Okay taco fiends: it’s time to talk VEGETABLES. The rise of fusion and Tex-Mex taco spots in town means the number of creative, vegetable-based tacos has multiplied. From meat substitutes to tofu to grilled or fried vegetable options, Houston offers a wide array of delectable vegetarian-friendly tacos. So let’s get to it.
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10. Vegetarian taco at Tacos Tierra Caliente, 2003 W Alabama A pile of lettuce, tomato and squiggles of Mexican cheese in a flour tortilla may not sound the most exciting or appealing, but here’s the key: free avocado. With a generous squeeze of a lime over the top, these simple tacos transform into more than the sum of their parts. -
9. Tacos chelo at Cuchara, 214 Fairview Those who prefer a little spice with their tacos will love the crunchy taquitos at Cuchara that are stuffed with potato, covered in a spicy green salsa and decorated with raw onion and cojita cheese. -
8. Tofu tacos at Skinny Rita’s, 4002 Main The soft tacos eschew the more typical choice of firm tofu for soft, well-seasoned tofu that is gently caramelized and almost melts in your mouth. Topped with avocado, pico de gallo, grilled onions, peppers, and a roasted garlic yogurt sauce, you can choose between corn, wheat or nopal tortillas (sub butter lettuce wraps for a dollar extra). -
7. Papa con queso taco at Luna y Sol, 2808 Milam Who could resist the perfect, tiny emoji-like taco appearance of the potato taco at Luna y Sol? The golden, slightly oily corn shell wraps softly around a cheesy, fluffy mashed potato filling. Dress it up with salsa, or even better, with a side of the other vegetarian taco on the menu, the rajas con queso which is roasted poblano peppers with onion, tomatoes, corn and panela cheese covered in crema. -
6. Tator taco at Tacos a Go Go, 3704 Main Your choice of tortilla (flour, corn or whole wheat) houses a large handful of crispy tater tots, black beans, queso, salsa, tomatoes and sour cream. The taco normally comes with bacon, but just ask to leave it off for an immensely satisfying vegetarian taco. -
5. Goldie Hawn at Dizzy Kaktus, 301 Main For those partial to cauliflower, the Goldie Hawn tucks battered, fried cauliflower into a flour tortilla along with Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, cabbage and queso fresco in sriracha mayo. -
4. The Independent at Torchy’s, various locations Many gravitate towards the fried avocado taco at this taco powerhouse, but the portabello taco holds my heart. Fried portobello strips are simply a crispy, toothsome vehicle for flavor. And with a bed of refried black beans, roasted corn, shredded carrots, queso fresco, cilantro and avocado, the flavor is there even if you leave off the ancho aioli. -
3. Brussels sprout taco at 8 Row Flint, 1039 Yale There are plentiful meatless (and meat-ful) options at this spacious Heights-based whiskey bar. You should make a beeline for the Brussels sprouts tacos, which feature deeply roasted, caramelized sprouts on a corn tortilla under charred onion, crema, radish, queso fresco and cilantro. -
2. Cremini queso taco at Fusion Taco, 801 Congress Fusion Taco excels in the vegetarian-friendly taco arena. My favorite is the cremini queso taco, where a pile of garlicky sauteed mushrooms languish under a sea of burnished cheese (the flour tortillas are on the doughy side, which can be a plus or minus to some). Other strong options include the agedashi tofu, falafel or Brussels sprout tacos. -
1. Vegan chorizo tacos from Boombox Tacos I hear Boombox does a great traditional-style pastor taco, but I wouldn’t know since I’ve been brainwashed by Boombox’s solo vegetarian option to the point of no return. A pile of saucy if-no-one-told-you-you’d-never-know vegan chorizo sprawls across two oily, well-sized corn tortillas. Topped with cilantro, chopped onion and lime, they are hearty and very tasty.
