San Antonio?

[Willowriver]

Hey everybody! I'm from Maryland originally, and I've been living in Southern California for the past 4-ish years (love it!), but I just got a job opportunity in San Antonio, TX. The company looks fantastic, and I'd really enjoy the work I would be doing, but I'm wondering if, as a liberal, non-Christian, environment-loving vegan, I would be completely miserable in that area. I've been to Austin, and I love that city to death, but I'm not sure about San Antonio. Any experiences? I know there's at least one veggie restaurant in the city, 'cuz I ate there, but I'm more concerned about the culture as a whole. I'm also interested in biking as a main form of transportation, and am worried about being run over by one of the pickup trucks or SUVs as I bike down one of San Antonio's non-existent bike lanes. I'd love for somebody to tell me that my first impression of the city was just shallow and misinformed, because this job is an amazing opportunity.

[Shoujoka]

I went to UTSA all last year, so I can say a bit about SA.

How old are you first off? Who you mingle with may definitely depend on your age, as well as what part of the neighborhood you live in. If you live closer to UTSA you may run into a couple Conservatives, and a couple more Christians, but they're usually timid and those that aren't are stupid and easy to shut down.

Now if you live near the Trinity area, you're going to have fun. Nearly everyone there is liberal, antitheist, and vegetarian. They have tons of fascinating speakers visit their campus all the time, and most are open to the public.

Unfortunately I can't say much about the 30+ crowd, being 18, and I apologize for that.

As for being a vegetarian, it is slim pickings. It's not entirely impossible, definitely easier than Houston, but not as easy as Austin. I would suggest greek food at Papouli's, Green which you must already know about, The Cove, Pei Wei, and a few others.

And finally, I think it will be a no on the bike. Most of SA is based around I-10 so it's definitely not safe to bike, this does depend on where you live though.

[Willowriver]

Thanks for the reply! I just took the job (didn't have too many choices). I'm 21, just about to graduate from college. So, I'd probably be hanging out with the younger crowds, not that I have anything against hanging out with older people if they have similar interests.

I'll look up Trinity. Don't know where that is. Really interested in getting a place near my job, but having a life is also important to me.

Haha every time I ask someone about San Antonio, I hear "much better than Houston, not as good as Austin." :) Just funny. I do plan on spending time in Austin, and I discovered the awesomeness that is Pei Wei last summer when I stayed there for a bit.

Hmmm ... maybe I can at least live near a market so I can run errands on a bike.

Thanks again for the tips!

[Shoujoka]

No problem, welcome to SA XD

The groceries here are actually pretty good imo. We have a nice Central Market and Whole Foods, lots of organic fruits and vegetables. Sadly I'll have to say I don't think it's too possible to bike to these, since the first is off a busy feeder road and the second is in the middle of a shopping center surrounded by highway.

I don't know where you'll be working, but if you plan on staying a bit I'd take a look at Alamo Heights? I think that's it. It's a bit more pricey, but offers up a smaller, suburban-like atmosphere where bikeability may be more of a possibility.

Good luck!

[Willowriver]

I moved! I have located the nearest Wholefoods, Chipotle, Pei Wei, and HEB, so I'll survive here. No, no biking though. WTF San Antonio!? This is the worst city I have EVER seen as far as roads go. I never thought I'd say this, but it's seriously less stressful to drive in downtown LA. I've seen 2 areas total labeled "bike lane" - one was a sidewalk (which are amazingly rare too) and one doubled as a carpool lane! And even when I'm in my car I'm constantly in fear of just being plowed over by these huge trucks and SUVs. Okay, I grew up in hickville where lots of people had SUVs and trucks, but these things are all supersized. Like one out of every 2 cars in the parking lots have a little stair to get into them.
Other than my nearly paralyzing fear of driving in this area, I do like it here. The people (when they're not in their trucks) are very nice and friendly, and I actually kind of like the weather.
Now to look up the other restaurants suggested above...

[iheartfalafel]

I moved! I have located the nearest Wholefoods, Chipotle, Pei Wei, and HEB, so I'll survive here. No, no biking though. WTF San Antonio!? This is the worst city I have EVER seen as far as roads go. I never thought I'd say this, but it's seriously less stressful to drive in downtown LA. I've seen 2 areas total labeled "bike lane" - one was a sidewalk (which are amazingly rare too) and one doubled as a carpool lane! And even when I'm in my car I'm constantly in fear of just being plowed over by these huge trucks and SUVs. Okay, I grew up in hickville where lots of people had SUVs and trucks, but these things are all supersized. Like one out of every 2 cars in the parking lots have a little stair to get into them.
Other than my nearly paralyzing fear of driving in this area, I do like it here. The people (when they're not in their trucks) are very nice and friendly, and I actually kind of like the weather.
Now to look up the other restaurants suggested above...

Welcome to Texas!

I have always loved San Antonio, but have yet to go back since being vegan. I do have a business trip there later this year, and I plan to eat large quantities of guacamole for every meal. Don't cry for me, Veggieboards, cuz I am sooooooo looking forward to gorging myself of avacado-y goodness!

By the way, if you discover any fantastic food finds between now and October, let me know!

Good luck in your new city!

[Nywyn]

I hope you're enjoying San Antonio so far! I've been a regular inhabitant here since '98 when I started at UTSA, before that I lived out in the Hill Country to the Northwest so I know this area pretty well. ;) Sorry about the road situation, we're just not made for bikes. You'd have to have nerves of steel to do that, although I have occassionally glimpsed courageous souls out there on their bicycles. We do have a cycling group if you like that, they're called the San Antonio Wheelmen. I've riden with them before and they're a lovely group of people. I can't say that the roads bother me too much since I'm out there in my pick-up living it up. I love driving through town. LOL

Surprisingly enough, we actually have a fair number of sushi places, at least here on the NW side, so there's always something for the veggies and vegans. And of course there's the requisite Mexican. I swear I could live off of guacamole and salsa and die happy. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying SA from a native conservative Christian vegan who is neither timid nor easy to shut down. LOL ;) (that comment actually made me laugh)

[Minkee]

I moved! I have located the nearest Wholefoods, Chipotle, Pei Wei, and HEB, so I'll survive here. No, no biking though. WTF San Antonio!? This is the worst city I have EVER seen as far as roads go. I never thought I'd say this, but it's seriously less stressful to drive in downtown LA. I've seen 2 areas total labeled "bike lane" - one was a sidewalk (which are amazingly rare too) and one doubled as a carpool lane! And even when I'm in my car I'm constantly in fear of just being plowed over by these huge trucks and SUVs. Okay, I grew up in hickville where lots of people had SUVs and trucks, but these things are all supersized. Like one out of every 2 cars in the parking lots have a little stair to get into them.
Other than my nearly paralyzing fear of driving in this area, I do like it here. The people (when they're not in their trucks) are very nice and friendly, and I actually kind of like the weather.
Now to look up the other restaurants suggested above...

Its a little hard being vegan here in San Antonio, but if you're in the right area there are ways to do it.

Two things I stopped when moving back to San Antonio...riding a bike daily and being a vegan. I'm a lacto-ovo who even rarely touches anything diary, but my god its almost impossible to eat out if you're out of the downtown/trinity/quarry area. I've lived here for years and its very hard to find restaurants that even offer a vegetarian option, let alone a vegan option.

I'm sure I'll see you around town. I'm 25 and I'm very active around town. You might of even ran into me since and had no clue about it!

[Willowriver]

I'm not having a huge problem right now being vegan. I love to cook and don't eat out much anyways. I go out for lunch with people occasionally, but it's been Thai, Mediterranean, and healthy sandwich-type food, and I never had the slightest problem finding a vegan option.
Funny, I had a coworker say that he used to be vegetarian and bike to work every day ... until he moved to SA. I'm getting used to people looking at me like I've lost my mind when they hear that I WALKED 10 minutes up the road. It's quite a culture shock, especially since I just graduated from college, and used my car maybe once a month while I was there.

Nywyn, any tips for Mexican food without pork in everything? I've been told most of the places around here put lard in the beans AND rice AND tortillas (and heck, probably the guacamole). "Authentic" Mexican food in SA is different than "authentic" Mexican food in LA. :P

Minkee, you should totally wear a nametag so I know if I run into you! :P Just kidding, although that would be awesome.

[Nywyn]

Nywyn, any tips for Mexican food without pork in everything? I've been told most of the places around here put lard in the beans AND rice AND tortillas (and heck, probably the guacamole). "Authentic" Mexican food in SA is different than "authentic" Mexican food in LA. :P



If you're anywhere near the Medical Center you can always go to Mamacita's. They have it written on the menu that there are no animal products in their beans or tortillas, although many places use animal broths in their rice so you'd need to ask about that. Other than that, you'd have to ask. I'd be wary of Thai, though, since most places add fish sauce to everything. :(

[hellparadiso]

I've been living in SA for almost a year, and I really do love it here. It's a great family town, and even though it has a reputation of being very conservative, I've found that my liberal leanings aren't that big a deal. San Antonio seems to concentrate more on working hard and playing hard, which I'm all about.

ANYWAY.

I need to find some other vegetarians here. I can handle not being able to eat out most places, because I enjoy cooking at home and our local HEB has a great vegetarian section. But I need friends, people I can get together with, maybe get active with. I feel all alone with my beliefs, and I'm hoping that there will be someone around here that I can connect with on this level.


Anyone? Anyone? Buehler?

[Willowriver]

I've been living in SA for almost a year, and I really do love it here. It's a great family town, and even though it has a reputation of being very conservative, I've found that my liberal leanings aren't that big a deal. San Antonio seems to concentrate more on working hard and playing hard, which I'm all about.

ANYWAY.

I need to find some other vegetarians here. I can handle not being able to eat out most places, because I enjoy cooking at home and our local HEB has a great vegetarian section. But I need friends, people I can get together with, maybe get active with. I feel all alone with my beliefs, and I'm hoping that there will be someone around here that I can connect with on this level.


Anyone? Anyone? Buehler?

I still don't understand this problem people seem to be having when eating out ... lol (and all the Thai places I've seen say if you ask, they'll make anything on the menu vegan).

It does seem kinda isolating here though, doesn't it? People seem so spread out ... I guess I'm having a hard time making friends here too. Meetup.com has an impressive number of groups (including a vegan group, I noticed), and I intend to start checking those out. We should all have a SA veggieboards day out or something too. :)

[hellparadiso]

I actually just joined the SA Vegan Meetup group, although I can't go to their next thing because there's NO WAY I could go to Austin for a whole Saturday. But I'm pretty excited. They seem like a pretty tight and well-organized group.

[hellparadiso]

Hate double-posting, but anyone who's interested, the San Antonio Vegan Meetup Group is meeting along with the San Antonio Sci Fi Meetup Group at Bunsen Burgers on February 7th for some Vulcan (vegetarian) burger goodness and a couple episodes of Star Trek.

[Nywyn]

Hate double-posting, but anyone who's interested, the San Antonio Vegan Meetup Group is meeting along with the San Antonio Sci Fi Meetup Group at Bunsen Burgers on February 7th for some Vulcan (vegetarian) burger goodness and a couple episodes of Star Trek.


That sounds fun but it's way over on the east side. That's the bad thing about San Antonio, it's so spread out. I hope you have fun, though. :rockon:

[Almeria]

Have you gone to Green's yet? I really like that place. My mom lives in San Antonio and we're considering moving there after my husband gets out of the military. I really like the city, but I also spent half my childhood there so it's like home to me. Last time I visited I was trying really hard to only eat vegan foods, but I wound up giving up when we'd eat out, other than when we went to Green's. I didn't find it too hard to eat out as a vegetarian, though. We stayed at my brother-in-laws house, so I do cook for most meals rather than eating out when we go to visit.

As for biking, have you gone to the mission on Mission Road? I think it's called Concepcion, but I can't remember. Anyway I remember there being a nice bike area, there's like a 9 mile trail or something that goes around to all the missions if I remember correctly, and when I visit my mom who lives near that mission, I see people using it all the time on their bikes. Just a suggestion if you miss biking for outdoor exercise.

[Nywyn]

I've only gone to Green's once but it was really good. I live way out in the hill country but my dog and I were running around town one Sunday so I decided to stop by there for lunch and they let me bring her to the patio with me. It was slow that day so she didn't cause any problems and all the waitstaff had to come by and talk to her. Most of them had never seen a Great Dane so they were in awe. ^_^

I don't usually bike around town, but I used to regularly ride with the San Antonio Wheelmen. They have rides scheduled every weekend that are usually outside 1604 where it's a bit safer. They're an awesome ground and so much fun! At the end of the ride they have a potluck lunch and there are always veggie burgers to be had.

[Willowriver]

Greens gives vegetarianism a bad name to everyone I've talked to who has been there. I went there once. Not impressed. I mean, it's not bad by any stretch, and for the novelty of getting to actually CHOOSE food off a menu instead of eating the only vegan thing when you're out, it's cool, but SoCal spoiled me rotten. *Cries* I miss Real Food Daily. Every omni I've talked to who has been brave enough to walk into Greens wonders if I eat imitation meat every day and if I ever eat anything of better quality than that. It leaves them with a bad impression.

[giancoli]

I just accepted a job at the metropolitan Methodist hospital in San Antonio. I would love to live as close as possible to the hospital....but I'm also looking for safe and cute spots. and dog friendly is a must. any sugestions?

[micki]

wow. so i joined this forum to get more insight on vegetarianism/veganism and VOILA, there is an entire thread on san antonio, i cannot believe it!! i've never heard of Green, but i very much look forward to it. i just glanced at the menu, and although i just finished dinner, i'm ready for some of those entrees...

SA SUCKS to drive in, but so long as i'm not in houston... teehee...