Eating Vegan in Orlando

Eating vegan on vacation can sometimes be tough – especially in places like Orlando where so many restaurants cater to the masses versus minority diners with special needs. Never fear…. there are a handful of fabulous vegan options in Orlando.

Owner Kelly Shockly at Ethos Vegan Kitchen

Start with Ethos Vegan Kitchen. Tucked into the heart of Orlando’s Antique District, Ethos presents a menu of fare made entirely without meat, dairy, or eggs. Owned by husband and wife team Kelly and Laina Shockley, Ethos is on a mission to show Orlando that eating vegan isn’t just for tree huggers. Expect hearty, comfort food in an uber-casual setting where hippies and hipsters happily mix.

At Café 118º is  Winter Park’s newest herbivore hotspot. With a menu of entirely raw and organic “Living Cuisine”, owner Joseph Diaz proves that no one misses the meat, pasta or cheese at his eatery. This chic spot off Park Avenue attracts a foodie crowd ready to nosh meals designed by celebrity raw chef, Matthew Kenney. I love the BYO wine with no corkage fee and the guiltless desserts.

Loving Hut's Heavenly Salad

At downtown’s Loving Hut, a 100% vegan diner, the staff meditates two hours each day to make sure each dish is infused with pure love… I kid you not. Offering lots of easy winners like stir fries, spring rolls, and noodle dishes, the Loving Hut pays homage to a wide variety of Asian cuisines and creates vegan versions of favorites your kids probably already love. Their philosophy: “eat vegan, cool the planet”.  Oh, and kids eat half price on Tuesdays .

Also a short drive from downtown, Dandelion Communitea Café is a hippy-ish spot with a strong commitment to local, organic  food. Pull up to the colorful little cottage on Thornton Avenue and hop up its wooden steps into a lively dining room with a handful of tables likely occupied by a conscious crowd sipping fair trade tea and discussing the merits of driving a hybrid car. Owner, Julie Norris, heard her patron’s call for vegan nosh. In the winter months, the kitchen can’t serve enough of its famous chili loaded with organic tempeh, tomatoes, kidney beans, peppers, and sweet corn. Folks also love the gluten-free dressing that’s lightly splashed over creative salad concoctions like the Polynesian Banana Fantasy, an atypical combination of coconut and curry flavors with a mix of banana, celery and tossed walnuts.

Dandilion Communitea Cafe

See…. eating vegan isn’t so hard in Orlando. In fact, it’s an exciting adventure!