Houston and Austin Vegan Style!
This was me and Kona’s (my dog) first adventure by ourselves and we sure as hell kicked its butt! Kona was an angel. I highly recommend traveling with your dog. It makes for such a fun adventure and they would much rather be with you than stuck with a sitter.
Eating Plant-Based in Houston & Austin
If you are vegan or plant-based and you are heading to Houston or Austin soon, don’t worry you’ll have plenty of options!
We arrived shortly after 12 on a Wednesday and headed straight to lunch with my friend who hosted us.
Our Vegan Adventure in Houston
Local Foods: This place was beyond good with a lot of vegan options! I don’t know if it was the after flight hunger or the food was just that good but I could eat it every day. Try the seasonal harvest! (photo at the top but may include different veggies as it’s seasonal)
Bungalow Heights: This vibrant bar is near our friend’s house in the neighborhood of Heights. We took the dogs with us and had a couple of drinks and enjoyed the nice weather on their massive patio.
For dinner, we had Local Foods leftovers!!
We woke up and did about three miles running through the Sesquicentennial Park where you can find miles of paths, trees, views of Houston downtown skyline. We worked up an appetite and then we ate at a fully vegan restaurant, Verdine.
Verdine: Verdine is 100% vegan so rest assured you will get plenty of plant food here! This turned out to be another great meal. Two for two in Houston. Also, the decor was stunning with fresh natural lighting, art, paint, and colors. We sat outside though because of the perfect weather.
Saint Arnolds: If you dig beer on a large patio with a nice view then this is definitely the spot for you. They had wine for me too. This place was buzzing with people out for lunch from the office, people on vacation, and people who just didn’t go to work that day. A go-to spot in Houston. They have an art car museum on the side of the building that is worth checking out.
Brash: is a head-banging rocker dude bar with a soft side. It’s family-friendly and lined with arcade games to entertain all ages. The best part was that there was a vegan food truck parked outside. We had already eaten or we would have indulged for sure.
Vinology: This is a sophisticated and friendly wine bar and wine store. They happened to be having a Sake Seminar and if you didn’t know, I love sake so we had to join in the fun. We spent the entire evening here visiting with great people and having a blast.
Memorial Park: This park has a dirt path around it that is about 3-miles long. Many Houstonians were out and about getting fresh air with us while we did the loop.
Axelrad: What a cool hippy spot. This place had chill vibes written all over. Hippy lounge chairs, picnic tables, and endless hammocks set up to kick back and sip delicious cold beverages.
After that we headed to Whole Foods to grab snacks to add to our homemade dinner we planned out. It consisted of grilled cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, and onions. We also had hummus, guacamole, vegan queso and chips with a lot of hot sauce!
The next morning we loaded Kona and Pete (my friend’s dog) into a little bicycle carrier that you attach to the back of your bike (no idea what you would call it) and went on about a five-mile bike ride along White Oak Bayou to get more of that delicious Local Foods again.
Local Foods: We just had to go here again because there were too many goodies not to try before I left. This time I got the taco bowl and of course it was amazing too. I saved the leftovers for the road trip to Austin!
Austin TX… Here we come!
Kona slept or stared at me most of the way. Then we arrived in the ocean of trees that is Austin. In no time at all, we were at my friend we were at my friend’s house where we dropped off our bags and got ready for an evening of fun!
First a drive around the city, then to an awesome little outdoor party of people selling artisan goods, a bar and a winery with outdoor seating all within close proximity making it easy to bounce around.
The Infinite Monkey Theorem: This is an urban winery with a wide selection of wines and best of all it’s all vegan. You can even get your wine in a can if that’s your style!
Cosmic: Right across the street from The Infinite Monkey Theorem is Cosmic, if you would rather have a beer or cocktail. This place was really cute, had good drinks, and an awesome patio!
Bouldin Creek: This is a great place for vegan food. They are accommodating if you have questions and the food won’t disappoint. I recommend the Massaman curry bowl or the Greek salad, seen below.
The next day we decided to do a morning hike at the Green Belt! If this is your first time to Austin you must go for a walk or hike here. Walk along streams and thick beautiful greenery. Take in the fresh oxygen and work up an appetite!
Kerbey Lane Cafe: This is a great lunch or brunch spot but don’t be surprised if there is a little wait upon arrival. There are plenty of vegan options and I highly recommend starting with the vegan queso. Then try the vegan breakfast platter or the tofu scramble.
Kerbey Lane Cafe: This is a great lunch or brunch spot but don’t be surprised if there is a little wait upon arrival. There are plenty of vegan options and I highly recommend starting with the vegan queso. Then try the vegan breakfast platter or the tofu scramble.
The Lucky Robot: Vegan sushi options. What is up with these Austin restaurant and bar names? I love it! Anyway, if you love getting sushi but don’t eat fish, you will be in luck here. Try all of their vegan options and the spicy edamame as a starter!
Counter Culture: – This little cafe is one you DO NOT want to miss! It is all vegan their meals are creative and satisfying! I had the Pac Man salad with an added scoop of garbanzo bean tuna. My friend had the lentil loaf with a salad and polenta. If you have room like we did, try one of the desserts. We finished our meal with turmeric cashew ice cream!
Zilker Park: If you want to walk off food with beautiful views of the river and the skyline of Austin then Zilker parks got it. Walk down to the trail just below the park. The trail is tucked away in trees but you can see the river next to you. It will eventually open up to a clearing with views of the skyline. You can watch people canoeing, paddleboarding or kayaking nearby.
It was now time for the next leg of our trip. Kona and I are off to Kansas City to meet up with Luke.
We arrived in KC exhausted but that didn’t stop us. Check out our quick vegan trip in Kansas City, MO.
