For all the seemingly endless ways Austin’s chefs have explored the finer points of a barbecue, health-conscious eats are easy to come by around town. And while you’re more likely to have the option to substitute tofu for eggs in your breakfast taco than most places, that balance is – and always has been – a part of Austin’s DNA. In Austin, queso just belongs on a menu, whether it’s vegan ordefinitely not vegan.
If you’re in search of the former, we’ve curated a list of local spots you’re likely to find. Below you’ll also find breakfast and brunch, juices and smoothie favorites, lunch and dinner options, specialty shops, and a lineup of local, better-for-you beverages. From inventive vegan restaurants that defy expectations (and taste buds) to holistic, good-for-you haunts, here’s Austin’s Cheat Sheet to Healthy Eats.
BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
THE BEER PLANT
3110 Windsor Rd | @thebeerplant | A vegan restaurant with so many tricks up its sleeve that you forget it’s, well, a vegan restaurant. Their weekend brunch menu is a particular favorite – think “Oyster” and Grits and “Chicken” and Waffles – but dinner definitely delights, too.
BLENDERS AND BOWLS
Multiple Locations | @blendersandbowlscafe | Keeping Austin healthy since 2011 with, you guessed it, blends and açaí bowls. Pop into one of their three locations around town or look for their pre-blended smoothie bowls in an H-E-B or Whole Foods aisle. If you’re lucky, you can find the hometown hero out of state, depending on your grocery store.
BOULDIN CREEK CAFE
1900 S 1st St | @bouldincreekcafeatx | A woman-owned longtime local favorite, Bouldin Creek is an eco-friendly, bohemian cafe offering hearty vegetarian and vegan meals, coffees, and more. Bonus points for their community centricity, which includes paying employees a living wage, supporting the community through fundraising, and donating meals to those in need.
CAFÉ NO SÉ
1603 S Congress | @cafenoseatx | A sunny all-day café with excellent people-watching and health-conscious options. The Café Spread is always a fan favorite, as are all of their bowls. And because it’s always about the balance in Austin, finish with a freshly baked pastry.
VERACRUZ ALL NATURAL
Multiple Locations | @veracruztacos | Veracruz is a longtime local favorite owned by sisters, Reyna and Maritza Vazquez. We love their origin story (like many great Austin eats, they started out of a food truck), and we love their lineup of tacos even more. Pair with a Good Morning or Mr. Verde juice.
LUNCH & DINNER
BETTER HALF BAR
406 Walsh St | @betterhalfbar | A local favorite for coffee and working lunches, expect healthy selections (e.g. Cauliflower Tots) alongside more indulgent items (e.g. pastrami loaded queso). It’s all about the balance, right?
CITIZEN EATERY
5011 Burnet Road | @citizeneatery | A modern, meat-free café with a full-bar and lots of flavor. Enjoy breakfast through dinner with a healthy (no pun intended) lineup of co*cktails and mocktails. P.S. Meat-free doesn’t mean burgers are off the table. In fact, you’ll find quite a few handhelds alongside flavor-packed entrees.
PICNIK
Multiple Locations | @picnik_restaurants | Another longtime local favorite, Picnik features conscious ingredients and a better-for-you beverage and co*cktail program. Expect dishes made with first cold-pressed avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil that accommodate a variety of diets and lifestyles. Still looking for butter? Find it in their famous butter coffee.
SNAP KITCHEN
Multiple Locations | @snapkitchen | Snap is an Austin born-and-bred market for delicious, healthy, chef-crafted meals, snacks, drinks, and sweets. And while it’s a great place to fill the fridge for the week, it’s also a favorite for healthy-on-the-go. Or, just have it delivered. Read our exclusive interview with Snap Kitchen’s Lead Dietician, Amy Davis…
THE SOUP PEDDLER
Multiple Locations | @souppeddler | Soup Peddler got its start out of a Bouldin Creek Home, where owner David Ansel would craft unique soups and literally peddle to his customers on an old yellow bike. Today, The Soup Peddler still peddles soup – and juices, smoothies, and quick bites – just less literally. It’s a local favorite for a quick bite or easy delivery.
VINAIGRETTE
2201 College Ave | @vinaigrette_official| From Santa Fe comes Vinaigrette, a salad-based concept revolving around owner/founder Erin Wade’s sustainable farm. A Texas farm to support the Austin location is coming soon to Bastrop, but in the meantime, continue to enjoy their lineup of salads, sandwiches, sides, and soups. Local Order: The Raspbeeta, a frozen co*cktail featuring raspberries, beets, Chambord, and tequila reposado.
THE WELL
440 W 2nd St | @eatwellatx | The Well blends culinary expertise with functional nutrition for a health-conscious dining experience without gluten, soy, or refined sugar. It’s a stylish, approachable take on healthy eating with a, well, healthy balance. Think [healthy] chilaquiles and tacos alongside avocado toast, smoothies, and because it’s Austin, a great co*cktail menu. Local Tip: Try The Well Juice Cleanse.
SIPS
ALCHEMY JUICE
By Delivery | 1701 Toomey Rd (Inside Casa de Luz Village) | @alchemy.juice | Raw, organic, cold-pressed juice harnessing the power of plants for a happy, healthy life. Always organic and available for delivery right to your door. Need a caffeine kick? Opt for their superfood lattes. On the go? Drop into their location inside Casa de Luz Village.
JUGO
603 Brazos | @jugojuice | Hand picked and hand made, Jugo’s good-for-you (and just plain good) juices and smoothies feature seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. Add anything from bee pollen to CBD to juices or smoothies.
JUICELAND
Multiple Locations | @juiceland | Juiceland is an Austin staple and has been since owner, Matt Shook, “inherited” its precursor, The Juice Joint, in 2003. And it’s no coincidence that many of their locations are near your favorite green spaces – Juiceland’s ethos is rooted in activity, not to mention Barton Springs, which played a pivotal role in leading Shook to the juice, well, land. Most Austinites have a go-to order, though the daily smoothie specials never disappoint. Order by plant-based benefits, like recovery and immunity, and make your way through the whole menu.
SIPS
FRONKS
By Delivery | @freshfronks | Small batch organic milks made with a blend of sprouted nuts to create an extra creamy, extra delicious, extra fresh dairy-free milk. All fresh, all organic, all vegan, all glass bottles for a no added sugar, no preservatives, no GMO, no HPP drinking experience.
RICHARD’S RAINWATER
@richardsrainwater | Sparkling and still rainwater responsibly sourced straight from the sky. Stay hydrated with still or dress up a mocktail with sparkling.
SANS BAR
1818 E 12th | @sans_bar | All the conviviality and connection of a bar scene without the booze. Open every Friday from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am, Sans Bar serves up zero-proof co*cktails for everyone. You’ll find the sober community to the just-not-drinking crowd and every sober-curious and alcohol-averse Austinite in between.
TENNEYSON
@tenneyson | The spicy, ginger-forward concoction serves up a big, zero-proof taste. Expect hints of lemon balm, dandelion, bergamot, yerba mate, and gentian for neat or mixed sipping. Don’t expect Tenneyson to mimic the effects or flavors of liquors, it’s definitively (and defiantly) its own thing. Order online…
HONORARY MENTIONS
Housemade Drinking Vinegars from modern Thai restaurant, Sway (3437 Bee Caves Rd).
Clean Yerba Mate from CLEAN Cause, which supports recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
Kombucha and non-alcoholic co*cktail flavors from Greenbelt Kombucha.
Hop Water from St. Elmo Brewing Company featuring zero calories, zero booze, zero sugar, and zero carbs. Say no more.
Slow Luck, a distilled non-alcoholic spirit created by Austin bartenders to be an inclusive, accessible addition to drinking culture.
SPECIALTY SHOPS
ALIVE & WELL
3944 Ranch Rd | @aliveandwellaustin | The supplement go-to has expanded into a comprehensive wellness center featuring functional medicine, holistic therapies, supplements, a wellness spa, and a compounding pharmacy under one roof. Stop in to shop for the best wellness products, stay to learn more about the Alive + Well Functional Medicine Clinic. Local Tip: Enjoy a juice, smoothie, or bowl from SunLife Organics, which shares a lobby with Alive + Well.
PEOPLE’S PHARMACY
Multiple Locations | @peoples_rx | Austin’s wellness HQ since 1980, offering wellness and compounding specialists. Local Tip: Pick up lunch, the best holistic supplements, and the secret to beating cedar season (D-Hist).
Happy [healthy] eating — and don’t forget to tell them Scout sent you!
