Vegan in Austin
Looking at past blog posts, I can’t believe that I’ve been vegan for two years now. While the transition was initially rough, I don’t miss meat or dairy, and that is in large part because of the amazing options we have in Austin. From vegan cheese shops to meatless BBQ, I am consistently impressed. Below is a list of my top local options for vegan fare.
Rebel Cheese - I’ve had everything on the menu (not an exaggeration). This tiny Mueller cafe is a life-saver, with a deli case of pure heaven. One of my favorite hobbies is to take non-vegans to Rebel and see if they notice that they aren’t eating real cheese.
Beer Plant - Fried buffalo cauliflower, mac and cheese, chicken and waffles. For sit-down brunch this can’t be beat, especially when the weather cools down and you can sit outside in the breezeway.
Nixta - I appreciate non-vegan restaurants that offer options without significant substitutions. Nixta usually has a few vegan items and their flavor combinations are always the right mix of spicy and sweet.
Nissi - If you miss barbacoa, Nissi Vegan TexMex needs to be on your radar.
Nadamoo Scoop Shop - Sure, you can pick up pints all over town, but the South Austin scoop shop has ice cream tacos, cerealmilk shakes, and amazing sundae options.
Picnik - I dream of their hummus and cauliflower, with crushed pistachios and capers. They have easily substituted avocado toast and a veggie hash too.
Plow and PlowBQ - While I am disappointed that they haven’t added their fantastic chicken sandwich to their menu yet, I will forgive them because of their terrific vegan ranch and plow sauce. The burgers are divine (I’m partial to the campfire) and when we first ordered them, I rushed to their website to make sure I wasn’t eating actual meat. Fries are delicious and the sister food trailers, PlowBao and PlowBQ serve up asian dumplings, crab rangoons, and pulled “beef” that is something spectacular.
Possum Pizza - Before becoming vegan, mozzarella sticks were one of my favorite foods. Possum dishes up a great vegan option, and combine that with amazing wings and pizza, it is a great meal that isn’t healthy at all. Heads up though, they sell out fast so don’t count on this as a late night option.
Eat up!