Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant/Dining Help Thread

[bumbershoot]

Oh, I hadn't even thought that the tofu noodle bowl might not be on the lunch menu at Brown Derby. I'll have to double-check. Thanks for the heads-up!

As for Sci-Fi, I was thinking about the seared marinated tofu dish.

I'm saving any veggie burger consumption for last-minute-no-ADRs-I'm-starving-and-all-we-can-get-is-counter-service afternoons.

Hmm. One of us is going by a bad menu. I hope it's me for your sake!

We went to sci fi Feb 2012, and they had JUST gotten rid of that tofu dish and changed it for the veggie burger I spoke of. If they brought it back that's awesome.

Checking the allears.net menus that say they were updated in August, the veggie options are:

Vegetarian Sheppard's Pie - Sci Fi-style Fresh Vegetables and Vegetable Patty topped with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Melted Cheddar $13.99


Vegetable Burger - Vegetable Patty topped with Cucumber Planks, Vine-ripened Tomatoes, Grilled Red Onions, Arugula, drizzled with Balsamic Vinegar served with a choice of Cucumber Salad or Sweet Potato Fries $12.49
Desserts

That's the veggie burger I had in 2012 but the other option wasn't there then.


I see what has kept me from the F! option for HBD, and it's not that the dish isn't available, but that it's more food and therefore more money than we order there.

Dining packages for The Hollywood Brown Derby and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano are available for lunch or dinner and include one:

Entree
Dessert
Non-alcoholic beverage
VIP seating voucher

We don't really get dessert there anymore (I'm over the grapefruit cake and now I don't trust the cobbler DH and DS used to share given the info about various desserts and the possibility of gelatin in them, cobbler in general having been mentioned, ugh) and there's no non-alcoholic beverage I get there, so that's why I had a question mark in my head.

Otherwise they have the same menu (and prices) at lunch and dinner so I'm sure you can get the tofu noodle deliciousness bowl. Recipe here, by the way.

 

[Eclectic Goddess]

Hmm. One of us is going by a bad menu. I hope it's me for your sake!

We went to sci fi Feb 2012, and they had JUST gotten rid of that tofu dish and changed it for the veggie burger I spoke of. If they brought it back that's awesome.

I was going by the menu posted online via the official Disney dining site and a couple recent dining reviews. We haven't made an ADR or anything, so if it drops off, then I guess we just won't be going there!

Thanks for the info, though. I know enough to be leery of Disney desserts from my time at Disneyland, but the tip on the cobblers is good to be reminded of!

 

[DaymanX]

Can anyone tell me how 'Ohana is for breakfast as a vegan?

Had a great dinner experience there last time, but curious if I need to call ahead as a vegan.

 

[DaymanX]

It's been awhile since we've heard about a Chef TJ meal.

Can anyone confirm his whereabouts? Hopefully he's still on property.

 

[DaymanX]

It looks like the Rose & Crown at EPCOT may have a vegan menu item now:

Vegetable Curry
Basmati Rice, crispy Poppadum, and Raita

(The Raita isn't vegan, but the rest sounds like it is).

Has anyone tried this? Is it anywhere near as good as the vegetable pie they used to offer?

 

[vacationer1954]

There was a vegetable curry on the menu a year or two ago. I guess it comes and goes. I didn't think it was vegan though. I thought it had yogurt in it.

 

[KGDisney]

Can anyone tell me how 'Ohana is for breakfast as a vegan? Had a great dinner experience there last time, but curious if I need to call ahead as a vegan.

I went there as a vegetarian in September and they made me tofu for breakfast. It was more of a stir fry thing but they could probably make it into a tofu scramble if you asked. I noted on my reservation that I was "allergic" to meat and seafood. The chef talked to me when I got there as usual and offered me that. It was really good but not breakfasty enough for me.

 

[jessicaxoc]

I went to Disney in March 2013, here are my vegan meal reviews

In epcot world showcase:

Chef de France (I ended up dining here 3 times because I LOVED the meal so much) they have a vegetable lasagna on the menu which you can ask for without the cheese, the chef was wonderful came out and talked to me and each night he made it slightly different it was wonderful definitely eat here if your vegan

Japan I got veggie sushi and seaweed salad, it was delicious and is always on the menu so you don't even have to ask for a special request. They also have a vegetarian menu most options are vegan.

San Angels in mexico: this was pretty good, they have a few things on there menu that can be modified vegan.

Italy, STAY AWAY, I had such a bad experience here which made me sad because it is beautiful inside, I asked if the chef could make me a vegetable dish with various veggies on the menu and I didn't care about the price, and was specifically told by the manager NO! I was given the option to get the most expensive thing on the menu (veal or something) without the veal aka it would of been a plate of asparagus... (if you eat pasta they have corn pasta which would be a good option though) I was mortified... I ended up going to japan after and getting sushi. However my mother was so upset that they wouldn't accommodate my allgeries (I'm allergic to most non-vegan food) she called disney and they reimburse our meal, so that was good on disney's part. (they messed up another food allergies meal in the group as well)

Germany- this was also FANTASTIC! it is a buffet but the chef will walk you around and show you what is vegan, they had a bunch of choices, on top of that the chef made me a veggie burger and a rice dish!

In Morocco for quick service they were pretty good, they have a vegetarian plate (something on it isn't vegan) but if you tell them you are vegan they will omit it

Boma- AWESOME! same as germany they have lots of vegan choices. Also the chef made me a special meal of rice (because the rice in buffet has butter) and mixed veggies!

If your staying at the boardwalk over at the dolphin or swan i forget they have fresh squeezed juice on there menu for breakfast.

in epcot the food court near soaring has some vegan options.

in magic kingdom there is a great food court called cosmic rays starlight cafe where you can get a veggie sandwich/burger and they have a whole bar of veggies you can put on it (i ended up making a mini salad with all toppings!)

Animal kingdom and hollywood studios I was surprised for quick service I couldn't find anything for lunch (breakfast they have fruit) if you want to pay for buffet style or sit down there are options.

Downtown disney has a vegan cupcake shop called babycakes although I haven't been there

All in all it seems if you make reservations for sit down meals in advance and let them know about being vegan they accommodate very well! I will say my bad experience with Italy could have been because we didn't make reservations in advance.

 

[danijake]

Has anyone stayed at the Swan/Dolphin? We were thinking about staying there during our next trip, but I was wondering about vegan options. We typically like to eat breakfast in the Pop food court (the chefs have always been great about making us allergen-free waffles). Does anyone know if the Swan/Dolphin offers anything like this?

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm going through allears, looking at every single restaurant to see if anything catches my eye. And something did.

La Cantina de San Angel. On the allears menu they list Empanadas de Queso. We are plain old ovo-lacto vegetarians, and the description doesn't have anything obviously not allowed for our pretty easy diet.

Does anyone have any information that says otherwise? Do they cook/fry in lard, for instance? Does this have hidden bacon? Or is it just what it says? (something quite evil and naughty, but not something a basic vegetarian like me would avoid)



Thanks in advance, and if it's been answered recently feel free to just point it out to me.

 

[etoiles]

La Cantina de San Angel. On the allears menu they list Empanadas de Queso. We are plain old ovo-lacto vegetarians, and the description doesn't have anything obviously not allowed for our pretty easy diet.

Does anyone have any information that says otherwise? Do they cook/fry in lard, for instance? Does this have hidden bacon? Or is it just what it says? (something quite evil and naughty, but not something a basic vegetarian like me would avoid)

I absolutely loved the empanadas there. I shared the dish with DH but next time I plan on getting my own serving since they were so delicious! (I am vegetarian) I also saw that you can get the nachos there with the vegetarian black beans instead of meat as well so that's another option.

I think that Disney has less hidden things mostly than other places because of so many visitors with dietary restrictions. Most things are pointed out on the menu or are easy to ask about. I have found that wait and restaurant staff are better informed than at most places near me about ingredients and the like.

 

[marypoppins81]

If a dish has something like parmesan on is it easy enough to ask without the parmesan? It's one of the few non vegetarian cheeses. Often filled pasta contains parmesan.

Counting down to 14th May!

 

[bumbershoot]

I absolutely loved the empanadas there. I shared the dish with DH but next time I plan on getting my own serving since they were so delicious! (I am vegetarian) I also saw that you can get the nachos there with the vegetarian black beans instead of meat as well so that's another option.

I think that Disney has less hidden things mostly than other places because of so many visitors with dietary restrictions. Most things are pointed out on the menu or are easy to ask about. I have found that wait and restaurant staff are better informed than at most places near me about ingredients and the like.

mmm, sounds good. Thank you!

I agree with you on the whole about how transparent they are about ingredients, but the one thing many of us have recently found that IS somewhat hidden is gelatin in many desserts. Such a pain.

 

[punkin712]

If a dish has something like parmesan on is it easy enough to ask without the parmesan? It's one of the few non vegetarian cheeses. Often filled pasta contains parmesan.

Counting down to 14th May!

Not all parmesan cheese is off limits. There are a few brands that use non-animal enzymes - Sargento and BelGioioso are two that come to mind.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

A little bit off-topic, but my daughter - who has trained as a vegan chef, although that's not her "day job" - has just published another e-book of Edible Gifts. All vegan, all delicious treats you can make to give as gifts. Beautiful photos of each one, too.

Take a look, and feel free to share if you have friends who might be interested:

http://veganculinarycrusade.com/ebook/


Teresa

 

[nancy drew]

Has anyone been to Kouzzina for dinner lately? We were there 2 years ago and I had a fabulous vegan meal, and the kids loved their meals as well. Now I am also gluten-free, and I'm pretty sure everything I ate there last time was also gluten-free but I haven't read/heard anything recent about recent vegan or GF experiences.

Also, has anyone recently been to 1900 Park Fare for dinner? Is Chef TJ still there?

I would appreciate any other resort dining recommendations for vegan and gluten free meals. We are trying to book Ohana, but need another option as well since AK and DHS do not seem to have anything appealing.

 

[marypoppins81]

Not all parmesan cheese is off limits. There are a few brands that use non-animal enzymes - Sargento and BelGioioso are two that come to mind.

Perhaps it's different in the usa but in europe to be called parmesan it must be made with animal rennet. All parmesan is off limits here in the uk.

Counting down to 14th May!

 

[LilyWDW]

If a dish has something like parmesan on is it easy enough to ask without the parmesan? It's one of the few non vegetarian cheeses. Often filled pasta contains parmesan.

Counting down to 14th May!

I would not count on the filled pastas as they are usually made ahead of time. You might get a nice chef who would make yours fresh, but nothing that can be count on.

 

[nancy drew]

Has anyone been to Kouzzina for dinner lately? We were there 2 years ago and I had a fabulous vegan meal, and the kids loved their meals as well. Now I am also gluten-free, and I'm pretty sure everything I ate there last time was also gluten-free but I haven't read/heard anything recent about recent vegan or GF experiences.

Also, has anyone recently been to 1900 Park Fare for dinner? Is Chef TJ still there?

I would appreciate any other resort dining recommendations for vegan and gluten free meals. We are trying to book Ohana, but need another option as well since AK and DHS do not seem to have anything appealing.

Anyone? Any recommendations for places we shouldn't miss? Not a fan of Indian food but any other vegan food is great.

Oh and what about Garden Grove at the Swan? Good for vegans?

 

[jacksonsmommy]

We were just at WDW in October and I am a vegetarian so I thought I would give you a brief run down of where and what I ate.

My daughter has a milk/dairy allergy so she had a few vegan items as well (She is 2 - so nothing too exciting!) I'll note those here too.

Magic Kingdom:

Crystal Palace (Lunch) - this was quite good. Had a lot of great salads, sides, and a delicious pasta dish. They had vegan bread and butter available for my daughter and they made her a special bowl of vegan mashed potatoes and brought out Tofutti ice cream for her dessert.

Gaston's Tavern - We stopped here for a snack. Had the LeFou's brew and it was delicious! The cinnamon rolls were yummy and the kids enjoyed the apples with caramel dip and hummus and pretzels (pre-packaged Saba hummus).



Animal Kingdom:

Tusker House - we ate here for breakfast. Tons of delicious options for vegetarians! They made vegan mickey waffles for my daughter. Lots of fresh fruit, bread/pastries, potatoes, etc. Would definitely eat here again!

Restaurantosaurus - we had lunch here. Not a great choice, but the family chose it. They had a black bean veggie burger available, but that didn't sound good to me. I ordered a plain bun and used the toppings bar to make my own veggie sandwich (grilled onions, mushrooms, lettuce tomato, etc...) The buns and fries are vegan.

For a snack there is a little place right across from the dig site playground. I can't remember the name! They have fresh made belgian waffles topped with strawberries and cream. This was my favorite snack of the trip! Highly recommend!

Hollywood Studios:

Hollywood and Vine Lunch Buffet - I don't recommend unless you have young kids that need to see the Disney Jr. characters. They do have a create your own pasta station with lots of veggies and tomato, alfredo, and pesto sauces. That was really good! The garlic mashed potatoes were great too. They did not have many vegan offerings and the chef that took me around wasn't that enthusiastic about making something special. Dessert includes a chocolate fountain, but no vegan desserts on the buffet. They brought out a pack of vegan cookies for my daughter.

Catalina Eddies: This is a counter service place across from Fantasmic. The PB&J sandwich was vegan. I had a cheese pizza. It was ok, but tasted like it was frozen. I wouldn't recommend.

Resorts:

'Ohana - The vegetarian entrée starts out with the pineapple bread and salad that comes to the table. Next comes a trio of hummus and a sundried tomato pesto dip with pita chips. The noodles are absolutely amazing - pretty sure I could have eaten those alone and been happy! The main entrée was a tofu stir fry with lots of veggies in a really nice, seasoned broth. Then of course you get the bread pudding and ice cream for dessert. Tofutti ice cream for vegans. I know a lot of people are scared to go here because of all the meat, but it was the best dinner I had all week!


Downtown Disney -

Bodies All American - the Falafel veggie burger was amazing! Very unique and better than just the plain veggie burgers you get elsewhere.

Babycakes - Delicious! My daughter loved her cupcake! If you are vegan it's a must do!



Hope that helps others who might be planning!