Restaurant Reivew

Sweet Ritual

4500 Duval Street
Austin, TX 78751
(512) 666-8346
Five Stars
Main Photo

Although many more vegan restaurants are starting to pop up around the country, it can still be quite a challenge to find vegan treats, especially ice cream! In most cities, your only chance of finding dairy free ice cream is in your local health food store's freezer section. In Austin, Texas, a vegan oasis, you will find a rare all vegan ice cream shop called Sweet Ritual.

  • Sweet Ritual Restaurant Preview
  • Sweet Ritual Restaurant Preview

Food

At Sweet Ritual you will have your pick amongst 16 flavors of delicious creamy dairy-free ice cream. Coconut works very well as the base, giving the ice cream a nice thick and creamy texture.

Ice cream is made fresh daily without the use of any animal products or GMO ingredients. This is a rare treat to find anywhere. The base, depending on the flavor you choose, could be coconut, cashew, or almond. I believe coconut is the best base as it gives the ice cream such a creamy, decadent quality which is pretty much on target with the traditional flavor of ice cream, in my opinion.

Flavors include options such as Chocolate Chai, Rocky Road, Salted Caramel, and Peanut Butter Cup. In addition, there are several special flavors each week so you can always try something new. The majority of flavors are also gluten-free and marked as so on the menu.

An abundance of vegan toppings and sauces are available for you to create your own sundae. Marshmallows, cookie dough, brownies, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut are a few of the more tempting selections. Some of these are gluten-free and some contain gluten, so be sure to check the menu. You have the option to have your ice cream served in a cup or a gluten-free waffle cone/bowl.

If you prefer, you can order from the pre-made sundae selection. The Peanut Butter Cup which includes a delicious medley of salted peanuts, dark chocolate chips, chocolate sauce, peanut butter shells, and your choice of ice cream is one appetizing choice.

If this isn't enough, there are a variety of shakes and a banana split available too. The Sundae Sampler is probably the best choice for new guests. With this special, you can split 3 miniature sundaes between 2 people.

Prices are pretty affordable given the usual high markup on any vegan products. For example, you can expect to pay $5.50 for a large 3 scoop cup of ice cream (8oz) and an additional dollar if you choose the GF waffle cone.

Service

Service was just okay. Although I requested a medium bowl, I was mistakenly given and charged for a large bowl.

Atmosphere

The setting is bright and cheery inside with bright colors and an appealing funky design. The nice outdoor picnic table seating is great for recreating those summertime ice cream memories. Here you can enjoy your dairy free treat as you would at any traditional ice cream parlor. You do not feel weird for eating vegan as you do at some vegan establishments, which often have too much of a healthy, alternative vibe, and not enough fun.

Restaurant Photo

Final Remarks

Sweet Ritual is a real treat for the Austin vegan community, as well as vegan guests in the city. The cheerful design combined with the traditional ice cream parlor layout and outdoor seating bring back those nostalgic memories of summers past.

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Waiter