Where can I eat well in Austin without going near a barbecue pit?

South First and Bouldin Creek is the easiest run: Bouldin Creek Cafe for scratch vegetarian cooking, Conscious Kitchen for organic gluten-free plates, Casa de Luz for macrobiotic set meals. East Austin gives you Counter Culture and Fabrik.

What is the best vegan restaurant in Austin?

Counter Culture for everyday vegan comfort food, Fabrik if you want a plant-based fine-dining night out on East Sixth.

Where can I eat vegetarian in Austin?

Bouldin Creek Cafe on South First has been a woman-owned scratch vegetarian kitchen since 2000. It is also my pick for breakfast.

Are there gluten-free healthy restaurants in Austin?

Conscious Kitchen in South Austin is entirely organic, gluten-free and whole-food plant-based, so you are not interrogating a server about flour.

Is there vegan sushi in Austin?

Yes. Nori on Guadalupe Street serves plant-based rolls, Japanese small plates and weekend brunch.

Do I need to be vegan to use this Austin guide?

No. The guide is plant-forward, not plant-only. Bring the friend who orders brisket; the point is that the produce here is worth your attention.

Austin · United States

Healthy restaurants in Austin: where to eat well in the city

Written by Gillian McKeith

Austin does things its own way, and the food follows. Barbecue smoke on one street, a scratch kitchen full of vegetables on the next. If you want healthy restaurants in Austin that are not smug about it, this is where I send people.

South First and Bouldin Creek is where I would start. Bouldin Creek Cafe has been a woman-owned vegetarian kitchen since 2000, doing proper from-scratch cooking and coffee worth queueing for. A few blocks down, Conscious Kitchen keeps everything organic, gluten-free and whole-food, and Casa de Luz serves organic macrobiotic set meals over on Toomey Road that leave you full without the slump.

East Austin is the other half of the story. Counter Culture has fed the city all-vegan comfort food since 2009, mac and nachos and raw cheesecake included, and Fabrik on East Sixth is the one for a proper night out: small room, plant-based tasting menus, a chef paying attention. Up by campus, Nori on Guadalupe does Japanese food without the fish and does it with real care.

None of these are here because they are meat-free. They are here because the sourcing holds up and the vegetables lead rather than sulk on the side of the plate. Bring a friend who eats steak; they will be fine.

I choose every entry myself on sourcing, freshness and what actually reaches the plate. Nobody pays to be in this guide.

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6 restaurants in Austin

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Cuisine

Price

Dietary

Showing 6 of 6 restaurants in Austin

Vegetarian cafe

Bouldin Creek Cafe

Austin, United States

Woman-owned vegetarian cafe in Bouldin Creek, serving from-scratch food and handcrafted coffee.

Best for: Scratch-cooked vegetarian breakfast and brunch on South First.

Vegan macrobiotic

Casa de Luz

Austin, United States

Long-running macrobiotic community kitchen serving organic, vegan set meals in East Austin.

Best for: Organic macrobiotic set meals that leave you full and clear-headed.

Organic plant-based

Conscious Kitchen

Austin, United States

100% organic, gluten-free, whole-food plant-based cafe in South Austin.

Best for: Organic, gluten-free whole-food in South Austin when you want every box ticked.

Vegan comfort

Counter Culture

Austin, United States

East Austin all-vegan kitchen, mac, nachos, raw cheesecakes; an Austin staple since 2009.

Best for: All-vegan comfort food in East Austin that has kept the city fed since 2009.

Vegan fine dining

Fabrik

$$$

Austin, United States

Intimate, 100% plant-based fine-dining restaurant in East Austin with a low-impact, chef-driven menu.

Best for: Plant-based fine dining on East Sixth when you want a proper night out.

Vegan Japanese

Nori

Austin, United States

Plant-powered Japanese restaurant with creative rolls, handcrafted drinks and weekend brunch.

Best for: Japanese food reimagined without fish, near campus on Guadalupe.

Been here? Write a review

If you have eaten at any of these Austin kitchens, click through to the restaurant page and leave a review. I read every submission before it goes live.

Eating well in Austin: your questions

Where can I eat well in Austin without going near a barbecue pit?: South First and Bouldin Creek is the easiest run: Bouldin Creek Cafe for scratch vegetarian cooking, Conscious Kitchen for organic gluten-free plates, Casa de Luz for macrobiotic set meals. East Austin gives you Counter Culture and Fabrik.
What is the best vegan restaurant in Austin?: Counter Culture for everyday vegan comfort food, Fabrik if you want a plant-based fine-dining night out on East Sixth.
Where can I eat vegetarian in Austin?: Bouldin Creek Cafe on South First has been a woman-owned scratch vegetarian kitchen since 2000. It is also my pick for breakfast.
Are there gluten-free healthy restaurants in Austin?: Conscious Kitchen in South Austin is entirely organic, gluten-free and whole-food plant-based, so you are not interrogating a server about flour.
Is there vegan sushi in Austin?: Yes. Nori on Guadalupe Street serves plant-based rolls, Japanese small plates and weekend brunch.
Do I need to be vegan to use this Austin guide?: No. The guide is plant-forward, not plant-only. Bring the friend who orders brisket; the point is that the produce here is worth your attention.
Can an Austin restaurant pay to be listed?: It cannot. I choose every entry myself on sourcing, freshness and what lands in front of you.

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Gillian McKeith, author of the Gillian McKeith Restaurant Guide

About the author

Written by Gillian McKeith

I'm Gillian McKeith: television presenter, creator of the global hit show You Are What You Eat, writer, nutritionist, and the editor behind this guide. Every Austin entry here is chosen and written by me. I judge kitchens on the things that actually matter: real ingredients, honest sourcing, vegetables cooked with care, and food you feel better for eating.

Nothing on this page is a paid placement. Restaurants cannot buy a recommendation, and any listing marked as sponsored is labelled as such. If a kitchen slips, it comes out of the guide.

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