Location: 1300 Connecticut Ave. NW
Reader’s pick: HipCityVeg
HipCityVeg puts the hip in vegan cuisine, serving customers plant-based versions of fast-food favorites.
With convincing faux-meat swaps and dishes highlighting fresh, plant-based ingredients, this vegan spot is palatable to wide range of customers, vegans and nonvegans alike. HipCityVeg is just a 15-minute walk from campus in Dupont Circle and isn’t limited to the usual vegetable-based options of other vegan restaurants, making it the best vegan restaurant to stop by with your friends or pick up for lunch during the week on GWorld.
Dining at HipCityVeg will not only make you feel like you are bettering yourself but also bettering the planet. To minimize its environmental impact, the restaurant uses sustainable practices like locally sourcing ingredients, composting food scraps and using compostable packaging.
HipCityVeg’s menu features a range of soy-based vegan options, along with gluten-free alternatives. As a stand-in for chicken, HipCityVeg uses soy-based chick’n for its sandwiches and nuggets. You can order a side of the eatery’s signature sweet potato fries ($5.75), which are matched with an array of sauce choices including HipCity Sauce, the restaurant’s specialty honey-mustard-flavored sauce.
The upbeat environment of HipCityVeg makes vegan cuisine welcoming to non-vegans who may not be initially attracted to typical plant-based restaurants. The friendly and informative workers make every customer feel welcome and encourage customers to learn about their sustainable practices and the impact of plant-based eating.
The menu is always changing, showcasing a soy-based milkshake that changes with the season. For April, check out the Birthday Cake Shake ($6.15), made with organic soy ice cream, organic soy milk, birthday cake and sprinkles.
To fund your vegan food dreams, use your remaining GWorld money and splurge on food that not only makes you feel good, but you can feel good about. For meat lovers, try HipCityVeg’s Beyond Meat Smokehouse Burger ($14.65) or the Crispy Buffalo Bleu Sandwich ($12.75). For vegans looking to try something new, try the Ziggy Burger with tempeh bac’n ($13) or the Breakfast Maple Crispy Chick’n ($7.25).
HipCityVeg will open your eyes to the broad spectrum of vegan food available. Whether you have dietary restrictions or are just looking to try something new, you won’t regret a visit to HipCityVeg.
