It is estimated that more than one third of all fossil fuels produced in the United States go towards animal agriculture. According to a 2006 United Nations initiative, the production of livestock is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide — generating more greenhouse gas emissions than all forms of transportation combined. Going meatless, even one night a week, is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint while helping animals — both human and non-human. I always say eating a vegan meal is the easiest form of social activism around. All you have to do is eat!

Lucky for Washingtonians, the D.C. metro area is home to many vegetarian restaurants that will satisfy herbivores and omnivores alike. This list is by no means comprehensive. Many ethnic food restaurants are left off because almost all such restaurants — Thai, Indian, Ethiopian — offer substantial vegetarian selections whether they cater to vegetarians or not. Even among the exclusively vegetarian restaurants, D.C. has more good ones than will fit in this article. For a comprehensive list of vegetarian dining in DC, check out www.VegDC.com, a great website run by Compassion Over Killing.

Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant
6304 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church;
703-237-3888
2531 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna;
703-319-3888
www.crystalsunflower.com
One food I do miss from my meat-eating days is sushi. While there are many great vegetarian varieties of sushi, at most sushi bars non-fish eaters are stuck with a dinner of cucumber and avocado rolls. “I’ll take the rainbow roll, hold the fish please.” Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant, with locations in Vienna and Falls Church, provides a solution, with many great sushi rolls and a yummy mock sesame eel appetizer. But Sunflower has way more than sushi, offering everything from vegan versions of Chinese classics to paninis. The fried “chicken” appetizer made with white mushrooms and soy protein is very popular. General Tso’s Surprise is an excellent interpretation of kung-pao chicken.

Vegetate
1414 Ninth St, NW (at O Street); 202 -32-4585
www.vegetatedc.com
If it were not for the neon green “V” in the window, Vegetate might go completely unnoticed among the stores and homes on Ninth street. Don’t let its unassuming exterior fool you, though. Vegetate is the perfect place for a vegetarian date night. The menu changes often to feature the best seasonal selections. The bar menu features unique cocktails such as a Lime Rosemary Martini. For starters, the vegetate mini burgers are great for sharing. I then recommend the house-made grilled seitan.

Java Green
1020 19th St, NW; 202-775-8899
www.javagreen.net
Java Green’s mission is to “create a better world by encouraging a socially responsible, conscious lifestyle.” That means that in addition to serving an excellent all vegetarian menu, Java Green uses organic products, buys “fair trade” coffees, teas and sugars, and uses biodegradable serving ware and carry-out bags made from corn, sugar cane fiber, and potato starch. Its all vegetarian menu includes sandwiches, paninis, wraps, soups and salads. On Saturdays they offer a very popular vegan brunch with tofu scramble, pancakes, waffles and French toast. 

Asylum
2471 18th St, NW; 202-319-9353
www.AsylumDC.com
With 50-cent beers during its weekly “High Life” Countdown, one does not need another reason to go to Asylum. But if you’re still in need of convincing, Asylum does vegan bar food like nobody’s business with a menu that includes vegan wings, quesadillas, cheese fries, burgers and tacos. With meat selections as well, it’s a great place to go to satisfy everyone’s palate. Asylum also offers a popular vegan brunch menu that includes vegan Huevos Rancheros, pancakes and French toast.

BEST PLACES FOR VEGAN PIZZA
There is nothing worse than bad soy cheese. Which is why vegan pizza merits its own special category. These restaurants create a yummy alternative to cheese pizza!

Washington Deli
1990 K St, NW; 202-331-3344
www.WashingtonDeli.com
A favorite among GW students, Washington Deli has a really good vegan pizza made with “Tofutti” and “Follow Your Heart” brand soy “cheeses.” Additionally, diners will find a wide selection of vegetarian/vegan sandwiches, mock meats and even coleslaw and potato salad made with Vegenaise rather than standard mayonnaise.

Ella’s Wood Fired Pizza
901 F St, NW; 202-638-3434
www.EllasPizza.com
This popular Chinatown pizzeria will substitute vegan soy cheese on any of their delicious pizzas.

Bus Boys and Poets
2021 14th St, NW; 202-387-7638
www.BusboysandPoets.com
Bus Boys and Poets offer both a vegan pizza and vegan calzone in addition to over a dozen other vegan dishes. Their brunch menu boasts vegan “eggs” and “sausage.”

Sticky Fingers
1370 Park. Road, NW; 202-299-9700
www.StickyFingersBakery.com

Vegan baked goods can often conjure up scary thoughts of health-food store cookies that function better as a door stop than in your digestive track. However, at Sticky Fingers Bakery you will find truly delectable treats that will satisfy vegan and omnivorous sweet tooth’s. The secret is simple:

“The magic is do not sacrifice taste no matter what, otherwise don’t put it out there” explains owner Kirsten Rosenberg.

Sticky Fingers bakery is the brainchild of owners Doron Petersan and Rosenberg. First opened in July 2002 near Dupont Circle, the bakery moved to its present location in Columbia Heights in Fall, 2006. At the new, larger, location, Rosenberg and Petersan have expanded their menu to include espresso drinks and a full savory menu of deli foods. However, it is still the sweets — sticky buns and chocolate cookies are favorites — that make the bakery so special.

Oddly enough, though she now runs a bakery, Rosenberg didn’t have much experience in baking when she started the business.

“If I wanted vegan brownies I’d buy the mix and veganize them and make them.,” said Rosenberg. “Out of necessity, not out of the joy of baking. Doron has a degree in food science and enjoyed baking. The core products, she came up with the original recipes such as the sticky bun and the little devil, the cowvin cookie. But now we’re fortunate enough to have a great staff including a head baker, Jenny Webb, who does amazing work.”

All of the desserts at Sticky Fingers are made without eggs, dairy or hydrogenated oils. But that doesn’t mean they are any less decadent than their egg and dairy filled counterparts.

“We didn’t set out to make health food, and I think that’s a big distinction.” Rosenberg said. “Yes, it’s healthier by default because it doesn’t have the saturated fats from animal products and it doesn’t have the cholesterol from animal products. We wanted to make things that tasted outstanding but didn’t use animal products. We didn’t try to make diet food.”

While Sticky Fingers is obviously a favorite among the vegetarian crowd, it has easily gained a following among non-vegetarians as well.

“It’s been surprisingly easy,” Rosenberg said. “One is convenience. If we are located near where someone lives or works, our stuff tastes great. Also, people with food allergies who are not necessarily vegetarian or vegan but may avoid a particular ingredient whether it’s dairy or eggs. It hasn’t been hard at all to draw an omnivorous customer base.”

Rosenberg and Petersan also strike a balance between the political and the culinary. “We’ve always been about being inclusive and turning people onto to just how tasty eating vegan can be” Rosenberg said. “Certainly you can’t separate [politics from food] entirely. That’s not who we are. We very much believe in the philosophy behind veganism. But we don’t shove that in people’s faces, we don’t shove it down their throats so to speak, except in the form of a cookie.”

From its humble beginning Sticky Fingers has now expanded its operations to included wedding cakes and catering — and they even can ship across the country.

“We’ve always wanted to have a national presence and we do ship nationally now through mail order with some of our products,” Rosenberg said. For the bakery the future holds even more growth. “We’re right in the middle of plotting out what the course is going to look like but I can definitely say it means more than this one shop here.”