María Cruz - Plant Based Cuisine — Restaurant in McAllen

My wife and I are not vegan, but we stumbled upon Maria Cruz in downtown McAllen after a bike ride, and now we’re hooked. This was our third or fourth time back, and honestly, the food is so good that even non-vegans will enjoy it. There are plenty of fresh fruit options, and each time, the fruit has been fresh, crispy, and juicy. It’s usually served with chia seeds, granola, yogurt, or other toppings that keep things interesting.

This time, we ordered the fruit parfait, sun toast, the soup of the day, and a chorizo, potato, and egg taco. As expected, the fruit was perfect—fresh and delicious, no complaints there. The sun toast, topped with peanut butter and fruit, wasn’t overly complicated, but it hit the spot. Yes, it’s a simple dish and maybe a bit pricey for what it is, but the quality shines through.

The real stars were the soup and the taco. The taco was loaded with potato, chorizo, egg, cheese, beans, and salsa, all wrapped in a flour tortilla. Now, I could probably figure out what vegan alternatives they used, but honestly, I didn’t care—it was just delicious. It leaned heavily on the potato and chorizo, with lighter notes of egg and cheese, and I practically inhaled it. What stood out was that, unlike some heavier tacos, I didn’t feel weighed down afterward. It’s hard to describe because it was just a great breakfast taco, which is not hard to find in the valley, but the fact that it was vegan and organic gives it a unique twist you don’t often find in this area.

As for the soup of the day, I can’t remember exactly what it was called, but it had hominy and something that resembled ground pork. The texture was spot on, and the broth was rich and savory, reminding me of a less salty version of pozole. It was such a refreshing change, especially after the sad broccoli cheese soup we had the day before (stay tuned for that review). My only critique would be to add some potatoes for a bit more texture contrast, but even as it was, it’s something I’d highly recommend.

We’ve yet to have a bad dish here, and the ambiance is relaxed and fitting for the style of the restaurant. That said, the red lamps at the bar throw me off a bit, making the food look strange, so we tend to avoid sitting there. But if you’re curious about vegan food or just want a light, guilt-free meal that’s still filling, Maria Cruz is worth a visit. It’s a great spot for those of us that care about where your food comes from and is still plenty delicious even for those of us that don’t.

We spent $26

Fresh made fruit and cucumber drinks 8/10 Fruit parfait 6/10 Sun Toast 6.5/10 Potato chorizo Taco 6.8/10 Hominy Soup 7/10

Overall 7.2/10 solid place for a...

This happened 06-01-25. Several family members and I showed up but hadn't made a reservation. Nonetheless, they did try to accommodate and seated us. after about 15 minutes an employee walks up to our table and says that in the future, we need to make a reservation for a large party or we won't be seated. The way she spoke to us was so rude and condescending, as if she was chastising us. so we left. I called the restaurant afterwards and spoke to Ingrid, who said she was the owner. Throughout the call she interrupted me several times to try to reiterate their seating policy when I explained to her the first time she mentioned it that their policy was not an issue. The issue was the server, Angie's , need to say that to us. Not only was it unnecessary it was unprofessional and rude. But given how Ingrid interrupted me throughout the call, I'm not surprised about Angie's attitude. Then my nephew called the restaurant, too, but he spoke to the male owner. IDK his name but my nephew knows him because he was a regular customer. Compared to him, Ingrid was a saint. He screamed at him, was calling him bro, literally said he didn't care about customer service, that they just serve food and that he didn't care that he had been a loyal customer for years. When it was pointed out that Angie was obviously a problem because over the years there were multiple complaints about her being rude to customers his response was so and that he wasn't gonna fire her. He was so immature, temperamental, rude and absolutely unprofessional. For an owner to speak to a customer that way it's obvious he doesn't care who makes his business a success. It's a good thing that my nephew's girlfriend recorded the conversation once it began to escalate. He was screaming at both of them. So if you were at Maria Cruz on Sunday 06/01 around 12-12:30pm and heard screaming, that was my nephew and his girlfriend that the owner was screaming at. What a...

AQ! "Maria Cruz Plant Based Cuisine", in McAllen, Texas is a delicious all Mexican vegan health cuisine and modern restaurant, to visit. The building in and out is organized, clean, and there are fresh plants laying around to keep the air free of toxins. The rest room was very clean and pretty, with pink neon lighting. The eating tables with seating arrangements were organized from hard wood/metal to soft booths. The floor was painted concrete dark grey. The hanging shapes of lighting decor got my attention as they were very different too: from universe planet connecting lighting, to lantern lighting, and saucer bar area lighting. There was a large letter wall sign that said, "Be The Change." The staff were very quick to serve a meal when the order was done and the staff were very quick and friendly. The customers were not rude either, they were mostly inviting people with greeted peaceful smiles. The atmosphere smelled very healthy and yummy, even my nostroles opened up, breathing inside the building. Aside from the fact of a wonderful environment, the food orders were very delicious and had felt very clean. The staff served me free fresh water with cucumbers, I could feel enzymes. I had ordered: a torta, different taco's, sides, a latte, frescas, and enchiladas that had rice and beans, with added green/red salsa. I had ordered more than 6 different menu option's. Price was about $80, plus a $13 tip in cash. Lastly, I was escorted to my car with take home food in bags and fresca waters on holder container, by friendly staff. I would definately eat here again...

*Monica A. Gomez |...