Austin (Veggie) Bites: Vegan Enchilada Roundup

Tofu enchilada, rice, beans, and puffy taco from Vivo. (stellatex/flickr)

Vivo has a variety of options for hungry vegetarians, too. In addition to their guacamole, bean, and tofu puffy tacos and their vegetarian rice and beans, this boldly-decorated restaurant offers tasty tofu or mushroom enchiladas. The waitstaff is always helpful and accommodating—just be sure to tell them if you’re vegan, and they’ll happily leave off the cheese and provide a vegan roja sauce. Slightly higher priced at $9.95 per piping-hot plate, Vivo may not offer groundbreaking Tex-Mex, but their fiery-hot, cilantro-infused salsa, above-average tortilla chips, and vibrant, visually stimulating atmosphere will take you a long way. (2015 Manor Road)

If El Sol Y La Luna's hip SoCo location, $4.00 Wednesday margaritas, or amazing portrait of Selena weren’t enough to draw you in, their veggie enchiladas surely will. Another well-established Austin enchilada house, El Sol boasts fresh ingredients, a broad Mexican/Tex-Mex menu, and the hippest of throwback interior décors (glittery red vinyl booths, anyone?). The mushroom and spinach enchiladas with verde sauce come with the usual side of (vegetarian) rice and beans, and are among the best vegan options in town. Any Wednesday night, $20.00 gets you chips and salsa (be warned: they charge $2.00 for this Tex-Mex staple!), a cup of authentic, fresh guacamole, a house margarita, and a lovingly-prepared plate of chile-infused goodness with rice and black beans. (1224 South Congress)

Mushroom enchiladas with ranchera sauce from Trudy's. (stellatex/flickr)

Another Austin legend, Trudy’s Texas Star, the campus hangout and perennial weekend brunch mecca, offers vegan options for their already above-average enchiladas. As usual, being clear about one’s dietary needs when ordering will result in helpful service and appropriately cheese-free enchiladas. Mushrooms and spinach prove to be the vegan’s best friend again when it comes to Trudy’s. Their enchiladas are neither under- nor overcooked, neither soupy nor dry, and, at $7.45, provide a tasty, affordable Tex-Mex fix in a pinch. Check the vegan status of side items with your waiter. Trudy's remains a great bet for satifying a party of diverse stomachs, with their large Tex-Mex- and Southern-heavy menu. Oh, and they have Mexican martinis, too. (409 West 30th St.)

With three locations around town and a traditional, middle-of-the-road menu, El Mercado wins the award for "Most Suprising Vegan Enchiladas." Complemented perfectly by the vegan roja sauce, rice and beans, and a dollop of the green stuff, their mushroom enchiladas come intriguingly close to approximating the fatty memories of Childhood El Chicos Past. Though the service at the Lavaca location is usually slow and plodding, their vegan offerings, convenient downtown/campus location, and $2.99 happy hour margaritas make it worth a visit. (Various locations)

Grilled veggie enchiladas with ranchera sauce, order of guacamole, mercifully pork-free beans at from Guero's. (stellatex/flickr)

In its thirteenth year of operation, Guero's Taco Bar serves up reliable vegan enchiladas, offering both spinach and mushroom and grilled veggie fillings, plus vegetarian rice and beans, for $9.80. Even better, they serve soy chorizo (recommended along with potatoes for a superb vegan breakfast taco), and their three varities of beans (black, charros, and refritos) are meat-free. Located in a century-old former feed store, Guero's, a favorite resturant of Bill Clinton, has been hailed as the "Home of Famous People Sightings," and often features live music on the patio. (1412 S. Congress)

Mushroom and spinach enchiladas verdes from Mr Natural. (stellatex/flickr)

One of Austin’s most beloved vegetarian restaurants, Mr. Natural has enchiladas that do not disappoint. In fact, they might rightfully claim to serve the best vegan ones in town. The veggie enchiladas with mole sauce are warm, moist, authentic – and healthy, to boot. Their rice and beans move beyond the usual, bland lard-free ones to which local vegetarians may have grown disappointedly accustomed, and prove to be rich and flavorful. Of all the options in town, Mr. Natural probably serves up the plate that will most excite vegetarians and vegans who grew up on more, shall we say, El Patio-like enchiladas. Nothing is missing here, folks. (Various locations)