A Veggie-Friendly City

It's no secret that Austin's population is eclectic. Austin is an ever-changing city. With a phrase dubbed "Keep Austin Weird", it's only fitting for the city to have a welcoming attitude. Many Austin restaurants, grocery stores and online support groups provide resources for the city's vegetarians.

A really popular health food store to try in Austin is Mr. Natural. Mr. Natural's website describes the store as being a "natural foods restaurant, bakery, juice bar and health food store all rolled into one." They offer vegetarian, non-dairy, wheat-free, and vegan food. They have an East and a South location, both close to downtown Austin. Oh, and Mr. Natural also offers meditation classes in their Meditation Room. Keep Austin Weird.

Casa De Luz opening gate, Photo Courtesy of their website

Another vegetarian place to check out is Casa de Luz. Their food is completely animal-free and extremely health conscious. On their website, Casa de Luz calls their restaurant a "community dining room where conventions go by the wayside." Casa de Luz is unique to Austin because they focus on macrobiotics, a "philosophy that aims to achieve balance and peace in people's lives through awareness and common sense living." Casa de Luz encourages people to "take control of their lives and to educate them to make healthy choices and decisions." They offer an experience that is worth trying at least one time.

An online guide to Austin vegetarian restaurants can be found at Austin Web Publisher's Listing of Vegetarian Restaurants.

Not only does Austin offer vegetarian friendly grocery stores and restaurants, but many groups also provide

Photo Courtesy of VNA

support and information to vegetarians. A group that promotes vegetarianism and mutual support for vegetarians is the Vegetarian Network of Austin. I have never been involved in this group before, but their website is easy to find when searching online for support groups and information. Through their website, you can seek out information about vegetarianism, view the group's goals and mission and also join the group. You don't have to be a vegetarian to join because the Vegetarian Network of Austin aims to inform, not to change.

Another support group to check out is Vegans Rock Austin. Though this is a vegan group, vegetarians and yet-to-be vegans are definitely welcome. Vegans Rock Austin holds events and outings for its members and offers an online forum. Members can chat and provide support to each other via this forum. Vegans Rock Austin's website offers recipes and places in Austin to eat as well as answers to frequently asked questions and links to related groups and restaurants.

I hope that I have provided resources for new and current vegetarians and have sparked interest in those who aren't. The switch to vegetarianism is not just a change in diet, but a change in lifestyle. Luckily, Austin, Texas, is welcoming to this lifestyle. Best of luck to those looking to make the switch and to those who already have!

Trudy's, the Best of the Best?

One of the hardest things about being a vegetarian is having to pick and choose from a select variety of options on a restaurant menu. I grew up with parents who love good food, good friends and who don't mind splurging on a family dinner. I, therefore, view mealtimes as a time to get together with friends and share tasty food. Whenever a friend invites me out to eat, I rarely ever refuse. What's tricky about this? Sometimes the places my friends choose to eat at aren't vegetarian friendly.

Trudy's Central Location, Photo Courtesy of Trudy's

Luckily, it is pretty common for restaurants in Austin to have vegetarian friendly dishes. And, menu items can easily be altered to be vegetarian. So, I decided to research a favorite Austin restaurant to see just how easy it is to eat vegetarian. I went to Urbanspoon Austin and found that they named Trudy's as it's number one 'best' restaurants near The University of Texas at Austin. Perfect.

I've had the pleasure of dining at Trudy's Tex -Mex and I thought it was delicious. Better yet, I had no trouble finding items on the menu that were vegetarian. Trudy's offers an online version of their menu, which makes it convenient to check before you dine to ensure they serve a vegetarian dish to your liking.


One of my personal favorite dishes that Trudy's offers is the Vegetable Plate. You get to choose from FOUR sides, yes, four. (Be careful, though! The Borracho Beans and Refried Borracho Beans are NOT vegetarian!). If you're used to ordering veggie plates, then you know you usually only get to choose from a measly three. Having the option of ordering a Black Bean Burger is yet another perk. Restaurants rarely ever offer a veggie or black bean buger!

Stuffed Avacado, may be ordered without chicken. Photo Courtesy of Trudy's

In fact, for almost every category on their menu, ranging from tacos to enchiladas, a vegetarian option is offered. Most restaurants have chicken and beef enchiladas and I find myself paying for the meat and only getting the cheese. But, Trudy's offers and actual veggie enchilada, giving me what I pay for. And, that's how restaurants should be.

The atmosphere, the menu options and the food at Trudy's are unique to the restaurant and worth giving a try.  They also offer breakfast, specials and party sized meals. Also, did I mention that you get chips and salsa while you wait for your delicious meal? Now that, is the icing on the cake..or, the salsa on the chip.

Fellow vegetarians, I do consider Trudy's to be the best of the best. I challenge you to give Trudy's Tex-Mex a try. I bet you won't be disappointed.