The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Washington, DC

This light and airy spot in Georgetown highlights vegetarian tacos made with seasonal farm produce. Freshly pressed corn tortillas are stuffed with various options ranging from kale and potatoes to pea shoots and carrots, and other delicious seasonal combinations.

The changing dinner menu at this restaurant always includes a handful of thoughtful and tasty vegetarian dishes. The vegan Sunday brunch buffet, however, is a highlight, and not only draws herbivores to enjoy the delicious spread. The menu changes seasonally, but includes salads, pastas, pastries and breads.

Find Middle Eastern-inspired salads, sandwiches, and rice bowls at this vegan fast casual spot. The polenta fries and roasted cauliflower pita are fan favorites, but we think the veggie burgers here are one of the best in the city.

This is a Friday-night only tasting experience with a fully vegan and raw menu that changes each month, but is absolutely worth planning in advance and making reservations for. The dishes are elegant, flavorful, and refined; the presentation is stunning, and the service is impeccable — you will forget that this is an all-raw meal. The kale chips make amazingly good bar snacks!

DC has no dearth of Ethiopian restaurants, but Ethiopic is one of the best around, and is extremely vegetarian friendly. The vegetable sampler comes with spongy injera and a variety of vegetables and lentil dishes, but the star of the menu is the “Shiro” — pureed split peas cooked with garlic and onion.

Easily one of the most gorgeous restaurants in the city, this Mediterranean-inspired spot highlights dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. The fried halloumi with local honey and mint is a must-try, but all vegetarian dishes on the menu are tasty. The accompanying wine list is affordable and interesting.

A DC stalwart, Zaytinya is a tapas restaurant featuring small plates. It is a fantastic stop for lunch or dinner. The creamy hummus or baba ghanoush is a great start, paired with hot pita bread, and the selection of salads and small plates is extensive and satisfying. Zucchini patties, falafel, Brussels sprouts, stuffed grape leaves and more are on offer. Make sure to save room for dessert — the Greek yogurt and apricot dish is fantastic!

Ramen usually starts with pork stock, so is probably not what comes to mind when you think of vegetarian food. But Daikaya’s vegetarian ramen is definitely one of the best vegetarian dishes in DC. The vegan shio broth has a slightly smoky flavor, and the chewy noodles are topped with a variety of vegetables, for a perfectly comforting bowl of all things good.

It’s easy to find a variety of Indian vegetarian options, but finding unique and inventive twists on the typical curries is much harder. Indique does just that, and does it really well. The morel vegetable stew, rich and creamy coconut milk gravy, cauliflower pecorino kulcha, and sweet potato chaat are all flavor explosions.

This hip all-day venue is a coffee shop by day and transforms into a bar/restaurant in the evening, with lunch and dinner items inspired by South American flavors. The cheese or hearts of palm arepas are wonderfully hearty; the charred vegetable chorreadas are smoky and covered in a creamy tomato sauce; and the grilled avocado is simplicity at its best. Vegetables have never tasted so good.