Madeira is a little paradise in the Atlantic Ocean. We spent 2 weeks here (click here to discover our favorite places from the trip), including a short getaway to Porto Santo. During our stay, we opted for a mix of hotel accommodations and Airbnbs, which allowed us to explore the local dining scene, as well as staying home to cook. Although vegan options in Madeira might not be obvious at first glance, we found it a lot easier than initially expected.
Eating out
Mundo Vegan (Funchal) : Mundo Vegan is probably the first address you will come across when looking for plant-based options in Madeira, and rightfully so. Being the only fully vegan restaurant on the island, it offers a menu of hot and cold dishes: Burger, pasta, bowls, salads, Madeiran specialties, cakes, smoothies and fresh juices. We couldn’t resist visiting Mundo Vegan three or four times during our stay!
Among our favorites were the “Heaven” Bruschetta, as well as the Vacalhau (their vegan twist on the traditional Portuguese Bacalhau, see picture), and not to forget the best vegan cheesecake we’ve ever had. Even though the menu might vary from time to time, the restaurant is definitely a must-try on your trip.
Gavino Restaurante Bar (Funchal) : Bolo de Caco (the Portuguese answer to garlic bread) with vegan butter!!! Do we need to say more? If this hasn’t convinced you yet, maybe this will: Vegan ravioli, Seitan steak, huge vegan deserts. Although the restaurant is not entirely plant-based, the waiters have a lots of knowledge about vegan food and can make a suggestion. Charming place to sit in the old town of Funchal.
Indian restaurants (Funchal) : Indian restaurants have always come to the rescue to vegans all around the world and Funchal is no exception. Luckily, the old town offers multiple choices. One example is Basmati Indian & Nepali Restaurant which offers a large variety of vegan dishes at an affordable price.
TERRA – Food concept (Funchal) : If you are looking for a special dining experience, this place is for you! They offer creative and tasty dishes inspired by different countries, as well as delicious deserts (the vegan brownie was a dream!). Our personal favorite was the hummus with caramelized onions and mushrooms, but every dish we tried was interesting and full of flavors. Although a bit more on the expensive side, the restaurant is definitely worth a visit to celebrate your time in Funchal. It’s recommended to make a reservation.
Restaurante O Forno (Ponta do Pargo) : This restaurant was a delightful little surprise on the west coast of Madeira. It offered multiple vegan dishes, such as grilled corn, vegan chili, Moroccan tagine, baked potato, spaghetti aaand the always recommended Bolo de caco. There’s even a vegan crumble on the dessert menu, which was sadly not available on the day we visited.
Sea View (Porto Moniz) : This place is a good choice if you get hungry in Porto Moniz, and, true to its name, it offers amazing views from the terrace. We had the Beyond Burger which came on a plate surrounded by vegetables. It’s important to note that there is there is a rooftop bar and a restaurant which come with different menus. While we stayed only in the restaurant, the rooftop bar also had some clearly labeled vegan options.
Bolo Do Caco Bar & Grill (Sao Jorge) This restaurant on the northern side of the island turned out to be a true little gem! During the time of our visit, they offered vegan Bolo de caco, a vegan burger and a Buddha Bowl. We tried all three and left full (huge portions!) and satisfied. The owners were super friendly and seemed interested to expand their menu with even more vegan options.
Local products
While it was easier than expected to find good and satisfying options in restaurants all over the island, we still enjoyed to cook our own meals from time to time. Especially with all the fresh fruits and vegetables all around the island! Our advice would be to avoid the big supermarket chains and rather opt for small shops and street stalls to get your hands on fresh and local products.
Personally, we always love to check out local shops and be surprised. This time we even stumbled upon vegan KitKat in a small shop in Achada da Cruz – a true rarity, that we haven’t seen in any supermarkets on the European mainland yet.
Accommodation
29 Madeira Hostel (Funchal) : We stayed here during the first and last days of our trip (both in private rooms and dorms) and were more than satisfied. The shared bathrooms were always clean and never too busy and the kitchen offered everything you need to prepare your own meals. There is plenty of opportunity to meet other travelers if that’s your thing or participate in organized activities. When staying in the hostel, just be mindful that the walls are thin and it can be quite noisy. Personally we didn’t bother, as we can sleep pretty much everywhere, but for light sleepers this could be an issue. Besides that, we really recommend the place, and the price is more than fair.
Dazk Golden Estate (Ribeira Brava) This hotel has a good value for money, as even by booking their chepeast room, you have access to the whirlpool (with seaview!) and fitness centre. Unfortunately, a huge turnoff for us was the fact that they kept birds in a cage, so we wouldn’t book this hotel again.
Airbnb (Achadas da Cruz)
Airbnb (Santana)
Hotel Porto Santo & Spa (Porto Santo) Although not our typical accommodation choice, this 4-star-hotel turned out to be a convenient deal in Porto Santo. It offered an amazing location right next to the beach, a swimming pool and a tasty buffet breakfast (lots of fruits, different jams and bread were among the vegan options).
Travel cost
And here is an approximate price breakdown of what we spent during 2 weeks in Madeira and Porto Santo:
| Flights | 296€ (for 2 people) |
| Car rental | 355.32€ |
| Petrol | +/- 120€ |
| Accommodation | 821.82€ |
| Food + Drinks | +/- 450€ |
| Ferry to Porto Santo | 98.28€ return (for 2 people) |
| Total for 2 people | +/- 2141,42€ |