1. ShopHouse: Southeast Asian
If you’re familiar with assembly-line style dining of Chipotle, then you’ll be comfortable here. ShopHouse offers a similar experience of customizing a bowl to fit your cravings and dietary needs. You’ll have the option to grab tofu with rice noodles, salad or rice, then add uniquely flavored toppings to the mix. Though the only vegan and vegetarian sauce available is the Tamarind Vinaigrette, it hardly matters – it’s a delectable mix of sweet and zesty that you won’t want to miss.
Georgetown: 2805 M St. NW
Bethesda: 4820 Bethesda Ave.
Dupont Circle: 1516 Connecticut Ave. NW
2. Busboys and Poets: American
As a café, restaurant, bookstore and cultural hub, Busboys and Poets is a quadruple threat. Breakfast includes two vegan egg-substituted selections with sides of vegan bacon and sausage if you’re willing and able to get there before 11 a.m. For lunch and dinner, gobble up anything from a cheesy vegan pepperoni calzone to a delicious mix of tofu, quinoa and roasted vegetables. Cap all of that with a vegan cheesecake that you won’t believe isn’t made out of real cream cheese and you may just find that you’ll be a regular at this place.
U Street: 2021 14th St. NW
Gallery Place: 1025 5th St. NW
3. Smoke and Barrel: Barbecue and Bar
If you’re over 21 and looking for something a little more high-end, Smoke and Barrel will fit the bill. It’s a barbecue place for meat and non-meat eaters alike with some of the best vegan “chicken” wings in the country. Situated in the heart of Adams Morgan, Smoke and Barrel also offers an extensive list of whiskeys and exceptional draft beers for your consumption. If you decide to go, try to make a reservation online first. It’s only open for dinner throughout the week and brunch on the weekends.
Adams Morgan: 2471 18th St. NW
4. Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza
Your friends may insist on eating at Domino’s for the umpteenth time, but we’ve got you covered. Conveniently located in Friendship Heights, Pete’s Apizza has a vegan pizza selection that is sure to satisfy, especially considering most pizza places near AU don’t offer quality vegan options. Moreover, the owners and chefs are accommodating to your dietary needs, so just be sure to mention that you’re looking for something vegan or vegetarian to munch on. If that’s not enough to hook you, they offer a 20 percent discount for students, faculty and staff who come in and show their ID any time past 8 p.m.
Friendship Heights: 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Columbia Heights: 1400 Irving St. NW
5. Sticky Fingers Sweets and Eats: Desserts
In an effort to save the best for last, here is the place of any vegan’s dreams. Sticky Fingers is one of the few places where a vegan can look at the menu and eat, well, anything. Whether you stop by for breakfast, lunch or dinner, Sticky Fingers will certainly have something to meet your craving. As non-vegan as it sounds, Sticky Fingers allows you to enjoy a cheesy delight while downing a shake and picking out the dessert of your dreams. Sound impossible? See this vegan heaven for yourself.
Columbia Heights: 1370 Park Rd. NW
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