Hello everyone!

Next week I'm going to visit Madrid with some friends, and since most of us are Muslims and Jews, we would like to know how is with the food in Spain, especially meals with pork meat.
If somebody could tell us about some places that serve pork free meals, we would be very happy.

Thanks in advance!

Well orange, it's gonna be almost impossible to find a pork-free place, unless you go to a vegetarian, muslim or jew restaurant of course. However, you can always order pork-free meals anywhere. Just tell the waiter what the problem is so he can help you out in case you are not certain if a specific meal has pork on it or not.

It's too bad you guys are gonna miss "jamón serrano". When most of Spain was muslim, the best cured ham and wines were produced on the muslim side of the country... There is even a famous muslim poem about wine written by one of the muslim spanish kings...

there are in fact a few vegetarian restaurants in MAdrid as well as a couple asian places (even a tibetian one)... I have been in Madrid for three weeks and have found them all,...

to my discredit i do not have my notes on their locations readily available...

will post again in a few days...

best,
joseph

thank you people very much!!

jasMadrid, you're right about telling the waiter, that will be the best solution.

anyway joseph, if you could give me at least the names of those vegetarian restaurants, I would appreciate it very much!

I'm looking forward to see Spain and especially Madrid...

best regards to all of you, this message board is terrific, I found so many useful things and tips... great!!!

A tricky one this, as some dishes regarded as vegetable dishes in Madrid actually contain small bits of ham for flavour. So be careful and ask beforehand if you order a plate of beans or peas.
Some safe dishes (normally) are gazpacho, empanada, pisto, pimientos de Padron (spicy peppers), patatas bravas, ensalada mixta (they normally add tuna fish), paella, and, of course tortilla espanola (but make sure it's not tortilla francesa). You may choose to eat steak or chicken a lot instead! Also, there are numerous seafood dishes to indulge in. Whether you prefer sardines or prawns, salt-cod or octopus (pulpo), calamares or hake (merluza), you have a large choice in Madrid.

Orange, I would recommend doing a search on www.lanetro.com You can look up for restaurants specific what kind of food they serve. Some years ago I went to a vegetarian restaurant near the senate and I liked it, but I'm really sorry, I can't recall its name or where it was.

Living without jamón serrano.... What a nightmare!!! (with all my respects, of course).

If you don't mind, I find this one a much better site for a search:
http://www.guiadelocio.com/madrid/restaurantes/index.cfm

- El Estragon Vegetariano is very "fundamentalist", so to speak: solid food, no jokes, solidly alternative. The "barrio de Austria" is also a very nice neighborhood.
- El Granero de Lavapiés is my favourite: solid, uncomplicated food, a neighborhood eatery with the local granny, the motorcycle leatherman, and the hippy couple in love in the same room.
- Isla del Tesoro is another nice one, in the popular Malasana district. Slightly esoteric touch, but very inspired food and nice service.