Looking to plus your vegan experience at this year’s Epcot International Food and Wine Festival? Are you a plant-based foodie on the hunt for a weekend destination to indulge your palate? Orlando local in search of a vegan culinary staycation? Check out Food & Wine Weekends at Hilton Bonnet Creek.
Food & Wine Weekends Vegan Options at Waldorf Orlando and Hilton Bonnet Creek in Walt Disney World
2019 marks the triumphant return of the ninth annual Food and Wine Weekends celebration at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando and Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Resorts.
This week I was invited out to a preview of this extraordinary food and beverage event which is taking place every weekend through November 24th.
If you are not familiar with these resorts they are located inside the gates of Walt Disney World adjacent to Disney’s Caribbean Beach resort near Epcot. The Hilton Bonnet Creek and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando Resort are sister properties connected under one roof via a convention center space. A stay at either resort gives you access to all of the amenities, restaurants and lounges at both.
SPECIALTY WINE PAIRING DINNERS
Three of the signature restaurants within the resorts are offering specialty vegan food and wine pairing dinners. These include “Taste of Bull and Bear” in the Waldorf, “Taste of La Luce” in the Hilton and “Taste of Zeta Asia” in the Hilton.
The culinary team will be able to prepare you an exquisite plant-based meal at any one of their restaurants and this year each location has a dedicated vegan pairing menu.
A VEGAN TASTE OF BULL AND BEAR
Enjoy a four course vegan meal inside the iconic Bull & Bear Steakhouse at the Waldorf. You can find the full vegan menu here: Food & Wine Weekends Vegan Bull & Bear Menu
We sampled the entree offered here at our preview event which was a Seasonal Vegetable Fricassee composed of spinach, pine nut and lemon pesto with zucchini, yellow squash, toasted wheat berries and fresh herbs.
We were also treated to the vegan dessert option which is a Dark Chocolate and Coconut Mousse Cake with Mango Purée.
The pastry team at these hotel properties is amazing and can accommodate almost any food preference. I have a sensitivity to chocolate so I appreciated the alternate dessert which was sort of a play on a Berry Shortcake.
The base was a berry compote with a dense lemon cake layer topped with non dairy whip and more fresh berries.
A VEGAN TASTE OF ZETA ASIA
“Taste of Zeta Asia” in the Hilton Bonnet Creek is a four course culinary adventure with optional wine pairings to complement each dish. See the complete vegan menu here: Food & Wine Weekends Vegan Zeta Asia Menu
Here we have the Beyond Beef Bibimbap. The dish is actually made with Impossible “meat” instead of Beyond bulgogi “beef’ along with spinach, namul, cucumbers, bean sprouts, carrots, mushrooms and Japanese rice with a gochujang sauce.
You can read our comprehensive review of the vegan meal here: Vegan Dining Review at Zeta Asia in Walt Disney World
A VEGAN TASTE OF LA LUCE
Before you head in to La Luce at the Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort take advantage Of the Sip, Swirl and Savor Wine Tasting Experience, which is complementary and led by an experienced sommelier. This event takes place Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Enjoy a four course vegan meal inside signature dining location La Luce at the Hilton Bonnet Creek. You can find the full vegan menu here: Food & Wine Weekends Vegan La Luce Menu
We sampled one of the two vegan Antipasti dishes offered here at our preview event which was a Cauliflower Salad composed of Tuscan beans, arugula and cauliflower dressed in fresh lemon juice and olive oil.
COCKTAIL CREATIONS
The cocktail program at the Waldorf is exemplary! On Saturdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Peacock Alley you can muddle, mix and sample your very own specialty cocktail.
This classic prohibition cocktail is the “The Bee’s Knees” made with agave in lieu of honey, lemon juice, Monkey 47 Gin out of Germany and a bit of violet liquor to give it a delicate floral flavor. It’s shaken and served up in a coupe glass with edible flowers. This cocktail normally contains dairy as well, but any adult beverage at the resort can be made vegan upon request.
Saturdays from 8 to 10 p.m. at the MYTH Bar in Hilton Bonnet Creek check out the Pop Culture experience. Last year we were able to sample house-made, plant-based fresh fruit Popsicles dipped in dark chocolate and vegan garnishes.
We are curious to see if they can make the same accommodations this year.
For more info on the offerings and experiences at both the Hilton and the Waldorf check out their guide here: Hilton Bonnet Creek Food & Wine Weekends Guide
Follow along on Instagram at @WaldorfOrlando and @BonnetCreek as well as the hashtag #FoodandWineWeekends