A beautiful bounty of fresh and healthy food at The Beer Plant (Credit: Jessica Attie)
This year, keep those “new year, new you” vibes going long past Jan. 1. These 13 Austin restaurants, serving fresh and healthy food, will make you feel your best.
1/ Bouldin Creek Cafe
Everyone’s favorite South Austin neighborhood cafe has been serving up healthy yet satisfying vegetarian and vegan fare since 2000. Stop by Bouldin Creek Cafe to savor a meatless meal, cup of organic, fair trade coffee, or one of 25 varieties of hot tea.
1900 S. 1st St. – Website
➡️ Keep reading: “Battle of the Brunches Round 6: Bouldin Creek Cafe”
2/ Leaf
Capital Cobb Salad at Leaf (Credit: Natalie Parra-Novosad)
Leaf offers healthy, customizable, fresh salads that are made to order. Menu highlights include the strawberry fields salad, made with fresh strawberries and goat cheese, the Asiago lemon shrimp salad with shrimp and Asiago cheese, or the Nicoise salad, featuring tuna and green beans–yum!
115 W. 6th St. – Website
➡️ Keep reading: “These 5 Austin Salads Will Blow Your Mind”
3/ The Soup Peddler
The Soup Peddler Real Food & Juice Bar has five locations in Austin. It’s a “Fueling Station For People,” serving handmade soups, salads, sandwiches, fresh juices, and whole food smoothies. You can place orders in person, or place your order in advance on the business website for quick pickup.
4/ ThunderCloud Subs
A local alternative to Subway, ThunderCloud Subs opened in Austin in 1975. They now have over 31 locations in Central Texas. ThunderCloud Subs uses freshly-baked slices of bread delivered by a local bakery each morning, and spreads are made from scratch daily. Healthy soups and salads are also on the menu, and soup can be subbed for chips.
5/ Blenders and Bowls
When besties Erin and Kara moved from Hawaii to Austin, they seemed to have everything they could want from their new live music paradise…except acai. The girls were craving the Brazilian superfruit that’s often enjoyed frozen in a bowl so badly, they decided to open a food truck to see whether Austinites would love acai bowls as much as they did.
Blenders and Bowls has been whipping up unique and healthy acai bowls and crowning them with unique, healthy toppings since 2010. Since its beginning, the local business has expanded to three locations around our capital city. Stop by for a frozen and satisfying treat sure to transport you to a tropical paradise.
Multiple locations – Website
➡️ Keep reading: “6 Places to Get Tantalizing Frozen Treats”
6/ Snap Kitchen
Since 2010, Snap Kitchen has been making healthy meals from scratch for busy people. Meals are prepared by Executive Chef Matt Reinhart and Registered Dietitian Claire Siegel for every lifestyle, including gluten-free, paleo, vegan, and dairy-free. The menu includes breakfast, entrees, sweets, juices, small bites, and soups, all ready for you to grab and enjoy on the go. Snap Kitchen even offers weekly meal subscriptions and delivery service. Eating healthy in Austin doesn’t get any easier than this.
Multiple locations – Website
➡️ Keep reading: “Whole30 Friendly Restaurants in Austin That Encourage the Journey”
7/ Casa de Luz
This cafeteria-style eatery serves up macrobiotic, vegan meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Though the menu varies each day, it’s posted online one-and-a-half hours before each meal and typically includes soup, salad, an entree, and dessert.
Patrons should note the team behind Casa de Luz doesn’t believe in using salt, processed oils, or sweeteners, and their Facebook warns they do not like to be called a restaurant, as they’re a community of nutrition, education, and relaxation. Check out the “house of light” for yourself.
1701 Toomey Road – Website
8/ Mr. Natural
Mr. Natural has been in Chef Jesus Mendoza’s family since 1988. Over the past 30 years, the restaurant has been offering a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu to customers. The menu boasts a plethora of soups, salads, juices, sandwiches, tacos, and breakfast options that have won it numerous awards including “Healthiest Mexican Lunch Specials,” “Best Natural Food,” and “Best Tres Leches Cake.” With so many accolades, you have to wonder what the fuss is all about. Guess you’ll have to wander in and see for yourself!
Multiple locations – Website
9/ Counter Culture
This healthy east Austin gem prides itself on being “Austin’s finest vegan comfort food.” Sue Davis established the eatery as a food trailer in 2009, and has been making raw, vegan, dairy-free, and meatless food since. Whenever possible, the restaurant acquires organic, fair trade and locally-grown goods from local farmers. So if you’re in the mood for Buffalo Mac & Cheeze, nachos, or tacos, look to Counter Culture for cleaner comfort.
2337 East Cesar Chavez St. – Website
10/ The Beer Plant
The tangy Buffalo cauliflower wings (Credit: Jessica Attie)
“Plant-based dishes in farmhouse inspired digs” is all you really need to know about The Beer Plant to motivate you to get in your car. But in case you need more convincing, we can talk about the Buffalo cauliflower wings that are breaded, sauced, and can only be described as morsels of pure delight and ingenious culinary achievement. Or there’s the 40 craft beers and botanical cocktails offered. Run, don’t walk, to this first of its kind gastropub in Austin.
3110 Windsor Road – Website
➡️ Keep reading: “The Beer Plant Invents Creative Gastropub Fare for Vegans in Austin”
11/ Baby Greens
Drive through or walk up to this healthy fast food restaurant to enjoy made to order wraps and salads. That’s what’s unique about dining at Baby Greens: all menu items can be eaten as a salad or wrap. Plus, each dish can be made to please carnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alike!
1508 W. Anderson Lane – Website
12/ JuiceLand
Ahhh, yes, my beloved JuiceLand. I get excited just seeing the sign as I drive by because it always reminds me of how crisp and clean the brick and mortars always feel inside, perfectly matching their refreshing fare. Visiting is a sensory experience that can only be described as jumping into Barton Springs. Actually, that’s exactly what owner Matt Shook was going for when he opened his smoothie shop in 2011.
In addition to amazing, superfood smoothies with entertaining names, JuiceLand has a variety of satiating raw salads, cold-pressed juices, smoothie bowls, cleanses, and vegan cuisine at approximately 20 locations in and around town.
➡️ Keep reading: “5 Places Where You Can Pursue Health and Wellness in Austin”
13/ Daily Juice
Daily Juice is another Austin original juicery that overwhelms my heart on occasion because I always walk out feeling better than when I entered. Since 2003, this establishment has been blending smoothies with real foods, and no added sugars or ice. The menu also includes made to order juices, smoothie bowls, hot soups, next level coffee, and booster shots.
Multiple locations – Website
@dollarsaenz wants to know:
What’s your favorite place to score a healthy meal in Austin?
Mmm…so many yummy options! I also recently discovered Bullritos (across from the Arboretum) – amaziiing salads (and cheap burritos;)
I just tried Bullritos and really liked it! Thanks for recommending! We will be going back.
Sazón on South Lamar… Fresh, quick and healthy…