Restaurants In Dallas You Can Wear Your 'MAHA' Hat

"Make American Healthy Again" is the latest brand in President Donald Trump's political universe. It's a formal political action committee with Health and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the helm. The PAC's official website states it's committed to "tackling the chronic disease epidemic," citing poor diets and environmental toxins as potential causes.

Of all the things we disagree with the Trump administration, we support a concerted effort to combat obesity and cardiovascular disease in Americans. We're only in the beginning months of the second Trump administration (somehow), so the jury is still out on what RFK and his team will implement through MAHA. In the meantime, we can still eat healthy on our own time at these Dallas restaurants.

Nuno’s Vegmex

8024 Spring Valley Road

When Aurelio “Nuno” Arias Jr. sold his shares of his family-owned El Palote Panadería, a change was due. Nuno’s Tacos and Vegmex is an exclusively vegan Mexican food spot in North Dallas. It was born at the weekend Dallas Farmers Market, where Arias tested his vegan flavors for seven months until the storefront opened. Nuno’s only takes online orders but does have a covered patio where you can enjoy your vegan tacos, burritos or nachos outside on a nice day.

True Food Kitchen

8383 Preston Center Plaza #100

With locations in Plano and Dallas’ Preston Center Plaza, True Food Kitchen touts a menu 100% free from seed oils (they made the switch to avocado and olive oil in 2022). The menu is broad, making room for each corner of the American comfort food spectrum, along with a diverse drink menu including beer, wine and zero-proof cocktails.

Garden Cafe

5310 Junius St.

It’s exactly what it sounds like: Garden Cafe in East Dallas offers brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a dinner menu from 5 to 10 p.m., each filled with fresh vegetables grown in a backyard garden. Outdoor seating amid the garden is particularly lovely on those summer days that don’t feel like the surface of hell. We recommend an iced latte and smoked tomatillo chilaquiles with pulled chicken for the brunch crowd. As for dinner, it doesn’t get any fresher than the blistered shishito peppers for a starter, topped with cilantro, queso fresco, crispy shallots and lime juice. Only $8!

The Original ChopShop

6465 E. Mockingbird Lane, No. 308

With a handful of locations across Texas, 10 in Arizona and three in Georgia, the Original ChopShop provides a creative menu of flavors that range from Asian to Mediterranean to classic American fare. Its website features an extensive description of nutritional details on each Chop Shop menu item, including gluten and allergen details and potential cross-contact.

Gopal

125 Central Expressway, Richardson

Tucked away in a corner near Central Expressway, you could miss this spot in a blink. Gopal is an all-vegetarian Indian restaurant. It resides just a stone’s throw away from two Chinese spots, Kirin Court and the family-run First Emperor Chinese Restaurant. We recommend you check out those places, too, but keep Gopal in mind for your next diet or meal with vegetarian friends. We recommend the vaghareli khichadi, a hearty rice and vegetable dish that is as fresh as it is easy on the wallet and comes out to just $9.99.

Nature’s Plate

10233 E. Northwest Highway, No. 432

This East Dallas spot offers vegan, plant-based meal preps that can be enjoyed over a week. The offerings change weekly and can be ordered via weekly subscriptions or individual meals a la carte. Each selection from Nature’s Plate touts no GMOs and at least 75% wholly organic ingredients, all to be enjoyed from the comfort of your home.

Sweetgreen

3636 McKinney Ave., No. 100

Though a nationwide chain, Sweetgreen is an excellent spot for a healthy meal, with five North Texas locations. It has a neatly curated selection of salads and rice bowls, each filled with a vast range of fresh vegetables. The company also states that each Sweetgreen meal is 30% less carbon intensive than the average American meal and has promised to become carbon neutral by the end of 2027.

Bella Green

8041 Walnut Hill Lane, No. 810

“Green” is the popular word here. This Texas-based chain has two locations in Dallas and Plano and offers a wide variety of made-to-order soups, salads, pasta, pizzas and sandwiches. There’s a good range of gluten- or dairy-free items here and several vegetarian options.

Casa Del Vegano

333 Jefferson Blvd.

Just a block from the Texas Theatre, it’s hard not to stop at Casa Del Vegano every time we visit Oak Cliff. Opened in 2021, the Tex-Mex outlet is owned by Anthony and Elizabeth Bookman, who also operate Vegan Food House in the Bishop Arts District. At first glance, the menu looks similar to the loaded, greasy options we see all over North Texas. But Casa Del Vegano substitutes the familiar barbacoa, pastor and chicken with jackfruit, portabella mushroom and black beans while maintaining a uniquely Tex Mex flavor.

Patina Green

116 N. Tennessee St., McKinney

In downtown McKinney, Patina Green is a reliable lunch spot that sources ingredients from many local farms, bakeries and vendors. Sandwich meats come from McKinney-based Local Yocal. An iced tea from Patina Green will be made with leaves from Austin-based Zhi Tea and honey from South Dallas’ Bonton Farms. The restaurant is closed on Sunday and Monday, but the lunch counter is open on other days from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering freshly made hot sandwiches or grab-and-go cold cuts.

Flower Child

5450 W. Lovers Lane

When we asked for recommendations for healthy restaurants in Dallas, the most mentioned spot was Flower Child, a chain with four locations in Dallas proper and two in Fort Worth and Plano, respectively. The glow bowl is our favorite order from Flower Child. It is a vegan and gluten-free meal with sweet potato noodles in sunflower sauce topped with an ever-crunchy pile of onions, shiitake, snap peas, cilantro and mint.