TAMBERDI

4 Scrumptious Spots for Plant-Based Bites in Austin, Texas

austin 11:23:00 AM

As you may know if you've been on my site before, I have been following a meatless diet for many years. While cooking is a passion of mine, I also truly love going out and experiencing new dishes from like-minded foodies. This is yet another list of my suggestions of places to eat if you're vegan or vegetarian while in Austin; if you aren't all caught up on my earlier recommendations, check out my lists of great breakfast bites and restaurants to keep an eye out for.

Plow Bao

You need to stop by Plow Bao outside the Buzz Mill before they close this August! This food truck is truly one of my favorite stops, they constantly have special limited additions like Lobster Mac Rangoons, Pizza Pocket Rangoons, and more. Plus, if you are craving some brunch on the weekend-you're in luck! There are so many unique offerings like French Toast Bao and Green Scallion Pancake Wraps, you will have a hard time choosing what to order.

Pro tip: don't choose, try them all while you can! My favorite items by far are the beef chow fun and the crab rangoons; they are unbeatable (in my opinion anyway). On Tuesdays, Plow Bao offers a different bao taco that changes on a monthly basis. Once this food truck closes up shop, I know it will take quite a while to get over it. Plow Bao has my heart.

Arlo's

There are two great locations to grab a bite at Arlo's- one outside of Cheer up Charlies and another outside of the Spider House. If you occasionally crave a loaded-up burger, this is a great way to get a cruelty-free one. Unique burgers are absolutely their specialty, with opportunities to add plant-based bacon, chili, Mac, Fritos, and more. It is important to note that their patties are both house-made and gluten-free, which is always great to see. If you're not the biggest burger fan, you should try out their tacos instead! There are definitely enough options for various tastes.

Chilaquiles Factory

If you live in North Austin, you are luckily close by this Mexican location with a special vegan menu. Whether you are interested in plant-based chicken, cashew queso, vegan street corn, or Beyond Meat ground beef, you will find yourself hooked with this location in Cedar Park. They even serve up delicious breakfast on a daily basis from 9-11AM, consisting of entrees like vegan pancakes, breakfast tacos, and coconut yogurt parfait.

Update: Chilaquiles Factory is currently looking for a new location to keep serving up their fantastic Tex-Mex food! Check their social media for more information.

Counter Culture

What I love most about Counter Culture is their commitment to not only animal welfare, but also environmental consciousness and fair pricing for customers.

paintings of animals like pigs and cats inside the Counter Culture restaurant in Austin, Texas Vegan Vegetarian

This restaurant composts or recycles 997% of its waste, plus all their to-go packaging is compostable. They make nearly everything on their menu from scratch with lots of gluten-free and soy-free options. Pictured above is a BBQ sandwich made with seitan, and a side of their delicious mashed potatoes covered in gravy. They also donate meals every week, which I find very admirable- I want to see more restaurants working to fight hunger and food waste in this way! Other items on their menu I look forward to trying are the Jackfruit Crab Cakes, BBQ Jackfruit Quesadilla, Chik'n Baked Steak Plate, and the Asian BBQ Skewers made with seitan.

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Destination Recommendations: Hopscotch in San Antonio

destination recommendations 8:59:00 AM

Entrance to the art gallery Hopscotch, in downtown San Antonio, Texas

Hopscotch is located right in downtown San Antonio, just minutes from the Riverwalk. As you enter the building, you are greeted with a bright and open space featuring a beautiful lounge as well as the Sotolscope (a kaleidoscope-like device with mesmerizing views on both ends).

Not only are beverages available before your visit, Hopscotch also brings in local food trucks to their patio for a myriad of great bites. There are a variety of unique cocktails, beers, wines, and zero-proof cocktails in the lounge as well, with enough options that everyone can find something they will love. I have a strong affinity for mezcal, so I tried out the Jupiter Ascending cocktail- I was not dissapointed in any way and can not get over how well it paired with the Licor 43, Coco Lopez, pineapple juice, and lime juice. It is an unforgettably delicious concoction! If you also enjoy liquors that tend to be more uncommon in bars, like mezcal or sotol, know you will definitely be pleased with their variety. Taking a glance at their menu will give you a glimpse at the whimsical nature that this entire location is filled with.

This is the Jupiter Ascending drink from Hopscotch in San Antonio, with mezcal, Licor 43, pinapple juice, lime juice, and Coco Lopez

Once you've got a tasty drink, it's time to head downstairs and dive into the exhibits! This is meant to be taken literally for one of them- make sure to bring a pair of socks so you can enjoy the glowing expansive ball pit made for people of all ages. I would recommend doing this toward the end of your exploration downstairs as it can leave you a bit sweaty, but in the most enjoyable way!

This is a photo inside one of the glowing exhibits that Let's Hopscotch in San Antonio has to offer.

There are a ton of other interactive, colorful, and technology-infused exhibits nearby too- all featuring explanation plaques right outside to debrief visitors on what they are about to experience. One of my favorites was the room themed around secrets, where you can listen to a seemingly endless series of confessions or even share one yourself.

"Nothing makes us so lonely as our secrets" display in an exhibit Hopscotch in San Antonio shares.

Each space you step into holds a completely one-of-a-kind experience to be had, with many offering visitors the opportunity to engage personally with the art. Whether your image is captured or transformed through some magic and a camera or you yourself are leaving a mark with a digital spray paint can, your time in this gallery will without a doubt be very personalized.

Art gallery exhibit with an image of a women whose hands are on her face and her eyes glow with fire, located at Hopscotch San Antonio

If you have an upcoming trip to San Antonio, live in Texas, or are local to the area- make sure to stop by. Hopscotch is a must-see attraction and is unforgettable! There are a ton of great photo opportunities and unique art that will leave you mindblown. When you grab your tickets, make sure to fill out the waiver ahead of time too so that you can head straight in when you arrive.

Disclaimer: Hopscotch was kind enough to host me for this experience- however, as always, all of my opinons are my own and I truly recommend going!

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Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly Food Options All Around Austin, Texas

austin 3:10:00 PM

My diet has been meatless for nearly a decade now and while I usually find options at most restaurant nowadays, there is a special place in my heart for those that invest a lot of time and energy into making those options not only available but the star of their menu. In this post, you'll find my top recommendations for vegetarian meals in Austin restaurants and small businesses. This list grows longer every time I venture out into the city thanks to the abundance of creative entrepreneurs with a passion for plant-based food, and I couldn't be more grateful!

Mission Street Burrito

This quaint plant-based goldmine just recently reopened in Austin between Hyde Park and Mueller, north of UT! Filled with house-made sauces and guacamole, these San-Francisco Mission style entrees are a delicious way to fit in some plant-based protein. Their burritos will definitely leave you stuffed and with leftovers to spare, weighing in at over 1.5 pounds.

Burritos aren't all you'll find at this spot within the Austinite Market- suizas, nachos, crunchwraps, bowls, and other small bites are also amongst their tasty vegan offerings. Whichever option draws you in the most, you have the opportunity to choose between Carne Asada (made with Impossible Beef), Pollo Asada (Gardein Chicken), Pork Chili Verde (Beyond Meat Pork), and Mushroom & Lentil "Meat" for your "meaty" protein fillings.

The Corn Dog Guy

Right by the Ballroom at Spider House, you'll find a plethora of plant-based food trucks, including the Corn Dog Guy, a spot I wish I had tried way earlier! Everything on their menu is vegan, and has been since their opening in 2018. There are five options for their savory corn dogs, created with Lightlife Smart Dogs and a house-made corn batter.

My personal favorite so far is a tie between the Texas Bacon Wrapped BBQ Dog and the Cheese Dog; their house made queso is hard to beat and impossible to forget. Other options I look forward to trying soon are their fries and brunch dogs, made with a breakfast sausage instead of a hot dog and dipped into pancake batter. Plus, all breakfast-style dogs come with a hash-brown on the side! This food truck altogether is one of my top favorites in Central Austin.

Project Pollo

The perfect fast-casual chain for your chikn cravings is Project Pollo, with new locations popping up all over Austin all the time. My go-to order is the Deluxe, featuring plant-based bacon, pickles, their signature birdy sauce, tomato, and smoked gouda cheese. Other great picks are their dairy-free smoothies (made with Oatly soft serve), chikn wings, popcorn chikn, wraps, and papas. If you happen to visit on a Tuesday, they've also got a great 2 for $12 deal!

Sassy's Vegetarian Soul Food

Found in an East Austin vegan food truck park is this lovely location serving a great plant-based chicken and waffles combination you won't easily forget. Andrea Dawson is behind this amazing black-owned business, and there are a ton of tasty soul food staples, such as black-eyed peas, cornbread, and fried cabbage (which features an amazing smoky bacon substitute). My favorite is without a doubt the Chicon N' Waffles, made with fried seitan and an eggless waffle; there are a number of flavors to dip your crispy chicon in including Asian orange, Caribbean jerk, and hot lemon pepper.

Nissi Vegan Mexican Cuisine

Nissi Veg-Mex has two locations now, with one food truck in East Austin and a brand-new brick and mortar location near the Domain, right off of Research Blvd. Whether you're on the hunt for burritos, flautas, chalupas, carne asada fries, or birria tacos, you'll be pleased with the amalgamation of vegan versions of classic Mexican dishes.

The protein options available here include fajita, chicharron, cheek'n, picadillo, pastor, and carne asada. Not only are they delicious and almost indistinguishable from the meats their proteins imitate, every option aside from the burrito is gluten-free.

Community Vegan

This is not the first time I've mentioned this great dining location on my site, and probably won't be the last. This list would simply be remiss without a feature from Community Vegan, as they are quite excellent at what they do. Southern-fried mushrooms are definitely their specialty, but the comfort food in general from this spot fulfills all of my cruelty-free fast food dreams!

I usually grab a Dime Bag (pictured above) every time there's an opportunity to stop at this food truck- this bag contains ten perfectly fried nuggets of lions mane mushroom, paired with your choice of dipping sauce- I am a big fan of their ranch. This mushroom is definitely my favorite to cook with and eat, but I can never replicate the exact way that Community Vegan makes these taste.

The Beer Plant

For a more fancy date or night out, the Beer Plant has a great set of elevated vegan food options. Inside Austin's first vegan gastropub, you'll find a ton of great beers, kombuchas, ciders, and cocktails to pair with your plant-based food. Out of all the main entrees, I highly suggest giving the Hill Country 'Chicken' and Gravy a shot. The chicken-fried seitan was delectable and just the right level of chewy; I haven't tried a plant-based chicken with the same texture that I found here and it was quite enjoyable. Definitely look through their menu- you'll find lots of shared plate offerings, salads, and alluring entrees like their Nashville Hot & Crispy sandwich. Their location can be found on Windsor Road and there are a few parking spots out front.

Humpty's Wall Of BreakFAST

This hidden gem in North Austin is not strictly plant-based, but they do have a great variety of vegetarian-friendly options. All of their sandwiches, wraps, and bowls are able to be customized to include chick'n strips, vegan cheese, and tofu scramble rather than eggs. Other great vegetarian options include their WALLfle sticks deluxe (the fruity pebbles flavor are pictured) and the loaded hash brown balls. There are usually an abundance of parking spots in the lot right outside and the wait isn't too long at all on weekdays.

Pinthouse Pizza

There are three locations to find Pinthouse pizza throughout Austin, whether you're near Round Rock, Burnet, or South Lamar. Pictured here you can see the Beyond Meat® plant-based protein prepared with house spices into a crumbled sausage, a great topping to tie your pie together. If you are dairy-free, vegan cheese is also available. I would also really recommend the pesto on top! Overall, I really enjoyed the atmosphere in this restaurant in addition to the various options for special dietary restrictions. If you would like to enjoy beer and cider with your meal, happy hour is from 4-6PM Monday through Friday.

For more recommendations like these, be sure to bookmark my site or follow me on my social media platforms. Let me know if you've tried any of these places in Austin before or comment new suggestions below!