Wheatsville Food Co-op
Grocery store · Heritage
3101 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78705
Highlights
Organic grocery with craft brews, regional wines, and famous popcorn tofu.
Organic grocery with craft brews, regional wines, and famous popcorn tofu.
"The cooperatively-owned grocery store is planning to close its Guadalupe location by the end of 2026; that announced closure is tied to the broader Project Connect construction and campus-area redevelopment impacting leases." - Nadia Chaudhury
"An Old Austin, member-owned grocery founded in 1976, this beloved cooperative is prized for its cozy, local-focused deli and an iconic popcorn tofu that has become a lifeline for vegetarians and snack lovers alike. Created around 2008 by a deli cook named Wonko, the snack was born from combining a wet marinade and dry coating into a single batter and quickly sold out daily when produced in small batches; after kitchen upgrades a commercial fryer allowed much larger quantities. Each nugget delivers a strong umami hit from the batter, with a texture that—especially when eaten cold straight from the plastic deli container—lands between crispy and chewy as the flavor soaks into the porous soy curd; chasing the salty crust crumbs at the bottom of the container is a particular pleasure. The preparation is deliberate: tofu is deep-frozen to strengthen texture and help the batter cling, then thawed, pressed, torn into bite-sized pieces, and battered in a mix of vegan chicken broth, tamari, flour (now gluten-free), cornmeal, nutritional yeast, and a spice blend of sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, oregano, and thyme before frying to golden brown. The recipe has stayed largely consistent, with a Buffalo variant—originally a Super Bowl special—now outpacing the original in popularity. Popcorn tofu has spawned its own uses across the deli menu (po’ boys, greens-and-grain bowls, burritos, and even, briefly, as a pizza topping), is made fresh throughout the day to keep shelves stocked, and is described by staff as a labor of love that represents the store’s crunchy, locally minded approach to food." - Eric Webb
"Yes, it’s a food co-op, but the market’s deli dishes up one of the city’s best vegetarian sandwiches. The popcorn tofu po’ boy comes dressed up in cashew-tamari dressing, a bunch of vegetables, and dill pickles on a French roll. Takeout orders for both locations (the other on South Lamar) can be placed online." - Erin Russell
"The North Campus location of the cooperatively owned Wheatsville Food Co-op is scheduled to close at the end of 2026 in connection with transit and infrastructure plans." - Nadia Chaudhury
"I learned that the original North Campus location at 3101 Guadalupe Street will close on December 31, 2026 after the board of directors and management decided not to renew the lease. A press release and general manager Bill Bickford explained that the city’s Project Connect light-rail plan, which would run through Guadalupe Street and take up the middle lane, would make it impossible for the large trucks the co-op’s primary suppliers use to access the delivery area — and, as Bickford put it, “if we cannot receive product, we cannot operate a grocery store.” Rita Daily, the co-op’s marketing director, said owners (the co-op’s website notes over 28,000 members) were notified of the shutter, and the co-op is exploring whether it can reopen or operate smaller-format stores instead. Wheatsville, which began on Guadalupe in 1976, sells food products, produce, meats and prepared deli foods — including its iconic popcorn tofu po’ boy." - Nadia Chaudhury
