10 vegan-friendly MoCo eateries to visit in Veganuary

Each January, a global nonprofit organization encourages people to give the vegan diet a try, leading many to sample new recipes and flock to vegan eateries.

Veganuary is the name of the nonprofit, and the name of the pledge people take in January to adopt a vegan diet for a month. In its first year, the organization says, it had more than 400,000 people pledge to adopt a vegan diet in 2020 and more than 629,000 people pledged to adopt a vegan diet in 2021.

As more people look to adopt a vegan diet or add more meatless meals to their omnivore diet, here are 10 vegan-friendly eateries to visit this Veganuary:

Chaia, 7237 Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda, is a fast-casual vegetarian taqueria. Although it isn’t a fully vegan establishment, it offers vegan options for the majority of its menu items, including its chipotle sweet potato hash, roasted butternut squash, black bean enchiladas and sweet potato nachos. It also has locations in Georgetown and Chinatown.

Flower Child, 10205 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, has a menu that highlights not only its vegan and vegetarian options, but also its gluten-free options. This chain restaurant’s vegan menu selections include its chopped vegetable salad; glow bowl with spicy sweet potato noodle, bok choy, zucchini, onion, jalapeno, shiitake mushroom, coconut milk and sunflower butter; and butternut squash risotto.

Herby Vegan, 239 Muddy Branch Road in Gaithersburg, offers plant-based menu options including cauliflower steak, adobo yucca fries, meatless meatball, spicy Brussel sprouts, salads and cold-pressed drinks.

Planta, 4910 Elm St., in Bethesda, is a fully vegan chain restaurant with a menu that includes Thai lettuce wraps, udon noodles, pizza and sushi rolls.

PLNT Burger is a chain that serves vegan American fast food with menu items including burgers, chik’n sandwiches, fries, milkshakes and chili. There are two PLNT Burger locations in Montgomery County: 11355 Woodglen Drive in Rockville and 833 Wayne Ave. in Silver Spring. Both locations are inside Whole Foods.

Naked Lunch, inside various MOM’s Organic Market locations, serves plant-based menu options including bowls, black bean burgers and tacos. Two Montgomery County locations include 10 Upper Rock Circle in Gaithersburg, and 5566 Randolph Road in Rockville.

Shoukserves Israeli plant-based street food. The eatery has locations in Montgomery County and Washington, D.C. MoCo diners can visit Shouk at 5436 Westbard Ave. in Bethesda and 5568 Randolph Road in Rockville. Menu items include a veggie sausage, the shouk burger, falafel, shawarma made with oyster mushrooms and Za’atar cauliflower.

Siena’s Vegetarian Pizzeria,4840 Boiling Brook Parkway in North Bethesda, is an all-vegetarian eatery that also offers vegan pizza and other vegan menu options, including its falafel sandwich, schwarma sandwich, Mediterranean platter and Impossible burger.

St. Veg, 14929 Shady Grove Road, Unit M in Fallsgrove Village Center in Rockville, offers a variety of plant-based meals. Menu items include summer rolls, crispy tater tots, vegloaf bowl, mom’s caramel tofu bowl, vegball sub and no-guilt burger.

True Food Kitchen, 7100 Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda and 221 Rio Blvd., Suite 0221 in Gaithersburg, serves an array of options including pizza, bowls, burgers and sandwiches and salads. Although the restaurant is not fully vegan, its menu is very vegan forward.