I drive to The Woodlands somewhat often to visit family, and while eating vegan there isn’t as easy as in Austin, there are still decent options. There aren’t any vegan/vegetarian places (with the exception of Falacos, a vegan food truck that moves around Houston & is sometimes in the Woodlands area), but there are quite a few restaurants with vegan options, some designated on the menu and some not.
Here are three of the vegan and gluten free meals I had during a quick trip recently. (I ate other food at home, these are just the meals I had at restaurants.)
Note: I don’t have Celiac but generally avoid gluten, but am not bothered by small amounts. The meals I had at Chipotle & Bella Green are labeled as gluten free, but the one from Chuy’s isn’t/may not be completely gluten free.
Chuy’s– Veggie Enchiladas (no cheese)
Chuy’s has been one of my fave places to go in The Woodlands with one of my best friends from High School for years now, so I was super happy when I found out I could still go there after going vegan. Their meatless options are marked on the menu, and there’s a few vegan options you can get by asking for no cheese.
I usually get the veggie enchiladas with no cheese, which has spinach, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell peppers, serranos, roasted green chiles, and corn in their homemade blue corn tortillas with ranchero sauce. They’re pretty good, though honestly my fave thing about Chuy’s/this plate is probably the rice and beans as well as their chips and salsa. (And the Texas Martinis!)
Bella Green (formerly Ruggles Green)- Oh Kale Yeah Salad
This salad has kale massaged in avocado lemon dressing, tomatoes, red onions, mango, carrots, and strawberries, topped with roasted pumpkin seeds, and I love it so much I made my own version. I also usually add blackened tofu to it, which is super tasty and makes it more filling.
Bella Green designates which dishes are vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free on the menu, which is helpful, but make sure you ask about honey too, because a while back they told me their gluten free pizza crust was vegan, but I found out later that it contains honey.
Chipotle– Sofritas Bowl
I don’t go to Chipotle in Austin because there are so many good all vegan/vegetarian Tex-Mex/taco options ((The Vegan Nom, Cool Beans, Mr. Natural, Mother’s Cafe etc.)), but Chipotle is a godsend in the Woodlands because their Allergens page clearly lists all of their vegan (and gluten free) options, including their tofu sofritas!
Have you tried any vegan restaurant options in The Woodlands? Let me know in the comments! Also stay tuned for more posts about vegan options in The Woodlands!
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