Navigating Juneteenth as a Vegan on H Street (#58)
Also in this issue you will find more good news, hiring, events, promotions, and a blog article on Ethiopic.
Juneteenth, with its rich history and cultural significance, has long been celebrated with some serious Texas-style BBQ. But if you're vegan—or hosting someone who is—this tradition can feel a little tricky. The good news? On H Street, there are plenty of delicious ways to honor the holiday while keeping it entirely plant-based.
Start with the Protein
When building a vegan Juneteenth spread, I always start with protein. Personally, I aim for a balance of about 1 gram of protein for every 10 calories — a rule of thumb that helps ensure both nutrition and satiety (example: 29-31 g of protein in a 300 calorie meal).
Tofu is a go-to for the main dish by many vegans: it's a blank canvas that takes on any flavor you give it. For Juneteenth, BBQ sauce is a must, and luckily, DC is home to Capital City Mambo Sauce — which offers a vegan version of their famous sauce that brings just the right amount of sweet heat. Tempeh and seitan also work beautifully as hearty, grill-friendly protein options.
Don’t forget the power of plants when it comes to protein: lentils, quinoa, chickpeas, edamame, black beans, hemp seeds, and chia seeds can easily be incorporated into sides, salads, and even desserts to round out the meal.
H Street Spots That Get It Right
If cooking isn’t in your plans, H Street has plenty of restaurants offering vegan-friendly options that would fit beautifully into a Juneteenth celebration:
Pow Pow: This Asian-fusion spot is known for its creative vegan takes on classic dishes. Their "Chicky City" (plant-based fried chicken) with spicy sauces could easily find its way onto any Juneteenth table.
Ben’s Chili Bowl: Don’t overlook this H Street staple! Their vegan chili is rich, hearty, and flavorful enough to impress even the most committed meat-eaters. Perfect as a main dish or a side.
Ethiopic & Feru: Ethiopian cuisine is naturally vegan-friendly, and both of these H Street gems serve up delicious lentil stews (misir wot), spiced split peas (kik alicha), and plenty of injera to scoop it all up.
Open Crumb: This newer West African spot offers an impressive selection of vegan options, from flavorful stews to jollof rice and plantains—perfect for adding some West African soul to your Juneteenth table.
Maketto: While not fully vegan, Maketto’s menu includes a rotating selection of plant-based small plates and sides that pack plenty of flavor and protein.
Tiki Garden Thai Street Food: Tiki Garden offers a range of Thai-inspired vegan options that bring bold flavors to your celebration — think grilled tofu satay, green papaya salads, and coconut curries.
The Little Grand: Don’t forget pizza! The Little Grand serves up excellent sourdough pizzas, and they offer vegan cheese options—ideal for a laid-back addition to your spread or a crowd-pleasing main for pizza lovers.
The Grocery Store Is Your Friend
You can always supplement your table with prepared items from local grocery stores like Giant, Whole Foods, and ALDI. Many offer pre-marinated tofu, plant-based burgers, and vegan-friendly sides that are ready to go. These options are perfect for adding variety without spending all day in the kitchen.
Honoring the Spirit of the Holiday
At its core, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom, resilience, and community. Whether you’re grilling tofu skewers, ladling out a bowl of vegan chili, sharing a platter of lentil stews, or serving up West African classics, the most important ingredient is togetherness. On H Street, the flavors are bold, the options are many, and the celebration is for everyone.
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More Good News
Amazonica Coffee has opened a Pop-up Coffee Shop at Paste & Rind. Monday - Friday from 7 am - noon.
H Street Festival will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary on Saturday, September 20th. 2025 Applications are now open.
Open Crumb is now open!!
Live Music Society announced Pie Shop as a 2025 Music in Action grantee.
The Baker’s Lounge is celebrating 15 years!
Mosaic Theater’s “Andy Warhol in Iran” is a Helen Hayes Awards Recommended!
H Street, Sweet H Street is listed in the latest HillRag’s “2025 Fagon Community Guide”.
Tiffany’s Bar & Bistro’s Grand Opening is June 21 at 5 pm.
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Atlas Performing Arts Center (atlasarts.org)
June 20 – 21: Solas Nua: Enda Walsh Festival
June 22 at 4:00 pm: Atlas Arts Lab presents Anastasia Johnson’s Detangled Stories
Binge Bar
Sunday, June 22 at noon- 4 pm: Beauty and Wellness Summer Soiree
DC Creative Institute
Saturday, June 28 from 11 am - 5 pm: Jericho Market
Henceforth (henceforthdc.com)
Wednesdays at 7 pm: Trivia in the Neighborhood
Hill Prince (hillprince.com)
Friday, June 27 at 7 pm: Old School Summer Dance Party. $15/$10 with proof of same day dinner purchase at any H Street business - cash please.
Lydia on H Street (lydiaonhdc.com)
Fridays: 7-8:30 pm: Mixology classes with Chef Vic. Private classes also available.
Maketto (maketto1351.com)
Saturday, June 21 at 9 am: Bake sale until sold out!
Mosaic Theater (mosaictheater.org)
May 29 - July 6: Andy Warhol In Iran
Paste and Rind (pasteandrind.com)
June 25 at 7 pm: Cheese Board Building with Kara
June 28 at 3 - 9 pm: Halloumi Pop Up!
Pie Shop (pieshopdc.com)
Thursday, June 19 at 8:00 pm: Raspberry Pie w/ MxMundy, Shelley Star & the Galaxy, Shelby Morgan
Friday, June 20 at 8:00 pm: Velvet w/ Dosser, Day Aches, Guttered
Saturday, June 21 at 8:00 pm: Sam Elmore & The Ghosts w/ Friday Junior, Burden's Landing
Sunday, June 22 at 8:00 pm: Keep for Cheap w/ Another Michael, Glosser
Solid State Books (solidstatebooksdc.com)
Story Time is held every Thursday & Saturday at 10:30 am until 11:00 am. Readers are visiting authors/illustrators, and/or staff. Thursday stories are for babies & toddlers, Saturday’s selections are for ages 2-6.
Saturday, June 21 at 3 pm: Kelsey B. Toney - “The Unexpected Consequence of Bleeding on a Tuesday”
Tiffany’s Bar & Bistro (tiffanysbistrobar.com)
Saturday, June 21 at 7:30 pm: Belly Dancing with Leilah Moon.
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Fattys Tattoos & Piercings now hiring tattoo artists. If you are interested, email shop@fattystattoos.com. No apprentice inquiries please.
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Atlas x Henceforth
See a show at Atlas Performing Arts Center and visit Henceforth for BOGO beer deal and 10% off your tab! Just show your same-day Atlas mobileticket when you visit.
The Baker’s Lounge (thebakersloungedc.com)
They are offering CODE15 till the end of the year for any purchases.
Dirty Water
Fridays: Intern Night - $25 Open Bar, $16 Mixed Quarts, $5 Miller Lite
Mosaic Theater (mosaictheater.org)
30% off ticket. Code: ANDY30 at checkout.
Open Crumb (OpenCrumbDC.com)
Use code: OCONHST to get 10% when you order online.
The Queen Vic (thequeenvicdc.com)
Saturday and Sunday For the next 5 week: 2015 Brunch Menu Prices
Sol Mexican Grill DC (solmexicangrilldc.com)
Taco Tuesday: $2.75 tacos all day!
SWEAT DC (sweatdc.com)
Free week of group fitness classes at SWEAT DC. Click link to redeem your free week pass.
Taqueria Los Perèz (taquerialosperez.com)
Taco Tuesdays: $1.75 per taco.
The Little Grand (litttlegranddc.com)
Monday Funday Happy Hour and a Half (5 - 6:30 pm): Half Price Beer on Tap and Wine BTG. BOHOGO Buy One Get One Half Off Pizzas (dine in only). WINE’D DOWN Bottles of wine 20% off.
Wednesday Hump Day Happy Hour (5 - 6:30 pm): Half Price Beer on Tap and Wine BTG. Cheese and Pepperoni Slices at the Bar and out the Window.
The Haymaker Bar (thehaymakerbar.com)
Taco Tuesday: Shrimp tacos (2 for $12 or 3 for $17); Carnitas tacos (2 for $11 or 3 for $15). Specials from 5 - 10 pm.
Whiskey Wednesday: $2 off all whiskey ports, includes Manhattans and Old Fashions
Tigo’s Restaurant
Taco Tuesday: $2.00
Waxing the City (waxingthecity.com)
20% off your first wax.
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Ethiopic – A Communal Feast on H Street
If you're looking for a dining experience that feels like a celebration every time, look no further than Ethiopic (ethiopicrestaurant.com), a cornerstone of H Street that has captured our hearts (and stomachs) time and time again. (Read Full Article)
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