Plant-Based/Vegan Dining at Secrets the Vine

view from our suite

In June 2015, my husband and I visited Secrets Silversands for three nights before relocating north to Cancun for four nights at the luxurious and sophisticated Secrets the Vine. I had visited the resort in 2013 for on-site travel agent training in honeymoons and destination weddings, and had been anxious to return on vacation for quite some time. A complete review of our stay here will be posted to the "my travels" section of the website, but for now, here is a look at my vegan food consumption.

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Similar to the other Secrets resorts properties, Secrets the Vine offers a variety of dining venue options featuring cuisines from around the world:
- Barefoot Grill (sandwiches and simple sides)
- Bluewater Grill (grilled specialties)
- Dragons Oriental Dining (Far East Cuisine)
- Market Café (buffet for breakfast and lunch, Mexican restaurant at dinner)
- Nebbiolo (Italian)
- Olio (Mediterranean)
- Sea Salt Grill (grilled items, seafood)
- The Vine Bazaar (coffee, pastries, small sandwiches, fresh fruit)

Breakfast at the resort was a similar experience to other all-inclusives I have visited: the vegan options readily available included cereal (request soy milk from your server), toast with jam and peanut butter, a wide array of fresh fruit, and many freshly prepared juices. I am always fine sticking with the basics, but ultimately fell in love with my creative buffet concoction of steamed rice, soy milk, dried fruit, granola, and fresh fruit on the side. It was filling and delicious - the perfect combination to fuel me for a day of turning pages in my book while enjoying a sea breeze. (Yes, we were rather lazy on this vacation.)

Lunch in the buffet was suitable for vegans, and the staff was willing to make special preparations if necessary. I absolutely loved the salad bar at this resort with its assorted vegetable and fruit Carpaccio and many flavored oils and vinegars. Items on the buffet were labeled with their main ingredients, and each day many single-serve specialty salads were available for sampling. Sautéed veggies and pasta can be requested from the made-to-order station in addition to the premade foods available.

Dinner options were plentiful, and we chose to dine at the following restaurants during our four-night stay: Dragons (twice), Mexican, and Nebbiolo. The quality and presentation of the meals were remarkable, and I dare say these dinners might be the best I have experienced at a resort in Mexico.

Dragons Oriental Dining - Far East Cuisine
I was able to order directly from the menu with simple modifications to a couple of dishes.

Pictured above: vegetable spring rolls, green papaya salad, vegetable sushi, green curry tofu served with steamed white rice, tofu and noodles with vegetables and peanut sauce

Nebbiolo - Italian
I was able to order directly from the menu with simple modifications made to a couple of dishes.

Pictured above: flatbread pizza appetizer adapted to be made without cheese or butter, pasta with arrabiata sauce
Not pictured: The restaurant features a self-serve antipasta and salad bar that was incredible - I made myself a nice salad with various olives, vegetables, and flavored oil and vinegar alongside freshly baked bread.

Market Café - Mexican
I was brought a vegetarian menu that I easily adapted to remove the dairy products.

Pictured above: hominy and radish salad (which arrived looking quite different than described on the menu), vegetarian enchiladas with both red and green sauce because I couldn't decide

My husband (a part-time vegan) and I were both thoroughly impressed with the quality and presentation of our meals at each restaurant we tried. Upon visiting our restaurant for the evening, we were asked about dietary restrictions or allergies before being seated, so I always had a nice segue into mentioning my vegan diet. The servers passed any questions we had along to the chefs, and I felt confident about the food I was eating because of this. Secrets Resorts, among their many fantastic qualities, really shine as a resort brand that is friendly for vegans.

If you are a vegan who visited a Secrets resort, please contact me to let me know about your dining experiences - I always enjoy hearing from fellow travelers! If you are thinking of planning an upcoming vacation, let me assist you with your travel arrangements!