What Vegetarian Mexican Dishes Can You Order in Orlando?

24 August 2026 · 9 min read

You can order vegetarian Mexican dishes in Orlando by using the plates this menu names vegetarian, then swapping Mexican rice and skipping refried beans. The trap is a "veggie" plate that still arrives with pork in the beans or chicken broth in the rice.

A vegetarian dish here means a plate built on vegetables, cheese, beans, rice, or tortillas, with no meat in the core. It does not automatically mean vegan.

Named vegetarian cores on the menu are the vegetariano taco, the vegetarian bowl, and the vegetariana fajita, plus vegetable options on quesadilla, nachos, burrito, huarache, and suizas.

Key Takeaways

Side Refried Beans are labeled "Made with pork." Side Mexican Rice is labeled "Made with chicken broth."
Side Black Beans are labeled "Vegetarian." Side White Rice is labeled "Vegan."

The Short Version

Order a named vegetarian taco, bowl, or fajita, keep black beans and white rice, and say no to refried beans and Mexican rice.

The named vegetarian plates

The named vegetarian plates are the vegetariano taco, the vegetarian bowl, and the vegetariana fajita, and those three are the safe first order.

That fajita is named vegetarian and it still lists Mexican rice, which the sides menu says is made with chicken broth. Say white rice when you order it.

Which sides are actually vegetarian?

The vegetarian sides on this menu are black beans and white rice; refried beans use pork and Mexican rice uses chicken broth. "Vegetarian Mexican" roundups skip the broth and the lard and then wonder why a diner got meat anyway.

side	What the menu prints	Vegetarian read
Side Black Beans	Vegetarian.	Keep
Side White Rice	Vegan.	Keep
Side Sautéed Vegetables	Zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, onion, mushrooms	Keep
Side Refried Beans	Made with pork.	Skip
Side Mexican Rice	Made with chicken broth.	Swap for white rice
Side House-Made Corn Tortillas	Three corn tortillas	Keep
Side Flour Tortillas	Three flour tortillas	Keep
Side Street Style Corn	Butter, cotija, tajin	Vegetarian, not vegan
Guacamole	Avocado, onion, cilantro, tomato, lime	Keep; chicharones are pork

Smithsonian's chile essay lists corn, squash, beans, tomato, and avocado among Mesoamerica's domesticated foods. The swap is not a modern diet trick. It is how you keep those plants from picking up pork and chicken stock on the way to the table.

The sides list is the tell. Refried beans say pork. Black beans say vegetarian. Read the line, then order.

What else can stay vegetarian if you ask?

Other plates can stay vegetarian if you pick the vegetable option and run the same sides swap. Burrito and Burrito Grande list vegetables beside chicken and shredded beef. Huarache lists vegetables beside al pastor and chorizo. Suizas list sautéed vegetables or chicken tinga.

Empanadas offer cheese and epazote, mushroom, or shredded chicken. Tamales offer rajas and cheese. Chile relleno is a fire-roasted poblano stuffed with Chihuahua cheese, ranchera sauce, and queso fresco. Add picadillo or chicken tinga only if you want meat.

The bowl explainer is What is a Mexican bowl. The fajita explainer is What are fajitas.

Is a vegetarian plate automatically vegan?

A vegetarian plate is not automatically vegan, because cheese and cream finish many vegetarian plates here. Guacamole's ingredient list is plant-only unless you add chicharones. White rice is labeled vegan. Black beans are labeled vegetarian, not vegan, so ask if they are cooked with any animal fat.

Street-style corn uses butter and cotija. Suizas use creamy salsa verde, Chihuahua, and Mexican cream. The vegetarian bowl includes Cotija and cilantro-lime ranch.

If you are vegan, start with guacamole and white rice, then ask the kitchen which vegetable sauté is cooked without butter or cream. Do not take a vegetarian name as a vegan name.

Cheese, cream, and the plates that use them

Cheese and cream are how this kitchen finishes most vegetarian plates, and they are why a vegetarian order is easy while a vegan order is a conversation. Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Cotija, and queso fresco are written onto tacos, bowls, enchiladas, and the chile relleno. Mexican cream is written onto the vegetariano taco and the vegetariana fajita.

That is fine if you eat dairy. Say "no cream, no cheese" if you do not, and accept that the plate will look different from the photo. Guacamole stays the cleanest shared starter for mixed tables.

Pasilla sauce on the vegetariano taco is a chile sauce. Heat is a separate question. Keep it on the side if someone at the table wants mild food.

Ordering a vegetarian table in Orlando

A vegetarian table in Orlando can share guacamole, a vegetariano taco round, and a vegetariana fajita if the rice is swapped. El Patron Restaurante Mexicano is at 12167 S Apopka Vineland Rd., Orlando, FL 32836, open daily for lunch and dinner, (407) 238-5300. Say the three words "no pork beans" on every ticket that might otherwise default to refried.

The food menu is the list. Use online ordering and write the swap in the notes.

Vegetariana Fajita: zucchini, yellow squash, mushroom. Ask for white rice. The Mexican rice uses chicken broth.

FAQ

Are the refried beans vegetarian? No. The side of refried beans is labeled "Made with pork," so skip them if they come with your plate. Order black beans instead, which are labeled "Vegetarian," not vegan. If you are vegan, ask the kitchen whether they are cooked with any animal fat.

Is Mexican rice vegetarian? No. The side of Mexican rice is labeled "Made with chicken broth," so order white rice, which is labeled "Vegan." The vegetariana fajita is named vegetarian but still lists Mexican rice, so ask for white rice with it. Ordering online? Write the swap in the notes, for example "black beans, white rice, no pork."

Can I get the burrito with vegetables? Yes. The Burrito and the Burrito Grande both list vegetables as a core choice, right beside chicken and shredded beef. If rice and beans come with it, swap the Mexican rice for white rice and skip the refried beans. Say "no cream, no cheese" if you do not eat dairy.

Is guacamole vegan? It can be. The guacamole ingredients are avocado, onion, cilantro, tomato, and lime, a plant-only list. Skip the chicharones add-on, since chicharones are pork, and ask whether it is mashed with any dairy. Guacamole is also the cleanest starter to share at a mixed table.

Do you have a dedicated vegan menu? No, we do not have a dedicated vegan menu. Build from the vegetariano taco, the vegetarian bowl, or the vegetariana fajita, then make the sides swap. A vegetarian name is not a vegan name, so start with guacamole and white rice and ask the kitchen which vegetable sauté is cooked without butter or cream.

Say the sides out loud

If you eat vegetarian, name the plate and name the sides. El Patron Restaurante Mexicano, 12167 S Apopka Vineland Rd., Orlando, FL 32836, open daily for lunch and dinner, (407) 238-5300. Order online and write "black beans, white rice, no pork."

References

Vegetariano Taco | El Patron menu
Vegetarian Bowl | El Patron menu
Vegetariana Fajita | El Patron menu
Guacamole | El Patron menu
What is a Mexican bowl | El Patron
What are fajitas | El Patron
Red or Green? The Chile Pepper and the Makings of New Mexico | Smithsonian Folklife Festival
Food menu | El Patron
Online ordering | El Patron

What is a Mexican bowl (linked in References)
What are fajitas (linked in References)
Food menu (linked in References)

Disclaimer

This article is general ordering information. It is not a nutrition plan and not a vegan certification. Ask the kitchen about cooking fats and broths.

For a broader look at nutrition angles, read is Mexican food healthy.