Just another lone traveler in a city of colour and sun. No biggie.

"Italy has great food and Barcelona has great energy."
- Stefon Harris

When I planned my trip last year, my mother had asked me countless times why on Earth I was heading to Barcelona. Logistically, it just didn't make sense to her (or to most of my friends, to be honest with you) because I was already very certain that Prague and Copenhagen were my first stops. "Barcelona? Why on Earth can you not stick to one side of Europe?," she asked. I don't know, Mother, I think I just needed some sun, sand and seafood. (Clearly, I'm joking here. I just needed to stick to s-words.)

After a few days of rain in both Prague and Copenhagen, boy, was I glad I headed to Barcelona. After spending five beautiful days in that city, I was tanned and looking healthy again. I missed the beach, I missed the carefree me that I haven't seen in years, I missed long walks under the sun and just enjoying the architecture. I just missed feeling like my old self again. 

It's not to say that Prague and Copenhagen weren't enjoyable or that these two cities weighed me down. But, I think, both these cities served a different purpose. Prague served to help me step out of my bubble and to not fear the unknown. There I was in a foreign city with a foreign language and culture I didn't understand. It felt refreshing to really feel like a tourist and to see the city through as if through a child's eye: I was amazed and curious. Copenhagen was a city of self-discovery. Sure, I barely understood the language, but practically everyone spoke English. Their ways weren't so foreign to me. But within that city, I was discovering the proximity of my comfort zone and I pushed myself to dig into new experiences that I suppose I wasn't too keen in doing in my day-to-day life in Montreal. I partied with exchange students (I barely approach strangers). I had drinks with random "neighbours" and felt quite at home with them. I practically gate crashed a house party (I was invited by a friend of a friend... of a friend?). 

I wanted more of that carefree self and Barcelona was the perfect place to be. Really. Not that I was letting my guard down necessarily, but that I didn't judge myself too much. I didn't give myself too many restrictions, which I tend to do on normal days. There was just something magical about the air in Barcelona (although I must say, I got bitten by way too many mosquitoes during my stay) that makes you feel alive and ready to party. 

Traveling alone, even to a party town, means some anxiety for me. Honestly, I love traveling solo, but sometimes, I do wonder if I'm enjoying the city was much as I could. Because, you know, it's not always fun to go to a beach party alone. You ponder on the plausibility of you meeting people to hang out with, etc. etc. But then I just go and have a raging time with some good people. (Some questionable personalities, but these types are always everywhere anyway.)

Here's a list of things that I did in Barcelona that I don't normally do (or am afraid to do): 

• Sat on the bar of a (vegan) restaurant, dined alone and chatted with two nice girls, who became my night buddies for a few days;
• Went to a carnival and rode rides on my own, like that big Ferris wheel and I was in the cabin with a couple, who either made out each other or took selfies of them being lovey dovey #foreveralone;
• Didn't feel guilty for all the vegan junk food that my belly and taste buds enjoyed (hello, vegan burgers and fries and donuts all day, every day);
• Parked myself at the beach, swam the cold waters, enjoyed some paddle boarding (I was rather bruised afterwards), wore flip flops like there's no tomorrow, felt comfortable wearing a bikini (YOLO), chatted with fellow beach goers, joined people who were playing volleyball (I still suck even today); 
• Chatted with guys at bars even though it was clear they're only trying to score and then I bid them Bye, Felicia;
• Ran early in the morning and headed straight to the beach to swim (yep, I had my bikini on underneath my runner gear) and then ran back home dripping with ocean water; 
• Had an alcoholic drink before 5pm and felt no guilt (I need a lot of urging if you want me to drink even a mimosa at brunch); 
• Fought with a rude lady in Spanish (I don't recommend this to anyone, best to keep your cool); 
• Beach. Dance. Party. 
• Checked out some tourist spots with fellow lone travelers (hello buddies from London, Switzerland and India!);
• Watched fireworks and without a hint of embarrassment, squealed like an excited little kid;
• ... and I suppose there's more, but I'll keep it short(ish). 

And off to my foodventures. Barcelona really developed its vegan scene from years ago. After a disastrous vegan experience in Madrid 2 years ago, I was also skeptical about having enough vegan options in Barcelona. Boy, was I not to be disappointed. What a wonderful surprise that there were just so many options to choose from! I had planned to visit most of the vegan restaurants during my stay, but I suppose once I tried one or two that I really loved, I just kept on coming back for more. There's always next time, right?

La Boqueria
Website: La Boqueria
Hours: Monday to Saturday from 8m to 8:30pm
Address: Rambla, 91


La Boqueria is like a foodie heaven for anyone who loves food, especially fresh produce that are just too enticing. From the moment you take a step into this market, your eyes are first welcomed by the stalls selling fresh fruits served in small containers, ready to go with you to the beaches. That's what I usually did. If I was spending an afternoon at the beach, I simply headed there and bought myself different fruits that I hungrily ate under the sun. Fresh fruit juices and smoothies are also for sale. The Medjool dates that I bought from here were just big and delicious. There are also beautiful stalls that showoff colourful fruit jellies and other candies, and spices. As you go further into the market, there are ore diverse offerings for non-vegan foodies that include fish, meat, and cheese. But, basically, I just wanted to buy all the fresh vegetables and make a salad and a stir-fry. It was just that tempting.

I also got some gifts for family from here, like spices, dried fruit and candied nuts. There was a stall that offered what seemed to be rather fancy oils and balsamic vinegar. I didn't quite trust myself to carry bottles with me on my way home. All in all, it's a good idea to spend some time walking around La Boqueria, especially when you're hungry. No regrets.

Teresa Carles
Website: Teresa Carles Healthy Foods
Hours: Monday to Sunday from 9am to 1am
Address: Carrer de Jovellanos, 2


Teresa Carles has been on a great journey in Barcelona. I think this was the first restaurant whose reviews enticed me to right there right away once I landed. I got lost getting to the restaurant on my first day so instead of having dinner here, I ended up visiting another spot (included below), which was also a great surprise. The winding streets of Barcelona can be rather tricky.

But off to the restaurant. Firstly, let me say that the vibe was just awesome. The decor was great and I an totally see it as a date spot. By the way, it totally was that day I visited. Couples everywhere. My server asked if I was waiting for my boyfriend. Really, not my friend, but my boyfriend. It was funny anyway. It took a while for me to decide what to order. There were just so many delightful dishes. However, I must say that Teresa Carles is a lot friendlier to vegetarians. (But now, they are offering vegan options for most dishes, so it's a win!) After much thought and headache and after a sip of that strong Carajillo (coffee with a shot of rum), I decided it would be best if I stick to salad and then order dessert. Balance. I ordered their pumpkin and crispy tempeh salad, which was the bomb! I tell you, it was just perfection in a salad bowl. The dressing was so creamy thanks to the soy yoghurt and though I don't quite like soy yoghurt, I'm happy to say that it didn't taste like soy at all. The tempeh was crispy indeed and all the vegetables complement each other. Delicious! For dessert, I timidly ordered the Everybody's Fav Choco Cake! (I kid you not, this is the name on the menu) and I was sold! After quietly spying the dessert on the table next to mind, sweetly devoured by this couple from Indonesia, I took the dive and ate that piece of cake on my own. No shame, all sweetness.

Here are other delicious options from the menu that were enjoyed by the people I met:

• Vegetable tempura;
• Happy Coca (pizza);
• Salmon tofu;
• Vegan mille feuille

Flax&Kale
Website: Flax&Kale
Hours: Monday to Sunday from 10am to 11:30pm
Address: Carrer dels Tallers, 74


Be still, my heart. Flax&Kale is still the best brunch place in my heart. Seriously. Every time I think about all the food I consumed in this restaurant, my mouth still waters. Flax&Kale is one of the other related restaurants of Teresa Carles so you know that the food will be fresh and the menu, exciting. It was also such a joy that this restaurant was only a 15-minute walk away from my flat. My walk there at 11:30am (because, you know, on most days I do end up waking up only at 11am) are undeniably sprints to the finish line, i.e. a sunny spot at Flax&Kale.

It was raining one night and I didn't want to venture further for dinner so though Flax&Kale was really busy that time, I asked the staff to please find me a table or even a bar stool so I can just please eat. It was already 9:00pm (i you know me, I like to eat dinner early) and my only other meal that day was brunch and some fruits at the beach. I was starving.

Once handed the menu, I quickly scanned through the pages. What to get? It was a bit difficult to understand the menu. You have to read the guidelines on the first few pages to know what anything means (i.e. PB - plantbased, OF - oily fish, etc.). I decided to just stick to what I know that night and that simple meals usually are the ones that are memorable, and this was one heck of a plate: roasted carrots and avocado salad. You don't understand just how savoury and perfect this meal was. My tummy rejoiced and I couldn't wait for the next bite. But maybe that was the glass of Cava? I don't know. On another night I had dinner here, I ordered No Digas Tacos because why not? The guacamole was divine and I was surprised at how much I liked the shiitake mushrooms in a taco.


Flax&Kale is definitely more for flexitarians. There are a lot of fish and cheese on the menu so be careful when placing your order. I got excited for one item on the menu (a pasta dish, I believe) and I was rather sad to see that there was ricotta in the dish. Tsk tsk. But if you eat cheese and fish, this is definitely heaven. What I do love about Flax&Kale is the diversity of the menu. There's a different menu for breakfast, lunch & dinner, merienda (from 5pm to 7pm) and weekend brunch. I definitely urge you to try breakfast and weekend brunch.

I ate breakfast here at least twice during my stay and I would've gone more often had I decided to explore only that area of Barcelona. For breakfast, I definitely loved the market fruit salad, which is a fruit platter of seasonal fruits - simple but delicious. The avocado toast I had here was probably one of the best I've ever had and I've had quite a platefuls of avocado toast in my day. Pew pew. The acai bowl was also just heavenly! Such a refreshing breakfast after a morning of thirst and sun. It felt like I was having dessert for breakfast. I also highly recommend their chia flax bagel, which satiated my hunger post-run. It has plant-based cheese, tempeh, lettuce, tomato and vegan cream cheese. What more do you want?


Other delicious things on the menu:

• Grilled smoked tofu wrap (for breakfast);
• Spaghettini PBGF (for lunch/dinner);
• Veggie panang red curry (for lunch/dinner);

Oh and may I add, gotta love the washroom of this place. Selfie-worthy, imo.


Gopal 
Website: Gopal Barcelona
Hours: Monday to Sunday from noon to 11pm (Friday and Saturday - open until midnight)
Address: Carrer dels Escudellers, 42


Gopal a.k.a. my vegan burger lover. This place was also so hard to find. I got lost once, but that was because I turned the wrong way. All worth it though. Be prepared to eat elsewhere because Gopal is more like a hole-in-the-wall type of eatery. I was lucky enough to get a spot during all my visits to this place. Also another pro: the staff is very friendly!

There were a few choices for the vegan burgers. I don't quite remember what I got, but I think I tried 3 overall. The bread was so delicious, the sauce just amazing and the fries, don't even get me started. I left not a single crumb on my plate. I really forced myself to slow down because I definitely could've finished that burger in two seconds. You can't really blame me.


You also have the option of skipping the burger buns and just topping the burger on a salad, which I did on that one occasion because, you know, I also decided to have their chocolate doughnut. Again, balance. Their doughnuts and other desserts are also a must! Everything on the menu is simply delicious. If I remember correctly, I think there were also veggie dogs or sausages. My mind just went blank here. I think I'm forgetting my name. That's how delicious the burgers here were!


Cat Bar CAT
Website: CatBarCAT
Hours: Mon-Wed from 6:30pm to 11:30 pm and Thu-Sat from 12:30pm to 11:30pm
Address: Boria, 17


Possibly the chillest place I went to in Barcelona. There were no Yummy Mummy squads here (which you will find a lot at Teresa Carles and Flax&Kale). There are no children, but just lots of really interesting and mostly young(ish) people (at least when I visited). The first time someone mentioned Cat Bar to me, I genuinely thought it is literally a bar with cats, which are becoming a trend at the moment. But nay, for all of you crazy cats who suffer from allergies due to cats (including yours truly), you can rest assured that I didn't see any actual cats here (just some catty personalities after a few pints of beer).

My only regret was that I only went here once, which definitely wasn't enough because all the vegan burgers looked legit! Seriously. I'm pretty sure there were other items on the menu other than the burgers, but hot damn, I just can't remember. I was so fixated on the burger selections that I just didn't give a flying F to look at anything else.

Be warned though that the space is pretty small, but cozy. The vibe was pretty great, too, at least my twenty-something self thinks so. It was rather easy to make friends as well. I shared a long table with this other guy who was took a random trip to Barcelona from Sweden after a bad breakup with his girlfriend. He was super nice, but I can't quite recall his name (but I swear he was a decent human). It actually felt nice to just eat a big burger with someone without caring how messy your face might look.

I settled for this spicy burger that had mushrooms in it (I think it might have been the "Champion" burger). And fries! I swear to the moon and beyond that those fries took my breath away. They were crispy with just enough salt and pepper. The burger bun was toasted to perfection (at least in my humble opinion) and the vegan burger was juicy and seasoned well. I didn't prepare myself for that last bite. It was like parting with your boyfriend and you know you won't be able to see him for a year.

I went on a Thursday night and being the North American that I am, I went for happy hour mode. Hey, artisan beers? Sign me up. (Actually, I lie. I don't really drink much and beer isn't my first drink of choice if I do drink, but hey, when in Rome...). My dinner companion had much more experience with beer so I let him listen to the nice staff who explained the different local craft beers. No, I don't remember which one on tap I ordered, but I remember I finished the glass. That's what matters, right?

Would I eat here again? Absolutely. Would I probably try to taste all of their vegan burgers on the menu? Oh, hell yea! Ok, let me daydream now.

Veggie Garden
Website: Veggie Garden
Hours: Monday to Sunday from 12:30pm to 11:30pm
Address: Carrer dels Angels, 3


After a rather confusing, but hilarious discussion about veganism and vegetarianism with two Argentine guys, I ended up at Veggie Garden unexpectedly on my first night in Barcelona. I was heading to Teresa Carles (their top recommendation), but got lost on my walk, but was so relieved that Veggie Garden (another recommendation) was just around the corner.

I wasn't particularly hungry that night and though there were a lot of yummy options. If you want a dish that has rice, they have that. If you want veggie burgers, just look at the menu. If you're craving Thali, bam, right there. Or, if you were like me, I ended up ordering a roasted veggie salad that was yes, delicious, but two people definitely could've eaten that! Needless to say, I was sad to have wasted food because there was just too much salad. Those bloody capers were so huge, too. But I like capers, so I just won't complain. The couple dining beside me had the Thali and a veggie burger and they were both raving about it. I really felt like the third wheel. If you're visiting this restaurant, I advice you to skip the salads because that would be such a waste.

Not totally satisfied from my last visit, I went back again after visiting Casa Batllo because, you know, Gaudi's art makes me hungry. This time around, I visited another location and ordered their daily special that came with a soup, a main, a dessert and a drink. I didn't actually realise that dessert was also included until the server ran after me with a little bag that had a vegan apple cake inside (I snacked on it later that day). The soup that day was beetroot soup (my tongue turned purple, but that's fine). The main was this large calzone with lots of courgette, mushrooms, onions and tomato sauce. I definitely burned off all the calories from walking and dancing that night. Living the life.

I think Veggie Garden is the best place in Barcelona from some not so pricey vegan fare, especially if you're looking for more than just veggie burgers and want something else to excite your palate. Definitely didn't break the budget!

Now, plan your next trip to Barcelona!

Enjoy! xx