My husband and I were on autopilot the evening that we drove to our favorite local vegan restaurant, The Vegetable Garden. Granted, we hadn’t been there in a few weeks, but we weren’t expecting what we had found. The restaurant was dark, there was a stench of sewage and the anchor, Next Day Blinds, had been replaced with a sex shop. As I stared dumbfounded at the mannequin in crotchless underwear in the window, I felt a kinship to Dorothy when she landed in Oz.
With The Vegetable Garden gone we would now have to travel to Sunflower restaurant in Vienna Virginia. That would need to be a trip for another day. Traveling to Sunflower would take more time than my hunger would allow.
Please humor me as I take this valuable blog space, that usually goes to a recipe or nutritional posting, to vent my frustration about the lack of local vegan options. It is important to frequent restaurants and stores that supply healthy foods. The McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kremes are doing just fine.
In an effort to support these small independents, let us know your favorite neighborhood restaurant that has a healthy menu. Who knows, maybe I won’t have to travel to Vienna the next time I am craving Crispy Seitan?
Tagged: Dairy-free, food, Healthy, kid-friendly, Macrobiotic, No dairy, No sugar, Recipe, Sugar-free, vegan, Vegetarian
This venture grew out of necessity after I fell in love and married a wonderful man, who happened to be Macrobiotic. I wanted to continue to eat yummy food but now had the knowledge of how unhealthy most sweets can be. I realized I was going to need to be creative to make my taste buds and my husband happy. 
With an ever-growing love of cooking, as inspired by my Macrobiotic-influenced home, I strive to produce healthy food without the sacrifice of taste. My appreciation for pure, organic foods is reflected in my creations, along with my high standards and motivation. In times of need to balance the stress of high school, cooking serves as a quick relief, as it is truly what I love. 
There’s a Sunflower in Arlington at 7 Corners, Falls Church, maybe closer for you than Vienna. Haven’t eaten there. Good luck. You’ll find something!
Thanks Christine! I have been wanting to check out the other Sunflower location. Now is a perfect time. 🙂
I’ll never forget The Vegetable Garden’s rolls (was it sesame and carrot?) and desserts. And how can we forget their yellow bird with yuba? Good memories!
I have a feeling that you might have been their best customer! Do you have better options on the west coast?
Robin, I haven’t found a better option than The Vegetable Garden in my part of the West Coast. The upside is that I cook a lot!
What happened to the Vegetable Garden anyway? It’s so strange, they had such good patronage.
I know. They had a big following. I haven’t heard a definitive reason as to why they closed. We found some prepared foods from them at Mom’s in Rockville last weekend and heard they are still operating out of a kitchen. Maybe there is hope?