The restaurants on Guadalupe Street are a staple for almost every UT student. What’s not to love? They’re conveniently located right by campus, most of them take Bevo Bucks and they boast a wide variety of delicious cuisines. I absolutely love eating on Guad, but as a vegan, it took me a second to figure out which restaurants were vegan-friendly and which ones weren’t. Through trial and error I found which restaurants gave me the most variety, which ones tasted the best and which places fell absolutely flat. Without further ado, here is a guide to eating vegan at my top five favorite restaurants on Guad.
1. Cava
Before I’d ever been to Cava it was described to me by many people as a “Mediterranean Chipotle,” and I think that’s a perfect descriptor. I absolutely love Cava because it has ingredient lists taped right in front, and the lists indicate which ingredients are vegan and which aren’t. It’s perfect because there’s no need to do research beforehand to figure out if there’s anything vegan, since it’s all clearly indicated. A lot of their toppings are also vegetable-based, which means Cava offers a wide variety of vegan options.
2. Kerbey Lane Cafe
Kerbey Lane is a fun diner-style spot with a variety of delicious foods. They have a really extensive menu with tons of vegan options, and they also have an online menu where they indicate which dishes are vegan. They serve a vegan breakfast platter complete with pancakes and tofu scramble. Their starters are also vegan-friendly, including a vegan cashew “queso.” Overall, there are a wealth of vegan options for literally every meal at Kerbey Lane. Simply check out their online menu to get more information on other vegan options.
3. Lucky Lab Coffee Co.
Lucky Lab is the best coffee spot for studying or grabbing a quick coffee. It’s got a nice outdoor seating space with shaded tables (or tables in the sun if that’s your vibe). Lucky Lab carries a variety of dairy-free milk, which is perfect for vegans! Unfortunately, their pastries are not vegan, though they do have a vegan oats dessert. It’s very easy to craft your own perfect vegan coffee at Lucky Lab, but my personal favorite is the classic Lucky Lab Lavender Chai made with oat milk.
4. Chipotle
You know it, you love it— Chipotle is a perfect option for people looking for a quick and easy vegan meal. The ingredients are all straightforward— only the sour cream, cheese and meat are unsuitable for vegans. Otherwise, Chipotle is a healthy and safe vegan option. I normally walk in knowing exactly what I’m going to order and also knowing exactly how it will taste, and sometimes, we just need food that is classic and unsurprising. Chipotle isn’t always my favorite, but it’s a great option for people looking for a vegan meal.
5. Torchy’s Tacos
The options at Torchy’s certainly are not the most varied, but I had to reserve a place on this list for them because of how much I love the flavors. Their salsa is absolutely delicious, and the veggie burrito with a few replacements is completely vegan. A burrito with black bean relish instead of refried beans, no cheese and no sour cream is a perfect veggie burrito. The fried avocado can also be made into a delicious vegan taco with the same substitutions as the burrito. Most tacos at Torchy’s can easily be vegan with a few modifications.
It’s often difficult to have to do loads of research before ordering, and this guide will hopefully make eating out a little easier for UT’s vegans. Enjoy!