Restaurants
Finding vegan food in restaurants can be one of the most difficult things about being vegan, especially if you're dining with non-vegetarians; sometimes I'm limited to french fries and salad. But many places are willing to make you something that isn't on the menu. At Italian restaurants, I ask for spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, which is delicious and simple to make, and Asian restaurants almost always have a few vegan dishes. I try to avoid fast food places (their fries often have beef fat in them, unlike local diners) and Mexican places (the beans almost always have lard).
However, I'm fortunate enough to live in a city with a good number of vegan-friendly restaurants. Here are some of my favorites in the Washington, DC area. (Also, check out my Platial map.)
The Vegetable Garden
This Asian restaurant in Rockville is 100% vegan, and the food is delicious and not too expensive. The menu also lists ingredients, which is great if you have food allergies. They offer a number of vegan desserts, including Tofutti ice cream. My favorite dish is the sha cha beef, made with seitan. The Vegetable Garden is located right across the street from White Flint station.
Java Green
Java Green, near Farragut West, is an all-vegetarian cafe with a mostly-vegan menu. There are vegan sandwiches, wraps, noodles, smoothies, and delicious soy milk shakes. I used to work near Java Green when I was an intern, and it was a serious temptation to blow my meager salary going to lunch there all the time.
Sticky Fingers Bakery
An all-vegan bakery and cafe in Columbia Heights with all kinds of cakes, cookies, cupcakes, and food such as vegan chicken quesadillas and lasagna.
Chipotle
Chipotle is one of the few fast food places that has pretty decent vegan options, but the Chipotle in Dupont Circle, DC also offers a vegan chicken option called Garden Blend that's made from Gardein.
Mark's Kitchen
A diner in Takoma Park, Maryland with many vegan options, clearly marked on the menu, and several vegan desserts. Their coffee drinks can be made with soy, and their raspberry mocha is a favorite of mine.
Pumpernickel's
This pizzeria/bagelry/deli in Chevy Chase, DC has the usual fare but also features a separate vegan menu with sandwiches and things like chicken-free strips. They seem to be out of their vegan ingredients a lot, which I guess is understandable, since they can't get much traffic just for that. Still, this place gets points for catering specifically to vegans.
Yuan Fu
Yuan Fu, in Rockville, is a 100% vegan Chinese restaurant, very similar to the Vegetable Garden, but a little cheaper. I don't go there as often because it's farther out on Rockville Pike. The crispy orange beef (made with seitan) is excellent.
A longer list of veg*n-friendly restaurants in the DC area can be found at VegDC.com.
For other places, see Happy Cow or VegDining.
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