Contrary to popular belief, vegans do not only “eat grass” or “bland food.” If you ever are curious about plant-based food, Rebel Cheese will leave you questioning if it really is vegan.

Rebel Cheese, located on 2200 Aldrich Street, opened its doors in October of 2019. The establishment is located in a corner lot directly across from the Mueller Dog Park. The funky, 3D yellow sign that curves with their roofs’ structure is hard to miss. 

Their menu consists of a wide assortment of cheeses, sandwiches, soups, pastries and their sought-after charcuterie boards. Their variety of wines ensure that guests have plenty of options to choose from for the perfect pairing. Rebel Cheese showcases a wall of vegan gourmet groceries, such as hot chocolate mixing sticks, gummy candies, chips and more. Their incredibly sweet and informative staff is ready to answer any and all questions you may have about any of the items in store. Seating options include inside and outside tables. 

As a non-vegan, I was very perplexed but intrigued when I scrolled past a business claiming to have vegan charcuterie boards on Instagram. This came at a time when social media was going crazy over all and every kind of charcuterie board. Oh, and I should add that this was also roughly a year-or-so into the pandemic, which was a time when a lot of us were looking to try new things. 

“I’m not vegan, I don’t even want to try being vegan, but my wife loves to come and have wine here and get the cheeses and crackers,” Rebel Cheese regular, Jordan said, who was indulging in a charcuterie board with his wife on the patio. 

Rebel Cheese continues to be the place I take all people who are put off by vegan dishes. Anytime I go, I remember savoring their charcuterie board for the very first time in my car. I will never forget the shock that came over me when I remembered that there was absolutely no dairy in any of the cheeses I tried, which is why I am determined to hopefully convince one person who reads this article to go and give Rebel Cheese a try. As much as I have been mentioning their charcuterie boards, there are a couple other must-have items that will leave you questioning if what you’re eating is actually vegan.

One of the newer items that I tried was their chicken bacon ranch sandwich. The soft and buttery pretzel buns held the delicious contents of the sandwich well. It consisted of their house-made vegan bacon, “chicken” strips, american cheese, ranch dressing, lettuce and tomato. Every single component of the sandwich tasted delicious. The texture of the meat-free proteins was the perfect texture and the “chicken” truly left me puzzled on how it was possible that there were zero chickens harmed in the making.

“Working here is one of the reasons why I’m now vegan. Before I worked here, I wasn’t, but it opened my eyes to the vegan community,” Natalie, the front of house manager for Rebel Cheese, said.

Another incredibly popular menu item, strongly suggested by Google reviews and staff, is the “bacon, brie, me” sandwich. This sandwich is packed with aged brie, bacon, caramelized onions, arugula and sweet fig jam from a baguette made in a local Austin bakery. There is no surprise why this is one of the popular menu items here. The blend of the salty bacon with the strong, sharp taste of brie hits your taste buds upon the first bite, followed by a tang of the fig jam. As someone who loves eating and even considers it a hobby, this sandwich left me full after devouring only one half.

Not only does Rebel Cheese make the best vegan food I have ever had, they also love showing support to charities here in Austin. To find out more information about store hours, the menu andRebel Cheese follow them on Instagram @rebel.cheese