Vegan-friendly
Lacto
American
Beer/Wine
Delivery
Take-out
Mexican
Reopened in Oct 2007 after a fire, this place features a vegetarian menu with pasta, lasagna, enchiladas, veggie burgers, soup, salad, sandwiches, fresh juices, and weekend brunch til 3pm. Reported closed Novemebr 2020.
50 Reviews
First Review by VeganTex
RachelPrichett
Points +44
Just ok - Edit
This place might be better for vegetarians, but the vegan options are limited and not that great. It seems kind of pricey for the quality of the food, too - I would describe it as cafeteria type cuisine.
Read moreAdditionally, last time I was there they had a couple things labeled vegan on their menu which had cheese. I would have assumed it was vegan cheese, but the woman at the table next to us ordered one and got real cheese. She pointed it out (after taking a bite) and the server told her that the dish was not vegan. They were very apologetic after seeing on the menu that it was labeled vegan, but still weird to get something like that wrong at a specialty vegetarian/vegan restaurant.
Pros: Good for vegetarians
Cons: Not great for vegans , Pricey for the quality
Guest
sb33333
Points +289
Love the spinach enchiladas - Edit
This place is kind of old school vegan but has some really tasty options!
Read moreGuest
ryanhansen
Points +226
One of my favorite local spots - Edit
We love coming here for all the reasons that any restaurant could offer - service, vibe, and most of all - delicious food.
Read moreWe have been to mothers many times and I’ve never left not satisfied. As a vegan, there are quite a few things that aren’t vegan (especially some of the desserts) that I wish were served up as a vegan option, but it’s always amazing nonetheless.
We have come here later at night, around lunch, and for breakfast so have had a good sampling of all of the options. The only thing that I didn’t like was a Bbq tofu dish that I got one time, but it was still forgivable bc I still ate it and had other delicious stuff with the rest of the meal.
The staff is always helpful, but the vibe is probably my favorite in Austin. It’s such a cool, old school hippie vibe with the plants, music, and decor - just love it. Lastly, it’s in the Uber cool Hyde park area and I feel fits in perfectly.
Guest
DeanJen
Points +4966
A paradigm of poetic plant pageantry on a plate. - Edit
A preeminent piquance for the palate.
Read moreGuest
CamSnow
Points +58
Try the queso! - Edit
So, been here a few times, and although the food is good, their vegan queso is great!! Definitely recommend stopping in just for that! It's got a great consistency and taste! Their smoothies arent bad either! Always a nice little place to stop in and grab food!
Read morePros: Amazing vegan queso!
Cons: Not a huge menu for vegans.
Guest
kmccomas23
Points +38
A bit overpriced IMO - Edit
It’s definitely nice to be a vegetarian in Mother’s because the entire menu is at your disposal (not too common in Austin). I do think the prices are a bit steep for what you get. Spinach salad with cashew tamari (add tempeh) is my go-to; the BBQ Tofu is also yummy; the stir fries are a bit greasy for my taste.
Read morePros: Free chips and salsa!
Cons: Pricy
Guest
dmspill
Points +72
Best vegan pancakes in town, great vegan brunch options - Edit
We enjoyed a yummy full vegan brunch with excellent service. Highly recommended. Thank you...
Read morePros: Historic veg place, Great service, Yummy vegan option
Guest
Danidarling06
Points +401
Amazing food - Edit
I love that everything was clearly marked. There were so many options and everything was absolutely delicious!
Read moreGuest
niner
Points +315
Great food and service - Edit
We love Mother’s cafe- the food is wonderful as well as the service. Tons of delicious items from salads and soups to bowls and dessert!
Read morePros: Tons of vegan options, Friendly wait staff, Priced fair
Cons: Can get crowded, Parking
Guest
hardikam
Points +17
Great vegan Mexican food. - Edit
Never thought I would get this good mexican food that too vegan. Must try restaurant.
Read moreGuest
travelsize
Points +68
Amazing selection of comfort food - Edit
Vegan and vegetarian! Love this place. Very friendly to vegan substitutions
Read moreGuest
the_greenest_eyes
Points +330
Nice food, great location - Edit
Liked the food there. Got free tortilla chips and dip as a starter. My vegan lasagna was nice. Not the best I’ve ever had, but still a solid vegan dish. Liked the place a lot. Great staff.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options , Not too pricy, Nice staff
Guest
bootybunches
Points +265
Not bad, a bit tasteless - Edit
Took some non veg family here for my birthday. Food was decent, but nothing spectacular. Liked my vegan tofu scramble and pancake.
Read moreGuest
Smoelfine
Points +663
super cozy place - Edit
Very friendly place and great food!
Read moreTheir cakes are especially good!
Pros: super friendly, good food, cozy place
Guest
Philhower
Points +229
My favorite in Austin - Edit
I’ve been visiting Austin for almost 25 years and I always reserve my first night for Mother’s. The menu is varied, the food is tasty, and service is friendly.
Read morePros: Lots of vegan options. Items can be made vegan, Variety. , Casual live music
Cons: Portions can be small
Guest
SamTowns
Points +146
Great all around vegan restaurant - Edit
Mother's Cafe is definitely one of my favorite spots. When my wife and I first became vegan this was the only place we knew about that fit our lifestyle, and that was totally fine because there were so many things to try on the menu that we had never had before! We lived off of the enchiladas for a long time and eventually reached out and tried other options. We love the live peaceful music they have every time we go at night and how open it is with lots of seating. The atmosphere is like a chill sit down restaurant where we can feel at peace among other like-minded people. Although the menu might not be very adventurous (which turns some people off), it is a million times better than a meat-centered restaurant. Mother's is definitely worth a visit from anyone either vegan or non-vegan.
Read morePros: Great location, Live music, A lot of options
Cons: Not all vegan, Menu never changes, Not a lot of parking
Guest
ArielRoberson
Points +54
Great Tex Mex! - Edit
I’ve been here twice, and had a great experience both times. I’ve had the burrito and Chile melt both with vegan cheese and they were really good. Their blueberry pie desert is also good. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere and the service was great!
Read morePros: good Tex Mex, good service
Guest
JosPol
Points +24
Food was ok/ service was rough - Edit
We came at about 2pm on a Saturday, which was the end of their brunch time. Short wait and we're seated quickly, but once we got drinks, our waitress ignored us during the 30 minutes until our food arrived. They forgot my soup, but the Reuben I ordered was good. Too much Daiya piled on top, but the wheat meat slices were yummy. My husband got the artichoke enchiladas which were just artichoke hearts in some tortillas. It left a lot to be desired and we weren't really impressed. They had a lot of veg options though, and hopefully we just caught them on an off day.
Read moreGuest
Rach Viddy
Points +81
Good - Edit
I like this place. The atmosphere, service, and food are pretty good. They have a good selection and can make a lot of their vegetarian dishes vegan.
Read moreGuest
N.M.Neidigh
Points +28
Amazing Vegan Meals!!! - Edit
My mom and I love the food-especially the Portobello sandwich and Bueno Burger (vegan burger). They have good selection of food that vegan, GF or food you can make vegans. However, if you have nuts allergy, you may want to stay away
Read morePros: Friendly waiters , Good selection of food, Serves chips when you're seated
Guest
MicheletheTrainer
Points +924
TEX MEX FOR THE WIN - Edit
Think Tex Mex, drive to Mother’s Cafe then order:
Read moreSpicy tempeh enchiladas...very smokey..I'd say this is THE dish to order.
Artichoke enchilada...almost like a veggie pizza flavor due to the mushrooms and tomato sauce..very nice...better with cheese (you can request vegan cheese). Enchiladas and Tex Mex is really the thing here.
Garden salad..big! Loved it.
Lemon vinaigrette is tasty and the cashew tamari is a very popular dressing
Sage mashed potatoes simple flavorful and if you like herbs don't miss it—I had them next to my enchilada!
Vegan desserts including fruit pies and a highly popular vegan chocolate cake—it’s awesome.
They have some Sweet Ritual vegan ice cream too which is always a MUST. (SR has a dedicated place you can also go to with more vegan ice cream flavors)
This place has been around since the 80s. They can answer ALL of your vegan questions. Ask for Tess the waitress..she was so cool and super helpful with the order and explaining the dishes. Enjoy!
Pros: TEX MEX, ENCHILADAS
Guest
Thr3Eye
Points +23
1st restaurant i tried in Austin! - Edit
May i start out by saying I LOVE AUSTIN! I walked half a mile to try this restaurant right after landing from my flight. I have nothing but good things to say. The salsa was spicy just how I like it. Chips fresh. I tried the energizer smoothie & it was delicious. My entree was spinach & mushroom enchiladas, made vegan with Daiya cheese by request. Exquisite.
Read moreToo full for desert, but the menu had 6 different vegan options.
Pros: Price, Vegan options , Quality of food
Cons: Literally NONE
Guest
Wilmarie.g.g
Points +219
B- food, C- service - Edit
The restaurant is very clean and nicely decorated. We were greeted and seated immediately by the hostess. Our server brought us the menu and after sitting there a while and watching him walk by our table about 10 times without looking our way, I decided to get his attention. He repeatedly appologize and said he forgot he was our server. The restaurant was nearly empty and he was the only server so I'm not sure how he forgot.
Read moreOnce we ordered, the food did not take long and it looked great! My sister and I ordered 2 types of enchiladas and they both had a sweet taste to them. We couldn't figure out what it was.
My other sister had a burger which she enjoyed.
We finished our meal and I guess our waiter forgot he was our server again because we waited and waited until another young lady appeared and asked if she could get us our check.
Pros: clearly labeled menu. most items can be made vegan
Cons: our waiter seem to not want to wait on us.
Guest
ehayoun
Points +20
Visiting Austin - Edit
Road trips are often difficult for my husband and I concerning meals, but we love driving through Austin because of the variety of vegan/vegetarian restaurants that are available.
Read moreOur first time trying Mother's: I would give it a 5.5 out of 10 overall. The Hibiscus-mint ice tea was good and the chips and salsa were nothing special. I ordered the Southwestern Stuffed Pepper and it was tasty, though I wish it had been fried like a chile relleno. The sides were yummy too: sauteed squash and black beans.
My husband ordered the Portebello Sandwich which was disappointing. The individual ingredients were fresh, but the sandwich over all was kind of flavorless. I would have made the sandwich more like a portobello burger by toasting the bun, adding vegannaise/mayonnaise, and giving it more spice or flavor.
The Belgian Chocolate Cake was good, very dense and chocolate-ly. But most of all I loved their coffee!
The ambiance and waitstaff are really lovely and I would definitely go again so I can try more from their menu.
Pros: Great ambience, Great quality, Menu variety
Cons: Lacking flavor, Averagely clean restrooms
Guest
kerili22
Points +73
Our Favorite in Austin - Edit
My husband and I frequented this restaurant very often when we lived near Austin, and every time we go back to visit it is a MUST. We adore this restaurant. First off, they give you complimentary nachos and salsa every time, even if you go for breakfast. And they are delicious. You know the food is handmade and prepared right there, because the salsa always tastes a little bit different. Always yummy, but the spice level changes. The rest of their food is equally delicious. My favorite is the Bueno Burger, and I almost always get that. I also really enjoy the tofu and spinach lasagna. My omni husband mixes it up, but often gets the burrito or the mushroom pasta dish. Their desserts are also delish, and we've tried the chocolate Belgian cake (my husband's favorite) the almond tart, and the apple pie. They are pretty sweet, but they're yummy. If you go for breakfast, try the pancakes. They are HUGE and I can never finish them, but they are so awesome. I always get the strawberries on top! Seriously, this is by far the best vegan restaurant in Austin, and you should really go here if you are ever around. The price is great, the portions are awesome, and the staff is super nice too!
Read morePros: Complimentary nachos and salsa , Delicious food, Very affordable
Guest
KatieBatty
Points +1477
Nice big restaurant w/ lots of great vegan options - Edit
We started with a tropical sunset juice, which was tasty and refreshing.
Read moreI got the artichoke enchiladas, which was a really unique and creative dish, was great with the vegan cheese on top.
My partner ordered the savoury baked tofu, which was nice.
For dessert we shared the blueberry pie, the pastry was really amazing and they served it with vegan ice-cream, which isn't listed on the menu yet. On the menu it just says the ice-cream isn't vegan - it doesn't mention a vegan option for ice-cream.
Good service, nice big spacious restaurant - would be an ideal place to go if you had a big group.
Pros: Great blueberry pie, Serve brunch on weekends
Cons: Not all vegan, No vegan sour cream
Guest
Poundie
Points +13129
Nice, relaxed eatery - Edit
This is a nice place--the food was fine, some vegan choices, not fancy but certainly pleasant.
Read morePros: Pretty good food., Relaxed atmosphere
Cons: Not ardently health oriented
Guest
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