Updated January 2023
Start the New Year off with healthier options! Here are my tops picks for the best healthy restaurants in Austin Texas with farm-to-table, local and seasonal, vegan, paleo, and veggie-friendly options!
SEE ALSO: 29 Spots With The Best Brunch In Austin, Updated 2024
Table of Contents
Central Austin
Tacodeli
I personally think the breakfast tacos at Tacodeli are considered healthy – pasture raised scrambled eggs, organic sausage, grilled chicken, and organic refried black beans. You can also gets salads like the ensalada Tacodeli that has avocado, chicken, sirloin, shrimp or salmon or the ensalada agua cate with a serrano lime dressing and queso fresco. I always get a bowl of the sopa de pollo (housemade chicken broth with shredded chicken).
4200 N Lamar Blvd, tacodeli.com/menu/
CAVA
I love the Mediterranean grain & salad bowls at Cava! Greens + grains, tzatziki, roasted red pepper hummus, braised lamb with spicy lamb meatballs, pickled onions, tomato & onion salad, kalamata olives, crumbled feta, and pita crisps with yogurt dill dressing is my go-to order.
Multiple locations in downtown Austin, Guadalupe, & Westlake
SEE ALSO: 10 Best Breakfast Tacos In Austin
Picnik
Picnik is one of the healthiest Austin restaurants that originally started as a food trailer on South Lamar (still there!). Anytime I have someone asking for a restaurant in Austin that can accomodate dietary restrictions, I send them to Picnik. Picnik has options for keto, plant-based, dairy-free, gluten-free, and more. Popular healthy options include spaghetti squash lasagna and bone broth, and drink options like butter coffee. Only natural grass-fed and pastured ingredients used here!
4801 Burnet Rd, picnikaustin.com
SEE ALSO: 21 Best Coffee Shops In Austin, Sorted By Neighborhood
Galaxy Cafe
This neighborhood cafe is my go-to after a hot yoga session! Galaxy Cafe serves all natural free range, hormone and antibiotic free beef, chicken, and eggs – all healthy food. I LOVE the Thai Steak Salad for lunch, and grilled salmon for dinner with hot matcha green tea.
*Multiple locations, galaxycafeaustin.com
Josephine House
The burger and fries are honestly my favorite at Josephine House but this post is all about healthy options so let’s talk about my second favorite option, Josephine Rice Bowl. Comes with heirloom black rice, poached farm egg, harissa roasted local vegetables, and avocado! The eclectic daily menu features the best locally sourced products
1601 Waterston Ave, Austin, TX, josephineofaustin.com
North Austin
Honest Mary’s
This local fast-casual spot is one of my top favorites for a health-conscious meal in Austin. Honest Mary’s serves fresh, healthy grain bowls made from an all scratch kitchen. Everything is just so good. My game plan is to order several bowls for pick up to eat throughout the week!
9828 Great Hills Trail Suite 300, honestmarys.com
Soup Peddler
Freshly pressed juices, smoothies, grilled sandwiches, and soul warming soups. One of my favorites when I want a soup & sandwich! Try the love cleanse juice for a burst of veggies.
*Multiple locations, souppeddler.com
East Austin
Bento Picnic
I love ordering the Japanese bento boxes at Bento Picnic – it comes with quite a bit of food so I like sharing with a friend or having leftovers! Bento Picnic has Japanese-inspired, picnic-friendly bentos, bowls, and snacks made with local, seasonal produce and sustainably-sourced proteins. Farm-Fresh veggies, responsibly-sourced proteins, housemade pickles, from-scratch sauces & gluten-free pastries
The secret behind their menu is Washoku, the Japanese philosophy of using 5 colors, 5 tastes and 5 cooking techniques in every meal. By following Washoku, we are able to create beautifully balanced meals, and help you keep the commitments you’ve made to your health without sacrificing any flavor or enjoyment.
2600 E Cesar Chavez St, bentopicnic.com
Kinda Tropical
This retro grocery store/cafe in East Austin serves up a sesame salad with pulled chicken, butter lettuce, avocado, peanuts and cilantro for $12.
3501 E 7th St, kindatropical.com
Blender and Bowls
Acai bowls are all over Instagram, and for good reason. In addition to being insta-worthy, acai bowls are super healthy – the acai superfruit is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential amino and fatty acids. It’s a smooth, rich smoothie topped with healthy toppings that you eat with a spoon.
206 E 4th St + 1625 E 6th St, blendersandbowls.com
Downtown
Local Foods
Local Foods is one of my favorite spots for a healthy meal in Austin and the food is really good. Scratch-made sandwiches, hearty salads, and chef-created sides, using local ingredients whenever possible, as well as wine (including regional wine selections from Southold Farm + Cellar, Wine For The People, and Pedernales Cellars) and an all-local beer list (including Fairweather Cider, Live Oak, Hops and Grain, Pinthouse, and Independence Brewing).
My favorites are the Crunchy Chicken Sandwich made with oven roasted chicken breast, nut-seed crumble, crushed chips, tomato, house pickles, romaine lettuce, provolone, and buttermilk ranch, stacked high on a Slow Dough pretzel bun paired with the Classic Chicken Posole.
I personally think an important part of eating healthy is also supporting local purveyors and Local Foods does an amazing job of that:
- Zack’s Super Duper Bowl with shaved kale, quinoa and cranberry pilaf, roasted Gundermann beets and sweet potatoes, dressed chickpeas, Top of Texas gala apples, avocado, alfalfa, pumpkin coconut curry, flax, chia
- Fall Power Bowl with marinated and grilled HiFi Mycology Lion’s Mane Mushroom, grilled carrots, Sides Pea Farm Lady Creamer Peas, Butternut Squash Puree, Texas Black Gold garlic balsamic, rice/quinoa blend, Joe’s sunflower sprout salad, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
- Autumn Mac & Cheese with Fusilli Bucatini, Parmesan & Mill-King Mornay, Village Farms cherry tomato and Top of Texas Farm Gala Apple confit, Parmesan crunch, fin herbs
- Spicy Crunchy Munchy Brussels Sprouts with sweet chili miso glaze, Good Flow Honey candied pumpkin seeds, Pedernales Farms & Engel Farms pickled chiles, toasted sesame
- Spiced Texas Gala Apple Brioche French Toast made with overnight soaked Slow Dough brioche, Top of Texas Gala apples with cinnamon and brown sugar glaze, Good Flow honey ricotta, fall spice anglaise, candied pumpkin seeds
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake Muffin with whipped ricotta stuffed muffin topped with a crispy cinnamon streusel
Latke “Glow Up” with house made potato latke, hot smoked salmon, sunny side up farm egg, heirloom tomatoes, housemade White Mountain Bulgarian yogurt labneh, pickled red onions, capers
454 W. 2nd Street, localfoodstexas.com
The Well
The Well focuses on local and sustainable farming and authentic bold flavors with healthy, plant-forward and flavor-focused signature dishes and shared bites for all palates and dietary needs like paleo, keto, and dairy-free.
I personally like the lunch special where you can pair any salad with one of the bone broh soups for $17 per person. I got the vegan Caesar salad with the roasted chicken bone broth that made with free-range chicken bones simmered overnight with vegetables and herbs.
You can also get organic cold pressed juices and smoothies with add-ins like the collagen peptides and grass-fed whey protein.
440 W. 2nd St, eatwellatx.com
Malibu Poke
Slo-Cal inspired poke bowls that are really, really good.
211 Walter Seaholm Dr LR 115, Austin, TX
True Food Kitchen
Also located the Seaholm Power Plant area is True Food Kitchen – a great spot for healthy meals.
Flower Child
For those of you that work and live in downtown Austin, you finally have a new healthy spot. Flower Child just opened near the new public library on 2nd St. Love the vegan poke with beets!
500 W 2nd St Suite 160, iamaflowerchild.com/nso/austin-2nd-street/
Vinaigrette
Design-your-own salads, plus soup & sandwiches, served in a modern, colorful space with a wine bar.
2201 College Ave, vinaigretteonline.com/austin/
Café No Sé
South Congress Hotel’s all-day neighborhood café, Café No Sé, features California-inspired American dining with options like bircher muesli, avocado toast, and fresh salads. Great spot for date night too.
1603 South Congress, Austin, TX, cafenoseaustin.com
SEE ALSO: Weekend Brunch At Café No Sé
Koriente
Healthy rice bowls like the Obake Bowl pictured above, curries, stir-fries, bibimbop and bubble teas are offered at Koriente. You can add beef, chicken, tofu, sashimi grade spicy tuna or smoked salmon to any entrees. Garden salad, korean pickles, and miso soup are included with lunch! Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.
621 E 7th St, Austin, TX, koriente.com
JuiceLand
The juices here are squeezed the day-of and are made from 90 percent organic fruits and vegetables. JuiceLand has four different levels of juice cleanses for every goal and taste, including a build-it-yourself option.
*Multiple locations, juicelandaustin.com
Fresa’s Chicken
Achiote and citrus half chicken with Mexican rice, pozole soup, and guacamole is my go-to order. Fresa’s grills their marinated chickens over post oak, served with fresh corn tortillas and fresh fruit aguas. They also have El Super Bol – achiote chicken, kale, avocado, black beans, escabeche, steamed rice, with pico de gallo and queso fresco.
915 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, fresaschicken.com
SEE ALSO: 25 Best Restaurants On South Lamar In Austin
Tacodeli
Tacodeli has a location in downtown Austin with their breakfast tacos and bowls.
*Multiple locations, tacodeli.com
SEE ALSO: Best Tacos In Austin
South Austin
Bouldin Creek Café
Bouldin Creek Café serves up vegetarian and vegan options in a bohemian atmosphere. Try the Buddha Bowl with organic field greens topped with organic quinoa, roasted broccoli, kale, chickpeas, beets, cucumber, cilantro and carrot, drizzled with house made ginger sake soy!
1900 S 1st St, Austin, TX, bouldincreekcafe.com
SEE ALSO: 36 Best Restaurants In South Austin
Casa de Luz
Casa de Luz is a non-Profit, experiential, educational community center that serves 100% organic, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The meals are served in buffet style with the choice of a soup, salad, entree, Kukicha hot tea, hibiscus mint tea, and filtered water.
1701 Toomey Rd, Austin, TX, casadeluz.org
Whole Foods Market
When I need a quick. healthy meal, I do like going to Whole Foods for their hot food section.
*Multiple locations, wholefoodsmarket.com
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Closed
The Steeping Room
I frequent The Steeping Room quite often for healthy options that also taste great! I love their napa rolls, tea sandwiches (their soup & tea sandwich combo during lunch is hard to beat), and the Take the B.A.T.E. for brunch. If I’m feeling like I need some zen, I’ll come by for their century oaks tea service.
4400 N Lamar Blvd #102, thesteepingroom.com
This guide is part of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance’s 2021 City Guide. Check out more of the best eats in Austin, curated by Austin food bloggers, on the full list of guides.
