This is the third time I have been to what I would call “the best thing about Texas” in the past couple of years. Every time I have been to Austin I like it a little bit more. One of my best friends in the whole world lives here and this year I am coming purely for vacation and a little bit of vegan Austin love.
I have completed day 1 and color me crazy about the “live music capital of the world.”
Before I came I asked some Austin twitter friends for vegan recommendations and they did not let me down! We hit up three places on day 1 and each one had its own flair, personality, and spirit.
I love Austin!
Stop 1: Mother’s Café & Garden
After coming directly from the airport I was ridiculously hungry and we hit up Mother’s first. This recommendation came straight from fellow Austin lover dreamofgreenie and it did not disappoint.The place is cute and the staff was all very sweet. Let me sum it up… free chips and salsa, spicy tempeh enchiladas (w/ spicy cashew chipotle), and a koi pond inside the restaurant. Really, it doesn’t get much better than that.
Since I am in TX, how could I not have Mexican food at my first stop? The enchiladas were very good but the cashew chipotle sauce and guacamole took it a whole new level. I could probably put that sauce on anything. *drool*
More Austin love after the jump…
Stop 2: Toy Joy
I love ice cream. Like, REALLY love ice cream. If I could eat it every day without being 500 pounds, I would. My first job was at TCBY; enough said. So when I heard about a place with vegan soft serve I was so excited.
Enter Toy Joy, a toy shop that just happens to have vegan soft serve in the back. This place is out of this world! Two flavors of soft serve with one rotating every week. We both decided on milkshakes (strawberry and mint chocolate) and I may have set a record for fastest milkshake drinker in Austin. I am already ready to go back for more.
The creator of the soft serve, Amelia, was working that day and she was just delightful. She developed the soft serve at Toy Joy; therefore she deserves an award of some kind. VegNews, I am looking in your direction.
We had some serious chats about vegan life in Austin and I am so excited to try her recommendations. She was precious. Plus, she is opening up her own vegan ice cream shop (Sweet Ritual) soon, so please follow her and support her in whatever way you can. We love an enterprising vegan!
Stop 3: Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse
Bouldin Creek was a recommendation from a couple of different people so it was really high on my “must go” list. Bouldin Creek is a coffeehouse / restaurant / haven for cute vegans.
I went to Bouldin with my friend and her family for a little Boston reunion. Nothing better than being in Texas at a table full of Bostonians; veggie burg-ahhh anyone?
Third stop in Austin and again it did not disappoint. I had the Sweet Potato tamales, which alone are good. However, I think the key to my plate was the mixture of beans, salsa, fresh tomato, and the tamale in a whole wheat tortilla. Flavor perfection!
The restaurant was a little dark so the pictures are a little rough, but you get the idea.
Topped the meal off with a red velvet cupcake, which is one of my favorites. The cake was moist, the frosting was perfect, and I was a happy, chubby vegan.
Consider this post my first love letter to Austin…
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| Red Velvet Perfect |
Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI told you about the tofu po'boy at Wheatsville, right?
thanks for the reviews! I've never been to Mothers, always wanted to.
ReplyDeleteAAAAH this post is making me want to book the next flight to Austin.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you tried a shake at Toy Joy because I was tempted to last time and didn't.
Can't wait to get me some Vegan milkshakes.
ReplyDeleteVegan milkshakes are heavenly!
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