It’s fair to say that eating free snacks while sipping on vino tinto or an iconic green bottle of Alhambra Reserva 1925 is close to my idea of European perfection. I lived happily on a staple diet of skin-on peanuts, olives and plain crisps for a year in Valencia, so I knew my four-week stay in Granada could well be my nirvana. But as hopeful as I felt, I was also dreading it.

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Come for the buses

If you’re one of those folks who prefer plants, the thought of plate after plate of traditional Andalucian dishes being politely dropped in front of you can be a little daunting.

You prepare as much as you can. “Gracias, pero soy vegano” has been memorised. If you’re feeling confident, you can throw in a “¿Qué es?” and hope to recognise enough of the reply to decide whether it’s worth the risk. More often than not, though, it’s safer to stick with the vegano line and find somewhere else for dinner later.

But one thing travelling for so long has taught me is that there’s always hope. Google might tell you very little. Your HappyCow app might be short on pins. But if you’re willing to put in the legwork, there are always little gems waiting for you to get your teeth into.

The best vegan-friendly free tapas in Granada

First up is La Buena Vida, tucked away in the heart of the old town.

This is where the reality of Granada’s tapas scene hits you. €3.50 for a large glass of wine is enough to get my attention, but at La Buena Vida, you also get to choose a free tapa to accompany your liquid lunch.

The tradition itself is said to date back to the 13th century. Legend has it that King Alfonso X, rather than trying to curb the country’s drinking habits, ordered taverns to serve food with every drink. Whether entirely true or not, the custom stuck, and centuries later, Granada is still proudly carrying it on.

La Buena Vida does its bit to keep blurry eyes and leg wobbles at bay by offering more than twenty tapas on its free menu. And we’re not talking crisps and nuts here. Loaded sandwiches, burgers and croquettes are all available for those without dietary restrictions.

For the plant-based crowd, there are two options. The hummus tosta is exactly what you’d hope for: a generous dollop of hummus on crisp toasted bread. Simple but highly effective.

Then there’s the falafel option. A couple of fresh falafels arrive alongside a smaller portion of hummus, a few French fries and a tiny side salad. For two people, I’d recommend ordering one of each and turning every round of drinks into a shared falafel mezze.

As always, it’s worth mentioning the “Soy vegano, no leche, no huevos, por favor” line when you order. As annoying as it is, there’s always a chance that a rogue dollop of mayo might decide to make an appearance.

La Buena Vida – Calle Almireceros 12, C. Almireceros, 7, 18010 Granada, Spain

Potatoes never tasted so good

If, as is entirely possible, La Buena Vida is full when you arrive, don’t panic. My next recommendation is only an olive’s throw away.

La Antigualla 3 doesn’t advertise the fact that a world of free tapas is waiting for you. Its vast food menu might fool you into thinking you’ve come to the wrong place. Ignore them. Grab a seat on the terrace, order a drink and wait.

Before long, a small laminated menu should appear. And, my friends, that little piece of plastic is your passport to free tapas.

Most of the options aren’t for vegan eyes, but there are a couple of potato-based delights that more than make up for it.

There’s the standard patatas bravas. Just ask for no aioli. The sauces come on the side anyway, so your potatoes are in no danger if you forget to request the extra spicy sauce instead.

The real star, though, is patatas a lo pobre. The name translates as “poor man’s potatoes”, and all it reinforced to me is that the folks with less have always known how to make the best of simple ingredients. From street food beneath Bangkok’s BTS stations to baguettes from almost any boulangerie in France, cheap food can often be the best food.

This Andalucian classic of thinly sliced potatoes cooked with garlic, onions and peppers, washed down with one of those cold green bottles of local Alhambra beer, is a combination I’d happily choose over plenty of £300 tasting menus.

So add La Antigualla 3 to your must-do list in Granada. It won’t fill you up quite as much as the falafel platter at La Buena Vida, but this beer-and-potato combination is the sort of simple pleasure that stays with you long after you’ve gone home.

La Antigualla 3 – C. Cetti Meriem, 6, Centro, 18010 Granada, Spain

I’d like to finish with a couple of shout-outs to some other places that went out of their way to feed us for free.

First up is Despacho de Cervezas Sacromonte, just outside the touristy old town in the bright and open Plaza de la Trinidad.

There was no tapas menu here. That didn’t stop the server from arriving with two mini hot dogs alongside our two cañas.

Thanks and explanations were given, and the hot dogs disappeared back inside, presumably to a couple of hungry workers.

We thought nothing more of it, and certainly weren’t expecting another surprise, until the waiter returned with two dishes of fresh guacamole and nachos along with the words we love to hear: “Todos veganos.”

Maybe, just like King Alfonso back in the 13th century, the thought of us drinking in the early afternoon filled him with dread, and he felt duty-bound to line our stomachs for the long day ahead.

Despacho de Cervezas Sacromonte – C. Conde de las Infantas, Centro, 18002 Granada, Spain

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaddddddddddddiiiiiiiiiing

The same thing happened at Café Teatro La Farándula.

A dish was offered, we politely declined, and a few minutes later a plate of beautifully roasted red peppers was quietly slid under our noses.

A genuine act of kindness. The place was heaving, and they could easily have carried on serving everyone else knowing they’d already tried to feed us. But that’s not how it works in Granada. If they can feed you, they’ll find a way.

Café Teatro La Farándula – C. Duquesa, 11, Centro, 18001 Granada, Spain

One thing is for sure: those Andalucians up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada are continuing a tradition that much of Spain has gradually left behind.

Sure, you can get free nuts, olives and crisps in bars all over the country. But Granada is still keeping an 800-year-old custom alive, and it’s nice to know that vegans don’t have to miss out on one of Spain’s warmest traditions.