Austin Vegetarian Restaurant- Mother’s Café & Garden

I recently accompanied my brother on a trip to nearby Austin, Texas for a continuing education course he was taking. It was during the March HubPages Helpful Health Hubs Contest. I got a lot done in the hotel room while he was in class, without the distractions of home!

I wrote a contest hub on former American Idol Ruben Studdard, who has embraced a vegan lifestyle. In an interview, he stated he regularly enjoys vegan versions of Southern comfort food and Soul Food. This intrigued me, and I figured since we were in Austin, it would be a perfect time to try classics like vegetarian meatloaf, barbecue, burgers, or homemade pie. Austin is just one of those “new age-y” kind of places, don’t you think? I thought, surely there are more Austin vegetarian restaurants to choose from than what I would likely find in San Antonio.

So I googled Austin vegetarian restaurants. Mother’s Café & Garden caught my eye for their diverse menu, including Austin’s “best veggie burger” pick. Mother’s has a total of 220+ reviews, averaging 4 out of 5 stars. They are located on Duval Street in the Hyde Park neighborhood. They are open Monday through Friday 11:15 a.m. until 10 p.m., and 10 to 10 on Saturdays and Sundays.

We started with the complimentary chips and salsa. The tortilla chips were fresh, hot, thin, and delightfully crispy. The salsa was fresh, and packed plenty of punch.

Mother’s recommends their Spinach Lasagna for first-timers. I figured I’ve made pretty good spinach lasagna myself, and besides, I wanted to try Southern and Soul Food classics. For our entrées we ordered the BBQ Tofu and the Bueno Burger.

I’ve come to realize that rule number 1 of veggie burgers is to expect a delicious and different sandwich. I think if you’re searching for beef patty taste and texture, you’re always going to be disappointed. Unfortunately I had not yet had this epiphany. Overall the burger was fresh, hot and tasty, but really soft compared to beef texture. I probably tasted the classic hamburger toppings- the lettuce, tomato, onion, etc., more so than the patty. The bun was soft, delicate, and delicious. Delightful bread is another crucial component of a veggie burger.

The BBQ Tofu came with sage mashed potatoes and blackeyed peas. This entrée was hot spicy, and I’m not really a fan of hot spicy. The peas were mildly hot, the potatoes were hotter, and the tofu BBQ sauce was damn hot. I liked the taste, but having the entire plate hot was a bit much for me. It totally overwhelmed my brother’s palate. We pondered at the time: Is this how you give flavor to vegan and vegetarian food?! Follow this link for a picture of the BBQ Tofu, as well as other Mother's entrées.

We had homemade vegan Blueberry Pie for dessert, with a scoop of Amy’s vanilla ice cream (which is not vegan). It was very good. The vegan crust was a little thin compared to typical pie crusts.

The building is very modest, inside and out. When we arrived, there were not many parking spaces available, but plenty of tables inside. We were seated in the garden-inspired room. There was a musician playing easy listening tunes on the xylophone.

Some of the staff were quite conservative looking, while others were tattooed with vividly colored hair. In addition to being against animal cruelty, I typically think of vegetarians as very health conscious. For me tattoo inks and hair dyes are not healthy.

The staff were not rude, but not really warm either. They were a bit aloof. This has been noted by Yelp reviewers.

I would definitely try Mother’s again because of the diversity of the menu. There are a few more things I’d like to sample! Their menu is posted online. You can find pictures at Yelp.

Mother’s Café & Garden offers a completely vegetarian menu. Most items are vegan, and some vegetarian offerings can be prepared vegan with tofu cheese substitutes or other vegan friendly modifications. Here is an overview:

Soups and Salads: There are two soups of the day, with one vegan selection daily. Salads are Garden Patch Salad, Spinach Salad, Guacamole Salad, and Fruit Salad.

Sandwiches: Their Bueno Burger is touted by Mother’s as Austin’s Best Veggie Burger. Also available is a Reuben with kraut, Swiss, and Jack cheese, an avocado sandwich, a TLT (tempeh, lettuce and tomato), Sloppy Joes (TVP), a portabello sandwich, and their BBQ Tofu on a bun. I think the portabello sandwich might be a top pick contender for another trip to Mother’s.

Specialties: Mother’s top recommendation is the Spinach Lasagna. Also available are Tofu Lasagna, Ravioli Marinara, Mushroom Stroganoff, Fettuccini Primavera, BBQ Tofu, Farfalle Gorgonzola, and Capellini al Greco. Also available are Momma’s Quiche, and Baked Potato.

Mexican-Inspired: Lots of choices here: Southwest Stuffed Peppers, Chili Relleno, Enchiladas Mole, Spicy Tempeh Enchiladas, Spinach Mushroom Enchiladas, Monterey Jack Enchiladas, Enchiladas Verde, Enchiladas Sante Fe, Tofu Enchiladas, and their most popular enchiladas, Artichoke Enchiladas. Also on the menu are Deluxe Nachos, Chili Melt, Quesadillas, Burritos, and Peasants Meal (beans and rice).

Vegetable Stir Frys: Garden Stir Fry, Szechuan Stir Fry, Jamacian Stir Fry.

Vegetables: Steamed vegetables are served with sage mashed potatoes and your choice of black beans, blackeyed peas or pinto bean chili. The Vegetable Medley is served with a side of Mother’s popular Cashew Tamari. Vegetables Rancheros features ranchero sauce and jack cheese.

Weekend Brunch: The entire menu, plus breakfast items such as vegan Banana Walnut Pancakes and breakfast tacos! Brunch is Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Smoothies: Common and uncommon concoctions!

Desserts: Mother’s most popular dessert is probably the vegan Belgian Chocolate Cake. Other vegan desserts include Apple Pie, Blueberry Pie, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, and Almond Mocha Torte. Vegetarian desserts include Amy’s ice cream, Texas Cheesecake, and Carrot Cake.

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