Vegan & Plant-Based Options in Side: An Honest Menu Walkthrough

Let's be honest from the first line: Hawaii Restaurant & Bar leans toward the grill. We cook over a real wood fire and charcoal, our steaks and Turkish kebabs pull the crowds, and we're not going to pretend to be a dedicated vegan kitchen. But if you're plant-based and staying in Side, you don't have to skip us or survive on bread and a side salad. You can eat well here. You just need to order with your eyes open, and this page walks you through exactly how.

The one thing you must understand: "vegetarian" is not "vegan" here

This is the single most important point on the page, so we'll say it plainly. Our menu has a section labelled Vegetarian, and it's a genuinely useful starting point, but "vegetarian" in a Turkish-Mediterranean kitchen usually means no meat, not no dairy. Cheese, butter, cream, and egg turn up in a lot of dishes that look plant-based at a glance.

Concrete examples so nothing surprises you at the table:

• Greek salad comes with feta. It's a salad, but it is not vegan as it stands.
• Vegetarian Quesadilla is built around melted cheese. That's the whole idea of a quesadilla, so it's not an easy one to veganise.
• Vegetarian pizza and our vegetarian pasta almost certainly carry dairy (cheese on the pizza, and pasta sauces can hide butter or cream).

None of this is a problem if you know to ask. Our kitchen prepares fresh ingredients daily and the team will tell you honestly what's in a dish rather than guess. When in doubt, say the words: "no cheese, no butter, no cream, no egg." Short, clear, and it travels well across a language barrier.

What actually adapts well to plant-based

Here's where the good news lives. A few dishes are naturally vegetable-forward and easy for the kitchen to keep dairy-free.

The vegetarian mains built around vegetables

Our Vegetarian pot, Vegetarian curry, and Vegetarian fajita are the three most adaptable plates on the menu. They're centred on vegetables rather than cheese, so asking the kitchen to keep them dairy-free is a reasonable request rather than a rebuild. If you love a bit of heat and theatre, the fajita is a fun choice; if you want something warming and saucy, lean toward the pot or the curry. Curry fans can read more about how we handle spice in our curry in Side guide.

Burritos over quesadillas

If you're choosing within the Mexican corner, the Vegetarian Burrito is a smarter vegan bet than the quesadilla, because a burrito is a wrap of fillings rather than a cheese-melt. Ask for it without cheese and without any sour cream, and you're in good shape. There's more on this whole section in our Mexican food in Side and fajita night write-ups.

Simple salads and starters

For lighter eating, the Season's salad is your friend, ask for it plain with oil and lemon and it's straightforwardly plant-based. Onion rings and garlic mushrooms make easy shared starters, though it's always worth a quick check on how they're prepared. Our salads guide and starters and meze rundown go deeper if you're building a table of small plates.

A quick word on pizza and pasta

People always ask, so: yes, you can order a Vegetarian pizza and simply ask for it without cheese, loaded with vegetables. It becomes a proper marinara-style flatbread and works better than you'd expect on our thin, 33cm crust. For the vegetarian spaghetti, ask for a plain tomato (Napolitan-style) base and confirm there's no butter or cream. If pizza is your thing, our best pizza in Side guide has the full picture.

How to order so nothing gets lost

A few practical habits make the whole thing painless:

• Say "vegan," then say what that means for you. "I'm vegan, so no meat, no cheese, no butter, no cream, no egg." The list beats the label.
• Ask, don't assume, about oils and stocks. A soup or sauce might use a non-vegan base; the team will tell you honestly.
• Order the adaptable dishes. Vegetarian pot, curry, fajita, burrito, and simple salads take modifications gracefully. Cheese-centred plates fight back.
• Come off-peak if you want a longer chat. We're open daily 10:00 to 02:00, and quieter hours give the kitchen more room to accommodate you.

We won't hand you a certified vegan menu, because we don't have one and we won't pretend otherwise. What we will do is cook fresh, tell you the truth about what's in a dish, and adapt where the recipe allows.

Come hungry, ask freely

Side is packed with all-inclusive hotels, and if you've been rotating the same buffet trays all week, a proper cooked-to-order plant plate is a small holiday in itself, our all-inclusive vs eating out piece makes that case in full. Travelling as a mixed group where one person's vegan and the rest want steak? That's a normal Tuesday for us, and our family restaurant guide covers how we handle tables with very different appetites.

Want us to have your dietary needs noted before you arrive? Book through our reservation page or message us on WhatsApp at +90 533 930 12 83 and tell us you're vegan, so the kitchen can plan ahead. We'd rather sort it before you sit down than have you guessing at the table.