Counter Culture, a beloved staple of plant-based dining in Texas, has officially reopened its doors at a bright blue house on Berkman Drive in Windsor Park, bringing its scratch-made vegan menu back to Austin just in time for World Vegan Month, The Daily Texan reported.
The return of the Windsor Park brick-and-mortar location marks a major comeback for owner Sue Davis, who originally launched the concept as a food trailer back in 2009 before opening her Caesar Chavez storefront in 2012. Davis was forced to shutter the original restaurant in 2022 amid crushing economic pressures, rising operating costs, and declining foot traffic, according to VegNews.
From Food Trailer Roots to a 1960s Diner Rebirth
Refusing to let the concept fade away, Davis launched a successful spring Kickstarter campaign that rallied the community and raised nearly $50,000. That infusion of capital allowed her to secure and renovate a distinctive 1960s-style building in Windsor Park, complete with multiple stylized rooms—including one dedicated entirely to owl paintings and statues—and a full bar.
“Stubbornness and love,” Davis said when asked why she chose to reopen amid such a difficult economic climate for independent eateries. Explaining the financial hurdles of independent hospitality, she noted her deep ties to the neighborhood:
“I’ve run this place on my own, with no corporate backing, since it started as a food trailer in 2009. I know how hard it is.”
Reintroducing Plant-Based Classics Alongside New Fare
The new menu bridges the gap between old favorites and fresh culinary experiments. Diners can find returning staples like the popular Mac n Cheeze, Pacman Kale Salad, Reuben sandwiches, breakfast burritos, Crab Cake Benedict, and the fan-favorite vegan Turtle Cheesecake, as reported by VegNews.
Reviewers have offered a mixed but largely affectionate nod to the expansive menu items. The Daily Texan highlighted the Asian BBQ seitan skewers served over slaw, noting that while the savory marinade hits the right notes, the dense wheat gluten texture and oven preparation left a heavy aftertaste. By contrast, the buffalo mac balls earned high praise for their crispy panko coating and a rich, tangy ranch dressing made from blended tofu and soy milk.
For mains, the kitchen serves a Philly seitan “cheezesteak” sandwich loaded with peppers, onions, and house steak sauce on a soft hoagie roll. Reviewers observed that while the kitchen successfully mimics the classic texture, the seitan’s inherent flavor and salty cheese sauce occasionally lack deeper nuance. Lighter options, such as the BBQ jackfruit quesadilla with cashew cheese and avocado lime sauce, offer an acidic, smoky balance that captures the quintessential flavors of a traditional quesadilla without the dairy.
Looking Ahead to a Sustainable Future in Windsor Park
Desserts continue to be a powerhouse for the brand. The menu features a coconut milk and tofu-based buttermilk pie topped with fresh strawberry sauce, alongside a rich turtle cashew cheesecake sweetened with dates.
Davis hopes this new chapter will prove sustainable as the restaurant welcomes back loyal regulars and introduces curious newcomers to scratch-made plant-based dining. Whether the neighborhood embrace will be enough to shield Counter Culture from the broader economic headwinds facing independent restaurateurs remains the central question for its long-term survival.
“Some folks have told me they’ve been waiting for years to have our food again, and that means the world to me, [but] it’s also a thrill to feed people who’ve never been here,” Davis said.
