Eating Well is the Best Revenge

6 trendy Austin restaurants for healthy brunch fare

Artista Rosso's brunch is full of plenty of healthy options.

With its lineup of bacon, biscuits, and mimosas by the pitcher, brunch isn’t exactly the lightest meal of the week. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip it. Hearty grains, heaps of veggies, and thoughtful, healthful fare can ensure Sunday Funday isn’t ruined by a food coma. These Austin restaurants are putting a healthy spin on the weekend tradition, so go ahead and have your (pan)cake and eat it, too.

Artista Rosso
The Italian deli in Lamar Union launched its brunch menu December 1 and it lives up to the restaurant’s delicious reputation. For a healthy option, order the breakfast hash (insider tip: add a soft-boiled egg on top), an avocado mushroom sandwich on whole wheat bread, or a chia pudding bowl with just a little naughtiness from a candied pecan crumble.

Counter Culture
For those considering a plant-based lifestyle, this vegan mainstay’s brunch is the ideal place to start. Even the most fervent omnivore won’t miss the meat in dishes like a raw oatmeal banana split topped with a luscious date-sweetened chocolate sauce or smother potatoes with broccoli, black beans, and smoked cashew cheese. A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice makes for a nice eye-opener.

Joann’s Fine Food
At first glance, this stylishly retro concept from McGuire Moorman Hospitality and Bunkhouse Group may not seem like the ideal place for a lighter brunch. Dishes like a trendy avocado smoothie made with coconut milk and the dazzling rainbow salad are among the healthy options to help kick-start the weekend. Even the indulgent queso gets a healthy-ish makeover thanks to a substitution of vegan soyrizo.

The Peached Tortilla
This Burnet Road favorite’s avocado toast is an obvious choice for those who need to fuel up before Pilates class, especially when topped with the protein power of soft scrambled eggs. The Thai Chop Chop salad is robust, with a filling blend of tofu, chopped Napa cabbage, crisp green apple, Fresno chiles, and peanuts. A small sprinkle of fried shallots adds just the right amount of crunch.

Snooze
This wildly popular chain is known for decadent pancakes (and mid-day cocktails), but the winter menu, debuting December 20, has two perfect items to help you get a start of New Year’s resolutions. The Makin’ It Grain Bowl features plenty o' fiber with a blend of farro, black rice, and quinoa topped with caramelized onions, arugula, and watermelon radishes. The ancient grain Benedict puts a new twist on the brunch classic with tomato ragout and toasted veggie farro cakes.

Wild Chix & Waffles
As of last week, North Austin’s Wild Chicken & Waffles is running a 100 percent gluten-free kitchen. While many of the dishes are made with crispy fried chicken, the Waffocado (waffle bites with avocado, sprouts, cilantro, and tomatoes) offers flavor without the extra fat. Order it with a side of the eatery’s creamy vegan coleslaw.

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Beverage news

Austin-based Poppi acquired by behemoth soda brand for $2 billion

Facebook/Poppi

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PepsiCo is acquiring the Austin-based prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion.

The acquisition, announced Monday, March 17, gives PepsiCo a fast-growing brand in the popular functional beverage category.

“More than ever, consumers are looking for convenient and great-tasting options that fit their lifestyles and respond to their growing interest in health and wellness,” PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement.

PepsiCo said the transaction includes $300 million of anticipated cash benefits, bringing the net purchase price to $1.65 billion.

Allison Ellsworth, the Austin co-founder of Poppi, said the combination with PepsiCo will expand Poppi’s reach.

“We can’t wait to begin this next chapter with PepsiCo to bring our soda to more people — and I know they will honor what makes Poppi so special while supporting our next phase of growth and innovation,” Ellsworth said in a statement.

Ellsworth developed Poppi — then known as Mother Beverage — in her kitchen in 2015 because she loved soda but was tired of the way it made her feel. She mixed fruit juices with apple cider vinegar, sparkling water and prebiotics, and sold the drink at farmer's markets.

The brand took off in 2018 when Ellsworth and her husband pitched it on Shark Tank. An investor on the show, Rohan Oza, took a stake in Mother Beverage and undertook a major rebrand. Poppi, with its brightly-colored, fruit-forward cans, was born.

“We’re beyond thrilled to be partnering with PepsiCo so that even more consumers across America, and the world, can enjoy Poppi,” said Oza, the co-founder CAVU Consumer Partners, which has also invested in beverage brands like Oatly and Bai.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Poppi. Last summer, multiple class-action lawsuits were filed against the brand by consumers who said its products don’t improve gut health as much as their marketing suggests.

Poppi denied those claims, and noted that it removed references to “gut health” from its packaging in late 2023. But according to a court filing last week, Poppi has agreed to a settlement that includes an $8.9 million fund for payments to consumers. A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for May 8.

PepsiCo shares rose nearly 2 percent in morning trading Monday.

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