Fabrik Austin
Vegan restaurant · Blackland
1701 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Suite 102, Austin, TX 78702
Highlights
Plant-based fine dining showcasing seasonal, creative tasting menus
Plant-based fine dining showcasing seasonal, creative tasting menus
"Verdict: Fabrik is a plant-based fine-dining experience on East MLK that uses ingredients like miso butter, caramelized yeast, and tamari caramel to impart rich and savory elements in their dishes. The dining room is nothing to write home about—it’s at the bottom of an apartment complex, where it shares a wall with a neighboring torta shop—but a meal here involves one of the best tasting menus in Austin, vegan or otherwise. There are no walk-ins and no bar to post up at for a last-minute dinner, so you’ll need to plan a meal at Fabrik ahead of time. Reservations for the 6pm seating tend to book up nearly three weeks in advance, but if you’re OK with the 8:30 slot, you can usually snag a table about a week out." - nicolai mccrary, raphael brion
"Fabrik lets a vegetable be a vegetable. It’s a vegan restaurant that doesn’t rely on Franken-pseudo meats to try to convince you that soy protein is just as good as meat. Instead, they know that a skewer of oyster mushroom grilled over hot charcoal can, in fact, trigger the same dopamine rush as any piece of poultry or beef. Just know that by signing up for dinner here, you’ll be buckling in for an inventive seven-course tasting menu that feels a little bit like a plant-based roller coaster. And at less than $100 a person, it’s one of the more affordable tasting menus in town—and barely more than a ticket to Six Flags. There are no walk-ins and no bar to post up at for a last-minute dinner, so you’ll need to plan a meal at Fabrik ahead of time. Reservations for the 6pm seating tend to book up nearly three weeks in advance, but if you’re OK with the 8:30 slot, you can usually snag a table about a week out." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs, raphael brion
"Fabrik lets a vegetable be a vegetable. It’s a vegan restaurant that doesn’t rely on Franken-pseudo meats to try to convince you that soy protein is just as good as meat. Instead, they know that a skewer of oyster mushroom grilled over hot charcoal can, in fact, trigger the same dopamine rush as any piece of poultry or beef. Just know that by signing up for dinner here, you’ll be buckling in for an inventive seven-course tasting menu that feels a little bit like a plant-based roller coaster. At around $85 a person, it’s one of the more affordable tasting menus in town—barely more than a ticket to Six Flags. There are no walk-ins and no bar to post up at for a last-minute dinner, so you’ll need to plan a meal at Fabrik ahead of time. Reservations for the 6pm seating tend to book up nearly three weeks in advance, but if you’re OK with the 8:30 slot, you can usually snag a table about a week out." - nicolai mccrary, adele hazan, raphael brion
"Fabrik is an upscale plant-based experience on East MLK that uses ingredients like miso butter, caramelized yeast, and tamari caramel to integrate rich elements into their dishes. The dining room is not particularly fancy—it’s at the bottom of an apartment complex, and the bathroom is shared with a neighboring sandwich shop outside—but it’s a meal holds its own in any conversations about fine dining, vegan or otherwise (enter: this guide). Just know that if you do dinner here, you’re signing up for a seven-course journey (with an optional beverage pairing) that seamlessly blends Japanese, Nordic, and Italian flavors with local, seasonal ingredients. There are no walk-ins and no bar to post up at for a last-minute dinner, so you’ll need to plan a meal at Fabrik ahead of time. Reservations for the 6pm seating tend to book up nearly three weeks in advance, but if you’re OK with the 8:30 slot, you can usually snag a table about a week out." - nicolai mccrary
"At this fine-dining tasting menu restaurant in the Blackland neighborhood, co-owner and chef Je Wallerstein shows the delicate power of high-end vegan cuisine. The seven-course tasting menu is full of creative plates that pull from her Japanese, Italian, and Nordic training. This can mean seasonal dishes like springy focaccia with vegan butter and bean dip, and potatoes paired with smoked ricotta and mushrooms. There’s an optional wine pairing, or nonalcoholic options like kombucha or spritzes. The restaurant is sleek but small, so reservations are essential. Best for: This is a special occasion restaurant with impeccable service. Feel free to take sworn carnivores to show them the power of vegetables." - Erin Russell
