Best Healthy Restaurants in Austin, TX

This is my guide to eating healthier in Austin, Texas. In general, I do not go out for healthy food very often because it is usually easier and more affordable to cook at home. However, when you want to meet up with friends or simply dine out while still making relatively healthy choices, there are plenty of great spots around Austin that deliver both flavor and lighter options. This guide covers the places I personally enjoy when I want to eat out without completely abandoning my healthy habits.

Rogue Radish

Rogue Radish is currently my favorite spot in Austin when I want to eat something healthy. They operate out of Swift’s Attic during the daytime, and you can either order online for takeout or dine inside the restaurant.

The food here is excellent. The chef previously ran Pitchfork Pretty, so if you were a fan of that restaurant, you already know the cooking is going to be solid.

My go to order is usually the Sunflower Sprout Salad, which is packed with crisp greens, cabbage, cucumber, sprouts, scallions, avocado, chickpeas, and toasted seeds, all tossed in a bright turmeric ginger vinaigrette. I also love their Wagyu Steak Bowl, featuring Peeler Ranch wagyu served over purple rice with chickpeas, greens, sprouts, and house fermented pickles.

Sometimes I combine the two by adding steak to the salad, depending on what I am craving that day. Either way, the Sunflower Sprout Salad and the steak are the must orders for me.

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Local Foods

Local Foods is another spot that I highly recommend when you are trying to eat healthier in Austin. I honestly enjoy both their salads and their sandwiches, so it really just depends on what I am craving.

Whenever I am downtown, especially after playing pickleball, I almost always stop by Local Foods to grab their Crunchy Chicken Sandwich. It is actually one of my favorite sandwiches in Austin. The best part is the crunch comes from actual potato chips layered into the sandwich, which gives it such a fun texture.

During the summertime, my favorite salad here is the Summer Harvest Salad. It comes with mixed greens, corn, watermelon, radish, Brussels sprouts, goat cheese, and a Lone Star Herbs vinaigrette that ties everything together really well.

Their Crunchy Chicken Sandwich comes with oven roasted chicken breast, nut crumble, crushed chips, tomato house pickles, romaine, provolone, buttermilk ranch, and a pretzel bun.

Usually, my husband and I will split a sandwich and also order a salad to share. Their kale side is also pretty solid, and sometimes, if we are feeling a little less healthy, we will add on some kettle chips.

The food here tastes fresh, it comes out relatively quickly, and that is why we usually just order pickup whenever we are in the area.

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Mezze Me

Whenever I try to eat healthy, I naturally gravitate toward Mediterranean food. Not only does it use a lot of whole ingredients like vegetables and fresh herbs, but it also tends to have plenty of dairy free options, which works better for my gut.

The Mediterranean style of cooking is one of my favorites when I am trying to make healthier choices because the food still has so much flavor.

The things I recommend ordering here are the Governor’s Platter, which comes with an assortment of their different Mediterranean Turkish meats, and the Mezze Platter, which includes a variety of their spreads like red pepper hummus, classic hummus, eggplant spread, and tabbouleh.

Honestly, pretty much everything I have tried here has been solid, and one of my favorite parts is that they bring freshly baked pita bread to every table.

I have eaten here many times throughout my health journey, and it continues to be one of my favorite places when I want something that feels healthy but still satisfying.

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Wow Poke

Wow Poke has been one of my household staples for a while now. I probably eat here about once a week because it is such an easy option when I want something healthy, fresh, and convenient.

My go to order is their Mix Love Bowl, which comes with salmon, tuna, white rice, mango, scallions, avocado, house dressing, furikake, and crispy onions. My husband personally likes their Ponzu Truffle Tuna and their Pan Fried Poke.

One of the things I like about Wow Poke is that you can fully customize your bowl, so it is easy to adjust based on what you are craving. We keep coming back because it is quick, uses fresh ingredients, and you know exactly what you are getting every time.

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Old Alley Hot Pot

Old Alley Hot Pot is currently my favorite spot for hot pot in Austin. Now, I will say that I am not sure if hot pot itself is considered the healthiest option, but there has been a lot of talk recently about the “hot pot diet” because it can be an easy way to get in a lot of protein and vegetables.

If you are trying to hit your protein goals or simply want an easy way to eat more vegetables, I recommend choosing one of their lighter broths, like the tomato broth, and loading up on plenty of vegetables and different meats.

The thing I like about hot pot is that you know exactly what you are putting into your meal. It is filling, satisfying, and honestly one of the easiest ways to get a good amount of vegetables into your diet while still enjoying your meal.

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Dai Due

If you are looking for my favorite restaurant for eating meat, or specifically somewhere to get in your protein, I recommend checking out Dai Due.

Dai Due is a great option because they accommodate a lot of different dietary preferences, but what I really love is their focus on high quality meat dishes. For example, I really enjoy their antelope steak, and their meatball skewer is also a must order. It comes with chili yogurt, marinated cucumbers, and merita sauce, which adds a really nice balance of flavors.

Honestly, almost everything I have tried here has been solid. So if you are someone who enjoys eating meat and wants a restaurant that focuses on quality ingredients, Dai Due is definitely worth checking out.

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Other Options

Other options that you can consider are spots like Inka Chicken in Round Rock, which has really good whole roasted chickens. If you are trying to hit your protein goals, this is an easy option because you can simply buy a whole chicken and portion it out throughout the week. Their chicken is really flavorful, and I also love their plantains.

I also enjoy Cava as a fast casual option because you can customize your bowl and have a better idea of exactly what ingredients and calories are going into your meal.

Another easy option is Costco’s rotisserie chicken or even their shrimp cocktails. These are convenient, affordable ways to add more protein into your diet without having to cook everything from scratch.