Most people don’t realize how common it is to be vegetarian or vegan. Not everyone eats meat, for a variety of reasons. If you’re planning on eating in Orlanda, Florida, then you are in luck.
We’ll begin with a local favorite, the Hubbly Bubbly Falafel Shop. Located near Orlando’s Lake Eola, they serve a wide variety of great dishes from good falafel to great falafel. For anybody who doesn’t know what falafel is, it’s basically deep fried dough with meat inside of it. Orlando has a few restaurants that serve great falafel, but Hubbly Bubbly ranks among my favorite. Bear in mind that my opinions on restaurants are malleable, so any restaurants that please me can find a spot on my list.
If you’ve had falafel anywhere else, I would really recommend Hubbly Bubbly. It doesn’t really take much to serve good food and have decent service. You know a place is good when they have a very helpful manager, who not only asks questions but also educates you. The greatest salesman is an educator. With so many good reviews, I’m not sure if my great rating can raise their score any higher. Believe it or not, I’ve actually been to a few restaurants where you could still see food leftover on the table from the last people who were seated there.
No matter how busy your restaurant is, dirty tables are unacceptable. Especially in a high-end city like Orlando. Falafel isn’t the most expensive food, but if it’s too cheap then you can tell it probably isn’t made from anything that didn’t come from a can. Hubbly Bubbly’s falalfel doesn’t have that issue, with reasonable prices and food that tastes genuinely fresh. That doesn’t happen at too many places.
Market on South is technically more of a bakery, but their food is on par with all the restaurants on this list. They’re found just west of the Orlando Executive Airport. You haven’t seen good service at a place until you’ve seen the bakers at Market on South. Even when met with a high volume of demands, the staff were always smiling and didn’t appear to be stressed at all. I always love places like that. Food tastes so much better when you know people enjoy making it for you. I’ve always been impressed with how clean everything appears every time I go.
Each time I’m curious to take a look behind the scenes, but you don’t want to get in the way of busy people in a kitchen. Learned that the hard way. Last time I drummed up the courage to ask if I could take a peek at the kitchen. Lo and behold, they obliged. Last time I saw a kitchen that clean was on a cooking show. However, one thing those shows are missing that Market on South has is a great Orlando hood cleaning company. It doesn’t sound like much, but you can notice the difference when you see it. Now, pastries are kind of my sweet spot. Sugary foods and candy are nice, but any kind of sweet dough will put me in heaven.
The best part about Market on South is that you can visit them any time of day, because there isn’t a time when you shouldn’t be eating dough. My personal favorite from this restaurant is the apple pie donuts. No place on earth could make them better, not even a restaurant that only made those. Market on South serves more than just breads and pastries, though. They make all sorts of sandwiches with great tasting veggies inside. Best bakery in Orlando by far, just read all the amazing reviews if you don’t believe me.
If you’re just looking for atmosphere, service, and great food in a clean environment, then head to The Sanctum. This time around you’ll have to look nearby northeast Orlando. Smiling waiters, great music, amazing food. This restaurant has it all. The name sounds pretty ominous, almost as ominous as how they can manage to stay in business with such great prices on all the food.
All of the good reviews may just seem like puff pieces to some people, but when a restaurant has no flaws you can’t just make them up. One thing I really love about The Sanctum is the variety on their menu. Gone are the days of eating greasy food that came out of a freezer. I really appreciate the chefs’ ability to craft healthy foods that still taste great. I only have one complaint, and it’s kind of a major one.
WHY does my stomach have to be so small?! Good thing there’s always room for dessert! Rush hour can mean potential trouble for a lot of restaurants, because they have to manage unruly customers and the chefs are under extreme stress. I can honestly say that The Sanctum’s employees were all unfazed by any of this. Good job guys, keep up the good work.
Dixie Dharma falls under a lesser-known category that a lot of people don’t know about. It’s a Southern-style restaurant. This restaurant also happens to be near the Orlando Executive Airport, making at least two of these restaurants relatively close. Dixie Dharma absolutely gets the atmosphere right, with perfect lighting . The music is nice as well, enabling you to listen but also at a tolerable volume for conversation.
I managed to stay under my budget, only because I saved room for a great dessert. Yet another place with a great vegan selection, from tempeh tiki tacos to “cheesy homies” (my personal favorite). Surprisingly, a lot of vegan places can still manage to make food that tastes bad. If you’re looking to take your food on the go, you can always tour Lake Underhill nearby while you chow down on your tasty vegan grub.
I know that I keep repeating how high ratings are a common theme between each restaurant, but I saved this hidden Orlando gem for last because it was actually the highest rated of the four. Vegan food may not be for everyone, but I’m sure anyone who walks in will find something to love on Dixie Dharma’s amazing menu.