26KG Barcelona Vegan Restaurant Review 2025 - Best Vegan Pasta in the City?
26KG
- Cuisine: Italian Comfort Food
- Neighborhood: Poblenou
- Price: €€
- Vegan Status: Totally Vegan
- My Favorite Dish: Tortellini ragù
Although pasta is one of the most easily available foods on the planet, having a restaurant that serves delicious homemade vegan pasta at my fingertips and in my neighborhood is a dream come true. Whether longing for lasagna, or seeking simple bites like arancini, 26KG has your Italian comfort food cravings covered.
As a true pasta lover, and also a vegan foodie, I delight in knowing that every saucy dish on the menu at 26KG is fully plant-based. Great Italian meals are often made simply with fresh ingredients, and this smart little restaurant executes their craft with precision.
Inside this minimalist eatery feels laidback upon entry, as patrons are greeted with bright white walls and reds that pop. It's a no-frills place, and this aspect shows in every detail, from the menu to the crockery. The easy-going vibe of the staff accompany the casual atmosphere.
What to Order at 26KG
The pasta is the star of the show, and it's obvious when you bite into these authentic dishes cooked perfectly al dente. With selections ranging from trofie with pesto, tagliatelle in a forest mushroom sauce, Pacchero alla Norma, ravioli stuffed with spinach, potato and cheese, and others, it's easy to find something for any fan of Italian cuisine.
Top Main Dishes
A few of the pasta choices that I personally love are the tortellini stuffed with ragù and topped with extra virgin olive oil, sage, and vegan parmesan, and the ravioli in tomato sauce stuffed with almond ricotta. The lasagna is hearty and delicious, and dare I say even rivals nonna's. I also enjoyed the Pacchero alla Norma, as I found the eggplant fresh and well-prepared.
The sauces are vibrant and alive with flavor that pops as soon as they hit your mouth. The creamier sauces are nut-based, and soy is also often used to create the velvety texture that we all love in authentic Italian pasta plates.
Appetizers
For smaller dishes and appetizers, the eggplant parmigiana is a superb Southern Italian veggie dish made with thinly sliced eggplant layered in tomato sauce, basil and parmesan cooked to ooey gooey perfection. The arancini, which is a Sicilian specialty of crispy fried rice balls, is delicious and well-balanced with just the right amount of seasoning. Both of these very traditional treats are a must-try. They also have the 26KG version of patatas bravas, which they call bravas italianas and is topped with a vegan ragu, fresh basil, and vegan basil mayo.
Italian olives, Tuscan focaccia, Genoese bruschetta with cherry tomatoes and fresh oregano, and a Pugliese salad with fried capers, are also available to accompany any meal. The latter of which is savory, fresh, and full of an impressively textured and flavored vegan mozzarella.
A wide range of non-alcoholic beverages are on offer, from Italian coffees like espresso, macchiato and americano, to the Italian brand Mole Cola, and even kombucha and lemonade. Alcoholic options include Estrella Damn, a limoncello spritz and an Aperol spritz, along with both red and white house wines.
Vegan Desserts
In case you still have room in your tummy after gorging on pasta and rice balls, 26KG offers up classics like tiramisu, a berry cheesecake with a coconut and almond base. There's also a decadent chocolate cake that consists of layered Dutch sponge cake, chocolate ganache and is topped with red fruits and nuts.
The Downsides of 26KG
Anyone who has food allergies, be aware that nut, soy, sulfites, and gluten are abundant here, in most items, and are difficult to avoid when dining here.
Plus, for a place that puts an emphasis on recreating traditional Italian dishes, they fall a bit short in the alcoholic drinks they offer. Popular Italian beers Peroni and Moretti are noticeably absent, and it would be nice to have at least a few other Italian wine options aside from the house red and white.
Final Thoughts
Overall 26KG delivers on what it is-a casual eatery that serves vegan Italian comfort food. I really appreciate their DIY kits too, that come in handy for a quick and easy meal at home.
Kudos to 26KG for providing the Barcelona vegan scene with a stellar pasta joint. The restaurant seems to straddle the border between the fast food of a common pizzeria and a more traditional dine-in restaurant, and they fill this void well. But its minimalist vibe of both the interior of the restaurant and the menu, leave a bare bones feeling that could be lifted up with a few additional Italian drink options.
It is a must-stop for pasta lovers if you are in or near Poblenou, and worthy of a trip across Barcelona for any vegan looking for an incredible pasta fix.
