What’s Vegan at Le Cellier in EPCOT’s Canada Pavilion?

Old school Walt Disney World fans may remember that when Le Cellier first opened, it was actually a buffeteria! I actually never visited the restaurant back then, but once it became a table service dining room, it became one of my family’s favorite spots. Then the Disney Dining Plan came into play and it became a highly sought after “Signature Dining” reservation, so we stopped going as much. However, with all of the vegan options available, Le Cellier is back on my list of must-visit dining spots at EPCOT! [Review updated May 2023]

I must admit, it had actually been at least 10 years since I’d actually had a meal at Le Cellier. With Disney’s Plant-based initiative at the end of 2019, Le Cellier got some wonderful vegan options, and those options recently changed. I ordered one of every plant-based option on the Le Cellier menu to share my vegan reviews with you here. We have previously reviewed the Le Cellier vegan brunch offerings, which are not currently taking place. Hopefully brunch will return in the future.

Here is the official Walt Disney World Menu, Right now, the lunch and dinner menu are the same, as has been happening at most table service locations since the 2020 reopening. We hope to return to unique lunch and dinner options very soon.

Le Cellier Atmosphere:

For those not familiar with Le Cellier, it literally means the cellar and is meant to feel like you are dining in a rustic wine cellar. It’s not a huge space, and with physically distanced tables, reservations are still hard to come by but I lucked out.

It’s a perfect date night spot for locals, or a special occasion location for those vacationing during a birthday or anniversary. There are no windows or grand views, but the lighting and low ceilings make for a romantic cozy feel (although not the best for food photos!)

I started with a cocktail, which was as good as it was pretty:

Victorian Raspberry Cocktail – $15

Dillon’s Small Batch Vodka with Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice and Raspberry Puree

On my most recent visit, my daughter had the Collective Arts Guava Gose and loved it. I’m not a big beer person, but I love the sour mash beers when I try them and this one was really refreshing. Collective Arts is a local Ontario brand and they have many offerings at the EPCOT festivals as well. 

Vegan Bread Service:

The bread service is completely vegan as is. It comes with a pretzel bread stick, a multigrain roll with sunflower seeds, and a sourdough roll. Normally served with salted butter, just ask and they will bring out some Earth Balance for you. You can ask for more as you’d like, but don’t fill up because there’s more amazing choices coming!

I enjoyed all of the bread types, I don’t think I could pick a favorite!

There are actually quite a few vegan appetizer options, which was nice to see. Options are always a good thing!

Vegan Appetizers:

Fried Cauliflower – $18.00

Le Cellier Signature Poutine – $14

Fresh-cut French Fries, Canadian Cheddar, Truffle, Red Wine Reduction

Although it’s not on the menu, there is also a vegan Poutine option, made with tofu and vegan cheese shreds, and a vegan version of the delicious red wine reduction gravy. The gravy is brought out in a little container and poured on by the server. It’s piping hot, I took a million photos and was shocked the gravy was still hot when I took a bite of the fries.

 

 

I really enjoy this and order it every visit. I was glad to hear it is still available. The super hot gravy melted the cheese, and the chunks of tofu cheese to simulate cheese curds was really good too, not bland at all. The gravy was a little salty, but that’s how gravy on fries should be I think. I would definitely order this again. Also gluten-free as is.

 

Vegan Entrée:

There is only one vegan entrée, as is the norm at every table service restaurant. Here at Le Cellier, it recently updated to a plant-based version of a Canadian staple – the tourtière or meat pie. This replaces the Asian Impossible dumplings and is a welcome change. 

Tourtière  – $34

Canadian Pie, Braised Endive, Snap Peas, Fruit Ketchup, Plant-based Demi-glace (Plant-based)

 

The dish is very hearty and a good portion, compared to the dumplings which were the same price. I will say, this is a dish that reminded me of Christmas. The flavors are very holiday-reminiscent and it is not a light option. But going to a Canadian steakhouse, it fits and is a nice change in my opinion. The photos above kind of make it look like the pie crust used for this meat pie is under-cooked, however that is not the case, just the lighting and the gravy poured on top. The gravy is the same used on the vegan poutine, and is poured on by the server as well. The “fruit ketchup” is apparently the chef’s great-grandmother’s personal recipe and is apples and pears. Quebec is known for its fruit ketchups and they are made similar to canned or pickled fruits and vegetables. There is a hint of cinnamon, which is what to me made it taste like the holidays. It’s a wonderful savory and sweet mix of flavors and textures and I really enjoyed it. 

 

 

Here’s a look at the inside of the pie, it is very thick and packed with Impossible meat. The Tourtière is served with pea pods, a braised endive and some grilled chunks of pear. The hearty, wintery flavors are elevated with the sweetness of the pears and fruit ketchup and again, I think it’s a fantastic addition. 

 

Vegan Enhancements (Side Items):

While most of the enhancements contain cheese, one does not and it is definitely worth getting.

Maple Whiskey-glazed Brussels Sprouts – $10

These were without a doubt some of the best Brussels sprouts I have ever had in my life. Lightly fried, and coated in a Whiskey/maple syrup sauce, they are a must-order if you like Brussels sprouts. I didn’t feel like they even tasted like Whiskey, just amazing seasoning and a sweet/salty flavor. So, so good. 

 

 

Vegan Dessert:

Carrot Cake – $10

Cream Cheese Icing, Candied Walnuts, Coconut Caramel

 

This was a lovely ending to the meal. Not overly sweet, a very nutty flavor due to all the walnuts in the cake itself. The cake features walnuts, shredded carrots, and the cake, no raisins or anything. The frosting is made with Daiya brand vegan cream cheese and again not overly sweet. On my most recent visit, it seemed like the frosting was improved in flavor, with a hint of lemon. It was also chock-full of walnuts for some great texture. The plate is drizzled with caramel, which is a nice touch of sweetness to dip your forkful in.

 

 

 

Overall Thoughts on Le Cellier’s Vegan Options:

All in all, this was an amazing all-vegan meal. Previously I’ve gone with my husband and shared all the options vs. each of us getting an entree. I did this again with my daughter on my last visit. We both went away stuffed and with leftovers. Previously, I used to recommend just the appetizers and enhancements, but now I can confidently recommend everything on the menu. If you don’t enjoy plant-based meats, you can skip the entree and still walk away full. Overall, some great new additions. I will miss the meatball appetizer, but I like not having Impossible meat-overload too, so this is a better fit in my opinion. 

 

Don’t forget that before or after your meal is a great time to look for Epcot bunnies out in the Victoria Gardens outside Le Cellier! The grounds here are beautiful and not to be overlooked.

 

Have you dined at Le Cellier and enjoyed any of these vegan options? Let us know in the comments, or be sure to tag us in your #VeganDisneyFood photos on Instagram and we may share them!

Edited to Add: 

I wanted to mention pricing a bit. So the total for everything we ordered above was $115 before tax and tip. That’s with one alcoholic beverage and one entree. But we did get 3 appetizers and a side item. It is pricey, but as mentioned above, this is a “signature dining” spot, and truly, the food was all amazing quality. 

 

For a list of ALL the vegan items available at the Epcot theme park reference our comprehensive guide here: What’s Vegan in Epcot?