If you’re trying to eat healthy this year, you may be slightly confused about where to start. You might even feel conflicted about what ‘healthy’ really means.
I’m Jamie, a holistic nutritionist who helps busy people implement healthy habits (like eating nutrient-dense, whole foods) so they can feel good in their bodies. I am a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) who guides people on their wellness journey by taking a foundational approach to health. You can find me on IG @yourtravelingntp if you’re curious to learn more!
I was motivated to write this article because I’m sick and tired of Googling “healthy restaurants in Austin” and only seeing vegan or smoothie joints pop up. I love JuiceLand as much as the next person but Austin has much more to offer! Contrary to popular belief, just because something is vegan, does not make it healthy.
So that we’re all on the same page, let’s define what healthy means and why these restaurants made the list. I chose to focus on restaurants that use real food. Real food means it’s free of seed oils like sunflower, canola, or soybean. These oils cause chronic inflammation which is tied to just about every health issue our society faces. Real food also means it's made fresh with quality ingredients free of preservatives, chemicals, and (in most cases) refined sugar. Our guts benefit from food that is in its most natural state and the places on this list are dedicated to quality ingredients that support our health instead of harm it.
Secondly, these restaurants are dedicated to sourcing local, organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed ingredients. Eating food from local, small farms means you’re getting the most nutrients because the fruits & veggies were picked close to home when it was ripe, as opposed to days or weeks in advance so that they could ripen as they travel across the country to your plate. Additionally, meat and seafood from small, local, family farms typically use regenerative and sustainable farming practices which is better for the environment and your health. Pasture-raised and grass-fed proteins pack more nutrients, it’s not just a gimmick to charge more!
Let’s get to it! Here are 10 healthy restaurants in Austin according to a holistic nutritionist.
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photo via instagram
4801 Burnet Rd
Picnik meets all the criteria for me: refined sugar-free, seed oil-free, and gluten-free. Their butter is grass-fed, they only serve “conscious meats” and each meal has a balance of protein, carbs, and fats. Serving sizes are spot on, and their coffee and teas are delicious. I might be addicted to their Golden Milk Matcha. If you have a sensitive gut or are doing an elimination diet such as the Autoimmune Paleo, they have a special menu with lots of options. Booze-free? No problem. They have delicious zero-proof drinks and if you do drink but try to make it as healthy as possible, they even have hard kombucha. With two locations in Austin - on South 1st and the flagship location on Burnet Rd., you can enjoy a delicious and healthy meal no matter what part of town you’re in.
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photo via instagram
Various Locations
If you’re wanting a more upscale healthy experience, check out any of The Well’s three locations to walk into a beautiful dining room and read through a menu that is completely free of gluten, seed oils, soy, refined sugar, or GMOs. Their beef is grass-fed and includes Texas Wagyu, their chicken is pasture-raised, and their seafood is all sustainably sourced. To top off their excellent ingredients, they also work with nutritionists to ensure meals are balanced and support your body’s systems. I love that you can easily add protein to all of their smoothies, protein in your smoothie is essential to keep your blood sugar from spiking.
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photo via facebook
222 West Ave
11410 Century Oaks Terrace
Based on the anti-inflammatory food pyramid, True Food Kitchen is the brainchild of founder Dr. Andrew Weil, a renowned doctor of integrative medicine. It’s healthy, and it’s friggin delicious. There are plenty of vegan and gluten-free options and seed oils have been eliminated from their kitchens. If you’re doing a keto or paleo diet, they have a special menu to choose from. Take your parents, your date, or enjoy a balanced and yummy meal solo.
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photo via instagram
Various Locations
According to my research, Honest Mary’s may not be completely seed oil-free, but the majority of their menu items are and I wanted to include them because they are a local company that offers balanced meals in a casual, counter service fashion. A great spot for lunch, Honest Mary’s offers completely customizable bowls, grass-fed meats, tons of local yummy veggies, and even bone broths for sipping. My favorite dish is the Aloha Poke Bowl, which features hand-line caught poke and a delicious Asian slaw.
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photo via instagram
1701 Toomey Rd
If you haven’t walked down the magical, tropical pathway that leads to Casa de Luz yet, get on it! At the end of the path, you’ll find a community-focused dining experience like no other! Vegan, macrobiotic, no seed oils, no sugar, no gluten, just a whole lotta love and good vibes. Casa de Luz offers a fixed menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. You walk in, pay a fixed price, make your way to the kitchen, and grab a tray. Depending on what time of day it is you’ll either serve yourself buffet-style or one of their lovely volunteers will make you a plate. This place is a gem for the community. The grounds of Casa de Luz are also host to massage therapists, a yoga studio, and other wellness-focused businesses like 3rd Eye Meditation Lounge & Elixir Bar and Alchemy Juice. Nestled on Toomey Rd., you can easily walk the Town Lake trail or go paddleboarding before enjoying a meal.
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photo via daidue.com
2406 Manor Rd
Dai Due uses absolutely no meat from factory farms or ingredients outside of Texas! Outside of “a few pistachios from New Mexico” and an occasional potato, everything down to their beers and wines is grown, bred, milled, hunted, or brewed right here in the Lone Star State. You won’t find any signs of seed oils here! They use predominantly animal fats or butter and items that are fried are done so in beef tallow. This is a true farm-to-table experience, with a constantly rotating menu to accommodate seasonal harvests and hunts. In addition to the restaurant, they also run the New School of Traditional Cookery where you can hunt and learn how to butcher your own meat!
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Photo via Instagram
501 Colorado St
Comedor has been called Austin’s sexiest damn restaurant, and with its modern exterior architecture yet unpretentious interior, it’s easy to see why. Combine that with the focus on sustainability, the dedication to source from local farms as much as possible, and the fact that they do not use any seed oils, and you’ve got a winning combination in these nutritionist’s eyes. Check out the Bone Marrow Tacos, one of their biggest crowd-pleasers. They also have 0% ABV cocktails, wine, and beers! They were recently recognized by the Michelin Guide on their inaugural Texas list, make a reservation and see what the fuss is about!
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photo via instagram
2118 S Congress Ave
Nourished ATX boasts a small but mighty breakfast, lunch, or snack menu using some of the cleanest ingredients of any restaurant on this list. Started by two former private chefs, both with a background in health-supportive nutrition, Nourished ATX focuses on crafting gut-friendly foods that support your microbiome, and mindful eating. With adaptogenic elixirs like the Charcoal Hydrator or Toasted Coconut Collagen Chai, it shows! This food truck in South Austin features an entirely gluten-free menu and the healthiest of baked goods (in addition to savory entrees like the Sweet Potato Breakfast Biscuit)!
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photo via instagram
517 S Lamar Blvd
For another healthy vegan option, check out ATXFOODCO, where each menu item seems to be meticulously designed to be perfectly balanced with gut-friendly ingredients, healthy fats, and a focus on minerals. Minerals are an often overlooked foundation of health and this food truck located at Barton Springs Rd. and Lamar in front of Trek Bicycle is on a mission to serve up nourishing foods that support health and overall well-being. You won’t find any seed oils here, or preservatives, or chemicals, or any BS ingredients at all! They make their own in-house walnut milk and also sell wild sea moss (and include it in all their smoothies). Sea Moss contains up to 99 of the 102 organic minerals that make up the human body. ATXFOODCO is unique and delicious. Check ‘em out!
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Photo via Instagram
501 W 6th St
Located downtown on West 6th St., TenTen’s kitchen is seed oil free and refined sugar free, using coconut sugar in their sushi rice. Fresh fish is delivered daily and although this is a sushi restaurant, they serve up quality wagyu beef that comes from Peeler Ranch, a regenerative, fossil fuel averse ranch with whole life grass grazed livestock. This is a great happy hour spot Monday - Saturday from 4:30 - 6 p.m. Stop by for $8 Hamachi and $6 Pork Gyoza’s (that aren’t fried in seed oils) or half-off specialty cocktails, wine, beer, and even N/A cocktails!
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While this list runs the gamut as far as cuisine and ambiance - you can rest easy knowing that all of these restaurants use real food, no seed oils, and local, organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed proteins when possible.
If you found this helpful, follow me on Instagram @yourtravelingntp or get a free copy of my Real Food Guide where you’ll learn about what ingredients to look out for and why, which brands use clean, real-food ingredients, where to shop, and even meal kits made with whole foods to support you in those busier seasons. -Jamie Jett
Let Us Know Your Favorite Healthy Spots!
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