The Casa De Luz Center for Integral Studies, besides hosting everything from yoga retreats and cooking classes to “karma dog training” and “rapid Spanish,” houses what might be the healthiest restaurant in the city of Austin. It is assuredly the most allergy-friendly establishment, cooking 100% organic, vegan, gluten-free food for all three meals on most days. While embracing a macrobiotic philosophy, highlighting a wide range of fresh ingredients, they still manage to make everything filling and flavorful. Dinner is always a rejuvenating experience and the Sunday brunch buffet is a real treat—including, among other things, superlative wheat-free pancakes (made with spelt-flour). Menu changes daily.
RECS: Here’s how it works: you pay as you enter (usually $12 after tax, a bit steep but still fair for all the food forthcoming) then grab a seat in the community-style dining room and self-serve portions of soup and salad. Next the main course comes out, usually consisting of a grain, bean, green, veggie, and pickle. If you manage to clean that plate you can ask for another serving, but be sure to save room for some of their gluten-free vegan desserts, or at least a $1 cookie or two (try the Thumbprint!).
(You can check out the menu before you go here.)
