Category Archives: Vegetarian

The Chicago Diner

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**** (4 stars)

This is one of the better vegetarian restaurants I’ve been too. They do a great job of using ingredients such as seitan in ways that give it great texture and flavor.

We started with the barbecued sauce coated “wings” which had a great crust and delicious coating. The serving was generous, to say the least, and when we’d finished sharing the appetizers we were wondering if we could eat any of our entrees.

The cuban sandwich was okay, but the tostadas were great, with just the right balance between quinoa and black beans.

Shakes are a specialty here, and my coffee flavored one was wonderful. Note: a small is plenty!

The Chicago Diner
3411 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 935-6696
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-chicago-diner-chicago

Tempo Bistro To Go

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**** (4 stars)

This small shop offers delicious sandwiches and salads made to order from very fresh ingredients. I had the BLT (a surprising offer from a mostly vegetarian place) and it was quite good. I found the inclusion of cheddar cheese odd, and would omit it on a future visit. The green salad was mostly spinach, very fresh, and came with a delicious miso dressing option.

There are only a few tables in side, and a few more out back, so a lot of orders are to go.

Temp Bistro is definitely a great choice when looking for a healthy alternative.

Tempo Bistro To Go
1516 NW 13th St
Gainesville, FL 32601
(352) 336-5834
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tempo-bistro-to-go-gainesville

Yard House

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**** (4 stars)

What an extensive menu! And I’m not just talking about the 100+ beers. There are pages of different appetizers and mains in almost every category. Prices seem a bit steep, but I suppose that’s to be expected in the high rent tourist district.

The outside dining area is quite pleasant, and affords a view of the Orlando Eye.

Yard House
8367 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 351-8220
http://www.yelp.com/biz/yard-house-orlando

The Plaza Live

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***** (5 stars)

Best live performance venue in Orlando mainly because of decent acoustics in the theaters and reasonable sound levels. The seating isn’t the most comfortable, but when you go to a concert you want to hear it clearly, and this is about the only venue in town that guarantees that.

The Plaza Live
425 N Bumby Ave
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 228-1220
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-plaza-live-orlando

Wild Ginger

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**** (4 stars)

This small restaurant offers amazingly good sushi, plus a variety of other pan-Asian dishes. We loved everything we tried, including several creative rolls. The Thai Basil Beef was the best I’ve encountered, as was the hot and sour soup. Particularly creative was the salmon skin salad, which was (different from its menu description) tossed with greens and a touch of spice, making it more Vietnamese or Thai than Japanese. The dinner ambiance was fairly intimate, although I understand it is bustling at lunchtime, and with good reason.

Wild Ginger
212 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 218-8828
http://www.yelp.com/biz/wild-ginger-brooklyn

Pied à Terre

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***** (5 stars)

Pied a Terre has become one of our favorite London restaurants. The atmosphere is intimate, and perfectly suited to romance or business discussions.

The food–especially the tasting menus–is as good as any from London’s other top rated restaurants. But the real difference at Pied a Terre is the wine service.

Rather than simply selecting and pouring wines with each course, it is the restaurant’s practice to offer a blind tasting, where the wine is poured first so you can taste it alone, then the course is served so you can see how it matches, and then you are asked to comment on the wine and (if you wish) guess what it is.

We find this to be tremendous fun. It forges a camaraderie with the sommelier that sets the experience apart from all other fine dining experiences.

Pied à Terre
34 Charlotte Street
London, W1T 2NH
+44 20 7636 1178
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pied-%C3%A0-terre-london-3

Green Kitchen

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**** (4 stars)

This is a welcome addition to the vegetarian dining scene in southwest Orange County, which has been pretty sparse. But despite the name this isn’t a vegetarian restaurant. The majority of offerings actually include a protein.

The menu is divided between salads, panini sandwiches, and melts made on a naan-like bread. I wasn’t too happy with my special of the day, a flank steak that was done with too little seasoning, although the accompanying broccoli was good. But my companions enjoyed their sandwiches.

The space is all hard surfaces, so it can be pretty loud, even when only a third filled. But the service is quick and friendly, making it a good lunch choice.

Green Kitchen
7055 S Kirkman Rd
Ste 126
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 413-5005
http://www.yelp.com/biz/green-kitchen-orlando

Dandelion Communitea Café

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**** (4 stars)

This cute little restaurant is in a cute little house. You order at a cute little counter in the front room, and then they bring your food to you in one of the cute little inside rooms or on the not-so-cute front patio.

The majority of what they serve consists of quinoa and mixed greens with various vegetable toppings. This means that if you don’t like what you get it’s pretty much your own fault, since you picked it.

I particularly liked the ginger cilantro dressing that came with my friend’s lunch. Prices are very reasonable. Service is not really restaurant style, but more at an operational level.

Probably the best choice in town for a vegetarian meal.

Dandelion Communitea Café
618 N Thornton Ave
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 362-1864
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dandelion-communitea-café-orlando-2

Sweet Tomatoes

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**** (4 stars)

Sweet Tomatoes offers a selection of almost everything you’d want to put in a salad. The trick here is to be good, and stick with the salad, because there are plenty of not-so-healthy temptations, too, such as pizzas, breads, pastas, rich soups, and ice cream. Cleanliness is good, and it’s usually not insanely crowded except in January when everyone else is trying to keep those resolutions.

Sweet Tomatoes
6877 South Kirkman Rd.
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 363-1616
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sweet-tomatoes-orlando-2

Fat Kahunas

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**** (4 stars)

If you’re looking for good food right at the beach in Cocoa, this is the place. It’s not just your typical fried fish hut, but an excellent restaurant with a range of offerings that is an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

We particularly enjoyed the coconut shrimp appetizer and the wedge salad. The entrees were also good, with a massive plate of “Malibu” chicken — chicken covered with cheddar cheese, bacon and mushrooms.  I was a bit surprised that there was no tartar sauce for the fish and chips. Side dishes, which come with the entrees, were also very good, especially the coconut rice and the cole slaw.

Pricing is extremely reasonable for the great quality and large portions.

Reservations are really important. This restaurant has only five inside tables, and two more outside, so plan ahead, or come at an off time!

Fat Kahunas
8 Minuteman Cswy
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
(321) 783-6858
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fat-kahunas-cocoa-beach-2