Health in Dallas

5100 Beltline Rd. North Dallas

972-503-7326

American, Eclectic, Health, Vegetarian, Best Of, Sponsor, Menu

Eats from across the globe converge at this anything-but-greasy-spoon diner that has served customers for more than 17 years. Great place for a weekday breakfast or a weekend brunch, with their Cloud Cakes and whole wheat pancakes or a variety of Tex Mex-style egg dishes such as migas and Austin tacos. Enjoy a mocha latte while taking advantage of free Wi-Fi in a purple booth. If you're still there for lunch, order the shrimp tacos or pasta pignoli with Dallas mozzarella or the Santa Fe salad with grilled chicken, avocados, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese. For the peace-love-and-brown-rice set there's organic black beans and brown rice, the main part of the Global Dinner. For those with tots, there is an outdoor jungle gym and a lovely patio, though a condo development has seriously cut into what was once an outdoor playground for kids and adults alike.

4 articles

North Haven Gardens

7700 Northaven Rd. North Dallas

214-363-5316

Health, Organic, Specialties, Vegetarian, Retail, Best Of, Sponsor, Readers' Choice

14 articles

Bar & Garden

3314 Ross Ave. #150 Downtown/Deep Ellum

214-774-9620

Grocery Stores, Health, Breweries and Wineries, Best Of

4 articles

Buda Juice

3699 McKinney Ave., Suite 318 Uptown/Oak Lawn

214-559-7249

Health, Menu

Buzzbrews Kitchen

4334 Lemmon Ave. Uptown/Oak Lawn

214-521-4334

American, Coffeehouse, Diner, Health, Organic, Specialties, Tea, Traditional, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of

Owner Omar Zuniga offers stick-to-your-ribs grub (even the vegetarian options) to a customer base that skews towards the hipster, the scenester and the coffee-loving conversationalist, all of whom are attracted to the classy retro-diner feel and the hearty food. In other words, it's a lively, busy joint, particularly for those who enjoy a free wi-fi hookup with their over-easy eggs. The stuffed crepes and eggs are popular here and include variations such as Hare Krishna (egg whites) and the hearty Bluto, which comes with chorizo, onion, bacon, tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro, poblano and cheddar. The roll-your-own breakfast burritos are also hits, available in such whimsical names as the Mr. C, which has chorizo. Coffee is self-serve. And the place is always jumping, thanks in part to theme nights like open-mic and trivia nights.

3 articles

Dream Café

2811 McKinney Ave. Uptown/Oak Lawn

214-954-0486

American, Health, Vegetarian, Recommended, Best Of

From carnivore to vegan, kids to late-night daters, this busy spot in the Quadrangle offers fare to please any diner--except those on a tight budget--with an idiosyncratic menu that ranges from burgers dripping in cheese to the Square Meal, a platter of organic black beans, brown rice and steamed vegetables. There are real grand slam breakfasts, elegant dinners such as the noodle bowl served with a spring roll perched atop two chopsticks and new takes on standards (Dream Café's hummus is a rich paste served with crispy herb pita chips). The outdoor playground and late hours only sweeten the deal.

3 articles

Flower Child

5450 W. Lovers Lane Park Cities

Health, Gluten-Free, Fast Casual

2 articles

Garden Cafe

5310 Junius St. East Dallas & Lakewood

214-887-8330

American, Cafe, Health, Traditional, Vegetarian, Recommended

This Old East Dallas cafe is exactly what you’d expect from a neighborhood restaurant. There are chicken-salad sandwiches, turkey melts and meatloaf. There are eggs and bacon and pancakes and other breakfast items, served all day like every good cafe should. They have fresh fruit, fresh drip coffee and fresh baked desserts too. What you might not expect is an interesting decor with exposed brick, hanging lights and custom booths. Or the full garden out back that’s complete with raised beds and live chickens. And there’s a coffee machine that might cost more than the car you drove to get here. Hopefully you didn’t have to drive to the Garden Cafe, though. Tucked away on a quiet neighborhood street in Junius Heights, this restaurant is a local gem, and most of the patrons surrounding you are neighbors who have walked here.

21 articles

Green Spot Market & Fuels

702 N. Buckner Blvd. White Rock Lake Area

214-319-7768

Health, Vegetarian, Best Of

A tiny gas station and market anchoring the outside corner of an otherwise nondescript strip mall has become a center of natural living near White Rock Lake. Good 2 Go Tacos may no longer be serving its wildly popular and inventive gourmet tacos out of the back of the store, but that hasn't kept Green Spot owner Bruce Bagelman from staffing the kitchen with a new staff led by chef Kirk Childress and offering standard breakfasts, specialty tacos and a smattering of salads, sandwiches and artisanal products. These can be yours, whether you've come to fill up your electric hybrid compact with biodiesel or peruse the Saturday market for local eggs, meats and crafts while sipping on a cup of fair-trade coffee.

7 articles

JuiceLand

1888 Sylvan Ave. West Dallas

214--760-4828

Smoothies, Health, Best Of

2 articles

Kalachandji's Palace & Restaurant

5430 Gurley Ave. East Dallas & Lakewood

214-821-1048

Indian, Vegetarian, Health, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Readers' Choice

Kalachandji’s, inside a Hare Krishna temple in East Dallas, lets its employees decide the day’s buffet menu. Whatever they’re serving, it will probably be recognizably Indian or Indian-influenced, it will definitely be vegetarian, and you will be able to eat it in a dining room where the line between indoor and outdoor seating is charmingly blurred. Come by for lunch or dinner every day except Monday and enjoy probably the best buffet in Dallas, and certainly the most memorable. On Thursday nights, there are also come-as-you-are cooking classes, which teach paneer making and other vegetarian techniques.

Fun fact: Only one restaurant on this list, Royal China, has been serving food for longer than Kalachandji’s, which is 37 years old. (Jimmy’s Food Store has been around longer, too, but for its first few decades it was more focused on being a grocery.)

16 articles

Kava Culture

109 Industrial St. Denton

940-320-6015

Health

La Fiesta Fruits

208 N. Market St., #150 Downtown/Deep Ellum

214-760-7102

Deli, Health, Recommended, Menu

It's a produce party! Would you expect anything else from a place with such a name? However, it's a fiesta for few. The eatery is a bit of a hidden gem compared to the Chipotle branch next door. Aside from the bounty of fruits and veggie options, there are soups, freshly squeezed juices and substantial grub that doesn't sound so healthy. The latter category includes an array of Tex-Mex options, among them breakfast tacos, like vermillion-dripping chorizo and eggs. These are items the MickeyD's of assembly-line Tex-Mex can't give its customers. So, ask yourself: When you find yourself facing the corner building in which the two businesses are located, will you choose the gut-bomb burrito bigger than a newborn child or the fiesta?

LYFE Kitchen

3699 Mckinney Ave. Uptown/Oak Lawn

214-526-5933

American, Contemporary, Gluten-Free, Health, Pizza, Salads, Sandwiches, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine Bar, Wraps, Recommended, Menu

LYFE Kitchen was founded by restaurant industry and business leaders including Mike Roberts, former global president and chief operating officer for McDonald's, and Mike Donahue, former chief communications officer for McDonald's USA. The restaurant showcases a menu created by award-winning, world-class Chefs Art Smith and Tal Ronnen offering great-tasting food that is convenient, affordable and good for you - and good for the communities it serves.

2 articles

Madras Pavilion

101 S. Coit Rd. Richardson & Vicinity

972-671-3672

Health, Indian, Vegetarian, Recommended, Menu

This South Indian vegetarian kosher restaurant offers an extensive menu of vegetable dishes and even Indian pizza. But novices can get a sampler with the lunch buffet, which is two-sided and so long it takes up the width of the spacious dining room. Favorites included the naan stuffed with vegetables and spices, curried vegetables, chickpeas with peppers, a coconut/vegetable mixture and vada (fried doughnuts made from lentils and herbs). Along with a buffet comes dosai, a platter-sized crepe filled with a generous scoop of potatoes and peas offered in spicy and non-spicy versions.

2 articles

Manna Juice Bar

3806 E. Broad St., Suite 128, Mansfield South Fort Worth Suburbs

682-400-8059

Health, Best Of

1 article

Modmarket

7949 Walnut Hill Lane, 101 North Dallas

469-532-0206

Health, Menu

For folks trying to watch their waistlines, eating out can be a major PITA — something as innocent-seeming as a salad can easily contain an entire day’s calorie allotment. Colorado-born fast-casual chain Modmarket, which bills itself as a “farm fresh eatery,” is refreshingly upfront about the nutritional stats of its food, even going so far as to print them on your receipt. A flatiron steak salad with gorgonzola and roasted potatoes will set you back 605 calories, or chow down on a crimini mushroom and kale whole grain flatbread pizza for a mere 487 calories. All the latest healthy eating buzzwords are present here, too, with cage-free eggs and nitrate-free bacon, and even separate menus for the gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan sects. The trendy vibe extends to the decor — with its hanging Edison bulbs, bright yellow metal chairs, polished concrete floors and excess of reclaimed wood, it’s not unlike hanging out in your quinoa and kale-loving hipster friend’s loft.

2 articles

Modmarket

7949 Walnut Hill Lanene, 101 North Dallas

469-532-0206

Health, Menu

For folks trying to watch their waistlines, eating out can be a major PITA — something as innocent-seeming as a salad can easily contain an entire day’s calorie allotment. Colorado-born fast-casual chain Modmarket, which bills itself as a “farm fresh eatery,” is refreshingly upfront about the nutritional stats of its food, even going so far as to print them on your receipt. A flatiron steak salad with gorgonzola and roasted potatoes will set you back 605 calories, or chow down on a crimini mushroom and kale whole grain flatbread pizza for a mere 487 calories. All the latest healthy eating buzzwords are present here, too, with cage-free eggs and nitrate-free bacon, and even separate menus for the gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan sects. The trendy vibe extends to the decor — with its hanging Edison bulbs, bright yellow metal chairs, polished concrete floors and excess of reclaimed wood, it’s not unlike hanging out in your quinoa and kale-loving hipster friend’s loft.

2 articles

New Start Veggie Garden

2330 Royal Lane Northwest Dallas

972-243-0507

Health, Korean, Vegetarian, Best Of

If you’re one of those people who slathers everything in ranch dressing, New Start Veggie Garden is decidedly not for you. If, however, your ears perk up at the words “vegan” and “healthy,” head to this Koreatown spot for a buffet stocked with meatless dishes like sesame “chicken,” broccoli and not-beef, vegetarian sushi, tempura vegetables and a variety of Korean dishes. Wash your cruelty-free meal down with a cup of mountain mushroom tea -- what it lacks in, ahem, magic, it makes up for with supposed anti-cancer properties. Besides a fully stocked lunch buffet (and dinner on Fridays and Sundays), New Start has a retail section at the front that sells everything from vegan jerky and meatless hot dogs to natural cosmetics. Folks looking to get their weekend buffet on, take note: New Start is, oddly enough, closed on Saturdays.

1 article

Peace Love & Eatz

324 E. Belt Line Road, No. 205 Duncanville/DeSoto

469-567-7009

Health, Best Of

2 articles

Recipe Oak Cliff

1831 S. Ewing Ave. Oak Cliff/South Dallas

469-930-8284

Health, Vegan, Vegetarian, Best Of

3 articles

Roots Juices

3527 Oak Lawn Ave. Uptown/Oak Lawn

888-666-0290

Health, Best Of

1 article

Roots On Tap

3613 Parry Ave. Downtown/Deep Ellum

214-484-5706

Health, Best Of, Menu

2 articles

Spiral Diner & Bakery

1314 W. Magnolia Ave. Fort Worth

817-332-8834

Health, Vegan, Recommended, Best Of

In the land of barbecue brisket and ground-beef tacos, vegans can rejoice at the presence of Spiral Diner. Owner Amy McNutt and husband/executive chef James M. Johnston have given Oak Cliff (and Fort Worth) a cornucopia of options attractive to the most dedicated carnivore. Try the "Ate" Layer Burrito, a tortilla stuffed with veggie taco meat, Mexican quinoa, black beans, olives, avocados and then some. Sip on organic free-trade coffee or teas or one of the many craft beers. To top it off, practically everything is made in-house in this modern spin on the 1960s greasy spoon.

12 articles

Spiral Diner & Bakery

1101 N. Beckley Ave. Oak Cliff/South Dallas

214-948-4747

Health, Vegan, Recommended, Best Of, Slideshow, Readers' Choice

In the land of barbecue brisket and ground-beef tacos, vegans can rejoice at the presence of Spiral Diner. Owner Amy McNutt and husband/executive chef James M. Johnston have given Oak Cliff (and Fort Worth) a cornucopia of options attractive to the most dedicated carnivore. Try the "Ate" Layer Burrito, a tortilla stuffed with veggie taco meat, Mexican quinoa, black beans, olives, avocados and then some. Sip on organic free-trade coffee or teas or one of the many craft beers. To top it off, practically everything is made in-house in this modern spin on the 1960s greasy spoon.

24 articles

Sprouts

1800 N. Henderson Ave. East Dallas & Lakewood

214-826-2937

Grocery, Health, Vegetarian, Retail, Best Of

Dallas store director Michael Caufield oversees one of three Texas locations belonging to the Sunflower Farmers Market chain, a less-pricey alternative to Whole Foods and Central Market. The mission is much the same: to provide consumers with natural and organic foods for a healthier, more environmentally conscious lifestyle. The produce is fresh. Bulk options can be ground into varieties of butter (e.g., peanut and almond). The meat and seafood department sells Harris Ranch all-natural beef, Sunflower's own freshly made natural sausages as well as fresh catches. With the money saved pick up a bottle from the wine-and-beer section or a bouquet from floral department.

8 articles

Sugarless DeLite

1389 W. Campbell Rd. Richardson & Vicinity

972-644-2000

Bakery, Health, Best Of

Diabetics or low-carb fanatics will be DeLited at the selection of 300-plus items devoid of the sweet stuff. Everything from barbecue sauce and margarita mix to low-carb bagels and frozen “yogurt” (that’s lactose-, gluten-, sugar- and dairy-free) line the shelves of this Richardson storefront that’s open a whopping 362 days a year (so if you’re craving sugar-free sweets on Christmas, you’ll have to wait just one more day to get your fix). An in-house bakery means even your diabetic grandmother can have a fancy birthday cake. They also whip up cheesecakes, pies, massive cinnamon rolls, pound cake, cookies and brownies.

1 article

Suma Veggie Café

800 E. Arapaho Rd. Richardson & Vicinity

972-889-8598

Chinese, Health, Vegetarian, Recommended

Like Veggie Garden, its sister restaurant across Central Expressway, Suma Veggie Café serves no animal products (including dairy or eggs) and uses no preservatives, food color or MSG. But even meat eaters might be fooled by the dishes. The sweet and sour chicken is a crunchy batter coating a chunk of textured vegetable protein that looks exactly like dark chicken meat. And the "meat" in the beef with peppers has the look and texture of the real thing. Besides the TVP, other dishes--both on the daily lunch buffet and on the regular menu--include strictly vegetables or veggies and tofu.

The Original Chopshop

5717 Legacy Dr. Plano

Sandwiches, Salads, Health

Udipi Café

35 Richardson Heights Ctr. Richardson & Vicinity

469-330-1600

Health, Indian, Vegetarian, Recommended, Menu

This South Indian vegetarian eatery is adjacent to a sari shop and an Indian grocery store, so you can't get more authentic, pink tablecloths notwithstanding. Tucked into the back right corner is a small lunch-only buffet set up on a few tables like a catering affair. The food, however, is fresh and hot. Along with rice, soup, bread and fruit, the spread includes a dozen or so dishes such as uthappam (pancakes dotted with vegetables), vada (fried lentil doughnuts), iddily (patties made from white rice with a spongy bread consistency) and several soupy offerings containing beans, peas, potatoes and curried vegetables.

1 article

Unleavened Fresh Kitchen

1900 Abrams Parkway East Dallas & Lakewood

214-828-8700

Health, Fast Casual, Best Of, Menu

Pop Star popsicles. Noble Coyote coffee. Vim + Vigor juices. Texas beers in the fridge and local wines on tap. That's just a few of the local choices you'll encounter at Unleavened,a family-friendly, whole-food-conscious casual restaurant in Lakewood Shopping Center. First-time restaurant owners Tom Dynan and Scott built a place for patio-style seating outside and intend for the restaurant to be a place for folks to stop off for coffee or breakfast on their way to work, grab a quick lunch, have an early dinner with kids, a leisurely dinner or Sunday brunch with friends. Lunch options are available as wraps (made with local Luna's Tortillas) or bowls. Children's menu options are available as well.

5 articles

Veggie Garden

516 W. Arapaho Rd., #112 Richardson & Vicinity

972-479-0888

Chinese, Health, Vegetarian, Recommended

One couldn't tell just by looking, but this Chinese restaurant doesn't serve any animal products; it's 99 percent vegan. The "meats" here--found both on the menu and the constantly changing buffet--are made with textured vegetable protein or are tofu look-alikes. There are also purely vegetable dishes--no fakers--including stir-fried spicy zucchini, veggie lo mein and crunchy spring rolls. Like Suma Veggie Café, its sister restaurant, Veggie Garden is as customer-friendly as it is animal-friendly. Its pantry and fridge and freezer cases also offer non-animal household goods, foods and imitation meats it uses in the dishes.

2 articles

Villa-O

4514 Travis St., Ste. 132 Park Cities

214-780-1880

Health, Italian, Vegetarian, Recommended, Menu

Longtime Dallas restaurateur Robert Colombo (the successful Trece Mexican restaurant across the street and The Club in The Centrum) has assembled an organic "pasteria" featuring house-made pasta from organic semolina, organic vegetables, organic wood-fired chicken, and table water and sparkling waters produced with an in-house filtration and gasification system. The pastas are near perfect, the salads are lush and ample, and the risotto is creamy and well-stocked with seafood.

4 articles

Health in Dallas

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