How to Order Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Spanish & Explain Other Dietary Restrictions

It can definitely be overwhelming to visit a Spanish speaking country with dietary restrictions, especially when you don’t know the language. If you are vegan or vegetarian or have allergies and need help explaining them in Spanish, this article is for you. I am vegetarian and am almost fluent in Spanish. I live in Mexico City and haven’t had too many issues being a vegetarian here. That is mainly because I know how to request food without meat. Here is how you can order vegetarian and vegan food in Spanish as well as explain other dietary restrictions.

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How to Order Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Spanish

Mexico, along with many Central and South American countries have a typically meat-heavy diet. I don’t have any experience with food in Spain or European countries so I can’t speak to that. Regardless of where you go, if you are traveling with non vegetarians or non vegans you’ll likely end up at a restaurant with few veggie options. That is totally okay. Here in Mexico it is super easy to make special requests for your food to be veg-friendly. Below are some phrases to use to ask about vegetarian options. Following these are ways to request that a specific dish be made slightly differently by eliminating meat and animal products.

Asking for Vegetarian and Vegan Food in Spanish

Are there any vegetarian/vegan options here? ¿Hay opciones vegetarianas/veganas aqui?

Where are the vegetarian/vegan options on the menu? ¿Dondé son los opciones vegetarianas/veganas en el menu?

What restaurants in this city have lots of vegetarian/vegan options? ¿Qué restaurantes en esta ciudad tienen muchas opciones vegetarianas/veganas?

Does this meal contain meat? ¿Esta comida contiene carne?

Does this meal contain animal products? ¿Esta comida contiene productos animales?

I am vegetarian/vegan. Soy vegetariana/vegana. (Use vegetariano/vegano if you are male as Spanish is a very gendered language).

Requesting Meals without Meat or Animal Products in Spanish

Can I please have this dish without meat? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin carne, por favor?

Can I please have this dish without fish? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin pescado, por favor?

Can I please have this dish without dairy? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin lechería/lactosa, por favor?

Can I please have this dish without eggs? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin huevos, por favor?

Can I please have this dish without honey? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin miel, por favor?

How to Explain Your Allergies & Intolerances in Spanish

If you have a severe allergy or intolerance, it’s important to alert staff at restaurants. You probably already know this, but oftentimes a menu will only list the principle ingredients of the dish and may leave other ingredients out. This is why you sometimes need to ask for clarification and make sure there’s no diary (or whatever you’re allergic to) in the dish, even if the menu doesn’t list it as an ingredient. I have lactose intolerance and while I can still eat goat cheese, I absolutely cannot have any type of cheese that comes from a cow. I also can’t have ice cream or milk unless it’s vegan. So I totally understand the fear you may have around making dietary requests in another language. Below are ways that you can say what you are allergic to and how to ask for meals without those foods. I have skipped how to ask for a meal without dairy, eggs and honey as those are listed above.

Please keep in mind that I cannot guarantee that asking for your food in this way will prevent a restaurant from actually putting these foods in your dish. It sure can help but sometimes restaurant staff get things wrong. If you have a severe allergy, the best thing you can do is search for restaurants in the area that you’re visiting that don’t serve the allergen you’re avoiding. You can also email restaurants ahead of time to ask any questions you may have, or simply visit a grocery store and cook for yourself. Always bring allergy medications or an epi-pen if you use one, just in case. 

Saying You are Allergic to Something or Have an Intolerance in Spanish

I am allergic to peanuts. Soy alérgica/alérgico a los cacahuetes.

I am allergic to tree nuts. Soy alérgica/alérgico a los nueces de arból.

I am allergic to nuts. Soy alérgica/alérgico a los nueces.

I am allergic to dairy. Soy alérgica/alérgico a lechería.

I am allergic to eggs. Soy alérgica/alérgico a los heuvos.

I am allergic to soy. Soy alérgica/alérgico a soy.

I am allergic to wheat. Soy alérgica/alérgico a trigo.

I am allergic to fish. Soy alérgica/alérgico al pescado.

I am allergic to shellfish. Soy alérgica/alérgico a los mariscos.

I am lactose intolerant. Soy intolerante a la lactosa.

I have Celiacs Disease. Tengo Enfermedad Celiaca.

Requesting Meals without Allergens in Spanish

Can I please have this dish without peanuts/tree nuts/nuts? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin cacahuetes/nueces de arból/nueces por favor?

Can I please have this dish without soy? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin soy por favor?

Can I please have this dish without wheat? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin trigo por favor?

Can I please have this dish without shellfish? ¿Puedo tener este plato sin mariscos por favor?

Other Spanish-Speaking Tips for Restaurants

There are a few other things you may want to know before eating at restaurants in Spanish speaking countries. Some of these words may be more specific to Mexico, as that is where I live, but they should be understood in most other Spanish speaking countries. The phrases below include how to ask for the bill, saying something is delicious and more. For more general Spanish speaking tips and even how to use Mexican slang, you can read this article.

Could we get the bill please? ¿Podemos tener la cuenta por favor?

The food was delicious, thank you. La comida fue deliciosa, gracias OR La comida fue muy rico, gracias.

Please add a 15% tip. Por favor, agregue un propina de quince por ciento.

Please add a 20% tip. Por favor, agregue un propina de veinte por ciento.

Please add a 25% tip. Por favor, agregue un propina de veinte cinco por ciento.

Other Posts You Might Like:

• Speaking Spanish in Mexico: Basic Spanish Phrases and Mexican Slang
• 6 Hiking Day Trips from Mexico City
• Vegetarian NYC: Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly Restaurants in NYC

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