Best Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Madeira
Plant-based cooking on an island built on beef skewers and grilled fish.
Selection: Restaurants that are fully plant-based, or whose menu has a genuine vegetarian and vegan half rather than one pasta dish.
Madeira's traditional cooking is beef, fish and pork, so eating plant-based here used to mean a plate of chips and a salad. That has changed in Funchal: there are now dedicated plant-based kitchens and several restaurants where the vegetarian half of the menu is properly cooked rather than an afterthought.
Outside the capital, plan ahead. In a village restaurant the reliable order is bolo do caco with garlic butter (ask for it without, if vegan), sopa de tomate e cebola without the egg, grilled vegetables, and milho frito — fried cornmeal cubes, which are naturally vegan and excellent.
The list (4)
1.Namaste India
RestaurantsIndian restaurant in Caniço de Baixo cooking north-Indian curries, tandoori grills, biryanis and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, with takeaway available. The parish's best option for spice.
indian€€Tandoori grills and vegetarian curries2.Horta
RestaurantsFrom the vegetable garden to the table — Horta brings healthy comfort food to the Lido promenade, led by Chef Afonso Nogueira. The vegetable is the centre of the plate, using local and proximity ingredients. Michelin Guide recommended since 2024.
vegetarian€€€Garden-to-table comfort food with vegetables at the centre3.Terra Food Concept
RestaurantsEco-conscious, beautifully styled Funchal restaurant putting quality ingredients and sustainability at the heart of every dish.
contemporary€€4.Zaytun Levant Cuisine
RestaurantsLebanese and Levantine restaurant that opened in July 2026 on Estrada Monumental in the Ajuda area of Funchal. Traditional Levant and wider Mediterranean cooking — freshly baked breads, mezze, grilled meats and a strong vegetarian and vegan side of the menu — served in a room with hand-painted murals. Signature alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, and open all day from 11:00 to 23:00, seven days a week.
lebanese€€Levantine mezze, fresh-baked breads and charcoal-grilled meats
Practical notes
- Say "sou vegan — sem carne, peixe, ovos nem leite" and expect a helpful reaction; kitchens here are used to the question in Funchal, less so in the villages.
- Milho frito, bolo do caco (butter on the side), tomato and onion soup, and the island's fruit are the traditional fallbacks.
- The dedicated plant-based restaurants keep short weeks — several close Monday and Tuesday. Check before travelling across town.
- Mercado dos Lavradores is the best self-catering stop: tropical fruit, sweet potato, avocados and greens at local prices.
Frequently asked
- Is Madeira good for vegans?
- Funchal is, comfortably — there are dedicated plant-based kitchens and plenty of mixed menus with real vegan options. Rural Madeira is harder, and you will do best in traditional restaurants by ordering the naturally plant-based sides: milho frito, grilled vegetables, bolo do caco without butter, and tomato and onion soup without egg.
- Where are the vegetarian restaurants in Funchal?
- Horta in the São Martinho/Lido area is the fully plant-based dinner option, and Terra Food Concept in the centre runs a produce-led, largely vegetarian menu. Zaytun's Lebanese mezze is the easiest all-round choice for a mixed group.
- What traditional Madeiran food is vegetarian?
- Bolo do caco (the flatbread itself), milho frito, sopa de tomate e cebola if the poached egg is left off, grilled vegetables, and the island's fruit. Note that many soups and rices are made with meat or fish stock — ask.