




Cookaluzka
Cookaluzka
Cookaluzka is an entirely plant-based restaurant on Calle Lira, in the Estrella area of Retiro near Conde de Casal, with a Solete in the Guía Repsol. It was founded by chef Carmelina 'Mela' Spatafora, her brother Ángelo and their mother Ana María, who came to Madrid from Venezuela with no hospitality background. The carta runs from reina pepiada arepas and patacones to mole sopes, a Lebanese-style kibbeh nayyeh and polpette della nonna, with a weekday menú del día and homemade cakes.
Social
From cookaluzka on Instagram

¿Cansad@ de las apps y las citas superficiales? Este jueves nos encontramos en Cookaluzka para conocer personas de una forma diferente: con calma, conversación y sin tener que impresionar a nadie. 🍷 2 vinos con aperitivo 👥 Grupo reducido · 48–59 años 📍 Cookaluzka, Madrid 📅 Jueves 17 · 20:00 h Reserv

“La Dorada” by @lanenachata

¿Buscas comida vegana que abrace el alma? 🌿✨ En Cookaluzka Madrid encontrarás platos creativos, nutritivos y llenos de sabor. Lee el post completo y déjate inspirar. Link in Bio #Cookaluzka #VeganLife #MadridEats #ComidaVegana #HealthyEating

¡Toma nota! @el_capitan_bastardo y @11glonovoa estarán el sábado 25 de julio compartiendo sus canciones e historias bastardas en un formato acústico e íntimo en el restaurante vegano Cookaluzka. 🎟️ Ticket and Roll 🍴 Cookaluzka 📸 @guajiro_bastardo *Haz tu reserva para cenar en Cookaluzka y dis

Soy tu anfitriona en Cookaluzka: un abrazo culinario en pleno centro de Madrid. En Verano seguimos abiertos, ven a probar nuestras creaciones caseras —desde el timbal japo-caribeño muy veraniego, platos sorprendentes como nuestros patacones, hasta hamburguesas de legumbres, todo hecho con ingredie

Comida vegana imperdible en el centro de Madrid 🌿✨ Descubre dónde probar platos frescos, creativos y 100% saludables en el corazón de la ciudad. Link in Bio #Vegano #Madrid #ComidaVegana #HealthyFood #VeganEats #CocinaVegana #Foodies #LinkInBio
Background
About Cookaluzka
The Story
Cookaluzka began with two siblings talking late one night about a vegan restaurant where they could put their creativity to work. Carmelina Spatafora, her brother Ángelo and their mother Ana María had left Venezuela years earlier and had no hospitality experience, but they trusted Carmelina's knack for meat-free cooking, which had long won over friends and family. The name splits into 'cook', 'a', 'luz' (light) and 'ka' for casa, home. Within about a year of opening it had earned a Solete in the Guía Repsol.
The Cuisine
100% plant-based cooking that crosses continents: Venezuelan arepas and pabellón, Mexican sopes, Middle Eastern dips, Asian bowls and Italian family recipes. Mela, co-creator and chef, changes the menú del día every week, from a chickpea pad thai one week to moros con cristianos or a nonna-style puttanesca the next, and co-chef Angi created the maikki, the house take on the arepa.
The Carta
Starters include a hummus with sumac and cinnamon, a smoky baba ganoush with tahini and raspberry, the Waka-Mix salad with avocado and pico de gallo, dill-sauced sweet-potato sticks and Angelo's nachos with lentil picadillo and almond cheese. The Venezuelan side brings maikki, corn, cheese and plantain balls in passion-fruit sauce, a reina pepiada arepa with avocado and grilled Heura, and patacones topped with Heura, pico de gallo and avocado. Among the more elaborate plates are a Japanese-Caribbean timbal with 'no-salmon' and 'no-tuna' tartare on crisp rice, Tudela artichokes alla Mela on walnut cream with black-garlic caviar, mole sopes with nopales, gluten-free polpette della nonna in Neapolitan sauce, a raw kibbeh nayyeh with arrabbiata and lemon pesto, and a whole stuffed pineapple with quinoa, Thai-spiced Heura and wok vegetables for two (€39.99). Burgers include one served between slices of fried ripe plantain instead of a bun.
Menú del Día and Drinks
Tuesday to Thursday there's a menú del día built around bowls and burgers: recent options include a Venezuelan pabellón criollo bowl with red beans and brown rice, a Tokyo-style bowl with vegetable gyozas and a lentil-and-bean burger with garam masala (each €14.20), with gluten-free sweet-potato bread for €2 more. To drink there's papelón con limón, the Venezuelan panela lemonade, kombucha, craft and gluten-free beers, a Galician pear-and-pineapple cider, a short wine list, and cocktails such as a Venezuela Libre made with the house papelón. Desserts are homemade, and whole cakes can be ordered a couple of days ahead.
The Chef
Carmelina Spatafora
Highlights
What Diners Say
Consensus
Cookaluzka Ratings & Reviews
Diner Ratings
TripAdvisor
4.4
GastroRanking
4.28
4.7
1726
Cookaluzka ranks #271 of 1001 rated restaurants in Madrid. Professional recognition includes Repsol Solete. Diners rate it 4.4/5 on TripAdvisor and 4.28/5 on GastroRanking.
Reservations
How to Book Cookaluzka
Booking
Book online via the restaurant's website.
Reserve
Experience
Cookaluzka Dining Experience
Small, warm and family-run, and it calls itself 'The Vegan Home'. The team describes the place as a house open to everyone, vegan or not, and plenty of the regulars aren't. Dogs are welcome, and there's a cocktail list if you want to stay into the evening.
Navigate
Cookaluzka Location & Neighbourhood
Address
C. Lira, 8, 28007 Madrid, Spain
Get directions→Getting There
Calle Lira 8, 28007 Madrid, in the Estrella area of the Retiro district, near Conde de Casal metro and a little over ten minutes' walk from El Retiro park.
Nearby
Estrella is a barrio in the Retiro district where the streets carry the names of stars and constellations, just east of Parque del Retiro. It is quietly residential, with a handful of neighbourhood kitchens and bars serving a settled, largely local crowd.
Nearby Restaurants
Where to stay nearby
Hotels we rank within walking distance of Cookaluzka.
Details
Cookaluzka Reservations, Hours & Contact
Opening Hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 10:00–17:00, 20:00–23:00 |
| Wednesday | 10:00–17:00, 20:00–23:00 |
| Thursday | 10:00–17:00, 20:00–23:00 |
| Friday | 10:00–17:00, 20:00–23:00 |
| Saturday | 12:30–17:00, 20:00–23:00 |
| Sunday | 12:30–17:00 |
Cookaluzka hours verified 2026-09-18. Contact the restaurant to confirm.
Contact
Good to Know
Questions
Cookaluzka FAQ
Is Cookaluzka vegetarian and vegan?
+
It's fully vegan. Everything on the carta is plant-based, from the arepas and burgers to the almond-based cheese, and there are gluten-free options such as sweet-potato bread.
When is Cookaluzka open?
+
Closed Monday. Tuesday to Friday it opens 10:00 to 17:00 and 20:00 to 23:00, Saturday 12:30 to 17:00 and 20:00 to 23:00, and Sunday is lunch only, 12:30 to 17:00.
Does it hold a Michelin star or a Repsol Sol?
+
No. It holds a Guía Repsol Solete, the guide's entry-level distinction, not a Sol, and it isn't in the Michelin Guide.
Where is Cookaluzka?
+
On Calle Lira 8, in the Estrella neighbourhood of Madrid's Retiro district, near the Conde de Casal metro.
Can you book, and can you order a custom cake?
+
Yes to both: reservations online through the restaurant's own website, and custom cakes to order with a couple of days' notice.
Who runs Cookaluzka?
+
Chef and co-founder Carmelina 'Mela' Spatafora with her brother Ángelo and their mother Ana María, a Venezuelan family with Italian roots who opened it without any previous hospitality experience.
What should I order at Cookaluzka?
+
The reina pepiada arepa and the maikki corn balls for a taste of Venezuela, the artichokes alla Mela, the polpette della nonna and the Japanese-Caribbean timbal; on weekdays, the menú del día bowls.







