I have a new favorite vegan restaurant. Not that I had an old favorite, but there is much to like about Market On South, a new market on, um, South Street. It’s charming, edgy and as enticing as any meat-centric eatery.
I especially liked the Georgia Peach Sloppy Joe, which, I hasten to point out, this being a vegan place, contained no actual Joe. It did, however, have a very meaty texture, if you don’t mind such a comparison, and despite the promise of peaches was quite spicy. It was also appropriately named, that is the Sloppy part.
My selection came with a choice of a side dish. And since crispy Brussels sprouts were the special side dish of the day, I didn’t even look to see what the other choices were. They couldn’t have been any better than the sprouts, which were indeed crispy but also had a butteriness that had to come from something other than butter, because that is not allowed in vegan cooking. Whatever, they were delicious.
The folks manning the counter were welcoming, seemingly eager to see someone walk into the place.
This is not a full service restaurant. Order your food at the counter and take a seat. Someone will bring it to you, probably on a metal tray, which should not be confused with the trays seen in most prison movies, when it is ready.
Market On South claims to be in Orlando’s Milk District. South Street might be a bit of a stretch from the area surrounding the T.G. Lee Dairy plant at Bumby Avenue and Robinson Street, but I’m willing to widen that reach (not that it’s up to me). It occupies a free-standing structure across the street from the raised lanes of State Road 408. There are some picnic tables with umbrellas out front, and the dining area inside is pleasant and comfortable. There are a few shelves with comestibles, which constitute the market part of the place.
I like Market On South on many levels, and I am happy to recommend it to you. Even die-hard meat-eaters would do well to cut back on animal products every now and then. Meatless Mondays is a current movement designed to get people to think more about their diets. Unfortunately, it is closed on Mondays. How about Tofu Tuesdays?