Southern Vegan: Florida’s Panhandle

For this school teacher, the summer is the season for Vegan Victuals reporting. Heading south for some loose ends, I first wound up in Savannah, Georgia, a gorgeous little city with a dearth of vegan options. But this was just a quick stop, so no worries. I had a very pleasing vegan breakfast burrito from Sentient Bean, packed with pure yum: tofu scramble, black beans, house “sausage,” spinach and their secret sauce. I don’t mind eating old skool-type vegan when it’s done this well. Also, plenty of vegan baked goods, like my lemon blueberry poppy bread in the background.

And just like that, I was gone… after a Spanish moss detour.

After a few hours of backroads and avoiding the I-95, I made it to Tallahassee, Florida’s capital city. I had lunch at another old-skool-ish veg spot, Sweet Pea Cafe, an adorable cafe with a homey feel. 

I got the B.L.T. with tofu lettuce and tomato and a spicy mayo. It reminded me of the sandwiches I used to make when I first started cooking vegan; it reminded me of my old favorite eatery Kate’s Joint. Another basic that was scrumptious in an understated way. Then the side salad with its carrot ginger dressing, that reminded me of Dojo. These places are the roots of my exploration of vegan food and I welcomed the nostalgia. 

Speaking of nostalgia, how about an ice cream sundae?

Lofty Pursuits is all about nostalgia, like any good ice cream parlor. But it’s got plenty of vegan options clearly marked on the menu and understood by the counter gals. This sundae had a layer of sliced banana under a scoop of piña colada ice cream, lemon sorbet, and champagne sorbet topped with chocolate sauce, pineapple sauce, nuts, toasted coconut and some fresh-made vegan whipped cream… with a cherry on top. Some of the flavor combinations were a bit weird, which is my fault. Ice cream hindsight is 20/20. 

More Northern FL eats tomorrow!