Vegan Travel Tips for Washington, D.C.

We celebrate our nation’s birth this month, so in the second in our series of guests posts, Elizabeth King shares 3 tips on traveling as a vegan to our nation’s capital!

As I’ve traveled around the world to countries which not many people venture to, finding delicious food which I can enjoy has sometimes been very difficult. Although many major metropolitan cities have restaurants and other food outlets that cater to the vegan market, I have often had to trudge around for miles on end in order to try and find something which could whet my appetite. Thankfully, on a recent trip to Washington, D.C. with a close friend, the aforementioned didn’t happen because I found three wonderful places to dine which I’d like to share with you.

Tip #1: To find the best vegan and vegetarian outlets, do your research.

Since I hadn’t been to Washington, D.C. before, I discovered that researching the area on the internet was invaluable, especially as the first location which I came across was Elizabeth’s Gone Raw. Situated at 1341 L Street, I couldn’t stop myself from sampling the organic cocktails. The friend who accompanied me on my trip is also a vegan and we couldn’t help trying more than we could possibly handle (and that counts for the superb biodynamic wine which tasted excellent).

Tip #2: Sample a bakery during the day

My friend and I planned to stay in Washington, D.C. for a couple of days.  The seasonal weather was very hot, and we decided to spend most of our time outside visiting the many attractions which this city has to offer. As the temperatures continued to soar, we thankfully found a delightful bakery which satisfied our empty stomachs with sugary-filled delights. The place in question was the Sticky Fingers Bakery situated at 1370 Park Road NW. Here, we both sampled many offerings which are made without egg and dairy. Other items we tried included soups, sandwiches, nachos and even hot dogs. With extended opening hours, any late night walk through Washington, D.C. is also improved with a stop at this bakery.

Tip #3: Try some international fare.  

Both of us are admirers of Indian food, but it can be very difficult to find a vegan version when I travel. However, this wasn’t a problem at all when we both visited Indian Delight. Found at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue in the Old Post Office Pavilion, this buffet-style restaurant had everything we could wish for, especially since they did take-away as well. With the temperature on our final night in Washington, D.C. the warmest so far, it’s true not every traveler might wish wishes to eat Indian food during, but we couldn’t stop ourselves.  The scent which wafted out from this restaurant made our mouths salivate, and we were quite satisfied with the meal once we entered the establishment.

Next time you’re in our nation’s capital, why not try one or all of these restaurants?

About the Author: Elizabeth King is an aspiring journalist and travel enthusiast who enjoys traveling around the world. Liz writes for Executive Apartments, a company in Arlington, VA that offers fully furnished corporate apartments for rent for short and extended stay.