Bouldin Creek Café

An outsider might find it hard to believe that Austin, Texas is home to a legitimately good vegetarian restaurant scene. But this is the home of Whole Foods, Chacos, and a whole lot of youths who love Bernie Sanders. The hippies have to eat somewhere! And all the other humans of Austin have to consume vegetables sometimes, and if they’re gonna do it they’re gonna do it right. And that’s the exact purpose Bouldin Creek Cafe serves.

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

photo credit: Richard Casteel

Just down the road from downtown on South 1st St., this very casual indoor/outdoor coffee shop meets restaurant is serving some damn good not-meat. And if you have the time or the will, it’s definitely worth the wait, especially if you get to sit out on the patio on a sunny day. In the morning, get the breakfast tacos or the zucchini and cheese migas plate. During dinner, we recommend kicking off your meal with some of their spicy pesto, possibly with some avocado and/or hummus on the side. Then, the Fajitas Italianas, the Wanna-BLT or their chickpea-based take on chicken salad will definitely not disappoint. They also have some great beers, champagne cocktails, and non-alcoholic lemonades in the mix, too.