The best vegetarian restaurants in Dallas, Texas

Being a vegetarian in Dallas can be a little like being fish out of water. All the entrees center around meat. However, with a little cleverness, you can find an incredible cornucopia of vegetarian fare in the city.

Having been a vegetarian myself for nearly fifteen years, I have scoured the whole metroplex for the best vegetarian food it has to offer. Here are some of my picks.

Kalachandji’s

Kalachandji’s is located inside a Hare Krishna Temple on 5430 Gurley Avenue in Dallas, Texas. Kalachandji’s serves food buffet-style in a palatial setting. Their menu is different every day, and typical offerings include dahl, pakora, steamed vegetables, shakh paneer and barbecue tofu. The atmosphere in Kalachandji’s is like a garden paradise. You can sit and relax outside in comfortable booths, surrounded by nature.

The Veggie Garden

This little hole-in-the wall, located on 510 W Arapaho Rd. in Richardson, Texas is deceptively nondescript from the outside. However, when you walk in you are promptly greeted by friendly staff, and impressed by the attractive Chinese decor. But what really stands out is the food. The menu includes various kinds of “veggie meat” as they call it; soy-based imitations of meat-based dishes. Veggie Garden’s soy meats are good enough to fool a die-hard meat addict. They’re always drowned in delectable sauces, and surrounded by extras like vegetables and crispy noodles. Veggie Garden serves up a nice selection of natural sodas, hot teas, and other beverages. My personal favorite was the thai tea, which was made with soy milk.

The Cosmic Cafe

The Cosmic Cafe is one of my all-time favorites. It is on 2912 Oak Lawn in Dallas, Texas, and serves up a wide variety of creative Indian dishes, along with some international selections. Entrees include the Buddha’s Delight, which consists of curried vegetables, dahl, samosa, pappadam, rice and nan. If you’re in the mood for Chinese, you might like to try the Cosmic Stir, which is made from fresh asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, onions, squash, snow peas, ginger and tofu served over basmati rice with a side salad. Or if you’re wanting Mexican, try the Taco Trinity with its three soft tacos filled with onions, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers and cheddar cheese, with black beans, rice and salad on the side. Or if you’ve got to have American, try the No Bull Burger, a black bean burger topped with mushrooms, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, with your choice of cheddar or mozzarella