9 Best Vegetarian Restaurants near Santa Cruz

“Glad to finally find some vegan cake! One option of the 6-7 cakes available was vegan, but clearly labelled. Not clearly labelled on any other food on the menu, but with asking and caution, you would be fine. Food was ok - a few burger options, sides, and toast with (veg) butter, as well as milk alternatives available. Great playground nearby, so a good option with kids. Had a highchair available, and a baby change. Son was happy to finally get some cake (banana and almond cake). We tried to go on Tuesday when it was supposedly open, but couldn't get in. Now seems (from inside) that you can get in via a different shop on the main street.“

“The restaurant has got wraps, a burger, falafels, salat, homemade fries, a soup/dish of the day and some desserts. The menu includes coffee, some cold drinks and cocktails. Some dishes and drinks are typical madeiran. It’s placed inside the shopping center. The staff is very friendly. :) We really enjoyed it! Updated from previous review on 2026-04-16“

“Standards exceed by far everything we have encountered so far. Personnel very friendly and cheerful, there are some Juwels to be found among the wines, trust in the sommelier who will be happy to bring them to you. We highly recommend this restaurant as a high end, lovingly decorated highlight of your culinary voyage to Madeira Island.

Vegetarian options: Vegan and vegetarian dishes available“

“We recently dined at Paula’s bistro and had delicious espada fish and chicken risotto. The waitress was friendly and recommended us really good food. Situated in a good location with pleasant atmosphere for a relaxing evening. It’s worth a visit ?“

“Had a great time there with my friend. Went there 3 times in 1 week. The food was really tasty. Amazing views all around (including the waiters ?). They were really friendly and attentive. Had a really nice chat with them during our meal.
The poncha was really good. Had a few too many ?“

“We were looking for a place with a reasonable offering for meat eaters and vegetarians. Through our research we specifically looked for this shop, which - because it was on the 1st floor and had no tables on the street - was easy to miss. A relatively small operation with exceptionally good food. Small problem: we had three young ladies between 12 and 18 with us, and the description of the dishes ("sophisticated cuisine") was a bit confusing. There's no place to order a meat skewer with a mountain of fries, but in the end everyone found a dish and none of them disappointed, in fact most of them were excellent. In the end, everyone had an excellent quality starter, main course and dessert, and at a more than fair price. A clear recommendation if you want to skip the standard dishes.“

“I recommend picanha, the most famous on the island!
Super fast service even with the establishment super full at times, super friendly team with smiles on their faces, I recommend it 1000% once you enter you will definitely come back“

“I quite like the food here. Of the sushi in Madeira, it is the best I have ever tried. My favorite option is to go for dinner, pay the entrance fee and eat free of the options on the menu.

The Asians who serve are very friendly, but there are a couple of small waiters, who are NOT Asian, who tend to be quite bitter. My husband thinks about going to Nagoya just because of those innkeepers and their lack of attention. The rest, all very good.

Of course, sometimes it is advisable to make a reservation because it usually fills up.

Parking: Possibility of parking within the shopping center, nearby hotels and on nearby streets.“