, the delectable fried zucchini scallop with garnish; a crisply breaded scallop that bursts with the pungent flavor of blue cheese and freshly cooked zucchini; a juxtaposition of textures and tastes that will leave you licking your fingers. Other house specialties include cheesy vegetable lasagna Au Gratin, crisp avocado salad, vegetable stuffed crepes a la Estragón, and tangy Cuban Rice. And of course for the sweet tooth—the enticing dessert menu boasts homemade yogurt, fried peaches with sugarcane honey, and a chocolate truffle tart, among other delights. During the lavish dining experience, don’t forget to also try out the interesting drinks. El Estragón offers a wide variety of wine, tea, and homemade natural juices. The small but friendly staff will gladly accommodate experimentation during a lengthy, relaxing meal, which best precedes a siesta.

PRICES: Menu del Día (served 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.): Menu 1- First Plate and Second Plate, 8 euro. Menu 2- First Plate or Second Plate, Drink and Dessert, 8 euro. Menu 3- First Plate and Second Plate, Drink or Dessert, 10 euro. Menu 4-First Plate, Second Plate, Drink, and Dessert, 12 euro. Regular Menu: Salads- 9.50 to 11 euro. First Plates- 7.50 to 9 euro. Second Pates- 12 to 13.50 euro.Desserts- 3.50 to 6 euro.

El Estragón Vegetariano
Plaza de la Paja, 10
Telephone: 913 365 8982
Metro: La Latina
Hours: 11:30 a.m. until bar close (2 or 3 in the morning)
Menu del Día: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

By Jane Caffrey

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