Montgomery County, Maryland’s vegan scene has grown rapidly over the past few years. In addition to the many local restaurants that have added vegan-friendly options to their menus, several dedicated plant-based restaurants have popped up across the county. Whether you have been vegan for a long time, are exploring a plant-based lifestyle, are participating in #Veganuary, or just want to try a new cuisine, these vegan restaurants are sure to excite the taste buds of even the biggest of carnivores.
St. Veg
14929 Shady Grove Road, Unit M, Rockville
St. Veg specializes in homestyle vegan cooking in a fast-casual environment. All of their dishes are made from scratch daily using local and organic produce. They are committed to the benefits of plant-based eating and environmental sustainability. The City of Rockville honored St. Veg in 2021 with the Outstanding Leadership in Environmental Practices Award for their low-environmental-impact menu, as plant-based foods and generally better for the environment and produce less waste than animal-based foods.
Make sure to try the St. Veg pho, which is simmered to perfection for four to five hours.
Herby Vegan
Ghost kitchen at 239 Muddy Branch Road, Gaithersburg
Herby Vegan is a ghost kitchen located inside Boca Botanas Tapas Bar. They are a family-owned restaurant that prides themselves on creating great-tasting, healthy food using fresh organic ingredients. As a ghost kitchen, Herby Vegan offers plant-based delivery only via Uber Eats and Doordash, making them a great choice for a cozy night in or to fill up before heading out for a night on the town.
Make sure to try their buffalo cauliflower, which comes crispy with carrots, celery, and homemade oat milk ranch for dipping.
Planta
4910 Elm Street, Bethesda
Planta’s Bethesda restaurant is the only Washington, DC area location of this small, upscale vegan chain. Their mission is to make an impact by celebrating the power of plants, while increasing the accessibility and acceptability of plant-based dining. Their menu ranges from American comfort food to savory Italian dishes to creative twists on various Asian cuisines, including their ahi watermelon sushi.
Make sure to try their bang bang broccoli and woodfired pizza with homemade cashew mozzarella.
PLNT Burger
833 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring (inside Whole Foods)
11355 Woodglen Drive, Rockville (inside Whole Foods)
PLNT Burger was started by DC-based celebrity chef, Spike Mendelsohn, as a vegan take on fast-casual and fast food inside a Silver Spring Whole Foods in 2019. In a few short years, the restaurant has grown in popularity so much that they are planning to expand to 30 locations in multiple states along the East Coast by the end of 2023. Their menu features vegan burgers, “chicken” and “fish” sandwiches, oat milk-based soft serve and milkshakes, and more.
Make sure to try their loaded chili cheese fries topped with their house-made chili and plant-based cheddar.
Shouk
5568 Randolph Road, Rockville
5436 Westbard Avenue, Bethesda
Shouk means “market” in Hebrew—fitting for their menu, which is inspired by the street foods you can find at open-air markets in Tel Aviv, Israel. The dishes on their menu are made from fresh vegetables, beans, grains, and lots of spices. All five of their restaurants—two in Montgomery County and three in DC—are kosher-certified and halal. Their menu features pita sandwiches, like their classic falafel, grain and greens bowls, like their oyster mushroom shawarma, and some of the best hummus around.
Make sure to try the famous Shouk burger, which meat-eating celebrity chef Carla Hall called “the best dang burger I’ve ever tasted” on the Food Network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate.
Vegetable Garden
3830 International Drive, Silver Spring
Vegetable Garden offers a seriously huge menu of nearly 150 vegan Chinese and sushi options, plus a delectable dessert menu, which means you can indulge in something new every single time you visit! The menu has photographs of all their dishes, so you can see what you will get before you order. Heart healthy and organic options are clearly marked, and gluten-free soy sauce is available upon request. The restaurant was also reportedly a favorite of Senator Joe Liberman’s when he was in office.
Make sure to try their “beef” noodle soup with a spicy broth and homemade noodles.
Yuan Fu Vegetarian
798 Rockville Pike, Rockville
Don’t let the name fool you – Yuan Fu Vegetarian is a 100% vegan Chinese restaurant, and it is the kind of place where the staff recognizes you and welcomes you back each time you visit. Their chef, who has more than 40 years of experience in preparing vegan and vegetarian Chinese cuisine, has curated an extensive menu of vegetable and/or mock meat-based dishes. Along with St. Veg, Yuan Fu was also honored with the 2021 Outstanding Leadership in Environmental Practices Award from the City of Rockville for their completely plant-based, low-environmental-impact menu.
Make sure to not skip the appetizers and try the crispy black mushrooms, roast “duck,” and spring rolls.
