Edible Earth

When Texas is mentioned you may think of cowboys, but Austin is supposed to be really veg-friendly and one of the greenest cities in the U.S. to boot (pun intended). It is also an area known for prolific live music.

When checking out the vegan travel treats Austin has to offer, one place that stands out is Bananarchy – a food cart where one can order dipped bananas with sauces like chocolate and peanut butter. Yummy desserts abound in Austin, home to the organic Happy Vegan Bakery, which features ice creams, cakes, and quiches (smoked tomato and basil- yum!), and Sugar Tooth Bakery which makes custom ordered cakes and cupcakes but also serves up doughnuts, scones, etc.

Don’t mess with Texas – Austin even has vegan food trailers called Edible Earth and Counter Culture (also raw)! There’s Casa de Luz specializing in macrobiotic organic vegan meals, and providing a culinary school, yoga and massage, and beyond. Local triathlete Cheryl Tulkoff loves Mr. Natural. She said it’s a one stop shop for everything vegetarian — a restaurant, bakery, health food store and resource center.

“Most Tex-Mex food is horribly junky and almost impossible to find cheeseless, but not at Mr. Natural! I especially like the Zucchini Poblano and vegetable tamales,” Tulkoff said.

Whole Foods (affectionately called “Whole Paycheck” by some) has a few locations in Austin, the city where the natural foods store originated, and several other grocery stores offer healthy fare. The region keeps busy hosting many local potlucks and other veggie gatherings. OrganicAthlete is active in Austin as well. Whether you are a local or looking to do some vegan travel, see Vegans Rock Austin, The Vegetarian Network of Austin,  and VegAustin.com for starters.