In December 2022, plant-based hearts broke across Austin when popular vegan restaurant Counter Culture announced it was closing. At the time, owner Sue Davis explained that rising costs and declining foot traffic had made the business—known for housemade dishes like buffalo mac and cheese balls and tempeh reubens—untenable. But the closure wasn’t the end after all. Now, in 2026, Counter Culture is set for a comeback.
Davis is currently running a Kickstarter to help reopen the restaurant in a new Austin location. At the time of writing, she has raised nearly $42,000 toward her $45,000 goal.
“In January of 2023, I made the hardest decision of my career. I closed the doors. Not because it wasn’t working, but because I knew I had to build something for the community in a purpose-built space,” Austin writes. “I needed to own the ground beneath it. I needed a space that was truly mine, where I could build the restaurant of my dreams without compromise.”
Now, she’s working to open a mid-century–themed vegan diner in Central Austin’s Windsor Park neighborhood. According to Davis, the space is intended to be more than just a restaurant; it will also serve as a community hub where people can connect over plant-based food.
Counter Culture
A new chapter for Counter Culture
“Working with the design team at Weiss Architects and the crew at Haven’s Construction, we’re transforming it into a mid-century diner where you can meet friends, celebrate occasions, host meetups, go on a first date, grab a drink, read your favorite book—or walk in alone and leave knowing your neighbor’s name,” she writes. “We hope to open mid-summer 2026.”
The new spot will be a welcome addition to Austin’s thriving vegan scene. In 2025, a study by WalletHub ranked the city third among the most vegan- and vegetarian-friendly in the US, behind Portland and Los Angeles, but ahead of New York, which didn’t crack the top 10.
According to Davis, the Kickstarter will help bring Counter Culture back sooner, benefiting the wider community. In addition to serving vegan food, the restaurant will also create local jobs.
Supporting the campaign comes with perks, too. Davis confirmed that backers will receive merchandise like T-shirts and mugs.
“We’re not asking you to carry the whole weight—just the piece that only you can give,” she wrote. “This campaign covers a fraction of our total reopening costs, but your support will fund the final equipment, signage, inventory, insurance, and pre-opening payroll that will get Counter Culture back where it belongs.”
Check out the Kickstarter here.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
