Washington DC Vegan Guide: Where to Eat & Explore

When you think of the US capital, what do you think of? Abraham Lincoln? The White House? Some long-drawn-out history lesson about how some white guy did something? Snooze fest! Well, at least I thought so when I was a kid — I had the opportunity to visit Washington DC but gave it a hard pass.

Luckily, I didn’t hit the snooze button when the opportunity arose again!

Of course, Washington DC is an excellent place to brush up on all those US history lessons you slept through in school (plus all the ones that they didn’t teach), but it’s also a fantastic place to explore hip and eclectic neighborhoods and a diversity of vegan food (I’m sure I have your attention now).

If you get the opportunity to visit DC, don’t skip it — you’re in for an educational and tasty adventure! This vegan guide to Washington DC is packed with everything you could possibly need — drool-worthy food options, great things to do, and more — what else could you possibly need (the answer is nothing, so don’t even try and think something up!)?

Is Washington DC Vegan-Friendly?

Heck yes, Washington DC is very vegan-friendly! Visitors to the US capitol should get ready to enjoy a diverse selection of vegan options taking inspiration from Korea, Mexico, Afghanistan, and many others!

I estimate there are nearly 40 vegan or vegetarian restaurants (this vegan guide to Washington DC will help you find almost all of them!) spread throughout the city, along with a variety of pop-ups that you can find at one of the many farmer’s markets throughout the week.

The vegan food scene also appears to be growing in DC — with new restaurants and menu options constantly popping up. And aside from restaurants, DC is also home to the headquarters of multiple animal rights groups and the vegan health group, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Equinox Restaurant

818 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006
This is your spot for something a little fancy in DC. The chef, Todd Gray, is a five-time James Beard award winner who has created a vegan-friendly menu featuring local and seasonal cuisine.

Chaia

3207 Grace St NW, Washington, DC 20007
615 I St NW, Washington, DC 20001
This is where your vegan taco and nacho dreams come to life! This vegetarian restaurant serves a variety of Mexican-inspired favorites, all packed with veggies (no fake meat here)!

Elife

Two locations in Washington DC
Another vegan Soul Food spot offers a hot bar filled with mac-n-cheese, collard greens, sweet potatoes, and fried chick’n — the benefit of coming here is you can load up on as much as you want!

Pow Pow

1253 H St NE, Washington, DC 20002
This plant-based Asian eatery wasn’t always vegan!? Customer demand for the veggie-based dishes pushed them to kick meat to the curb. All their dishes are excellent; many are made with a variety of mock meats, like shrimp!

VEGZ

2120 18th St NW BSMT, Washington, DC 20009
Vegan-friendly Indian food with an extensive menu (good luck deciding!) — Dosa, masala, vindaloo, and so much more. If you love Dosas, don’t miss this spot because of their incredible options!

HipCityVeg

1300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
This vegan fast-food chain is whipping up everyone’s favorite junk food — golden nuggets, loaded burgers, crispy fries, milkshakes, and more!

Senbeb Café

6224 3rd St NW, Washington, DC 20011
If you’ve never had vegan Soul Food, here is your chance! Their menu features all the traditional favorites — BBQ tofu, Cajun fried chick’n, BBQ ribs, biscuits, and more!

Elizabeth’s Gone Raw

1341 L St NW Suite 1, Washington, DC 20005
This fine-dining vegan restaurant is only open three nights a week (be sure to make reservations) and serves a fantastic six-course tasting menu!

Shouk

Multiple locations in DC
Inspired by the open-air markets in Tel Aviv, this vegan spot has so many tantalizing things to choose from — Za’atar cauliflower, Shouk sausage, mushroom shawarma, and more!

Sushi But Like Vegan

2800 10th St NE, Washington, DC 20017
Located inside the Tastemaker’s Food Hall, this is the spot for loads of vegan sushi options, bowls, and even a Japanese sweet potato pizza!

Naked Lunch

Multiple locations in DC
Located inside MOM’s Organic Market, this is the place to come to create your own veggie-packed bowl and add on a bottle of fresh juice.

DC Dosa

Union Market, 1309 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002
This spot has cornered the DC market on vegan Dosas! In case you’re unsure what a Dosa is, it’s a South Indian lentil crepe filled with various savory fillings like curry potatoes and roasted veggies and topped with chutneys and sauces.

PLNT Burger

Multiple locations in DC
This is the land of vegan burgers and fries! Their lineup is mouthwatering — mushroom BBQ bacon burger, DBL PLNT burger, or maybe a crispy chik’n sandwich served with either crispy sweet potato crinkles or crispy herb fries!

Beefsteak

800 22nd St NW, Washington, DC 20052
With a name like that you might be a little apprehensive — I was too! But have no fear, this veggie spot is fully vegetarian and focuses on colorful and healthy bowls with spicy tofu, bok choy, sweet potatoes, and much more.

Little Sesame

736 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
This vegan-friendly Middle Eastern-inspired spot is serving up a creative mix of bowls and sandwiches (seriously, no basic hummus and falafel combo here)! They also have oat milk soft serve, so be sure to save a little room for dessert.

Immigrant Food

Multiple locations in DC
This cause-casual spot is so unique! It seeks to celebrate the story of immigrants through food by combining a variety of cultures, tastes, and flavors into its vegan-friendly menu. Each location has a slightly different menu, but all bowls can be made vegan.

TaKorean

Multiple locations throughout DC
What started as a food truck is now a multi-location Korean restaurant in DC! Their make-your-own bowl menu is very vegan-friendly.

Vegan Brunch & Breakfast Spots in Washington DC

Fruitive

Multiple locations throughout DC
If you’re looking for delicious food with a side of health, come here! This vegan spot has everything you could want for breakfast — vegan and gluten-free waffles, smoothie bowls, house-made muffins, smoothies, and more!

HipCityVeg

1300 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
This vegan fast-food chain can’t let you start your day without a boost! Grab a sausage egg and cheese or one of their many other excellent breakfast sandwiches, but don’t forget an order of classic crispy hash browns

Gregory’s Coffee

443 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20004
Do you love coffee and breakfast? Come here! This vegan-friendly coffee shop has creative coffee drinks (don’t miss the Hall & Oats) and a great lineup of vegan breakfast sandwiches and raw breakfast treats!

South Block

Multiple locations throughout DC
This might be the spot for smoothie bowls! Holy smokes, the lineup is extensive — whether you need a little Blue Majik or the power of greens, you can get it here.

Equinox Restaurant

818 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20006
This fancy vegan-friendly spot offers an 8-course plant-based brunch menu that features artisan bread, Just Egg frittata, pancakes, and more! Brunch is only available on Sundays.

Donut Run

6904 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20012
Although this vegan donut shop is a bit of a hike outside downtown DC, it’s worth it! They have a massive lineup of vegan donuts — Boston cream, glazed, maple cream, chocolate sprinkle, and many more.

Rise Bakery

2409 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
If you’re vegan and gluten-free, don’t miss a stop here. This vegan-friendly bakery is 100% gluten-free and has a great lineup of cupcakes, bread, cookies, and avocado toast.

Pressed

Multiple locations in DC
I was surprised to find a juice spot with vegan soft serve! Their “guilt-free” soft-serve is made with minimal ingredients and natural fruits and then topped with almond butter, fresh fruit, marshmallows, granola — whatever your heart desires!

Dolci Gelati

1420 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
This artisanal gelato shop has a great lineup of vegan options, not just sorbet! Just a few of the flavors include salted caramel, peanut butter, and toasted coconut — they are all made with oat milk.

Jeni’s Ice Cream

Multiple locations throughout DC
This ice cream chain always has multiple vegan options that are creamy and delicious — Texas Sheet Cake, Dark Chocolate Truffle, Caramel Sticky Buns, Cold Brew with Coconut Cream, and more!

What To Do in Washington DC

Visit one of the many FREE museums in DC

Whether you’re traveling solo or with a group, I think this is a huge benefit to visiting DC — museum entrance fees can add up so fast! The lineup of free museums includes all of the Smithsonian Museums, The National Gallery of Art, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, The National Archives Museum, and many others! One of the most popular is the National Air and Space Museum — home to The Voyager, The Wright Flyer, and Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis. Some of these museums are also great activities to do with teens in DC.

Some museums require that you reserve a timed reservation ahead of time, while others will allow you to saunter right in whenever you want. So be sure to look ahead of time. There are just a handful of other incredible museums that aren’t free, but I suggest prioritizing all free ones first!

Learn about the impact of African Americans + visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture

This is an excellent opportunity to learn a different perspective of US history. This was one of my favorite activities in DC. The tour covers historical impacts from slavery to the modern day, visits key sites like U Street (once known as Black Broadway) and the MLK Memorial, and ends at The African American History Museum. The tour comes with a  timed entry ticket to the museum.

Honestly, a visit to the museum could be done solely on its own, but I felt like the tour gave even more context. The tour and the museum can easily fill an entire day — the museum is giant (don’t try and fit it all in one visit). There are countless unique exhibits; two that I found to be really special include Leveling the Playing Field, which explores the impacts of Black athletes on and off the field, and A Changing America, which explores contemporary America from the late ’60s to #BlackLivesMatters.

Hang out at the DC Union Market or its neighbor, La Cosecha

Both markets are hip spots to hang out year-round, especially in the summer. When it’s not scorching outside, be sure to check out The Union Market’s rooftop bar, Hi-Lawn. Throughout the week, this fun spot hosts a variety of activities and live music — if the weather is ideal, you might want to bring a blanket to sit on the lawn, as finding a table will be tough! Inside the Union Market are multiple vegan-friendly restaurants like DC Dosas and Immigrant food, along with the fun shop Salt & Sundry.

Its neighbor market, La Cosecha, celebrates Latin American food and culture. It is a chic place to grab a drink, but there aren’t too many vegan options (hopefully, that changes soon!).

First-timers, take a monument tour (but skip the Potomac boat ride)

There are many historical spots and monuments throughout DC — it’s hard to keep them all straight! The easiest way to ensure you don’t miss any sights is by booking a tour (there is a cool nighttime option and a daytime tour in an eco-friendly, electric vehicle) I thought about skipping it; I am glad that I didn’t because I would’ve definitely missed some spots and interesting information.

Some of the tours come with a boat ride on the Potomac, I know it sounds exciting, but it’s not worth it! You cruise down a few miles and then turn around and come back. I didn’t learn anything new either, so I think you can find better ways to use your time than this.

Wander through the unique mix of DC neighborhoods 

DC has a mix of eclectic neighborhoods to check out. A couple of spots not to miss include Georgetown, Logan Circle/14^th Street, and Adams Morgan — each one has its own unique vibe.

Georgetown is known for picturesque streets and high-end shopping — for the perfect wander, don’t miss Wisconsin Ave. or M Street. For trendy restaurants and hip independent boutiques, check out 14^th Street in Logan Circle. The last spot in Adams Morgan, home to even more great restaurants, beautiful row houses, and a variety of independent shops.

Need More Vegan Travel Help?

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