Known for its cross-cultural mix of Mexican street foods and American junk food, Texas’ Rio Grande Valley might be the last location you consider a vegan food location. Located on the southernmost pointer of Texas on the northern bank of the Rio Grande River, which separates the United States and Mexico, the Rio Grande Valley is the birth place of meat-centric Tex-Mex food. But over the last couple of years, a regional health transformation has actually stimulated a blossoming vegan food scene. So whether you’re a 956 native, a seasonal snowbird, or a SpaceX transplant, here are the 7 finest vegan areas you need to attempt in the Rio Grande Valley (or what residents call the RGV).
What is Tex-Mex?
Tex-Mex is a local American food with a questionable history over whether it can be called “Mexican” While menu offerings like sizzling fajita plates and melty cheese-stuffed enchiladas have actually ended up being prevalent all over the United States, the birth place of these pleasant, reassuring meals lives not in Mexico however the Rio Grande Valley, to name a few border areas in Arizona, New Mexico, and even California.
Maria Cruz Cuisine
According to Robb Walsh, a food scholastic focusing on Texan food, Tex-Mex came from as early as the late 1700s when Spanish- speaking Native Americans were left after Spanish missionaries deserted the area now referred to asTexas These people were called Tejanos, and Tex-Mex culture developed from their cooking customs. The food is likewise motivated by immigrants fromNorthern Mexico
Beginning in the 1950s, Tex-Mex foods– which were currently categorized as food for the working individuals– ended up being significantly commercialized and lowered. Fast- food cycle swept it up, instilling practically every product with extremely processed yellow cheeses, sour cream, and factory-made difficult taco shells. This variation of Tex-Mex is still widespread throughout the nation, however it does not represent the totality of Tex-Mex food. To citizens of the Rio Grande Valley and the surrounding areas of America’s Southwestern states, it is a genuine food that advises them of house. Items like puffy tacos, chili trick carne, and mix plates have their location and needs to be commemorated.
Vegan Mexican food
The dining establishments on this list do not all lean Tex-Mex; some are completely Mexican, or a mix of the 2. With the exception of the periodic usage of lard and cheese, Mexican food is vegan-friendly when it pertains to the staples. Rice and beans will please more than an unfortunate salad or limp French french fries on any offered day. Flour and corn tortillas, fajita veggies, guacamole, salsas, fruit paletas, and jamaica (hibiscus) are likewise level playing field.
7 vegan dining establishments to attempt in the Rio Grande Valley
Dive into these tasty vegan consumes the next time you remain in theRio Grande Valley To guarantee you do not inadvertently take in any animal items, verify with your server or cashier that the products you’re buying aren’t made with lard, dairy, or other animal items, and you’re set.
Maria Cruz Cuisine
1 Maria Cruz Cuisine
Named after chef and owner Ingrid Monserrat’s granny, Maria Cruz Cuisine brings a vegan taste of Tabasco, Mexico to the heart of Downtown McAllen. Brunch is served 7 days a week, where you’ll discover favorites like chilaquiles, tortas, burritos, molletes ( a kind of open-faced sandwich of beans and cheese), and a Northern Mexican specialized called a taco pirata, a vegan butter-brushed flour tortilla taco loaded with refried beans, vegan bistec ( steak), non-dairy cheese, grilled onions, and avocado, then griddled to a crisp. Dinner service provides vibrant salads, sopes, and vegan beef-filled enchiladas suizas and entomatadas ( red sauce-smothered corn tortillas). We suggest cleaning all of it down with Maria Cruz’s housemade agua frescas or aSake Tequila Paloma
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Sweet Craft Vegan Bakery
2 Sweet Craft Vegan Bakery
Conchas, roscas, empanadas, oh my! Sweet Craft Vegan Bakery’s Amanda Nolan takes us on a time warp back to youth, baking up vegan variations of all our favorite Mexican sweet bread like cream-filled Ping üinos, pan de muertos, and strawberry jam-filledGansitos To boot, you’ll discover a selection of special doughnuts, coffee cakes, fritters, and seasonal offerings at this Brownsville bakeshop such as pumpkin spice empanadas for fall and rainbow-colored conchas for Pride.
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The Boocha Bar
3 The Boocha Bar and Taproom
A sanctuary for health and health fans in the Mid-Valley, The Boocha Bar and Taproom is a yoga studio, kombucha bar, and plant-based cooking area inDowntown Weslaco Get your sweat on, then rehydrate with a house-brewed kombucha and devour on a piece of vegan street taco pizza. Other products consist of gluten-free zucchini boats and bell peppers packed with all the traditional pizza fixin’s and in your area crafted vegan ice cream fromHoja Nueva Plant-Based Creamery Keep an eye out for chef Noe Acevedo’s seasonal specializeds like his “Meatloaf” Sandwich– a handhold stacked high with mashed potatoes, sautéed bell peppers, and meaty mushrooms on a house-made bun.
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IQ’s Juice Bar
4 IQ’s Juice Bar
You’ll discover more than simply juices at IQ’s Juice Bar inBrownsville It’s a vegan paradise for gut health enthusiasts, gluten-free eaters, and soft-serve lovers. Menu products consist of superfood bowls, shakes, and coffee and tea beverages made with housemade almond milk. For heartier alternatives, owner Ingrid Quijano suggests IQ’s sweet or mouthwatering waffles, which are made-to-order and topped with just the best active ingredients. Don’ t lose out on IQ’s vegan fro-yo’s which can be found in a range of tastes consisting of matcha, golden milk, black charcoal, and “Blue Majik,” made with blue spirulina.
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Pasta La Madre
5 Pasta La Madre
A newbie in the Rio Grande Valley’s vegan food scene, Harlingen’s Pasta La Madre provides traditional pasta meals and soups spun the South Texas method. You’ll discover sopa de conchitas (Mexican shell pasta soup), mushroom and vegan chicken pozole, zuppa Toscana with Mexican chorizo, and more. Take house a tub of housemade almond parmesan or a container of among numerous sauces, consisting of Alfredo, Cajun Cream, and Cilantro Cream.
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Pitbosses Barbecue
6 Pitbosses Barbeque
If you’re jonesing for smoky meats or Mexican barbacoa, look no more thanPitbosses Barbeque This pick-up-only area in Brownsville barbecues up some soul-satisfying vegan meats. We’re huge fans of Pitbosses’ Seitan Steaks Parrillada– a loading plate of smoked seitan steaks and sausages served with Mexican red rice, refried pintos, pico de gallo, and agua frescas. Other products consist of tofu ribs, vegan pollo asado (grilled chicken), and Northern Mexican- design vegan barbacoa by-the-pound, made with shredded eggplant.
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Veggie Del Sol
7 Veggie Del Sol
A leader in the Rio Grande Valley’s vegan food scene, Veggie Del Sol’s offerings vary from traditional Mexican to American favorites such as vegan tacos, crispy flautas, Philly cheesesteaks, hamburgers, and buffalo cauliflower wings. Portion sizes here are substantial! We love Veggie Del Sol’s packed nachos, which are just $5 on Wednesdays, and we suggest chasing them down with a vegan clamato-free michelada.
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For more vegan food in Texas, read:
Eddie Garza is VegNew s’ Food Editor, the author of ¡Salud! Vegan Mexican Cookbook and The 30-Day Vegan Meal Plan for Beginners, host of Global Bites with Eddie Garza, and a leading figure in the motion to reform food systems in Latinx neighborhoods.
