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!
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!
