America's Best Vegetarian-Friendly Large Cities

#8 Austin, Texas

State capital Austin might be University of Texas Longhorn country, but many folks in this vegetarian-friendly oasis would rather meet cows than eat them. And whether you're a long-time devotee of vegan eating or are just curious, meet up with Vegans Rock Austin, which provides a great way for animal-friendly folks to socialize and come together to do what vegans do best—eat!

In Austin's world of cafés, there are many great choices. Bouldin Creek Café offers scrumptious vegan chocolate triangles—a variation of chocolate cake drizzled with chocolate sauce. It also serves up the city's best scrambled tofu and will substitute it for any scrambled-egg dish. Everyone raves about the NuAge Café's Shiitake Taro Bowl, a savory dish made of tender soy cutlets mixed with sautéed shiitake mushrooms and vegetables in a slightly crisp taro bowl. Don't leave until you try its excellent vegan desserts, including cake and an array of fruit sorbets. Mother's Café is perhaps the city's most popular all-vegetarian establishment, catering to a wide-and-loyal customer base. It's easy to understand why when you try the Spicy Tempeh Enchiladas, which come drenched in a to-die-for creamy chipotle sauce.

There's a nice array of vegetarian-friendly Mexican and Southwestern restaurants in these parts. Leading the way is Mr. Natural, where the whole menu of traditional favorites is meatless and the cakes and pies are irresistible. At the organic vegan restaurant Casa de Luz, a set meal with a different theme is offered each night. The Kerbey Lane Café, with four locations, has an extensive vegetarian selection and is open 24 hours a day.

Shanghai River, an unheralded Austin gem, has a sizeable animal-free selection on its daily lunch buffet and delectable, made-from-scratch soy soft serve. Thundercloud Subs, another city highlight with more than 20 locations, serves up lots of vegetarian options, including its Nada "Chicken" and Veggie Burger sandwiches. And for those who aspire to go to Veggie Heaven, you can. It's an all-vegetarian Chinese restaurant located right next to the University of Texas campus.

Top Tip: Austin is the home of the first Whole Foods store and is also the home of its vegan founder, animal welfare advocate John Mackey. Whole Foods' massive flagship store in Central Austin is a must-visit, with tons of great food and an entire "beer alley." But don't forget the little guy—Wheatsville Co-Op has a very vegan-friendly deli.

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