Vegetarian Friendly BBQ - Fort Worth or San Antonio?
 

Let's say there are a couple of mostly vegetarians in our group of five. If pressed they might eat some chicken or fish, but none of the usual BBQ main dishes.

Still, it seems like we should visit a BBQ joint or two while in Texas. Most of our time together will be in Fort Worth and San Antonio, 4-5 nights each.

Any recommendations for nice BBQ where a veg could be happy, either through side dishes, salads, or perhaps grilled veggies or even (gasp) tofu?

Google searches are coming up sort of empty handed, except for Rudy's in Austin where we could possibly stop for lunch.

I do accept that the answer to this question might simply be "No"!

Thanks,

I have no idea, but in the bigger picture, why not just find the best BBQ and let the vegetarians watch the carnivores eat? It seems a bad time to compromise.

Right after I posted this question I found The Granary in San Antonio.

Their menu looked promising so I just called. They said with a few days advance notice they could make sure that had something available, which is pretty nice.
http://thegranarysa.com/about/

And they brew their own beers!

I would not say your desire is impossible, but unless they can live on cole slaw, corn bread, white loaf bread, and possibly French Fries and onion rings, you better start preparing them for chicken. Even beans (BBQ and green) and greens like collards will be cooked with meat. I say "possibly" with French fries and onion rings because they may be fried in lard.

This is not to say you cannot find someplace with barbecue flavored seitan or tofu, but it won't be in any traditional BBQ place. You may or may not want to share with them that many traditional barbecue rubs and sauces are full of sugar.

<i>>why not just find the best BBQ and let the vegetarians watch the carnivores eat?</i>
Or maybe send them to Tex-mex.

<i>> It seems a bad time to compromise.</i>
Agreed, this could just be a misguided idea.

But given my response from The Granary, calling a few of the best BBQ places might turn up something.

It's not BBQ, but in San Antonio, we like the vegetarian restaurant called "Green" very much.

Thank Ackislander, all what you say is true. I do usually wish there was less sugar in BBQ sauce.

abram, it looks like Green on Grayson and The Granary BBQ are a five minute walk apart. This may be the solution.

Regarding lard, sugar, etc. - going for a meal or 2 for the experience, I believe most of us will survive. On the other hand, recently returned from a week in Charleston SC, 2 weeks, I have no doubt, would have killed me. I won't go into detail. I ended up begging to be taken home a couple of times, while the friends went on to submerge in the deep fryer yet again.

MmePerdu, welcome to the south. The sweet icky tea does me in. We have Sonny's BBQ here in Fl and they have a really decent salad bar. I get that often. I would think your veggie friends would not mind a night of give and take with the carnivores.

You will note that Granary is a restaurant that features the flavor of BBQ rather than being s BBQ place.

It will suit your purpose, but it would be fun to take them into a classic joint. Have the smelling salts ready!

Mmeperdu--you really missed great food in Charleston if all you had was fried. Goodness.
As for sweet BBQ sauce that was mentioned, then you aren't going to a real BBQ (and Sonny's isn't!). You'll taste more vinegar in good BBQ sauce with some sweet and tomato, as in western NC BBQ. Eastern NC is ALL vinegar and pepper. Texas BBQ is not all that sweet--spicy and tomatoey.
Look at CountyLine BBQ menu. They might have some corn at least!!

http://www.countyline.com/menus/River_menu.pdf

They should survive here. This one on the River Walk is very nice/good.

Gretchen, thanks! The County Line looks like the place, and it's on the Riverwalk.

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs - Yes!
Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Mushrooms, Salads, and ... pecan pie!

I briefly tried to find their BBQ sauce recipe, but no luck. However I did locate a "typical" Texas BBQ sauce on a forum that mentions the County Line is now ranked #1 in Austin, from a vote taken on austion360.com.

That sauce had 2 Tbs sugar in about 3 cups of sauce. Not bad.

"Mmeperdu--you really missed great food in Charleston if all you had was fried. Goodness."

I don't believe that's exactly what I said, Gretchen. Goodness, yourself.

I was exaggerating for effect, apparently taken literally by some. It was likely the contrast between the great Charleston food and my usual that caused distress and even the literal-minded Gretchen might admit, the south is prone to frying. And I did have some great food, at Hominy Grill among others, not letting the suggestions I got on this site go completely to waste.

Well, sorry. It DID seem to be mostly about frying. But if you didn't have some fried oysters the way they are done on the coast, you missed a great dish. But I don't know that I associate Charleston with "fried"--just sayin'.

county Line is good. Our daughter lived in san Antonio for a while and that is where they took us.

How it played out:

The meat eaters went to Rudy's, were very happy, and the vegetarians went to Greens for some amazingly good food.
http://www.eatatgreen.com

We stumbled upon Greens, not looking for it, but it was a super find. The meat eaters also went to Greens and were highly impressed.

The vegetarians then went to County Line and thoroughly enjoyed a chicken and veggie skewer dinner. Aunt Ruth's Pecan Pie was the perfect dessert.

Everyone enjoyed all the meals, it worked out nicely.

Glad it worked out for everyone!

I have to withdraw some of my snark/cynicism above about the coexistence of BBQ and vegetarian under the same roof after stopping Monday evening at Joey C's BBQ and Tex Mex in Milford, CT.

I was served some watery collards which lacked any sign of pork belly, fat back, hog jowl, ham, bacon or any other meat. As a former Tennessean, North AND South Carolinian, Floridian, Mississippian, and current part-time Virginian, it was all I could do to bring myself to taste them.

The collards were in fact delicious, not like my grandmother's but delicious in their own way. All the sides were spectacular as was my wife's fish taco.

So I stand corrected. If there were an emoticon for an old dog learning new tricks, I would post it.

Should you have to drive through Connecticut on I-95, Joe's is right across from the police station in Milford.

Sounds like a great trip.
Ack, a friend just moved to CT. I'll tell him about Joey's.