Taste of the Highland Lakes: ‘Clean food’ on the menu at Tea Thyme Cafe
Janet Wilson, owner of Tea Thyme Cafe in Marble Falls, is proud to serve what she calls 'clean' food. 'There's no processed food, no preservatives, artificial colors, or flavorings,' she said. Photo by Ronnie Madrid/Divine Radiance Photography
OWNER: Janet Wilson
SIGNATURE DISHES: Chicken and turkey tacos
Even the meatloaf and mashed potatoes are good for you at Tea Thyme Cafe in Marble Falls. And, they are delicious! Everything in the restaurant is gluten free and what owner Janet Wilson calls “clean” food.
“What I mean by clean food is keeping food in its natural form,” Wilson explained. “There’s no processed food, no preservatives, artificial colors, or flavorings.”
Spices are clean, too: No anti-caking ingredients or preservatives.
“I’ve come to find that the natural flavors of the food speak for themselves,” Wilson said. “Just use pure ingredients, and the flavors come together beautifully.”
Wilson and her family moved to the Highland Lakes in 1999. She was a stay-at-home mother in Burnet until her kids got older and she got bored.
She began a business blending her own dried teas, which she sold at local farmers markets. She then opened up the first Tea Thyme with a menu of six items at Hill Country Health Store on U.S. 281 in Marble Falls. She asked customers what they would like to see in a restaurant. Tea Thyme became Tea Thyme Cafe in 2012 when it moved to its current location at 2108 U.S. 281 in Marble Falls.
The gluten-free restaurant is known for its salad and hot food bar as well as its chicken and turkey tacos. The chicken tacos come with sliced tomatoes, spicy ranch dressing, and avocado puree. The turkey tacos are topped with mandarin orange slices, cranberries, walnuts, and mayo. Both are wrapped in crispy rice tortillas.
“It’s very simple, but the way the flavors work together is just amazing,” Wilson said. “About 90 percent of our customers add cheese. It’s like a party in your mouth. It just works.”
Wilson grew up a vegetarian and was a vegan for two years. She developed recipes based on her own tastes, available fresh ingredients, and what people told her they wanted.
“The passion behind Tea Thyme is to be able to feed everyone something they can eat, no matter their diet or lifestyle,” Wilson said. “Our customers can remake anything they want from scratch. They can make their own meal to fit their doctor’s orders. We let you meddle with the menu.”
FOR A VISIT
Tea Thyme Cafe is located at 2108 U.S. 281 in Marble Falls. Call 830-637-7787 or visit teathymecafe.com for a menu, hours, and more information.
Highland Lakes Eat & Drink Guide
Find more great places to eat and drink in the Highland Lakes at 101HighlandLakes.com.
(Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly reported that Wilson opened her first establishment in Hill Country Nutrition on Mormon Mill Road in Marble Falls. It was actually located in Hill Country Health Store on U.S. 281. We apologize for the error.)