Vegetarian dining at Universal especially WWoHP

[wellesleyprincess]

Hi everyone,

Hoping to be heading to Universal this coming spring/summer. I'm a vegetarian, and I was wondering if there are any recommendations/reviews. I know there will be the basic cheese pizza and veggie burger theme park fare.

Also, is there some kind of secret vegetarian menu item at Leaky Cauldron? I was disappointed not to see a vegetarian option on the standard lunch/dinner menu.

 

[RebeccaRabbit]

I'm wondering about this as well - our family is vegetarian too and first time at Universal coming up. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the amount of good veggie options at Disney the first time we went there. We are not really pizza/burger type of people - need "real food" to fuel our high-energy vacation.

Universal looks a bit thin by comparison, at least according to many of the menus. Especially in the parks themselves, meat and junk food prevail. Many QS and even some TS places seem to have nothing vegetarian whatsoever, except maybe potatoes and salad. I'd love to know if there are special request options you can get anywhere.

Some places look great though - here's what I had highlighted as being especially promising from researching the menus online:

Islands and Emeril's Tchoup Chop at the Royal Pacific
Mama Della's and Bice at Portofino
Mythos, Confisco Grille, Doc Sugrue's, and Thunder Falls at IoA
Cafe LaBamba and Lisa's Teahouse at US
Vivo, Antojitos, and Bob Marley at Citywalk

If anyone has tips on where to find the most veggie-friendly options, that would be great to hear!

 

[macraven]

i know there have been past threads detailing vegetarian dishes and places for the parks.

use the search button to pull those threads up.

if you use the www.universalorlando.com site, there are vegetarian listings on some of the menus in that site.
click on the restaurants to pull that info up.

 

[johde]

If your looking for vegetarian and not Vegan, the Ploughman with a substitution for the Scotch Egg would be a possible option at the Leaky Cauldron.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would completely get the Ploughman's without the scotch eggs. mmmmmm.

Googling shows me that they might have the potato leek soup there, just like over at IOA, and that soup is vegetarian.

 

[damo]

If you go to the food sticky on the first page, there is a section on vegetarian dining.

Vegetarian Offerings--not including sides and salads or those foods that can be ordered without meat--I also didn't include anything with fish

Universal
Boulangerie -- Health Sandwich with side of fruit or pasta salad, large selection of pastries and sweets, egg and cheese croissant at breakfastime
Lombards -- Pasta Primavera, Bravo Ravioli
Richter's---The Fault Line garden burger
Louie's---Fettuccini Alfredo, garden vegetable pizza
Finnegan's --Garden Burger, The Leprechaun's Rainbow fruit platter, Potato and Onion Web, kid's grilled cheese
Desert Kebab House -- Veggie Kebab with Pita bread, hummus with celery and carrots and pita bread
Leaky Cauldron--potato soup, ploughman's platter without scotch egg

IOA
Confisco's -- Vegetable Pizza, kid's mac and cheese, Penne Puttanesca prepared vegetarian, pad thai, tex mex wrap
Mythos--Pad Thai, Wild Mushroom Flatbread, pastabilities depending on special of the day, certain risottos, potato rosemary bread is vegan
Three Broomsticks --kids mac and cheese, 3 broomsticks- potato leek soup, salad, roast potatoes, baked potato, corn
Cafe 4 Diner--Very Veggie Pizza, Fettuccini with cream sauce
Thunder Falls--large selection of sides including corn, beans, rice, potatoes, also kid's mac and cheese
Pizza Predatoria--Garden burger
Comic Strip Cafe--Fettuccini Alfredo
Croissant Moon--large selection of pastries and sweets
Desert Kebab House--veggie kebab with pita bread, hummus with celery and carrots and pita bread

Citywalk
Emeril's --smoked goat cheese ravioli, several sides, white truffle flatbread, vegetarian lasagna
Bob Marley's--Natty Dread, Stuffed Peppers
Hard Rock Cafe--Santa Fe Spring Rolls, Veggie Burger, Hard Rock Nachos, Grilled Mediterranean Linguine
Antiojitos--veggie fajitas, chile
Bubba Gump's --Portabella mushroom based Veggie burger with avocado, Veggie Pasta and a Veggie Skillet (not on the menu but they will prepare that for you)
NBA City--Margherita Pizza, Mediterranean Flatbread, Angelhair Pomodoro
Margaritaville--Volcano Nachos
Vivo -- several pastas
Cowfish -- Heavenly veggie burger

Royal Pacific Hotel
Bula Bar -- Greek Vegetable Burger, Grilled Cheese, Fruit Platter, loaded nachos
Island's Restaurant--Tomato and Arugula Flatbread, Garbanzo and Vegetable Chili, Whole Wheat Penne with veggies, thin crust pizza
Jake's -- Grilled Veggie Pita Pockets, Southwest Eggrolls
Tchoup Chop -- vegetable roll, Miso Soup, Cilantro-Cashew Pesto Marinated Tofu

Portofino Bay Hotel
Sal's--Margherita Pizza, Primavera Pizza, Picaso Sanwich(roasted veggies)
Mama Della's--several pastas
Trattoria's--Fresh Harvest Penne, Thin Crust Pizza
Bice--Pappardelle al Telefono con Pomodoro, Mozzarella e Basilico, Gnocchetti di Patate alla Sorrentina, Tortelloni farciti con Ricotta e Spinaci in Salsa al Burro Salvia e Parmigiano, Penne allArrabbiat

Hard Rock Hotel
Kitchen--Three Cheese Flatbread, Greek Flatbread, Mac and Cheese, Penne Pasta

 

[HogwartsExpressDrivr]

Along with the informative post by damo, be sure to check the Universal Guide Maps when you arrive and look for a Red Apple icon next to the restaurant's name as this indicates that there are "healthier/vegetarian" options available at those restaurants.

Enjoy your stay!

 

[GaryDis]

I've just started scoping out US eating, and with all the mixed reviews and limited options, Moe's at CityWalk is looking better and better. I have a fondness for fast food places that clearly mark their vegetarian options, and with the exception of butterbeer, there's little crying out as a must have elsewhere.