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L'Ardente cauliflower with Negroni. Photo by Mike Fuentes.
The 22 Best Vegetarian Dishes of 2022
December 14, 2022 @ 11:00am
As 2022 comes to a close, let’s take a look back at 22 of the best veggie dishes we were lucky enough to sample this year. Make it your New Year’s resolution to get through this list in 2023!
L’Ardente’s Cavolfiori
Hunks of fried cauliflower are crunchy and finger-licking good, and especially so accompanied by a heady chili-garlic aioli. 200 Massachusetts Ave. NW, DC; lardente.com // @lardentedc
Art and Soul’s Charred Carrots
Roasted just enough to bring out their natural sweetness, these carrots still retain their crunch and come topped with whipped burrata, bright preserved lemon and a tart pomegranate gastrique. 415 New Jersey Ave. NW, DC; artandsouldc.com // @artandsouldc
Astoria’s Basil Eggplant
Eggplant teams up with basil, chili and Sichuan pepper for a super spicy but uber satisfying dish. Just be sure to order some white rice on the side! 1521 17th St. NW, DC; astoriadc.com // @astoria_dc
Bar Chinois’ Garlic Chives Gao
These chewy chive nuggets are savory, salty, spicy and serve as the ultimate bar bite. 455 I St. NW, DC; barchinoisdc.com // @barchinoisdc
La Bise’s Gougères
These little doughy, cheesy bread balls are addictively good and pair perfectly with a glass of bubbles. 800 Connecticut Ave. NW, DC; labisedc.com // @labise_dc
Bombay Club’s Mushroom Matar
In this spectacularly flavorful Indian dish, chewy morel and shiitake mushrooms and bright green peas, added for a hint of sweetness, are served in a velvety, gingery, garlicky, spice-infused gravy. Mop up every last drop with an order of truffle naan. 815 Connecticut Ave. NW, DC; bombayclubdc.com // @bombayclubdc
La Casita’s Pupusa Fresca
Pupusas are always delicious, but this one is especially tasty with the warm, griddled pancake stuffed with melted mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, onions and jalapenos for just a hint of heat. 1280 4th St. NE, DC; lacasitapupusas.com // @lacasitapapusas
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DC Vegan’s Philly Jackfruit Sandwich
As it turns out, the heartiest sandwich in town doesn’t even have meat on it. The Philly Jackfruit sandwich at DC Vegan includes a doughy bun stuffed with braised jackfruit, peppers, onions, cheese and mayo. It’s meaty, without the meat. 1633 P St. NW, DC; dc-vegan.com // @dcvegan
Happy Gyro’s Roasted Fennel
The team at Happy Gyro does everything well, but they are especially apt at showcasing the flavors of different vegetables. The roasted fennel dish on their winter menu comes sprinkled with dried olives and lemon breadcrumbs, as well as shards of Greek manouri cheese, resulting in a bright, crunchy, slightly sweet and very earthy dish. 1509 17th St. NW, DC; happygyrodc.com // @happygyrodc
Laos in Town’s Crispy Rice Salad
With crispy rice tossed with fresh scallions and cilantro, sliced red onions, ginger and peanuts, this dish has all the flavors and all the textures. Stuff it into a crunchy lettuce leaf and devour. 250 K St. NE, DC; laosintown.com // @laosintown
Maiz 64’s Manchamanteles Mole
This sweet and spicy Mexican mole, bursting with fruity notes and layers of spice, is served alongside a fried plantain quesadilla for dipping. It’s possible to share, but you may want it all to yourself! 324 14th St. NW, DC; maiz64.com // @maiz.64
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Makan’s Curry Mee
This bowl of steaming goodness is arguably the best bowl of noodles in town. A bright, silky broth is piled high with glass and egg noodles, sour greens, cubes of tofu, spicy sambal and picked onions. 3400 11th St. NW, DC; makanrestaurantdc.com // @makan_dc
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Maxwell Park’s Truffle Grilled Cheese
Oozing with melted cheddar and gruyere cheeses, this mayo-smothered grilled cheese is taken to the next level with the addition of a decadent truffle sauce. Pair it with any of the wines on Maxwell Park’s extensive wine list. 1336 9th St. NW, DC; maxwelldcwine.com/home-shaw // @maxwellpark_shaw; 1346 4th St. SE, DC; maxwelldcwine.com/home-navy-yard // @maxwellpark_navyyard
Obelisk’s Watercress Ravioli
This tiny Dupont Circle restaurant serves some of the best Italian food in town, with the watercress ravioli being one of their most delightful dishes. Delicate, pillowy ravioli resembling small flowers are stuffed with bright, peppery watercress and served in a silky butter sauce with a sprinkling of walnuts for crunch and parmesan for nuttiness. The beauty of the dish lies in its simplicity. Once you have it, you will never forget it. 2029 P St. NW, DC; obeliskdc.com // @obeliskdc
Opal’s Avocado Toast
“How can an avocado toast be extra special,” you ask? The answer: when thick country bread is smothered with a savory green goddess sauce, then topped with salty, sour pickles, sprouts and crescents of avocado. 5534 Connecticut Ave. NW, DC; opal-dc.com // @opal_dc
Pow Pow’s Trolley Fries
Pow Pow’s fries come smothered in cheese, kimchi, togarashi mayo and Korean ketchup. Enough said. 1253 H St. NE, DC; eatpowpow.com // @eatpowpow
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Republic Cantina’s Veggie Enchiladas
Tex-Mex at its best. Tortillas stuffed with squash, corn and mushrooms are smothered with cheddar cheese and a green chile sauce before being baked to perfection in a skillet. 43 N St. NW, DC; republic-cantina.com // @republiccantina
RPM Italian’s Truffled Garlic Bread
It’s buttery and rich, garlicky and fragrant, decadent and downright divine. Topped with fresh basil and truffle oil, this is the best garlic bread in town. 650 K St. NW, DC; rpmrestaurants.com/rpm-italian-d-c // @rpmitalian
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St. James’s Aloo and Channa Pies
These irresistible hand pies feature potato and chickpea filling flavored with bold cumin and curry and encased in a chewy, crunchy fried bread—all served with a duo of dipping sauces. 2017 14th St NW, DC; stjames-dc.com // @stjamesdc
Tabla’s Spinach and Artichoke Dip Khachapuri
An American classic meets a traditional Georgian culinary creation: Khachapuri, the famous Georgian cheese-filled bread, comes stuffed with heaps of a creamy spinach-and-artichoke blend for a wildly satisfying and comforting dish. 3227 Georgia Ave. NW, DC; tabladc.com // @tabladc
Tiki Taco’s Spiced Chickpea Tacos
The spiced chickpea tacos at this Hawaiian taco stand are a whirlwind of flavor, with a creamy, curry-infused sauce and loads of tart, crunchy coleslaw. 2010 P St. NW, DC; tikitacodc.com // @tikitacodc
Toki Underground’s Miso-Garlic Butter Corn
This small plate is composed of corn bathed in the silkiest and creamiest of sauces, the result of combining miso and butter. It’s the perfect starter before jumping into one of Toki’s steaming bowls of ramen. 1234 H St. NE, DC; tokiunderground.com // @tokiunderground
