ORLANDO, Fla. – With a nickel and a prayer, former gourmet cupcake truck owner Alex Marin opened his first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Hungry Pants, in October 2019 just south of Downtown Orlando.
If you’re wondering where the inspiration for the name “Hungry Pants” came from, Marin said it’s all about embodying that hungry feeling we can all relate to.
Recommended Videos
“When you’re sassy, you’re sassy pants. And when you’re smart, you’re smarty pants. And when you’re hungry, you’re hungry pants. It’s meant to be playful and kind of slightly disruptive in its own way,” he said.
The concept focuses on a “plant-curious” menu. Whether you’re gluten-free, vegan or just looking for a health-conscious option, there’s a little something for everyone.
It’s hard to miss the Fried Chicken Sammie on the menu, with panko-breaded organic chicken, or the Combusto Pasta, a vegan mac and cheese tossed with spinach, artichoke, and mushrooms topped with a house-made crumble.
Marin said the menu choices were inspired by a lifestyle change.
“When I first started going to CrossFit in Winter Park, when they first opened, we kind of went on this health journey ourselves and changed the way we were eating and kind of what we focused on personally,” he said. “We realized that cupcakes really didn’t fit into that.”
Stepping inside the diner, you can’t miss the bright pink-washed walls or the quirky, vintage pants hanging in frames all around the restaurant, but the space has a much bigger purpose behind it.
“The building has this mythology to it,” Marin said. “It’s like an old kind of diner. There are a couple of different spaces too — it used to be a music venue at one point, and it was a barbecue place at one point. Everybody has stories about it and it’s kind of nice to have a free-standing building down on Orange Avenue.”
Marin, who identifies as gay, emphasized the importance of creating an inclusive and accepting space that caters to the entire community.
“One of the byproducts of being a business owner in Orlando and having such a strong gay community is that we have created a truly open and accepting environment for everyone,” he said. “What this means for marginalized individuals is that they get to work for someone who is genuinely open-minded and backs up their words with action when it comes to respecting gender identity and sexual orientation. It allows them to live their lives in a functional and mainstream way.”
This Pride Month comes at a time when the LGBTQ+ community across Florida is facing an increasingly challenging political climate following the passing of several new laws described by many as targeted. Marin stressed the importance of creating a safe space and open dialogue within his staff, a majority of whom identify as LGBTQ+, to address any challenges they may be facing.
“One of the things I always tell people that work for me and that are within my community is that you just have to keep it moving,” Marin said. “You got to keep doing what you’re doing the best as possible. It doesn’t make it right. It’s not something we have to accept. But, you know, change comes through the choices you make in life and what kind of an example you set for others.”
One of the new laws dubbed the Protection of Children Act, allows state agencies to fine or revoke the license of venues that host “adult” entertainment and allow children in the audience. It’s led many Pride organizers to make significant changes to their events or even cancel them altogether, including parades planned this month in St. Cloud and Tampa.
“There’s a dissonance in picking a fight around drag queens, and like not being able to have a drag queen on an event that has always traditionally been family-friendly and family-oriented. It is just kind of creating this very weird, awkward climate to exist in,” Marin said.
Marin expressed his determination to celebrate Pride Month by empowering others and creating opportunities, not only within his own business, but also throughout the entire Orlando community, regardless of the obstacles they may face.
“I think as local business owners, we do our best,” he said. “We’re not politicians, and we just want to make sure that our community — when I say our community, I don’t just mean the LGBTQ+ community — Orlando as a whole is the city beautiful, a city filled with loving people. We’re trying to ensure we preserve that fabric.”
“Pride is not just for gay individuals; it’s for families, allies, children, grandparents, and everyone in between,” Marin added. “It’s about coming together and celebrating.”
Check out Hungry Pant’s menu here.
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below: