Tuệ Tâm (Vietnamese Vegan Restaurant)

I said we’ve got to get some hot soups today while it’s still cold in Houston; before it warms up. And a dear friend said hey let’s try this vegan Vietnamese restaurant on Bellaire Boulevard, run by a mom and her daughter and I thought the Vietnamese equivalent of a “cocinera tradicional”?, sign me up. And so we met up at Tue Tam on Bellaire to sample. And I’m kind of excited about vegan Vietnamese because there’s some organ meats and some flavor profiles that are meat based in Vietnamese that can be kind of goofy for me so here was an opportunity to get some flavors without having to worry about weird organ parts, cubes of blood and other stuff that aren’t my first choices. I started with a soup associated with crab originally. Bun Rieu. Tomato and noodle based. John and Richi joined me and we shared a vegetarian banh xeo (perfect for anyone with allergies to shrimp. And an additional soup and a vegan riff on shaking beef. A great place for sure.

We loved the papaya salad & shaking tofu fried rice. The spice was mild for a spice lover like me but that was not a problem since it tasted so good. We ordered veg pho but they ran out so they gave us noodle soup and that was ok too. Would definitely go back there when we have opportunity. It’s also a walkable distance from Hongkong market so you can also shop and enjoy vegetarian meal.

My first time here! I am not vegan but the food was impressive and great! Bao was so friendly and great! Highly recommend!

Best vegetarian menu I've ever had in town! Food quality is top notch! Fresh ingredients and seasoning just perfect. I'm serious! They even have chili salt and vegan fish sauce, plus their chili oil/sa tế is the besttttt!!! Friendly servers 👌

Recommend? Yes! I got the “ốc luộc mắm gừng” and the “bánh canh riêu” along with the in house fresh soy milk. Both dishes were delicious. Quite creative on the “ốc luộc mắm gừng”. I personally liked that dish better with the chili salt and a squeeze of lime. The texture is crunchy and mimicked what it was inspired by quite well. The “bánh canh riêu” was also good, but I would try a different dish next time. It had a thick broth and soft tofu that’s meant to mimic the “riêu”. The only negative here is that the soy milk was served iced. Overall, among the vegan Asian restaurants in the city I think they’re definitely one of the top ones.

I went to the Tuệ Tâm vegetarian restaurant for lunch. This was my first time eating there. It is a very small restaurant. The service was plain and unprofessional. The server did not greet or acknowledge the customers. She just asked, 'Am I ready to order?' While I was waiting for the food, I heard there was an argument behind the kitchen. Other customers and I were shocked. I ordered the bún huế. From the menu picture, it looked very nice. When the server brought out my order, the bún huế was completely different from the picture. I asked the restaurant manager why it did not look the same as in the menu picture. She said in the menu picture, the bún huế has tofu, mushrooms, carrots, and imtation ham. I told her that the color of the food from my order did not look the same as it was in the menu. She gave me a dirty look and walked away. I only had a few bites and paid the bill. I will never come back here again. I would never recommend this vegetarian restaurant to anyone.

I came here for a friends birthday, and we all ordered family style! We loved the papaya salad, the grilled squid, the dried fish and literally everything was delicious and beautifully plated! Service was incredible and we got to thank the chef personally, she is doing magic here!! The food was so flavorful, so happy to have found this place and can’t wait to come back!

Heard about this place from Dang is Wang on TikTok and I’m glad we came. This place is delicious! I can’t believe some of these aren’t real meat which I think is a rarity in Vietnamese cuisine. They even have vegan fish sauce and vegan hoisin sauce. We ordered the Bun Ba Luc Lac (shaking beef noodle), the Mi Nuoc (egg noodle soup), the Nem Muong Cuon (spring rolls), and the Nuoc mat (artichoke pandan iced tea with chia seeds). All were delicious. I would recommend to others and come back!

This has got to be one of the best vegan restaurants in Houston. The food was so good. I had the Banh bot loc and Oc luoc xa (lemongrass "snails"). The "snails" was one of the most innovative dish I've ever had. It actually tastes like the original dish!! Mama is a genius. So happy when she came out to greet the customers too. Feels just like family. Will definitely visit again and I'm a fan of their TikTok page ran by her sweet son.

I cannot recommend this place enough! This is a great spot for delicious Vietnamese Vegan. The ambiance is extremely peaceful and soothing and service was spectacular! It's a small, quiet restaurant located in a plaza with plentiful parking. I ordered the Gỏi Gà Bắp Chuối, Bún riêu and Nước mát. Everything was so DELICIOUS and had plenty of flavor with the meat substitutes. Extremely filling too! I'm definitely coming back to try more of their menu items.

Recommend? Yes! I got the "ốc luộc mắm gừng" and the "bánh canh riêu" along with the in house fresh soy milk. Both dishes were delicious. Quite creative on the "ốc luộc mắm gừng". I personally liked that dish better with chili salt and a squeeze of lime. The texture is crunchy and mimicked what it was inspired by quite well. The "bánh canh riêu" was also good, but I would try a different dish next time. It had a thick broth and soft tofu that's meant to mimic the "riêu". The only negative here is that the soy milk was served iced. Overall, among the vegan Asian restaurants in the city I think they're definitely one of the top ones.

Saw this place on IG and bookmarked it cause my parents were coming to town and completely vegetarian. I took them here the first night they were in town and thought it was pretty darn good! This place serves zero meat, and everything used in all dishes are imitation meat or veggies! We ordered the bi cuon, aka shredded "pork" spring rolls and they were fantastic! The banh bot loc aka "crystal dumplings" had mushrooms inside and were so tasty and flavorful. The dough had a good chew. I loved it so much, I ordered another one! I had the Banh canh rieu, basically a handmade udon noodle in a thick broth with eggs, vegetarian "ham" and some veggies - again, surprised with how flavorful this dish was, a perfect amount of spice from the pepper, noodles were made to perfection and chewy, and the bowl was so comforting! My parents each ordered a bowl of noodles, my dad had the vegetarian bun Bo hue, aka spicy "beef" noodle soup and my mom had an eggroll, and vegetarian "pork" vermicelli bowl. They both enjoyed their food as well. The restaurant is very homey... brown tables and minimal decor. The service was quick and friendly. The owner even came over to say hello! I enjoyed my time here!!

Saw this place on TikTok so we had to stop by to support! Very clean Vietnamese restaurant, that specializes in Vegan & Vegetarian dishes. Had some meat options too. Service was quick. Banh Bo Loc/Stick Dumplings is a must! Great texture & flavorful. Banh Canh/Viet Udon soup was a bit different from what I'm use to, but it was amazing! The star of the show is the Ca Nuong/Fish Platter! Highly recommend that dish if you don't mind using your hands. Deconstructed rice paper roll wrapped with veggies & fish. There were so many dishes I wanted to order, I will come back with a large group next time! Definitely a hidden gem. So glad we came across that TikTok to support this cute Vegetarian restaurant! 10/10 spot, I've been telling all my friends about this place. :)

Loveeee finding vegetarian Vietnamese places and this place is great. Ordered lots of things so first up was banh bot loc (vietnamese sticky dumplings): I've never had regular banh bot loc so I'm not sure what the filling is supposed to mimic, but I would've preferred if it was more of a minced or paste texture. 3.5/5 Muc nuong (grilled "squid"): Not very much like squid, which I don't mind, but this was one of my favorites and SO GOOD. Loved how crisp the mushrooms were and the garnishing was perfect. 5/5 Bun hue (lemongrass noodle): Yummy clear type of broth that I wished had more of a kick, but that was easily fixed with the chili oil at the table. 4/5 Mi nuoc (wonton noodles): Not my favorite but that's just cuz I'm not a huge fan of wonton noodle soups, but I can see someone who loves it loving this dish because the broth is flavorful and the dish tastes exactly how it's supposed to. 3/5 Com chien tau hu luc lac (shaking beef fried rice): My other favorite dish!!!! So delicious and everything held the sauce so well. Also love how well it went with the fried rice (coming from someone who doesn't like fried rice). 5/5 Banh xeo (vietnamese crispy fried pancake): Fried so perfectly crisp and went so well with fresh lettuce and chili oil. 4/5

Artichoke pandan iced tea - 7/10 - Had a bit of a bitter after taste but was refreshing and i liked the chia seeds in it Vietnamese iced coffee - 8/10 - Stronger than other viet coffees ive had but tasty, had a bit of a mocha flavor Rice noodle stir fried - 9/10 - Most flavorful item we tried, this was really good Shaking beef fried rice - 8/10 - The "beef" was very soft but didnt taste like meat at all, more like vegetables, but flavors and spice were great Vietnamese sticky dumplings - 8/10 - Tasty, but i wasnt a fan of the texture Lemongrass noodle soup - 6/10 - The noodles were a bit too chewy, i wasnt a fan of this personally Ginger lemongrass snails - 6.5/10 - I didnt really like the slimy texture and flavor of this This spot is fully vegan/vegetarian and i was surprised that they were able to make so many "meat" items vegan. I really liked the stir fried noodles. Some of the items had a lot of flavor which i liked while others didnt. Overall decent spot if you like Vietnamese food and want to try a vegan twist to it.

A hidden gem in Bellaire! It's entirely vegetarian with vegan options as well! We were the only ones in the restaurant for a bit until the lunch rush came. The Banh Xeo was so crispy and Oc Luoc was delicious! I admire the meticulous preparation of each "snail" and appreciate the thought put behind each of these dishes. The nuoc mam (fish sauce) was fresh and light, which made each dish even yummier. The canh bun was also light and flavorful and pretty filling. I also ordered the Vietnamese coffee and was delighted to find that they used soy milk! If you like your drinks less sweet, you can let them know and they'll adjust the level for you! The service was quick and the interior was super clean! I was happy the restaurant filled up towards the end of our meal and hope it stays busy! Definitely give this place a try next time you're looking for a vegetarian restaurant!

Hands down the BEST Vegan Vietnamese food I've had! Where do I began?? For starters, the service is excellent; speedy and friendly with great recommendations. The entire menu is vegan EXCEPT for the desserts. The fried egg rolls and spring rolls were DELICIOUS! However, the entree took the award for the BEST rice I ever had. We ordered the beef fried rice, twice, and it didn't disappoint! I wasn't a huge fan of the pancake, though highly recommended and ordered, or the tofu & mushroom pot. Great experience and I can't wait to go back!

My friend took me to Tue Tam after we saw multiple recommendations for it on Tiktok! The restaurant is very quaint and its employees are equally hospitable. This was my first time trying vegan Vietnamese cuisine and it left me speechless. There were so many things to try and only so much space in my stomach. Here's a review of what we ended up getting: Bun bot luc: I'm typically not a carrot fan but this sticky rice appetizer is fantastic. Perfectly chewy, sweet, and savory, I could've easily had more if it weren't for all the other items we ordered. Goi du du: This appetizer was HUGE. I'm not sure if my photo captures how much papaya salad you get, but it could easily be split between 4 people. The crunchiness of the prawn crackers and salad was a nice contrast to the bun bot luc. I will mention the salad itself had somewhat of a soapy aftertaste to me, but that might be a personal tastebuds thing and by no means a dealbreaker. Bahn xeo: Yet another huge dish! I love these build-your-own-wrap type of appetizers because you can craft each bite just the way you want it. The pancake was also super crispy with a ton of tasty mushrooms and bean sprouts on the inside. Com chien bo luc lac: A MUST! This vegetarian take on shaking beef captures the texture of meat so well that you could've told me it was real. The glaze on the "beef" and vegetables was sweet and savory, almost akin to teriyaki sauce. I already can't wait to get this next time I go! We got to speak to the owner after our meal, and she is the sweetest! I'm so happy I had a chance to try this food and support her growing restaurant. If you managed to read this far, here's your sign to check it out!

Vietnamese Vegan is one of my favorite cuisines of all time so once I discovered that this new place opened I had to try it. And let me just say... it was absolutely incredible! The ginger lemongrass snails were essentially wrapped mushrooms with lemongrass and ginger garnish. Combined with a thai chili pepper and Vietnamese coriander, it was the perfect bite once you dip it into the accompanying sauce. Banh bot loc: I am not a shrimp fan so I knew I had to try the vegan version. I definitely prefer this version with carrots and mushrooms as the filling. Chewy and delicious... nice contrasting textures with the fried shallots! Bun Hue: AMAZING! The broth was incredibly flavorful and had the signature lemongrass flavor that I was looking for. I loved the generous amount of tofu and vegan cha lua. I drank like 80% of the broth because it was so good, which is incredibly rare for me to do. Bun Rieu: I tried a bit of my friend's and I was once again blown away by the flavorful tomato-y broth. Loved the vegan crab meat that they used. This might've been better than the Bun Hue to be honest! Banh Xeo: this was the real star of the show. One of the crispiest and best Banh Xeo I've ever had. The inside had yummy mushrooms instead of the usual pork and shrimp and the crepe itself was just so delicious! They were generous with the herbs and lettuce so I was wrapping each bite with greens and I couldn't believe how good it was! I really love their vegan fish sauce that accompanies a lot of their dishes. The owner/chef came to speak to us and she was so sweet. It warmed my heart seeing her satisfied reaction to us enjoying her food. I truly wish them nothing but the best and hope they get lots of traffic so that this place becomes a staple in the Vietnamese community!

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING place!!!! Words can't even describe the joy that I felt while I was trying every single dish here - everything was absolutely incredible, and although I am not vegan/vegetarian, I could probably fully switch to one if I had this food available to me every day. Every single dish had incredible rich and savory flavors! My favorite was the banh bot loc (dare I say it might be better than the pork/shrimp ones), and the banh xeo! The banh xeo was incredibly crispy and pairing it together with the fresh herbs and "fish" sauce was something that I will think about everyday. The lemongrass snails were also a very popular menu item and the lemongrass flavors are also super fresh and imitated the texture of snails pretty well! The bun rieu was very tomato-y, and had imitation "crab" that normal bun rieu has, which was also pretty delicious! I did prefer the bun hue that my friend got though, as that one was very light but also fresh, and you can adjust the spice level with the chili oil on each table. The interior was very calming, similar to a spa vibe, and the owner/son were both very efficient and super sweet. Overall, I would 100% come back and bring new friends to try this place.

So delicious! I'm not vegetarian but I tried this place with my family and everyone loved it. The com ga xe phay was especially great. Everything even tasted as good as real meat and was so flavorful and fresh. Owner came by our table and was lovely and happy to talk about the food as well. Definitely support this small business!

Highly recommend this vegan restaurant. Small restaurant but tasty foods. Service pretty fast. I ordered bánh xèo and vegan chicken salad w/ rice ( highly recommend). The dipping sauce for bánh xèo was little salty to my taste. Hope the owner can adjust it. I will come back and try other dishes.

I'm not vegetarian/vegan, but my mom is, so I knew I needed take her here when this place kept blowing up on my TikTok and Instagram FYP! I think this is the first vietnamese vegetarian/vegan restaurant I've been to and it did not disappoint! Service was awesome, and I'm assuming the owner was the one interacting with us the most. She was so nice, and welcoming :) I wish I could have talked and complimented her more, but my voice is still gone LOL. The ambiance I like. It's very homey. The snacks to sell on the side, the Buddhist altar, the calm zen waterfall music! And most importantly, food. Bánh bột lọc, Bánh xèo, Bún riêu, Mì nước, and Nước mát is what we ordered! All had great tastes and textures! My favorite was the bánh xèo! The perfect crunch! Also, the fact that my mom be a little picky sometimes and she liked this place is a plus! I have to admit, I miss my shrimp and meats, but if you have vegetarian/vegan friends or family members, this is the perfect place to go! I'll definitely be coming back to try other dishes

I went to the Tuệ Tâm vegetarian restaurant for lunch. This was my first time eating there. It is a very small restaurant. The service was plain and simple. The server did not greet or acknowledge the customers. She just asked, 'Am I ready to order?' While I was waiting for the food, I heard there was an argument behind the kitchen. Other customers and I were shocked. I ordered the bún huế. From the menu picture, it looked very nice. When the server brought out my order, the bún huế was completely different from the picture. I asked the restaurant manager why it did not look the same as in the menu picture. She said in the menu picture, the bún huế has tofu, mushrooms, carrots, and imtation ham. I told her that the color of the food from my order did not look the same as it was in the menu. She gave me a dirty look and walked away. I only had a few bites and paid the bill. I will never come back here again. I would never recommend this vegetarian restaurant to anyone.

Brought my vegetarian grandma to try out this place and she loved it! We got her the Bun Hue Chay and she ate all of it. We also got the Banh Bot Loc to share which was good, but I do wish the dipping sauce was a bit more sour/acidic. I got the banh xeo which was super yummy, but it was a little bit on the oily side. Service was great and they were super accommodating to my grandma's other dietary restrictions.

Where do I start? I ordered the bun rieu with water spinach and Vietnamese coffee for lunch. The broth was sooooo flavorful! You wouldn't believe that it is vegan. The serving was large and I could have probably shared with my fiancé but I'm greedy especially if the food is delicious. My fiancé got the banh canh which was also delicious. He isn't used to vegan food so this was a new experience to him. He's also never had banh canh before so that was a completely new dish for him. He really enjoyed his meal as well. The employees are polite and everything was served quickly. I will definitely bring my parents here when they visit me.

Banh bot loc was very good, tastes just like real ones. Bun rieu broth has a mild taste of fermented tofu (chao) in it, and portion was large enough. The restaurant is cozy and filled with the smell of incense, making it feel just like you are sitting in a temple :)) Service was fast and nice. I'll definitely come back to try more dishes in the future, hopefully there are more new dishes.

Not a vegan fan but everything we tried here was amazing!! The staff were amazing, the food came out quick! Will definitely come back here to try other dishes!

Great concept, menu could be a bit more streamlined, and outdoor seating would be nice as well. Utensils were very unhygienic, as shown in the picture, no idea who's dirty hands were on them.

Tuệ Tâm reminds me of temple food--but even better! The bún bò huế was flavorful and reminded me of home, like my dad's heartfelt cooking. And, the bánh mì special was stuffed with delicious filling, reminding me of the egg meatloaf with cơm tấm. Service was quick and made to order. The restaurant also serves hot foods that can be scooped by the pound. Can't wait to try the restaurant again.

The (i assume) owner was (because an employees wouldn't dare) reclining on his easy chair when I walked in to order some dishes to go. This is normal in VN but hey dude, you're in the US and this kind of behavior is considered "mất dạy" ok dude? and i will never set foot in your restaurant ever again!!

Found out about this place on TikTok, and their son was right, the food is delicious. I tied the stir fried egg noodles, Vietnamese dumplings , and egg rolls. Everything was good , the dumplings are my favorite. Service was excellent, greeted with a smile and helpful. I'm definitely coming back.

Tuệ Tâm was an illuminating dining experience on the vegetarian side of Vietnamese cuisine. Ever since beginning my journey into Vietnamese cuisine, I've developed a taste for vegetarian dishes in my spirit that I never knew I was missing. I came here for lunch and I liked it. There is a good sized menu. I was sharing so ordered the Bún Huế Chay, a meatless version of Bún Bò Huế. I also ordered Bánh Xèo, Bún Măng Chay and Chả Giò. Everything was good. I would have liked the Bún Huế Chay a little spicier but it was still very good. I actually preferred the Bún Măng Chay. It's the first time Ive had ít and it was very good. The Bánh Xèo tasted good but I have liked a bit more crispiness. It still was very good. The Chả Giò was flavorful and crispy. Overall, this is a great option for vegetarians and anyone who wants to experience veggie dishes. The service was quick and polite. The ambiance was a bit quiet with the kitchen sounds standing out in the otherwise silent restaurant. Come take a ride on the veggie side at Tuệ Tâm!

I have been 3 times already and everything I have had has been extremely fresh and tasty! I don't think I had any dish that disappointed me! I also like that they do not use MSG or or any processed meats/food that other vegan restaurants use in the area

The vegan food was flavorful, and the customer service was outstanding. I will definitely return!

Amazing taste. This place is much better than I expected. It's tucked in the tiny plaza with the memorial and the restaurant itself is small. I came during lunch and it started to pick up as I left. The vegetarian pho isn't quite like pho but the flavor is extraordinary and robust. The tofu is fresh and the mushrooms they used were so earthy and flavorful. It is extremely delicious and my new favorite vegetarian restaurant. The waiter was hilarious but I realize he was being truthful. While ordering he interjected and said everything is delicious here. I plan to return to try the other dishes.

The service was great. I came on a Saturday afternoon after lunch time. The service was great. For appetizer I ordered the bi cuon and it was very delicious. It's not heavy, wonderful flavor and fresh. For entree, I ordered mien mang and the broth tasted really rich. I would love to come back again to try out their dishes. Thank you IG for leading me here.

Amazing food. Found this hidden gem through TikTok and did not disappoint. Please consider supporting this restaurant. The food is made with a lot of passion. :)

A flavor bomb of a restaurant with a fully vegetarian menu! The mango salad was really refreshing and had an interesting mix of textures. I also really enjoyed the bun Thai- the hot and sour soup was perfect on a rainy afternoon. The service was attentive and efficient. Would come back again to try other items from their menu!

Right as you walk in, the restaurant is very serene and peaceful. It's a small shop, but their food is incredibly tasty and adapts the well known flavors of Vietnamese cuisine to an entirely plant based menu. The owner and staff are all friendly and attentive. I've had their banh bot loc, ca nuong, bun rieu, and goi cuon, and everything was so tasty.

Tue-Tâm Veg Restaurant new one at Bellaire Blvd is food so good and prices is affordable and clean,next time I will bring all my family to eat Veg again

A hidden gem on Bellaire. I was craving for vegetarian food so we decided to stop by. I saw a few viral tik tok reviews and this place did not disappoint! The owner was so sweet she even came to greet us. Will definitely come back for another visit!

Today I went to this reasturant to try it out. I ordered the pho, combination fried rice, and pho. It was so good and had amazing flavours that ive never experienced before with vegan food. 100% recommend.

The food was really good! Our family got the Mi Nuoc, Mi Quang, and Bun Bi Chay. It was so tasty and delicious! It was very nice and peaceful with music playing in the background, and also very clean tables. The servers were nice and friendly! Would definitely come back again!

I've been looking for a go-to vegan restaurant that I can frequent on a regular basis with the same high expectations every time. Tue' Tam is one that for me will be the one. This was my first visit and I was very pleased with my entire experience. There is a wide variety of dishes and soups to choose from on the menu as well as spring rolls that I had ahead of my noodle soup. I intend to visit again very soon. I even had the opportunity to meet the chef/owner and had the chance to give her my compliments personally. Having dinner at Tue' Tam on Christmas Day was definitely a treat for me..

My husband and I had a delightful vegan lunch at Tue Tam. The owner and staff were kind and attentive. The foods were absolutely amazing!!! The menu has so many of my childhood favorite dishes that we ended up ordering a big meal for just the two of us. Banh xeo was incredible. The it was perfectly crispy and filled with many fresh veggies. We also love the Snail dish, which was made with tofu wrapped with thinly sliced mushrooms and served with a savory dipping sauce. The papaya salad was fresh and incredibly tasty. We also tried the delicious Bun Bo Hue soup. We even bought many prepared dishes to go and every dish is delicious. This is our first time and Tue Tam is now our favorite restaurant for some delicious & healthy vegan food. We can't wait to go back.

The vegan food here was incredibly everything was well prepared and well served. Will be coming back. best vegan food in houston!

food there is sooo goood compared to any orher vegan or vegetarian foods. They have vegan snails and frilled squid which are made of tofu and mushroom. There soups are even better with amazing flvaours. 100% recommend

fantastic food!! we got the pho, shaken tofu noodles, egg roll noodle and all 3 were soooo good. so hard to come by great vegetarian food and this was so worth checking out. the servers are also very sweet and the everything is priced well. pay in cash and you get a little discount!

I love this place!!! You can tell the owner is so passionate and kind. The food was absolutely amazing.

Stopped in for lunch. Quiet & relaxing atmosphere with great selection of authentic flavorful dishes. Bun nem nuong cha gio was very good. Excellent service, will definitely be back on the next trip to Houston.

Good and healthy vegan food. I like nem cuong rolls and bun bo hue noodles - very savory and tasty.

Really great food for the price everything was well seasoned. Everyone was nice and service ran pretty fast. Will be back again!!!

Best vegetarian in town and great customer service Beside that, I wish they have more dishes.