Plant-based Adventures: Orlando

Food options: 4/5

Restaurants visited: Market on South (Dixie Dharma & Valhalla Bakery), Ethos Vegan Kitchen, The Sanctum Cafe, The Greenery Creamery

A work trip to Florida in January … of course I was happy about that assignment. It was the perfect week with unseasonably warm weather for Orlando in the 80s. I spent most of my time inside working and not getting to enjoy the beautiful weather, but I found time to visit a few restaurants in the city. Staying near the airport meant at least a 20 to 30-minute drive to almost every vegan restaurant. That meant I had to squeeze in as many dishes as possible at each restaurant.

Market on South was my first stop, which has 2 plant-based spots in 1 shared space. My heart was content that I got try so many things at Dixie Dharma. I ordered a couple plates and got to sample other meals my dinner companions ordered. I had plenty of leftovers, but I couldn’t resist ordering dessert from Valhalla Bakery. I chose a huge cookie that took me 3 days to finish.

Carolina BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich w/ Creamy Cashew Mac N Cheese, Gumbolaya, and YOLO Cookie

The Orange Bird w/ Braised Collards

Ginger YOLO Cookie

It’s a lovely problem when you can’t figure out what you want for dinner because the menu has endless options that all sound delicious. That’s exactly what happened at Ethos Vegan Kitchen, and I ultimately opted for menu favorites. The garlic knots were amazing, and the pecan encrusted eggplant had such a great texture. I was stuffed, so of course I had to order cookies to go.

Garlic Knots – brushed with garlic butter and dusted with Parmesan cheese.

Pecan Encrusted Eggplant – sautéed sliced eggplant covered with pecans and red wine sauce. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy and asparagus

Peanut Butter, Coconut, and Snickerdoodle Cookies

Next step on the list in Orlando was The Sanctum Cafe. When I see nachos on a menu, I immediately order them. I shared this huge plate and some other appetizers with a friend. I also ordered a bowl that I could eat before my evening flight so I wouldn’t have to worry about my airport options.

Nachos w/ black beans, hot queso, salsa, corn, cabbage slaw, green onion, avocado, cashew cream

Macro bowl w/ sweet potato, brussels, cauliflower, black beans, quinoa, kale, cabbage, seaweed, kimchi, crispy oyster mushrooms, spicy almonds, lemon tahini

Meetballs w/ marinara, cashew cream, and chili flakes
Loaded cheezy potatoes w/ coconut bacon, green onion, and cashew cream

My final stop before leaving Orlando was getting something sweet at The Greenery Creamery. The shop’s aesthetics were inviting, and they offered samples of a few flavors and shared info about each one. I ordered a scoop of the gluten-free, vegan-friendly Pina Colada – bursting with coconut and rum. It was the perfect treat to enjoy outside and wrap up a week in Florida.

The Greenery Creamery

Pina Colada Scoop