El Palote Panaderia

El Palote doesn’t look too different from the scores of other Mexican restaurants around Dallas, but one thing sets it apart from the pack: it’s completely vegan. North Texas’ first vegan Mexican restaurant, El Palote opened in 2015 only serving vegan food on Thursdays. But its vegan offerings became so popular that by September 2016, it had gone 100 percent plant-based.

At El Palote, owners Aurelio and Lily Arias and their son Aaron have reformulated recipes that have been in their family for generations while not sacrificing any of the flavor. Their soy-based meat substitute is made in-house and has a texture similar to soy curls, and these tacos and tortas are filled with meat-free barbacoa, al pastor, bistec, carnitas, and more, along with all the usual fixins. They’re so good, you won’t miss the meat!