Top vegan-friendly restaurants for your Orlando holiday
With the number of vegans in the UK skyrocketing over the last few years, it is important to be able to find a selection of restaurants while you are on holiday that cater to your dietary needs.
Fortunately there are plenty of choices in Orlando that are bound to tempt your taste buds! Below we list our top five suggestions – in no particular order. Let us know if you think that we have missed out any must-try places that vegans will love visiting!
First Watch
Start the day the healthy way over at First Watch, an award-winning breakfast, brunch and lunch venue, with several branches across Orlando, serving hungry patrons daily from 7:00am-2:30pm! Although the menu isn’t vegan per se, they do cater to those with dietary restrictions, and you can check all of the ingredients on their website.
Vegans might want to try out the AM superfoods bowl, which is sure to put you in a good mood to start your day! This delicious dish will prove popular with vegans and non-vegans alike; try out the coconut milk chia seed pudding, topped with blackberry preserve, berries, bananas and granola that is made on the premises! This is served up along with some yummy wholegrain artisan toast topped with a dollop of almond butter and Maldon sea salt.
What’s more, if you join the Sun E club, you’ll be sent a BOGOF coupon, as well as a free birthday meal voucher when it’s your special day!
There are various locations around Orlando, check the website for your nearest branch.
Open daily: 7am - 2:30pm except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Sweet Tomatoes
With a focus on freshly prepared healthy food, Sweet Tomatoes is the perfect restaurant for vegans! There are several restaurants around the Orlando and Kissimmee areas, where you can create your own dish from the buffet-style salad bar, which includes a range of prepared salads, as well as hot offerings. For vegetarian and non-vegan diners there are also plenty of additional soups and bakery items. Enjoy brunch, lunch or dinner from the menu, incorporating seasonal specials which are updated regularly. Menus vary by location, so double check before you go, especially if you are after something in particular! Prices also vary by location, but as an example, the Kissimmee Sweet Tomatoes (located on Rolling Oaks Blvd) costs $10.39 for lunch (11am – 4pm) and $12.39 for dinner (4pm – close). Kids meals at this site cost $3.39 for those aged 3-6, and $6.39 for 7-12 year olds; which is very reasonable!†
An interactive map showing locations can be found here.
Opening hours:
- Sunday - Thursday: 11:00am to 9:00pm
- Friday - Saturday: 11:00am to 10:00pm
Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC
If you are out and about at the Disney parks, make a detour and stop off at Erin McKenna’s Bakery in Disney Springs. This is one of three locations in the US – the other two being in New York City (where the bakery started) and in Los Angeles. Take the opportunity to treat yourself; here you can indulge your sweet tooth, without having to worry about anything being non-vegan on the menu – even the sprinkles are vegan! This is a great bakery for those following a gluten-free diet too; plus everything tastes amazing as they are all freshly prepared on-site.
Why not try a vegan brownie, doughnut, cupcake or even the Big Frosty Fun Vegan Soft Serve in vanilla, chocolate or swirl, which is topped with a selection of bagels, cookies, brownies, doughnuts, caramel, chocolate or strawberry sauce? You might need a vegan milkshake to wash it all down, or maybe just a nice cup of tea!
Opening hours:
- Sunday – Thursday: 10am – 11pm
- Friday – Saturday: 10am – 11:30pm
Address: 1642 East Buena Vista, Orlando, FL 32830
Email: fl@erinmckennasbakery.com
Satu’li Canteen at Animal Kingdom
Another place to try out a vegan option while you are at Disney is the Satu’li Canteen at Animal Kingdom’s Pandora. Here you should tuck in to the Chili-Spiced Crispy Fried Tofu Bowl, where crispy fried tofu is seasoned with chillies, and topped with crunchy vegetables. Depending on your tastes you can customise this dish with different bases, though vegans will need to avoid some of these as they contain honey. The Hearty Salad, however, can be made vegan by omitting the quinoa. The black bean vinaigrette sauce should also be given a wide berth as is contains fish sauce. If you have any questions about any ingredients used in the meals, the restaurant coordinator is glad to help and will check through that your selection is fully vegan. Once you have finalised your choice, this really filling meal will set you up for the rest of the day, and at a very reasonable $12.49. If you have kids aged 9 or younger, they can also enjoy this dish, as well as a bottle of water, for just $7.99.†
Ethos Vegan Kitchen
There is no doubt about the vegan credentials of Ethos Vegan Kitchen – the giveaway is in the name! Although this is a little further away from central Orlando and the theme parks, if you are exploring the area it is certainly worth a visit to their Winter Park location.
Operating since 2007, the family-owned independent Ethos Vegan Kitchen has the ambition of offering diners a diverse delicious menu at a reasonable price, and to showcase the options available in vegan eating.
With both a brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday (9am – 3pm) and regular menu the rest of the week, this is the ideal spot to pop into for a bite to eat, you can even enjoy a glass of vegan wine or beer! If you are feeling hungry, why not try out the BBQ Chickun – grilled chickun with BBQ sauce served up with coleslaw, mash, gravy and greens for only $11.95, or maybe the $9.95 All American Burger – a quarter pounder topped with lettuce red onion, pickles, tomato and sauces served up in a Kaiser roll with a choice of sides? You can even choose from a great selection of desserts to satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth – how about the Chocolate Amaretto Mousse? Check out the full menu to see what tempts you most!†
Opening hours:
- Monday – Friday :11am –11pm
- Saturday – Sunday: 9am – 11pm
Address: 601-B South New York Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789
Email: info@ethosvegankitchen.com
Ingredients may change as menus are updated regularly, so we recommend checking whether these dishes are fully vegan when you order, or contact the company using the above information before your visit, to make sure. If you have been to any great restaurants that serve delicious vegan meals we’d love to hear about them – is there anywhere you can recommend to your fellow vegan holidaymakers?
† Sales tax not included
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