Top 10 Restaurants Where a Salad Isn't the Only Vegan Menu Item
By Alisha McDarris, Fri., Dec. 29, 2017
1) Frank Everybody – even vegans and vegetarians – loves a good chili dog, right? So what's not to love about a restaurant where your meat-eating sister and your veg best friend can indulge in a sloppy dog covered in classic toppings? Get an artisan sausage or meatless variety and slather it with relish, onions, mustard, and cheese. Don't forget the waffle fries!
2) Kerbey Lane This is breakfast done right, whether you're ordering the famous Kerbey Queso with or without actual dairy. In addition to the legendary dip, did you know those oft-changing pancake specials are also available in a vegan variety? The flavors are frequently different, so you really have two options every time you dine. The veggie burger's pretty lit, too.
3) True Food Kitchen Sometimes you want a swanky place to take Mom to dinner. Fortunately, whether she eats meat, gluten, dairy, or none of the above, True Food Kitchen has you covered (and she won't have to order club soda to wash the barbecue sauce off her shirt). It's eating well and in-season with deliciously healthy options like brussels sprout and wild mushroom pizza.
4) Biscuits and Groovy Time for brunch? Vegans and non-vegans rejoice! While most brunch spots only serve meat-based or meat-free plates, everything on Biscuits and Groovy's menu can be made vegan. That means our personal favorite, the Gloria Gaynor, can be ordered piled high with vegan or traditional sausage, bacon, gravy, cheese, and scramble. Delish.
5) Thai Fresh Thai curry, pad thai (sans eggs), stir fry ... just about everything on the menu can be made vegan. Tofu and tempeh are available alongside chicken, steak, and the like, so there's a wide range of options for everyone. For dessert there are at least eight flavors of vegan ice cream. Sample the Thai coffee or lavender.
6) Via 313 Any joint with a dish called the Cadillac can't be bad. Omnivores love it because it has fig preserves, Gorgonzola, balsamic glaze, and prosciutto. Vegans love it because they can get the same thing sans meat and topped with Follow Your Heart vegan cheese. An extra win: local tempeh from the Flying Tempeh Bros.
7) Koriente It may be small, but the menu at this Asian-inspired restaurant is mighty. Treat yourself to the popular shiitake bowl or the rice gnocchi. About half of the menu is either vegan or can be made vegan. Did I mention there's free salad and vegan miso soup with lunch during the week?
8) Clay Pit Want a more upscale option? Grab some Indian at Clay Pit. Start with some samosas, fill up with chana masala or aloo gobi, and polish it all off with some sorbet and mango lemonade. Everything on the menu is clearly labeled if it's vegan, so you can skip the back-and-forth with the kitchen. Make reservations in the cellar for a unique experience.
9) The Soup Peddler Soup or smoothies are always in season in Texas. Sometimes in the same week. You can get both at any of the five locations in Austin. There are wholesome soups and eclectic smoothies for everyone, from the vegan mulligatawny soup and Golden Ticket smoothie to the turkey grilled cheese with pesto and cilantro.
10) Pho Please No one should have to forgo pho, and fortunately, no one has to. In addition to more traditional options like rare steak pho, there is a warming bowl of vegan noodle soup on the menu, too. And rice paper rolls. And noodle salad. We like them all with extra lime and cilantro from the condiment bar. And peanut sauce. Lots of peanut sauce.
