Happy hour unlike no other: Planta is 100% vegan without tasting like it

Vegan lovers listen up: All of the food at this restaurant in Miami-Dade County is plant-based and even the drinks have veggies, but you won’t know when you taste them.

Planta has four locations in Florida, including the second-floor CocoWalk haven in Coconut Grove and the fun locations in Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas and South Beach.

Nicole Rotondaro, the executive restaurant leader said the menu offers a really unique experience.

“We don’t have any animal byproducts in anything on the menu,” Rotondaro said.

Many of the regulars are not even vegan or vegetarians because the tasty food is just so good and the lush tropical décor brings the outside in.

“Every time I visit a table, the connection with the guest is ‘I can’t believe there is no protein or anything in this!’ because what we’re able to do holistically with our produce daily is make these great dishes,” Rotondaro said.

The Cacao e Pepe bites are a Happy Hour must. The appetizer includes a vegan spin on the classic creamy cheese sauce — and no one would believe it has no dairy.

The Dragon Roll, made with broccoli, spinach, and avocado, and the Unagi Eggplant Nigiri are popular. The Ahi Watermelon Tostada doesn’t have Ahi Tuna but one could bet it does.

“We take watermelon and we dehydrate it overnight and then we’re able to kind of adapt its consistency and flavor profile into tasting and mimicking ahi tuna and this is finished off with crema and some crunch on top with cilantro,” Rotondaro said.

The cocktail menu at Planta includes the 24-Carrot Gold and the Beat Drop with beets.


About the Author

Alexis Frazier joined the Local 10 family in April 2020. The Fort Lauderdale native came to WPLG from the ABC affiliate in Columbia, S.C., WOLO-TV. She's glad to be back in South Florida.

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