Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal and kosher options across Austin.
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal and kosher options across Austin. including where to go and what to order.
Casa de Luz in Austin is the 100 percent organic vegan and gluten-free dining hall on Toomey Road since 1991, serving a daily-changing macrobiotic menu in a communal-seat room.
Tip: Communal seating only; the daily-changing menu is a single set plate, no substitutions or a la carte.
Bistro Vonish in Austin is Craig Vanis's vegan food truck on East 53rd Street, a North Austin trailer serving BBQ seitan sandwiches, sweet potato arepas and vegan kolaches.
Tip: Vegan kolaches are the room's most distinctive plate; the trailer runs Wednesday-Saturday afternoons.
Counter Culture in Austin is Sue Davis's vegan diner trailer behind Tweedy's Bar on Fruth Street, the reopened version of the long-running East Side vegan room since 2009.
Tip: The trailer is the rebuild ahead of a Windsor Park brick-and-mortar planned for summer 2025; check social for the trailer hours.
Bouldin Creek Cafe in Austin is South First's vegetarian neighbourhood cafe since 2000, a bungalow patio with all-day breakfast, vegan options and the strongest queso south of the river.
Tip: All-day breakfast runs from 8am; the migas and veggie burger are the room's two anchors and run all day.
Mr. Natural in Austin is the East Cesar Chavez vegetarian Mexican kitchen, a juice bar, bakery and eatery serving non-dairy, wheat-free or vegan dishes in a Tex-Mex style.
Tip: The Sunday buffet runs 10am-3pm; the bakery counter has vegan pan dulce on weekday mornings.
Bouldin Creek Cafe in Austin runs an extensive gluten-free menu at the South First vegetarian cafe, with gluten-free breakfast tacos, pancakes and the GF veggie burger bun.
Tip: The gluten-free menu runs separately; ask the counter for it when ordering the veggie burger.
Casa de Luz in Austin is the Toomey Road macrobiotic dining hall built entirely gluten-free, with daily-changing plates of grains, legumes and seasonal vegetables for groups.
Tip: Communal seating and one set plate per service; ideal for groups with mixed dietary needs.
Halal Bros in Austin is the West Campus halal Middle Eastern counter on Guadalupe Street, the closest halal kitchen to UT for chicken shawarma and grilled-meat platters.
Tip: The line moves fast; the chicken-and-rice platter is the campus default. Open until 11pm daily.
Tarka Indian Kitchen in Austin is the South Austin halal Indian counter, with halal chicken and grass-fed halal lamb served in tikka, curry, biryani and tikka masala plates.
Tip: The lamb biryani is the room's strongest dish; the Westgate location has the largest dining room.
Mum Foods in Austin is Geoffrey Ellis's pastrami smokehouse on Manor Road, a kosher-style Jewish deli serving Texas pastrami, matzo ball soup and corned beef sandwiches.
Tip: Not certified kosher but the kosher-style menu runs corned-beef, pastrami and matzo ball soup all day.
Peak food season in Austin is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Austin rewards trust.