D.C. Nabs Spot on PETA’s ‘Most Vegan-Friendly Cities’ List

The District Wins Top Nod for Vegan-Friendly Burger Joint, Soul Food, and More

For Immediate Release:
November 15, 2019

Contact:
Nicole Meyer 202-483-7382

The results are in for PETA’s 2019 ranking of the top 10 vegan-friendly cities in the U.S.—and the nation’s capital has won a spot on the list, coming in at number nine, thanks to its winning ticket of top-notch vegan food.

“From vegan crab cakes to meat-free burgers, Buffalo wings, and more, D.C. is a capital destination for delicious vegan dining,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “The number of American vegans grew by 600% in just three years, and the cities on PETA’s list are meeting the skyrocketing demand for animal-friendly fare.”

All-vegan restaurant Pow Pow, which transitioned to a 100% vegan menu last year, leads the charge with fine options such as the Wu-Banger (orange fried “chicken,” soy feta, and Sriracha cashews) and the Natalie Porkman (sweet-and-sour “pork” seitan, grilled pineapple, and pickled onion), while LEON’s Love Burger spreads the love around with its beetroot-soy patty, vegan Carolina mustard mayo, and dairy-free smoked gouda cheese. Vegan meat options abound at Smoke & Barrel, which offers a Vegan Sampler of “wings,” “spare ribs,” smoked tofu, and more; Busboys and Poets, which dishes up a vegan chicken stir-fry; and HipCityVeg, which serves a meat-free Philly Steak with dairy-free mozzarella cheese. NuVegan Café, Ben’s Chili Bowl, and Fancy Radish are all local favorites, as is the dark-chocolate truffle ice cream from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. You can also pop into the soon-to-open Donut Run, the city’s first-ever vegan doughnut shop, which should satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth, across the aisle.

Topping PETA’s list is San Francisco, where PETA’s “Lettuce Lady” and “Lettuce Lad” celebrated the accomplishment with a special cable car ride (photos available here). Rounding out the list are Los Angeles; New York City; Portland, Oregon; Detroit; Orlando, Florida; Dallas; Nashville, Tennessee; and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, which is a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org.