Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant/Dining Help Thread

[DCDisney]

Honestly the character buffets are easier to get some vegan variety. If your whole family is vegan I would not waste that $$$ at CRT. I think all you'd get would be frozen waffles and fruit. Akershus dinner in our experience was pasta and veggies. No protein! These places are just packed and move people through quickly. 1900 park fare is usually a good vegan character option. Ohana breakfast they will do fruit, waffles from scratch, breakfast potatoes, and tofu veggie scramble. We enjoy Mickey and stitch there too. Crystal Palace hasn't been quite as good as the others I mentioned but they are usually helpful if you make specific requests.

 

[nancy drew]

Hi. I'm thinking about what ADRs to make and I'm stuck. I'm debating on CRT for breakfast or Akershus for dinner. I really want to do both but don't think everybody else would want two princess character meals. I leaning more towards CRT but I don't want to use two TS credits for a bowel of fruit. Which one is more vegan friendly? Also I'm planning on going to dinner at garden grill. Wondering how the food is for vegans.

Is it that you want a princess meal? Because you have other options for meeting princesses, that don't involve meals.

Honestly the character buffets are easier to get some vegan variety. If your whole family is vegan I would not waste that $$$ at CRT. I think all you'd get would be frozen waffles and fruit. Akershus dinner in our experience was pasta and veggies. No protein! These places are just packed and move people through quickly. 1900 park fare is usually a good vegan character option. Ohana breakfast they will do fruit, waffles from scratch, breakfast potatoes, and tofu veggie scramble. We enjoy Mickey and stitch there too. Crystal Palace hasn't been quite as good as the others I mentioned but they are usually helpful if you make specific requests.

Ohana was a fantastic breakfast option. I'll say it is the only WDW table service breakfast we did, but it was great. Way beyond "Here's the fruit, and maybe the tomato salad is OK". If you can time things properly, you can probably meet the princesses at MK or elsewhere, and use your dining time on a better option.

Honestly, though, breakfast is not a meal I waste table service on. We can all grab a quick, easy breakfast, and get on some rides while everyone else is gorging on eggs, sausage, etc. Then we can sit down at lunch or an early dinner, while the rest of the park visitors are standing in long lines. It works out really well for us.

 

[bumbershoot]

Honestly, though, breakfast is not a meal I waste table service on. We can all grab a quick, easy breakfast, and get on some rides while everyone else is gorging on eggs, sausage, etc. Then we can sit down at lunch or an early dinner, while the rest of the park visitors are standing in long lines. It works out really well for us.

I really agree with you, even as an ovo-lacto vegetarian. The eggs at Disney buffets just aren't good enough (except at Disneyland's Surf's Up breakfast when you can get huevos rancheros) that you can eat enough to make up for the cost. In October when we were at Tusker House, all the unique things about TH just weren't there until they brought out lunch (if you have a late breakfast reservation there and eat slowly, you'll get lunch food, too). It was just...breakfast. I'm sure if we ate meat it would have been more interesting, but...nothing unique.

I definitely agree with your strategy!

 

[11point5]

That’s awesome you’re running the Glass Slipper!!! My husband and I are running the 10k together and are staying for a week of vacation after the race. We actually booked our trip first and then we found out about the 10k. Once we realized we’d only have to add on one night to the beginning of our trip I registered us ASAP. :

This is what we have planned so for our ADRs -
Kona Café - Breakfast - vegan Tonga Toast at the 10k (Disney Special diets verified the Tonga Toast can be made vegan at both the Kona Café and Captain Cooks)
Kona Café – Dinner - Pan-Asian Noodles with Tofu
Boma – hope it lives up to its reputation as the most “vegan friendly buffet”
SciFi Drive In – veggie burger - read that you can also order a vegan milkshake
Liberty Tree Tavern - House-made Potato Quinoa Vegan Patty
Be Our Guest – Lunch – Quinoa salad / Dinner – Seasonal Salad Trio and Ratatouille
Teppan Edo – Yasai Seasonal Vegetables and edamame

For Quick Service we are thinking

Magic Kingdom:
Columbia Harbour House - Vegetarian Chill and the Lighthouse Sandwich without the broccoli slaw because it has mayo
Tortuga Tavern – veggie burrito
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor – toffuti / rice dream is supposedly available (heard its actually listed right on the menu – go Disney!)

Epcot:
Tangerine Café - Falafel Wrap or the Vegetable Platter without the lentil salad (I believe this also has mayo but plan on double checking)
Liberty Inn- Vegetarian "Chick'n" Breast with Guacamole, Chipotle Corn Salsa, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich
La Cantina de San Angel – paletas
Kabuki Café - Kaki Gori
Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe - Sweet Pretzel with Almonds
L’Artisan des Glaces - Sorbet

Hollywood Studios seems to have its fair share of veggie sandwiches, veggie burgers and vegan pizza (available at Pizza Planet by request) but we’re heading to the Boardwalk for a break from the park for the vegan pizza at the Boardwalk Pizza Window

Animal Kingdom
Havent really decided but lunch will be on the lighter side since Boma is the same night and it’s a splurge for us. Either Tamu Tamu Refreshments for the Vegetarian Curry with tofu or the Fruit Bowl or Mr Kamals for Samosas, Falafels, or the Asian Noodle Salad

Planning to check out Babycakes on our down time

I have read reviews of people saying Disney isn’t vegan friendly, particularly the counter service restaurants, but between my husband and I we have come up with a lot of possible options for the parks, it was just time consuming going through all the menus. I hope our planning pays off and we are able to easily accommodate our vegan diet. We will find out in 19 days!

I love this list!! Looks like we have a lot of the same places in mind But I do have one sad thing to mention...and I hate to be the bearer of bad news but.....last I heard, Plaza will be closed from Feb 17th until March sometime! I was SO looking forward to the nondairy ice cream options there too!!
Ending on a good note, I'm not sure if you got the same online race kit thingy with the 10k but I got this email with coupons and stuff and one of them is for downtown disney on sunday the 23rd from 2-8pm and a whole bunch of stores are offering discounts to runners and all you have to do is present your medal --I would imagine they'd honor a 10k medal too! But I don't know for sure. Babycakes is on the list - 20% off! Just something to consider anyway

 

[lcb]

Worst news ever... both Chef Amber at the Poly Kona Cafe and Disney Special Diets have verified Tonga Toast can no longer be made vegan.

I had originally contacted Special Diets in December to verify that Tonga Toast can be made vegan and was told it was available at both Captain Cook's and Kona Cafe. I was completely shocked yesterday when we spoke to the Chef at Kona and heard this was no longer the case. I received the email from special diets this morning verifying the lack of vegan Tonga Toast.

I guess I can't be too upset, seeing as how I have never actually had tonga toast. Apparently the macadamia pineapple pancakes can be made vegan. Looks like my husband and I will be trying those for our post Enchanted 10k breakfast.

 

[lcb]

Babycakes is on the list - 20% off! Just something to consider anyway

Thats awesome! Thanks for the heads up.

 

[bumbershoot]

Tongs toast is basically half a loaf of bread with bananas inside. And as far as I recall its done French toast style, so I'm surprised they could do it vegan to begin with. Even before DH and I changed out diets it was a two person dish and nowadays I think it would be a four person dish lol. And we have to have protein with it, to balance out the half a loaf of bread, and for a vegan (we are ovo lacto veggie) I personally wouldn't even be able to have the tt since I wouldn't be able to have my side of eggs with it.

Since you've never had it just know it's famous but not all that amazing or worth it in some people's opinions.

Kona, however, has been one of the few places that can get real maple syrup on request, so that might be worth requesting for your pancakes.

 

[Hannahh25]

Hi everyone,

As a vegetarian should I email in ahead for my ADRs or would it just be ok to tell them at the restaurant when we get there?

Also (if I've understood correctly!) at 'Ohana they serve dinner 'family style' to your table (new to me as I've never seen this in the UK), I'll just be with my mum and she isn't vegetarian - would this be ok?

Thank you!

 

[msbatchelor5]

Worst news ever... both Chef Amber at the Poly Kona Cafe and Disney Special Diets have verified Tonga Toast can no longer be made vegan. I had originally contacted Special Diets in December to verify that Tonga Toast can be made vegan and was told it was available at both Captain Cook's and Kona Cafe. I was completely shocked yesterday when we spoke to the Chef at Kona and heard this was no longer the case. I received the email from special diets this morning verifying the lack of vegan Tonga Toast. I guess I can't be too upset, seeing as how I have never actually had tonga toast. Apparently the macadamia pineapple pancakes can be made vegan. Looks like my husband and I will be trying those for our post Enchanted 10k breakfast.

Thank you for the update. I was just having to try it since I could, I guess.

Please let me know about the pancakes though.

 

[Sehsun]

Hi everyone,

As a vegetarian should I email in ahead for my ADRs or would it just be ok to tell them at the restaurant when we get there?

Also (if I've understood correctly!) at 'Ohana they serve dinner 'family style' to your table (new to me as I've never seen this in the UK), I'll just be with my mum and she isn't vegetarian - would this be ok?

Thank you!

I think it is a good idea to indicate that you are a vegetarian when making the ADR. If I remember correctly, there is an "Other" option in the dietary request (?) section. When you do that, a chef will come to your table and talk to you before the meal. If you were unable to do that or chose not to do that when making the ADR, you can also talk to your server when you get to the restaurant, and he or she can have the chef come out and talk to you.

Yes, that would be perfectly okay at 'Ohana. They can bring both the "regular" menu, plus vegetarian items for you. I had a very good experience at 'Ohana. In our party of four, I was the one vegetarian, and I had plenty to eat.

 

[Hannahh25]

I think it is a good idea to indicate that you are a vegetarian when making the ADR. If I remember correctly, there is an "Other" option in the dietary request (?) section. When you do that, a chef will come to your table and talk to you before the meal. If you were unable to do that or chose not to do that when making the ADR, you can also talk to your server when you get to the restaurant, and he or she can have the chef come out and talk to you.

Yes, that would be perfectly okay at 'Ohana. They can bring both the "regular" menu, plus vegetarian items for you. I had a very good experience at 'Ohana. In our party of four, I was the one vegetarian, and I had plenty to eat.

That's great to know, thank you!

 

[Sehsun]

That's great to know, thank you!

You're welcome!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

This is not actually a Disney restaurant, but...

We had eaten at Ethos on a previous trip. Went back last week to find that it had moved to a new, larger and very nice location in Winter Park. This restaurant is all vegan (it's very exciting for us vegans to have a whole menu to choose from, instead of the usual "well, I guess I could leave the cheese off this one item") with a wide selection, and everything we had was delicious. It's not fine dining (plenty of sandwiches and wraps), but good hearty food. You could bring non-vegan friends and family here and they'd find plenty that they liked. And quite inexpensive compared to the on-site restaurants as well.

So if you have a car and are looking for an all-vegan option near WDW, I'd suggest giving Ethos a try. We were very pleased with our meal!

TP

 

[bumbershoot]

This is not actually a Disney restaurant, but...

We had eaten at Ethos on a previous trip. Went back last week to find that it had moved to a new, larger and very nice location in Winter Park. This restaurant is all vegan (it's very exciting for us vegans to have a whole menu to choose from, instead of the usual "well, I guess I could leave the cheese off this one item") with a wide selection, and everything we had was delicious. It's not fine dining (plenty of sandwiches and wraps), but good hearty food. You could bring non-vegan friends and family here and they'd find plenty that they liked. And quite inexpensive compared to the on-site restaurants as well.

So if you have a car and are looking for an all-vegan option near WDW, I'd suggest giving Ethos a try. We were very pleased with our meal!

TP

Thanks, that sounds awesome!

 

[andigomeep]

Hello all! I'm approaching my 180 day mark and am trying to make a list of restaurants to try. We've never done sit down, my 3 year old hasn't had the patience for it, but I'm hoping by September he'll be okay with it. My husband occasionally eats fish on vacation but otherwise we're all vegetarian. Where's good that we won't be eating pasta every meal? I want Tusker House and Crystal Palace for character meals, so I'll need 4 more sit downs. Thanks!

 

[OldSchoolReasons]

First post (I've finally stopped lurking the boards and signed up).

I was wondering if anyone has had experience eating vegan at T-Rex - I really want to go as I'm a Dinosaur nut but all of their veggie options seem heavily cheese / egg-pasta based. What other Downtown Disney/Disney Boardwalk places are vegan friendly?

I've also got ADR's for Be Our Guest, Via Napoli, Sci-Fi Diner, Rainforest Cafe and Tusker House - all of their menus seem veganisable so not too worried about those. (though let me know if there's any red flags there!).

 

[cherylp3]

Trex has the gluten free vegan pasta (tinkyada)

 

[prudence64]

Hello all! I'm approaching my 180 day mark and am trying to make a list of restaurants to try. We've never done sit down, my 3 year old hasn't had the patience for it, but I'm hoping by September he'll be okay with it. My husband occasionally eats fish on vacation but otherwise we're all vegetarian. Where's good that we won't be eating pasta every meal? I want Tusker House and Crystal Palace for character meals, so I'll need 4 more sit downs. Thanks!

Boma for sure but that's not in a park

I haven't tried it, but they have a vegetarian sheppard's pied at the sci fi in HS

We enjoyed the vegetable cous cous at Marrakesh in the world showcase and the belly dancers might keep your 3 year old interested.

 

[OldSchoolReasons]

Trex has the gluten free vegan pasta (tinkyada)

Thank you I emailed them but they were pretty ambiguous.

 

[DCDisney]

Just wanted to mention it here but a number of the blogs are reporting that Babycakes is closing March 19, 2014.