Erica Meier: Got vegan? More restaurants respond to growing demand

Vegan cheese pizza at Astor's

As a long-time vegan and D.C.-area resident, I’ve talked with hundreds of Washingtonians and restaurateurs alike about the growing interest in meat-free meals. Sure, meat may still dominate most restaurant menus, but in the last several years, vegan options have been shifting from the margins to the mainstream and are now prominently featured in more and more eateries in and around the nation’s capital. 

That’s in large part because as consumers are increasingly examining their dietary choices—where different foods come from and exactly what (and who) they’re eating—many are discovering the benefits of leaving animals off their plates, or, at the very least, reducing their consumption of animal-based foods. And restaurants are responding.

Offering more meat-, egg-, and dairy-free meals makes sense—it’s a positive step for animals, consumers, and businesses, especially when you consider current dietary trends: A 2008 Harris Interactive survey revealed that 22.3 million Americans follow a “vegetarian-inclined diet.” A poll by the Restaurant Association found that as many as 30 percent of diners “want to eat vegetarian meals,” and a nationwide survey of more than 100,000 college students conducted by ARAMARK found that one out of every four students polled said that finding vegan foods was important to them.

So it should come as no surprise that hearty vegan meals are sprouting up in restaurants everywhere, from fast-food to four-star. In fact, in just the last few months alone, at least eight D.C.-area eateries have started dishing out new vegan options (including Science Club, Soupergirl, Astor Mediterranean, and RedRocks Firebrick Pizzeria), an all-vegan Mediterranean food stand opened up in Takoma Park, Bread & Brew is hosting an all-vegan day event on April 22 in honor of Earth Day to celebrate its new menu, and Café Green, a new all-vegan eatery, is scheduled to open up in D.C. within a month (read about Café Green’s April 15th pre-grand opening event) .

That’s in addition to the more than two dozen all-vegetarian eateries already well-established in the area, plus the hundreds of other restaurants featuring extensive veg-friendly menus.

The increasing demand for vegan cuisine demonstrates that feasting on meat-, milk-, and egg-free fare doesn’t mean skimping on flavor. Rather, it simply means choosing the cruelty-free versions of our favorite foods. And with so many options available in D.C.—check out VegDC.com— it’s never been easier stand up for animals every time we sit down to eat.