The Top 5 Vegan Restaurants in Houston

Cascabel is the first vegan Mexican restaurant in Houston to feature a full bar. Karaoke nights and live performances by local musicians keep the atmosphere as lively as the fare. 

We liked how Cascabel has a wide selection of tasty beverages that go wonderfully with their authentic Mexican fare. 

Depending on the day’s specials, the House Margarita is available in a variety of delicious flavors other than the traditional lime, such as watermelon and blueberry coconut. To those who prefer something sweet but with a bit of a kick, this is the drink for you. 

Moreover, many we’ve spoken to claim Cascabel Vegan has the best tacos in town. True to the claims, after tasting their vegan birria tacos, flavorwise you can hardly tell it’s not real birria. 

We also like how with any taco order you can choose between Spanish or cilantro rice to accompany three corn tortillas packed with vegan mozzarella and served with barbacoa and consommé on the side. 

Furthermore, each ingredient in these tacos brings out the best in the other. The birria tacos were loaded with vegan mozzarella, which was extremely melty and may be satisfying enough for vegans who miss the “cheesy taste.” 

Additionally, we also tried their bistec tacos. The bistec was delicious and a satisfying vegan meat alternative. From the flavoring, we could tell the Bistec had been marinated before being grilled as the flavors of soy sauce soaked into the meat. 

The only thing we didn’t like during our visit to Cascabels was their vegan quesadillas, as when we received ours, the cheese wasn’t melted and the tortillas tasted stiff. Perhaps, it was an old batch, who knows. 

Houston Sauce Pit takes barbecue to a different level by making a vegan menu of classic southern dishes. Many people have raved to us about their macaroni & cheese, claiming it’s insanely good. 

So, one of the first things we tried on our visit to Houston Sauce Pit was the macaroni and cheese. We tried two different types of macaroni and cheese that Houston Sauce Pit serves up to their customers.

The first kind was their brisket macaroni & cheese. We liked how tender and juicy the brisket was, and it easily melted in our mouths. 

As for their original macaroni & cheese, the noodles were undercooked, and although it was combined with turmeric and nutritional yeast, there was no flavor at all.  

Additionally, we also tried their knockoff of classic baked beans. This dish had the substance of being a passable vegan meal. 

We liked how the consistency and the texture of the baked beans were right. The ratio of beans to sauce was balanced too and not overwhelming. 

But if flavor matters to you, as it does to us, Houston Sauce Pit lacked in replicating the flavors classic baked beans have of sweet brown sugar and hints of garlic and pepper combined. Their beans tasted plain and hardly any hint of seasoning at all. 

We did, however, enjoy their “sausage links”. We could hardly tell that it wasn’t actual sausage, as Houston Sauce Pit replicated all the flavors of original BBQ sausages. 

Moreover, their side brussels sprouts were fresh and smoky. Also, the strawberry lemonade we had wasn’t too tart or sweet—we liked that it had fresh chunks of strawberries too.

Mo Better Brews reimagines vegan food perceptions one dish at a time with their music-themed coffee shop. At least, that’s what we were told. 

From our observations, the claims are true. Mo’ Better Brews doubles as a vinyl record store that fuses their passion for music and vegan breakfast fare with vegan dishes like crispy chicken fried shrooms & grits or their delicious Johnny Nash sweet potato hash.

First of all, we liked how soulful vintage vinyl records for sale line the walls. Customers also lined up against the record walls, not just for records, but for a taste of Mo Better Brew’s local roasted brews. 

We noted a distinct difference between their espresso and regular coffee in terms of quality and taste. Mo Better Brews uses a bold Ethiopian and Columbian coffee blend, while their regular drip is made with a Honduran blend.  

Don’t worry, though; all of their coffee drinks on the menu are made completely vegan too. Additionally, the menu at Mo Better Brews featured a variety of delicious, one-of-a-kind foods and robust, fragrant coffee blends for first-time guests.

The chicken in their chicken fried mushrooms & grits was mushrooms fried in a well-seasoned batter. The texture was chewier than normal fried chicken, but as far as taste goes, our tastebuds couldn’t tell the difference. 

We also liked how their Johnny Nash Sweet Potato Hash was savory as it wasn’t overly sweet. 

One thing we didn’t, though, was their almond croissant. The croissant lacked a pillowy texture, and it tasted dry.

Indiana’s Southern Vegan Kitchen is reinventing soul food for vegans. Indiana puts a new spin on Southern comfort food by offering familiar classics in a new light.

First of all, despite Lindiana’s Southern Vegan Kitchen having a smaller parking lot, we didn’t have a difficult time parking. Furthermore, the inside of the restaurant was clean and not overcrowded when we went a little before closing. 

To start, we liked how their crispy, flaky fried “fish” was made from banana blossoms. Their “shrimp” was made from konjac fruit and even mimicked a shrimp-like appearance. 

We also liked their delicious and creamy soy-free, nut-free mac and cheese, which was so good that it’s bound to make traditional cheese-eaters call out for more. 

Additionally, their chicken sandwich was a monster of a meal. The “chicken” was made with wheat gluten, then deep fried and hit with a proprietary creole spice blend. 

We liked how it’s served with crispy onions and on a pretzel bun. 

While we liked their sweet cucumber lemonade, the pineapple lemonade was a little too tart for our tastes. We also didn’t like the collard greens we ordered on the side, as they were not edible and weren’t actual collard greens but rather other greens.

Soul Food Vegan’s banana pudding is a beloved favorite among many Houstonians we spoke with. Many also raved about the outstanding service that Soul Food Vegan demonstrates to all their customers.

True to the claims, when we went to Soul Food Vegan, all the staff were hospitable and knowledgeable about everything on the menu. We liked how they explained to us the ingredients behind some of their top items on the menu. 

Everything on the menu was a tad expensive, but it was understandable, as most of their meals were made from completely organic and non-chemically processed ingredients.

To start, the mushroom po boy was delectable with every single bite. Also, the mashed potatoes were fresh and seasoned to perfection. 

We didn’t even need gravy for them. Additionally, their catfish platter with dirty rice, collard greens, and boudin balls was filling as it was a large enough portion to serve two. 

But we were not fans of their catfish as it was stiff and had no seasoning to it, and the rice was hardly edible. However, we did like their flavorful boudin balls. 

We also tried their strawberry moringa lemonade which tasted sweet and not sour in the slightest. 

Last but not least, soul food vegan banana pudding lived up to all the hype and comments we heard. Their banana pudding was sweet, creamy, and delicious, living up to all of the hype and comments we heard from others.

But, we recommend calling in advance if you hope to try their banana pudding, as they sell out quickly to people who buy their pudding in bulk.