Casa De Luz

Recommends

Kathryn H.

Joined 1 year ago

Casa de Luz. Hippie heaven, with a communal dining room and a macrobiotic, vegan menu. Pay up front and bus your own tray at the end.

Doesn't Recommend

MLouCam

Joined 2 years ago

How do they make $$? LOL. Although not a true vegan by any stretch, I love the idea of healthy eating...especially when visiting Austin. I had read all the glowing reviews of CDL and decided to ck it out. Not a TOTAL disappointment but.... almost.

Already knowing the "pay first" drill, that was not a shock. Not being able to find a place to sit, kinda was. Since it was 103 outside, the idea was not too appealing. But I plunked down the way overpriced $14/pp Sunday Bufett total and decided to stay positive...or try. I felt like I was paying admission to a museum...as there is little or no service expectation here so don't think you will be catered to.

First, the only seemingly available drinking vessels were coffee mugs...seems they were out of glasses.....oh and apparenly one cant get ice here.? Odd. Nothing like lukewarm tea in a glass.

I guess im just not an extreme vegan or health nut. Dont even think of looking for sugar. :)

The food was decent and consisted of salad, greens, and rice, soup. I wanted to get a glass of water later...oops...no glasses ....again. Seeing the cooks nibbling on what they were cooking didn't help either.

I know people love this place (cult following I guessss) but I can't say that I'll return. Just not for me.

At $14 a head for some warm tea, greens, pinto beans and to sit in the heat....I think I got burned out :(

The best part of the whole place was the walk out thru the nice gardens. I should have just brought a sack lunch and sat out there :((

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RPies

Joined 4 years ago

Consistently delicious, healthy food!. Casa de Luz is one of my favorite restaurants in Austin. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed and the food is almost always perfect. Well balanced, filling and healthy meals. I always leave there feeling very full but never weighed down. The great thing about Casa de Luz is that the food actually tastes like what it is, a concept that a lot of people can't seem to wrap their heads around. The rice tastes like rice, the greens taste like greens, and so on. In a culture that's as removed from our food as ours is, macrobiotic cooking is a refreshing treat once in a while. I don't know that I could ever eat strictly macro, but I have to say I crave it occasionally and Casa does it better than anywhere I've ever been.

I feel like other reviewers have unfairly made it sound expensive. Twelve dollars for a plate packed with the day's offerings, free hot or iced tea, and seconds or thirds of anything you want can hardly be called pricey.

The dining experience is generally as refreshing as the food. You seat yourself at one of the many large communal tables and may just make a new friend while you're there. I've met lots of interesting people and had some great conversations with strangers while having dinner at Casa.

It is not packed with yuppies as one reviewer claims. While a good number of your fellow diners might be well-to-do, I've never encountered anyone snobby or rude. And mixed in with all these supposed yuppies is a large handful of hippies, artists, musicians, and just regular old nice people. If you don't like being surrounded by people different from you and maybe having a conversation with a stranger, I'd ask you what you're doing in Austin!

The open kitchen is a nice touch and allows you to see how your food is being prepared. As a chef myself, I love seeing how the kitchen works.

If you're closed-minded about vegetarian food, I guess you should stay away, but if you really love food, Casa de Luz should be a very pleasant experience for you.

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jesscp

Joined 5 years ago

Great for a fresh start. Going to Casa's weekend brunch is one of my favorite things to do. It feels good to eat food that is healthful, environmentally conscious, and delicious all at the same time. This buffet-style self-serve restaurant is on the pricier side ($12-15/person) but what you're getting is worth the extra cash. This ain't McDonalds, people. :) Re-fill your plate as many times as you like, even bring your own to-go boxes and get food for the whole day. Amazing.

Doesn't Recommend

thewiz

Joined 5 years ago

yuppie's love it (i dont). overpriced yuppie cuisine. it feels like you are joining some kind of cult when you walk in. the place gives a vibe like everyone there is a heavens gate member still waiting for the hale-bopp comet. the food is extremely pricey and totally not worth it... 20 dollars for some brown rice and steamed veggies?! really!? does that come with a side of deep fried gold? its great if you're a soccer mom that needs a story to impress her pilates group... but i think ill pass.

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denyszyn

Joined 7 years ago

Yummy but expensive. Great place for a vegan to go. Yummy food and good recipes. Peaceful setting. No frills. A bit pricey but it's all "real" food, no preservatives.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

This restaurant, part of a community center, serves tasty macrobiotic food.. In Short
Casa de Luz is a nonprofit organization with a dining area, an auditorium, classrooms and gardens. You can eat outside in the garden or on the patio or inside at a small private table. If you're feeling particularly chummy, there's a large communal table, too. The atmosphere is one of friendly tranquility, and the restaurant attracts a diverse crowd. The vegan and macrobiotic menu changes daily and is often designed around an ethnic theme.

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bellobard

Joined 11 years ago

Best Tasting, Healthiest Restaurant. A big surprise for me, this restaurant offered an incredible romantic atmosphere with some of the best food in Austin, and it's all Vegan! For a meat eater like me, that was a big surprise. This restaurant is only for those who like great food and don't want to pay fortune for it...which is most everyone!