Cooks in: No seed oils, whole kitchen (avocado oil and EVOO)
Iron Cactus states directly on its own site: "Both our Austin and San Antonio kitchens now cook exclusively with premium oils like avocado and extra virgin olive oil. No canola, soybean, corn, or other industrial seed oils." That covers fajitas, enchiladas, tortilla chips, and sauces, not one dish. River Walk location, seed-oil-free since 1996 under this standard, Seed Oil Scout certified.
Cooks in: Beef tallow for fries and fried proteins
Their own menu page states: "We proudly fry our fries and fried proteins in beef tallow." That's a broad claim covering most fried items, though it isn't phrased as a whole-kitchen guarantee, sauces and non-fried preparations aren't addressed. Farm-to-fork restaurant at the Shops at La Cantera.
Cooks in: 100% refined peanut oil (fryer)
Chick-fil-A's published ingredient documentation confirms the fryer runs on 100% refined peanut oil, a legume oil with a different fatty-acid profile than soybean or canola. Soybean oil still shows up in their sauces, crispy chicken breading, and buns, so the fryer claim doesn't extend to the whole sandwich. De Zavala Road location.
Cooks in: 100% beef tallow (fryers, chain-wide)
Steak 'n Shake converted its fryers to 100% beef tallow chain-wide and documents it on a dedicated transparency page, covering fries, onion rings, and other fried sides. West Loop 1604 location.
Cooks in: Beef shortening/tallow (fryer); most wet sauces contain soybean oil
Standard US sit-down locations have fried in beef shortening (100% beef tallow) since 2017, confirmed in the chain's own allergen documentation. The wings come out of the fryer clean; most wet sauces (Buffalo, Honey BBQ, Asian Zing) contain soybean oil, so naked or dry-rub orders are the safer call. South Zarzamora location.
Cooks in: Steaks cooked with butter (confirmed); Bloomin' Onion reportedly fried in tallow, not company-confirmed
Bloomin' Brands' own VP of R&D told Tasting Table, "We cook our steaks with butter," specifically to knock down a viral tallow rumor, so that part is on the record. The Bloomin' Onion frying in beef tallow is widely reported by food outlets but has no named Outback source behind it, and we found no sourced claim at all for the fries. Treat the steak claim as solid and the rest as unconfirmed. I-10 West location.
Cooks in: 100% beef tallow, all fryers, chain-wide
Per the chain's own press release, The Toasted Yolk switched every fryer at all of its locations to 100% beef tallow starting November 3, 2025. CEO Chris Milton, on record: "Beef tallow gives everything, from french-fries to fried chicken, that golden, nostalgic flavor you don't get with seed oil." That covers fried items only, eggs, hollandaise, pancakes, and other griddle or stovetop items aren't addressed by the claim. Two San Antonio locations: Stone Oak on US-281 N and one on N Hunt Lane.
Cooks in: Avocado oil/EVOO (proteins, several sauces); Balsamic and Caesar dressings are sunflower oil
Sweetgreen's own Nutrition + Allergens Guide confirms the warm bowl proteins (blackened chicken, roasted chicken, roasted tofu, caramelized garlic steak) and several sauces, Pesto Vinaigrette, Green Goddess Ranch, Lime Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce, Garlic Aioli, are avocado oil or olive oil based. Its two most popular dressings tell a different story: Balsamic Vinaigrette and Caesar both list sunflower oil, not olive oil, so the dressing you pick matters. Quarry Village location on East Basse Road.
Cooks in: No added oil listed for guac, salsa, cheese, sour cream, romaine; canola and high oleic sunflower oil used elsewhere, not broken out by item
Chipotle's published ingredient list names Canola Oil and High Oleic Sunflower Oil among its "53 Real Ingredients" but doesn't break out which dish uses which oil. What is confirmed item by item: guacamole, romaine lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, and fresh tomato salsa carry no added oil on that same list. Build a bowl around those plus rice and a protein to avoid the two named seed oils; the chain doesn't publish oil type for the meats, beans, or rice. 1604 and Blanco location, Vineyard Shopping Center.
Cooks in: Olive oil (Crazy Feta dip only); falafel, pita chips, and pita crisps fried in canola oil
Cava's own 2017 statement to the Vegetarian Resource Group confirms the falafel, pita chips, and pita crisps are fried in canola oil, a seed oil, not olive oil. The only item Cava's published ingredients page names olive oil for is the Crazy Feta dip. Hummus, harissa, tzatziki, and the grilled chicken and steak aren't broken out by oil type in anything Cava has published, so the clean order here is Crazy Feta and a grilled protein, skipping the fried toppings. Basse Road location near Lincoln Heights.
Frequently asked questions
Are there seed oil free restaurants in San Antonio?
Yes. Iron Cactus, on the River Walk, states directly on its own site that its full kitchen, Austin and San Antonio both, runs on avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil, no seed oils anywhere in the fajitas, enchiladas, chips, or sauces. Haywire at La Cantera fries its fries and fried proteins in beef tallow. Chick-fil-A's fryer runs on 100% peanut oil, and Steak 'n Shake fries chain-wide in beef tallow. Buffalo Wild Wings and Outback confirm specific items rather than a whole menu.
Know a restaurant we missed?
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