Menorca - a Vegetarians Guide

Restaurants and food shopping

2025 Updates in progress

Vegetarians on Menorca good to know

100% vegetarian ( vegan ) eateries are still rare on Menorca - and located in populous areas like Ciutadella/Mahon

Menorcan Hotels and Beach resort restaurant staff still developing their knowledge / language skills – you'll see many dishes advertised as vegetarian which contain fish or eggs So beach resort restaurant choices can be limited and not guaranteed to be free from animal products while being cooked if you are a vegan. Self Catering is a better option?

The locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables on Menorca are soooooo much tastier and ripe. Also things are improving as more Spanish from the younger generation go vegetarian. The effects are mostly seen in Menorca's town's restaurants and food shops ( unfortunately no beach resorts are TOWNs on Menorca! )

Some Spanish helpers

Vegetarian cuisine = Cocina vegetariana and vegetarian restaurants = Restaurantes vegetarianos

Vegan = Vegano

Two short phrases: "lleva carne?" (does it have meat?) and "sin carne, por favor" (without meat, please)

Vegetarian & Vegan Shopping Guide

Fact is on Menorca few beach resorts have a local population. So local resort markets only cater to general holiday tourists needs, so choice and variety may be limited. Travelling to a local town will offer an much bigger choice.

Vegetarian and Vegan Products

The locally grown vegetables and fruit ( almost never in plastic packaging) in Menorca are excellent. Grown in Menorca's mineral rich 'red' real soil with imparts it's own flavours (not Hydromats ) so IMO they taste so much better than many back home or imported from mainland Spain. In the towns, you will find the shops that sell a local farm's fruit and vegetable produce as well the general fresh food markets . There are an increasing range of vegetarian, vegan products on the supermarket shelves, though this is more so in the towns.

'Quorn' and Soya based Products are common place in larger Supermarkets - Look out for signs 'Productos Ecologicas'

Tips

There are ready made vegetable 'side dishes' in the cold cabinets which make great meals.

The unpacked 'mishapen' fruit and vegetables will almost certainly have the most taste.

Menorca vegetarian guide
Great Fresh foods
Menorca vegetarian guide

Vegan and Vegetarian - where to buy

O.km produce of Menorca

Organic produce Shops - Ecològica

Menorca's organic producers will often be at Menorca's Food Markets

Large Supermarkets - Vegan and Vegetarian products

Vegetarian Dishes and Restaurants

Here is a list of some other commonly found vegetarian ( / fish) dishes in Menorca:

    Patatas bravas (potatoes with Spicy chilli Mayonaise )
    Paella de marisco/verduras (seafood/vegetables)
    Empanadas de atún/bacalao (tuna/cod)
    Gambas al ajillo (shrimp served with garlic in olive oil)
    Verduras a la plancha (grilled vegetables)
    Tortilla de Patata (Spanish Potato Omelette)
    Espárragos con Huevos (Asparagus with Eggs)
    Gazpacho (Cold Tomato and Vegetable Puree Soup)
    Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach and Chickpeas)

    Croquetas de setas/gambas/bacalao (mushrooms/shrimp/cod croquettes)

    A croquette is basically a small mash of chopped ingedients ( with potato ) in a beacrumb coating and fried into a small portion. S you can usually find vegetarian croquettes in most restaurants. Among my meatless favorites: croquetas de setas (wild mushroom croquettes), de cabrales (made with a strong cheese), de Roquefort y nuez (Roquefort cheese and walnut), de espicacas y piñones (spinach and pine nuts).

    Berenjenas Fritas (Fried Aubergine)
    Pisto con Huevo ('Ratatouille' with Egg)

    Pisto is basically chopped and roasted vegetables (garlic, olive oil , onion, pepper, aubergine, and tomato). Often with an egg served on top.

Resort restaurants will offer vegetarian options but you cannot always rely on it being cooked without meat based products/fats. Spain has a long tradition of rice dishes ( Arroceria ) and Paellas and all of which can be vegetables only.

Salads

The standard fall back of green salad ( Insalada Mixta ) is often very uninspiring and personally many of the salads lack any imagination unless you are in a vegetarian restaurant. Lechuga ( Lettuce ) on the menu is a sure sign of a basic Vegetarian option.

Vegetable Names
Spanish Spanish
Asparagus Espárragos Beans Habas
Artichoke Alcachofa Corn Maíz
Aubergine Berenjena Cucumbers Pepinos
Broccoli Brócoli Carrot Zanahoria
Cauliflower Coliflor Mushroom Seta
Celery Apio Pepper Pimiento
Garlic Ajo Potatoes Patatas
Lechuga Lettuce Radishes Rábanos
Tomatoes Tomates
Onions Cebollas
Pumpkin Calabaza
Spinach Espinaca Watercress Berros
Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants

Beach resorts will generally not have a true 100% Vegetarian/Vegan restaurants as it only makes more sense for them to be where locals live eg Town/City

Our curated listings of Menorca's Vegetarian and Vegan only restaurants

Search all Restaurants catering for for coeliac / Gluten Free

El Romero offers a good 6 course Vegetarian Tasting menu