I'm tired of hearing about COVID-19 as much as the next person, trust me. Nonetheless, for my full time job, I work for an engineering construction company and got sent to DC for the week to help build new hospital space. I was dreading going because I love staying in Charlottesville with my partner and plants. But when duty calls, you answer and try to make the most of it. So I decided to take advantage of my trip to try out more vegan options in the DC/Metro area!
Let me preface this by saying I have already visited DC before a few times and eaten at the most popular places. I hate hate hate driving in DC so it was actually pretty convenient that all restaurants have gotten hip to delivery services like Door Dash. I don't use delivery services back home because I can just cook but since I was in a hotel all week, what else was I going to do? Anyways, here's all the food I ate and my review!
1. &pizza
&pizza is a made to order pizzeria chain up here. I love that you can get fancy topping like truffle drizzle to the classics like fresh basil. I personally prefer to eat pizza in this shape because its easier with small squares. I kept it simple this time and got just the vegan cheese topped with vegan sausage. I will say that unlike other times, they gave me A LOT of sausage so my eyes were big and bright when I opened my box. With this being delivered, the box was taped shut so it stay in place and warm!
5 stars!!!!!!!!!!
2. Pow Pow
I am a weakling when it comes to spicy hot foods. I genuinely believe it was going to have just a soft kick but no I got drop kicked by these Firecracker Fingers. I was coughing but despite the slight pain, the flavor was so delectable. The fingers are Taiwanese style fried chickn fingers served with a sesame sauce. They are meant to be an appetizer but totally can be a meal if you just add a side or eat all 6 at once alone in your hotel room like me... A little cold on delivery but I didn't care because I had a microwave. These are the closest in inner and outer texture to a chicken finger I've tasted in a while so 5 stars!
3. HipCityVeg
HipCityVeg is a popular, vegan fast food restaurant in the area I've been lucky enough to go to twice before. Their serving sizes aren't skimp if you trying to understand the pricing. Here I got the Crispy HipCity Ranch sandwich! Its a giant fried chickn patty accompanied with some house made ranch, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles on a soft bun. I am a small person so I was tooooo full after eating this. So maybe this is the perfect sandwich to feed that friend that thinks that vegan food isn't filling? The texture of the patty is everything you want in a sandwich. Definitely not meant to be a healthy meal. Well its good for my mental health so I take that back haha!
Later I was craving something sweet. Very rarely can you go anywhere to get a vegan milkshake that doesn't taste like shit or any at all. But THIS chocolate shake was heaven sent. I finished the entire thing!!! And before you try to get on me about plastic, they use eco-ware so its all biodegradable packaging.
Sandwhich got delivered hot and heavy. The shake was a little melted when it got to me but that didn't affect the flavor at all. 5 stars? Of course!
4. Bozzelli's
Your eyes do not deceive you, that is indeed a vegan meatball sub. Bozzelli's is a family owned sub and pizza place that's been in DC since the 70s. I respect them being nice enough to offer such a solid vegan option. I can't even begin to tell you the last time I ate a meatball sub considering that I stopped eating beef about 10 years ago! BUT WOO CHILE was this GOOD.
It same professionally wrapped up all nice and neat. I opened it and a plume of steam came out. The cheese was a little stuck to paper but that was because it was perfectly melty. I must say that I was worried that the cheese wasn't vegan but vegan cheese has just come a long way. I am 99% certain they used Beyond Meat for the meatballs but not confirmed yet. Anyways if anyone knows about meatballs you know its all in the sauce and structure of the ball. I want to buy a jar of their sauce honestly it was so well balanced in sweet and savory notes. The meatballs were a good size, didn't crumble, were moist in the inside and warmed my soul. So I am just going to say it was my favorite bite of the whole trip.
5. Paragon Thai
I religiously eat Thai food once a week. I am unashamed to say that. My favorite go to meal is a Pad Ginger/Ginger Stir Fry and a Thai Tea. If you have reliable taste buds then you too will fall in love with this combo. The broth this is made in makes the fried tofu and rice taste so damn good because it gets absorbed over time. Paragon definitely gave me a heftier serving that I normally get at restaurants and I ain't mad.
I am happy they were nice enough to make me a Thai Tea with coconut milk! This IS the best tea I've ever had because it wasn't sickly sweet. I mean the drink is definitely more of a after dinner dessert kind of thing to me but sometimes its been so sweet I couldn't finish! But they got it just right for me :).
Nobody was trying to pick this meal up for me and they were about to close but as fate had it, a Dasher got it right at closing time and my food was still hot! 5 stars!!!!!!!!!!
Final Thoughts on DoorDash Dining in DC:
DoorDash makes it easy to find options and receive them quickly. You can simply search 'vegan' in the app and find tons of places to feast at.
Be sure to tip the Dashers and don't be a baby about it being only warm, they got the food for you as fast as they could.
It is a bit expensive to eat out like this because of the fees, tips etc. but it is safe and fine to do every now and again.
DC has tons of fun places to eat at and I still have more to go to outside of these!
Eat more vegan foods even if you aren't vegan! It helps everyone out; funds businesses, allows options for all and saves the planet.
If you find yourself eating at any of these places soon let me know in the comments, via Twitter or Instagram @withcarrington!
xoxo Carrington
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