Austin Improv

Hola Austin,

I'll be coming back to Austin for a work gig in early May. I'm looking forward to fronting my Austin credentials as I point out the Hideout and el camino casino. However, I need ya helps -- some of my co-workers on this gig are vegetarians. Where can I take 'em out for some good non-meat cuisine?

Thanks in advance for your insight and recommendations...

Hey Mac,

East Side Cafe on Manor (2113 Manor Rd) is a safe bet. Good veggie food for non-veggies and veggies alike, plus a really nice place.

Ditto that! East Side Cafe is good eats and good peeps. Kerby Lane has some good veg. items as well (I wouldn't know personally because I despise vegetables...but that is what I have heard)

On another note...welcome back to Austin, Mac! Hope to see you around!

El Chile Cafe y Cantina is a good restaurant that has nice vegetarian options. Plus, it has two awesome drinks. There's the Chilango Margarita, "a spicy orange infused frozen margarita," but my favorite there is probably the Michelada, "a spicy beer and lime juice cocktail served in a frosty schooner". Both drinks have the rim coated in what I think is sea salt and tamarind flakes that create the spicy part of the description. If I remember correctly, Michelada is Dos Equis, a shot of tequila, lime juice, tamarind flakes, and some Worcestershire sauce tossed in. I might be wrong about the Worcestershire sauce, but I could've sworn I remember the waiter listing that as one of the ingredients.

I'd also suggest Madam Mam's as a great place to bring vegetarians. Not the one on Guadalupe, but the newer one down south on Westgate.

Habana is awesome, though a little heavy on the pork for veggetarians.

Curras is mighty tasty interior mexican food, too, and I'm sure they have some veggie-friendly plates. Plenty of them if they not adverse to cheese.

kbadr wrote:Habana is awesome, though a little heavy on the pork for veggetarians.

Vegetarians will enjoy the hell out of the Vegetarian Saltiado. I've had it many many times. Add some maduros and some yucca fritas to sweeten the deal.

By the way, because you mentioned Casino el Camino's (one of the few times I've referred to it as its full name instead of just Casino's), they have a great vegetarian sandwich called The Blackjack. From their menu, it has "grilled eggplant, roasted tomato, provolone cheese, romaine, olive tapenade and shallot mayo". I get the shallot mayo as a side condiment for my fries every time I go there now.

Justin Davis wrote:By the way, because you mentioned Casino el Camino's (one of the few times I've referred to it as its full name instead of just Casino's), they have a great vegetarian sandwich called The Blackjack. From their menu, it has "grilled eggplant, roasted tomato, provolone cheese, romaine, olive tapenade and shallot mayo". I get the shallot mayo as a side condiment for my fries every time I go there now.

Do they have that regularly? I thought I've always been greeted with confused stares when I ask about it.

hi mac,

here are some good strictly vegetarian restaurants that are centrally located:

cosmic cafe (http://www.cosmiccafeaustin.com/) : sort of new agey indian but/and really good food

veggie heaven: 1914A Guadalupe (across from UT): cheap asian dishes...good use of soy products

mr. natural: 1901 e cesar chavez and somewhere on south lamar vegetarian mexican food

andrea wrote:
mr. natural: 1901 e cesar chavez and somewhere on south lamar vegetarian mexican food

I second all of Andrea's rec's. Also, there is a Mr. Natural on South Lamar and Bluebonnet. I love that place!!!!

andrea wrote:mr. natural: 1901 e cesar chavez and somewhere on south lamar vegetarian mexican food

I thought I was the only one you called Mr. Natural???? What gives?

kbadr wrote:

Justin Davis wrote:By the way, because you mentioned Casino el Camino's (one of the few times I've referred to it as its full name instead of just Casino's), they have a great vegetarian sandwich called The Blackjack. From their menu, it has "grilled eggplant, roasted tomato, provolone cheese, romaine, olive tapenade and shallot mayo". I get the shallot mayo as a side condiment for my fries every time I go there now.

Do they have that regularly? I thought I've always been greeted with confused stares when I ask about it.

If you mean the Blackjack, yeah, it's a regular everyday item on the menu. You may have received the confused stares for the same reason I did one night. I asked for the the Blackjack Burger only to have the cook stare me down and give me a snarky response about it not being a burger. A good many of the employees there know me, but he didn't and thought it was his duty to rip on what he assumed was a newbie to the bar.

Nu Age Cafe (www.nuagecafe.com) - Tasty and slightly upscale vegan place in Tarrytown (24th & Exposition).

I've heard good things about the veggie dogs and veggie chili at Dog Almighty (www.dogalmightyhotdog.com), though I've personally never been able to resist the siren call of their meat-based offerings (3 locations).

The Hippie Sandwich at The Shady Grove (www.theshadygrove.com) on Barton Springs is pretty good too.

The Clay Pit (www.claypit.com) is a good Indian restaurant with lots of vegetarian selections (16th & Guadalupe).

The Bouldin Creek Cafe (on S. 1st) has really good vegetarian breakfast type food. The Morning Glory Muffin is awesome, as are their omelletes and hashbrowns.

I second Habana and Veggie Heaven in particular. Another place I really like is Mother's, right across the street from Hyde Park Bar & Grill. They have some excellent vegetarian food. It's usually pretty packed and they have a really neat garden patio thing.