San Antonio is home to some of the biggest foodies. From tacos to tamales to BBQ. KENS 5’s Andrea Martinez set out to find out if it’s possible to eat vegan in San Antonio.
Our first stop is nestled into San Antonio's historic Pearl Brewery, Green Vegetarian Cuisine.
From juicy burgers to chicken fried chicken, you don't have to miss out on being from the south when you eat clean.
Cue the man behind San Antonio's clean eating movement Mike Behrend, otherwise known as the “Veg King.” He's the owner here at Green and several other vegan restaurants in San Antonio.
“Our food, although it's vegan and vegetarian, it tastes like San Antonio,” Behrend said. “It doesn't taste like California, it tastes like Texas, and that's why people like it.”
Another example of San Antonians embracing the vegan lifestyle: The Coyle's.
Jeff Coyle is the director of government and public affairs for the City of San Antonio. He's also an avid cyclist.
“I fell in love with plants after falling in love with her,” Coyle said, referring to his wife. “That part was easy.”
His wife, Katie Coyle works for the Humane Society of the United States and is a longtime vegan.
“I’ve been so incredibly impressed with the options for plant-based eating and San Antonio,” Katie noted.
And for Katie, it's about the animals. For Jeff, it's about his bike.
“I was looking at my times going, ‘Woah, I'm getting faster,’” Coyle recalled.
That Texas taste is responsible for the success of another one of the Veg King's restaurants: Earth Burger, a fast food burger stand on San Antonio's north side.
“This one actually does taste like a real burger,” one customer said.
Earth Burger's patties are all made from plants, from the Fish-Less sandwich to the chopped BBQ sandwich and the famous Earth Burger.
Our next stop, Bok Choy, serves plant-based Asian cuisine. It offers your favorite Pan-Asian dishes, all plant-powered.
Take this vegetable beef substitute and this jackfruit subs pulled pork. Breaded chicken? No sweat. It's made from soy protein and doesn't miss a beat.
Next, we're taking you downtown, where your Tex-Mex dreams come true at Viva Vegeria.
Owner Bennie Gonzales gives us a peek at the Vegeria menu, where it's all about traditional Mexican Food.
“You can taste the culture, and also you're staying true to your vegan and vegetarian beliefs,” one customer said. “It's pretty cool.”
Cue the kale and spinach enchiladas! Or their tacos. Who needs meat when you can have fried and battered avocado?
The wings? Don't be fooled. These are cauliflower topped with buffalo ancho sauce.
With options like these, it's no wonder that eating clean in San Antonio can be surprisingly easy.