Mission Burger Co.
Vegan restaurant · South Lamar ·
Gourmet vegan burgers, brisket, and chili cheese fries.
Gourmet vegan burgers, brisket, and chili cheese fries.
"This completely vegan burger joint has partnered with coffee shop Barley Bean Cafe to open an all-day destination, no matter the diet, in South Austin. The standalone restaurant, which quietly opened in early March, features more than 40 vegan options that span breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, all of which can be ordered for pickup or delivery, or enjoyed in its indoor seating or outdoors on the patio. Menu highlights include its classic Mission Burger, which comes with a special sauce, its steak sandwich, and its potent garlic fries. The burger joint also specializes in barbecue brisket plates made with an assortment of dehydrated mushrooms that are smoked for five hours out back. Diners can also grab a coffee, matcha drink, or cocktail from Barley Bean’s kiosk inside, which features a full bar and a variety of alternative milks. Best of all: Modifications don’t cost extra. Pro tip: Order for pickup to score a free cookie." - Darcie Duttweiler
"This completely vegan burger joint has partnered with coffee shop Barley Bean Cafe to open an all-day destination in South Austin, no matter the diet. The standalone restaurant, which quietly opened in early March, features more than 40 vegan options that span breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, all of which can be enjoyed inside in its different seating styles or outdoors on the patio. Menu highlights include a Reuben sandwich on marbled rye, a New York-style chopped cheese, and barbecue brisket plates made with dehydrated mushrooms smoked for five hours out back. Diners can also grab a coffee or cocktail from Barley Bean’s kiosk inside, which features a full bar and a variety of alternative milks. Best of all: Modifications don’t cost extra. Pro-tip: If the burgers look too big, junior sizes are available — and those are also great for kids." - Courtney E. Smith
"This completely vegan burger joint has partnered with coffee shop Barley Bean Cafe to open an all-day destination, no matter the diet, in South Austin. The standalone restaurant, which quietly opened in early March, features more than 40 vegan options that span breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert, all of which can be enjoyed inside in its different styles of seating or outdoors on the patio. Menu highlights include a Reuben sandwich on marbled rye, a New York-style chopped cheese, and barbecue brisket plates made with an assortment of dehydrated mushrooms that are smoked for five hours out back. Diners can also grab a coffee or cocktail from Barley Bean’s kiosk inside, which features a full bar and a variety of alternative milks. Best of all: Modifications don’t cost extra. Pro-tip: If the burgers look too big, there are junior sizes available — and those are also great for kids." - Darcie Duttweiler
"You might be curious how a fully plant-based burger fares against the beef patties on this ranking. This is the first burger we’ve had that made us think that maybe going plant-based wouldn’t be so hard after all. It somehow defies the fundamental laws of burger physics—there’s a thick crust on a couple of thin, smashed patties topped with incredibly melty “american cheese,” and it does it all without using any animal products. Whether you’re vegan, vegan-curious, or just in the general South Congress vicinity, this burger should be on your radar. Your Order: Double Mission Burger ($14.95). 100% vegan." - nicolai mccrary
"A new standalone all-day vegan restaurant on South Lamar Boulevard quietly opened in early March and features more than 40 vegan options spanning breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, coffee, and alcoholic drinks. The venture is the longtime dream of founders Michael Limongelli and Isaac Mogannam, who founded the company in 2023 after first crossing paths while catering—Mogannam was making burgers and Limongelli, vegan ice cream—and who evolved from a vegan burrito company and a vegan Italian concept into a burger-focused operation that began as a pop-up in a 200-square-foot Rivercity Market space. Now operating in a 1,500-square-foot facility, many dishes are cooked on a 48-inch griddle. The space offers indoor seating with multiple tables and banquettes, single seats for co-working, a couch, a six-seat bar, and an outdoor patio with six giant picnic tables. Breakfast ranges from pancakes to grab-and-go sausage, egg, and cheese bagel sandwiches and breakfast tacos; lunch and dinner include sandwiches, burritos, and a french fry bar where diners can build their own loaded fries. Menu highlights include a Reuben on marbled rye, a New York–style chopped cheese, and barbecue brisket plates made with an assortment of dehydrated mushrooms that are smoked for five hours out back and served with homemade macaroni and cheese and coleslaw. The signature burger returns, featuring Impossible Burger patties that are, as Limongelli says, "doctored up" with special seasonings, a vegan sauce reminiscent of Thousand Island, and pickles. Ingredient transparency is emphasized on the website: the chicken is made from mushrooms; the brisket from a combination of dehydrated shiitake and Lion’s Mane mushrooms; the queso from oat milk; and the Ranch dressing, now bottled, is made with rice milk as the base. While some pre-made items (like Impossible patties) are used, they are customized in-house, and the restaurant does not charge extra for substitutes or modifications related to allergies or intolerances (even though items like gluten-free buns cost more to supply). For dessert, Limongelli makes a signature vegan ice cream with an oat milk base in flavors such as cereal milk, banana, and peanut butter swirled with vanilla, plus colorful sprinkles naturally dyed with turmeric and beet. Hospitality is a focus: diners receive a complimentary warm chocolate chip cookie with every visit and a dining experience described as void of persuasive "vegan talk." Limongelli notes that regulars already visit at least twice a day for breakfast and lunch and sums up the approach: "We do the activism through our food," adding, "The tastebuds are where our brains go first." The spot is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m." - Brittany Britto Garley