1310 Kitchen & Bar Adds Innovative Vegan Options

1310 Kitchen & Bar is expanding their menu to host a plethora of delicious vegan options.

Food allergies and dietary restrictions are nothing new, but it can still be difficult to come across diet-friendly menu selections across the D.C. dining scene. Chef Jenn Crovato of 1310 Kitchen & Bar is on a mission to change that.

As owner and head chef of the Georgetown restaurant, Crovato has added a variety of vegan dishes to her menus. Inspired by the wide selection of vegan dining options on the West Coast, she notes that vegans often make concessions when dining in groups or pairs. She doesn’t want that to be the case for her restaurant guests.

“I feel like anyone who is vegan should feel comfortable coming in and having more than one or two options of things to choose from on the menu,” she says.

Preparing vegan-friendly options is not new for Crovato. 1310 Kitchen & Bar’s menu originally featured a couple of vegan starters, like grilled cauliflower and carrot ginger soup. She also includes a vegan lasagna in her Jenn’s Homemade frozen meal selection. Restaurant guests can now enjoy main course dinner options like the eggplant short rib. Though some ingredients will be different, Crovato says she approaches flavoring and seasoning the same way as traditional dishes.

“I prefer the fresh flavors of the food to stand out — in this case, for our savory vegan dishes, this means letting the vegetables take center stage on the plate.”

Since introducing the newer vegan dishes, Crovato says she’s noticed dinner time has gotten busier. With a large portion of tables regularly ordering at least one vegan main course, it seems those options are popular among vegans and non-vegans alike.

“Some people may be immediately turned off upon hearing the word vegan, thinking it may limit the dining options available or the depth of flavor, but there are endless possibilities to explore,” she says. “From earthy green vegetables to healthy whole grains, even indulgent desserts. I hope our dishes will help people reimagine what it means to eat vegan.”

While expanding the selection of vegan-friendly dishes is important, Crovato admits that the logistics of sourcing and prepping vegan dishes can be challenging due to higher prices and limited ingredients. There is also some strategy involved when selecting ingredients, especially when trying to avoid waste and gauge what might appeal to the public.

“Sometimes you can order large amounts of something and if you don’t go through it, then half of the case goes bad,” she says. “But if you’re able to implement it in different dishes and utilize it in different ways, then it totally makes sense.”

Such was the case when one of the restaurant’s breakfast regulars suggested adding a tofu scramble to the menu. Crovato jumped on the opportunity and immediately saw the value in introducing tofu as an egg alternative. She now uses it to recreate brunch staples like huevos rancheros and shakshuka.

“By just adding one item as a substitute, we’re able to create a lot of other dishes,” she says.

Moving forward, Crovato is open to incorporating more vegan options and getting inspiration from her customers. Dessert lovers should know that she also has them covered, thanks to a very special request.

“My daughter’s been bugging me for cinnamon rolls, so I finally delivered.”

1310 Kitchen: 1310 Wisconsin Ave. NW, DC; 1310kitchendc.com // @1310kitchenandbar

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Karina Francesca