FOOD: Fast-Casual Vegan Chain Native Foods Now Open in Washington, DC

On Sept. 30, it got even easier to be a plant-based eater in Washington, D.C. when all-vegan restaurant group Native Foods Cafe debuted their first ever East Coast location in Dupont Circle. A Penn Quarter store is slated to open in less than ten days, and a location in neighboring Falls Church, Virginia, is also in the works.

I was lucky enough to attend a preview event the week before it opened, and paid the store three more visits this past week, and if the consistently long lines (luckily, there’s online ordering), and prompt and friendly service are any indication, Native Foods has all the makings of a smash hit.

[Classic Deli Reuben]

[Saigon Roll]

Is the food game-changing? No. And some things were downright awful, like two seasoning-less side dishes of roasted vegetables and steamed kale. But most of what I tried is good, and with offerings like the Twisted Twister wrap -- a buffalo chick’n wrap with avocado and Native Food’s sweetish blue cheese dressing; the Classic Deli Reuben sandwich -- thinly sliced seitan piled high with sauerkraut, horseradish cheese sauce and Russian dressing; the Saigon Roll -- akin to the fresh/garden/summer rolls at your go-to Thai/Viet restaurant but wrapped in whole-wheat tortilla instead of a rice paper wrapper; and the misnamed Native Chicken Wings (they were more like sliced chicken breast) made from “free range” soy, wheat, and pea protein and either grilled or fried and served naked or tossed in buffalo sauce, the food is infinitely accessible and shows that vegans eat more than just brown rice and kale (even though that’s on their menu, too).

[Heart Beet sandwich]

[Twisted Twister Wrap]

If in doubt or overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices, pick whatever is the daily special, and either the fries or the soup as your free side. And, with nothing over $10, definitely save room for dessert.

The Dupont Circle Native Foods is located at 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW (the entrance is on 18th & M). The Penn Quarter store, located at 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, opens later this month.