By Tara Roberts

You are vacationing in the fishing capital of the Southeast where area restaurants select their “catch of the day” from local fleets each morning, and wafting aromas promise a plethora of eateries that offer some of the most tender and delicious steaks in the region. But, what you really want is a nice salad.

What is a vegetarian to do when faced with the dilemma of finding a good meal out while on vacation? Many restaurants can accommodate those diners who prefer fennel to filets, or Brie to brisket, with only a limited selection of a la carte side items. A house salad is also an overdone alternative.

It should not be a chore to find enough meatless dishes to actually build a meal around. Vegans have an even harder time finding suitable menu items since most meatless dishes often include cheese or eggs.

A good start for meatless items can actually be any Italian, Mexican, Mediterranean or Asian cuisine restaurant. Often known for generous meat dishes, these restaurants also rely heavily on vegetables, rice and pasta as specialty ingredients.

Italian menu selections of cheese dishes such as manicotti or ravioli, pizza, and spinach-rich Florentine can all be prepared meatless.

Ciao Bella Pizza, with cafés in Silver Sands Outlet Mall and Bluewater Bay, offers generous sandwiches made with fresh cheese, vegetables and Italian seasonings. The Panino Alla Caprese combines fresh mozzarella and sliced tomatoes on a warm Italian roll garnished with fresh basil and pesto. The Veggie Panino features Portobello mushrooms, red onions and peppers, mozzarella, spinach, dressed with fresh basil, olive oil and Italian seasoning.

Several specialty pizzas at Bella are also meatless including the Ortolana featuring spinach, artichokes, and feta and mozzarella cheeses, and the traditional Margherita loaded with artichokes, mozzarella and fresh tomatoes. Finicky meat lovers would also enjoy this vegetarian fare.

Go south of the border for cheese enchiladas, quesadillas, and burritos, guacamole or queso dips, chili rellenos, and rice and beans.

La Paz Restaurant and Petito’s, both in Destin, or Chula’s in Panama City, offer vegetarian menu selections. More casual dining spots, like Moe’s Southwest Grill in Destin, Fort Walton and Sandestin, allow patrons to customize their entrees, choosing which ingredients are added to their meals. Moe’s even offers tofu as a meat alternative in its nachos, tacos, burritos and salads.

Ali Baba’s Grill and Café in Fort Walton Beach features a lunch and dinner buffet that offers a wide range of Greek dishes that would appeal to both vegetarian and Vegan diners.

Toasted pita triangles with homemade hummus are a wonderful appetizer, followed by an authentic Greek salad with a generous sprinkling of feta cheese. The meal is complete with delicate phyllo wedges wrapped around feta cheese and spinach, with a side of tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Diners can also order off the menu, opting for babaghannouj – a salad made fresh with eggplant, or tabbouleh – a wonderful salad made with bulgar wheat, onion, parsley, tomato, lemon and mint when they do not want cheese with their meals.

Along the Emerald Coast vegetarian connoisseurs can take a literal tour of Asia with restaurants featuring Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indian and Korean cuisine.

While many dishes feature beef, chicken, seafood or pork, diners can still choose from a wide selection of vegetable or rice entrees. The Thai Elephant in Destin features several vegetarian dishes, as does New Hong Kong Chinese restaurant in Niceville. Osaka Japanese Restaurant in Destin offers hibachi noodles and vegetables along with vegetarian tempura and sushi. Remember to ask whether the dishes include eggs if avoiding that ingredient.

Vegetarians and Vegans are pampered at Panera Bread Company – located in the Destin Commons – with a bountiful selection of soups including Vegetarian Roasted Red Pepper and Lentil Soup, Vegetarian Spring Pea and Asparagus Soup, Low-fat Vegetarian Black Bean Soup, and Low-fat Vegetarian Garden Vegetable Soup. All of these can be served in a fresh-baked bread bowl. Vegetarian salads are also offered including Caesar and Greek salads, a Classic Café Salad, and a fresh fruit cup.

Panera also offers a limited selection of meatless sandwiches, such as its Mediterranean Veggie made with peppers, feta cheese, fresh vegetables and a cilantro hummus, and the Portobello and Mozzarella Panini featuring garlic roasted Portobello mushrooms, caramelized onion, and fresh mozzarella on a grilled rosemary and onion focaccia.

Breakfast can be extremely difficult for vegetarians in a bacon, sausage and ham world. But there is an alternative to sticky, sweet pastries – though there are several outlets on the Emerald Coast that offer delectable donuts, turnover and muffins – the Donut Hole in Destin and Sandestin, Cakemaster’s in Fort Walton Beach, and Tasty O’s in Niceville to name a few.

Another Broken Egg, located in Destin and the Villages of Baytowne in Sandestin, is just that – the place to go for eggs – whether it’s omelets, scrambled, or benedict-style. While most of the restaurants’ menu items include ham, bacon, sausage or seafood, there are several meatless omelets, such as the Garden Delight with mushrooms and spinach, and the Farm Fresh with broccoli, mushrooms, onions, tomato and cheese. The Veggie Benedict with mushrooms, tomatoes and broccoli, served over an English muffin and topped with Hollandaise sauces, and the Huevos Rancheros with refried beans, green chilies and onions with cheese, salsa and sour cream sides are other filling choices.

When vacationing on the Emerald Coast the abundance of restaurants available offer a choice of menus that can satisfy even the most discerning diner. Most eateries will also accommodate special orders. So, if you see an entrée that sounds delicious, if it weren’t for the chicken or beef, ask to have it prepared without meat.

To get directions to the many restaurants along the Emerald Coast that offer vegetarian cuisine, visit the Emerald Coast Dining Guide directory.