Diner menus are often filled with crispy bacon, fluffy eggs and buttery stacks of pancakes. But a new restaurant is out to prove that diner food can be vegan.
Fare Well is a veggie-centric diner that opened last week on H Street in Northeast.聽Owner Doron Petersan doesn鈥檛 like to give it a label, but if you must, 鈥渧egan鈥� is accurate. Pictured: bagel with vegetables, cured carrots, scallion cream cheese and capers.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
鈥淭he goal is to show everyone that this is accessible, delicious and that great food can be made when you鈥檙e focusing only on vegetables, just as you can when you鈥檙e also focusing on meat-based products,” Petersan said.
On the menu, there鈥檚 even a house-made cashew and almond burrata, served with kale pesto, balsamic marinated tomatoes, arugula, capers and toasted baguette.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
Petersan says not all pasta recipes call for eggs. In fact, the one she uses at Fare Well to make fresh fettuccine, cannelloni, ravioli and cavatelli, hails directly from her Italian grandmother.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
Similar to other diners in the city, the H Street restaurant cranks out classics, such as omelets, pancakes, knishes and burgers. The difference: the food at Fare Well is plant-based and free of meat, dairy and eggs.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
Petersan, a New York native, says the menu at Fare Well was inspired less by greasy spoon joints and more by the diners she grew up frequenting 鈥� where gravy means red sauce, not a topping for biscuits. It鈥檚 packed with Italian, Greek and Eastern European dishes, including an eggplant parm melt, moussaka and pierogies.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
Petersan is a聽former champion on Food Network鈥檚 鈥淐upcake Wars: All-Stars鈥� and is the owner of the Columbia Heights bakery , which she opened in 2002. Fare Well is her second D.C. eatery.聽
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
鈥淵ou will quickly see that there are items that don鈥檛 have any animal products in them 鈥� and people don鈥檛 always realize that. Things can be made without dairy or eggs,鈥� Petersan said.
Fare Well serves a number of shakes, including a s’mores shake, a cookie dough shake and a lemon ginger shake.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
Fare Well’s聽pastry counter opens at 8 a.m. for sweet and savory grab-and-go items.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
The restaurant鈥檚 bar program, headed by Matt Halligan, keeps it open until midnight (and 2 a.m. on the weekends).
There are classic cocktails 鈥� 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to really build the bourbon and rye and scotch,鈥� Petersan said 鈥� as well as signature drinks, like the Tiber Creek, made of mescal, passion fruit juice, ginger liqueur, lemon grass syrup and grapefruit bitters.
The beer and wine is all on-tap 鈥� a feature Petersan was passionate about implementing.
鈥淓nvironmentally, kegs can be reused but bottles can鈥檛, so it makes more sense, and also we don鈥檛 have to deal with any trash or recycling in that aspect,鈥� she said.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
In the last decade, vegan food has become more mainstream. A number of dedicated restaurants have opened in the District, and more chefs have added vegan-friendly options to their menus.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well
Fare Well is located聽406 H St. NE, and is open from 8 a.m. to midnight Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to midnight Sunday.
(April Greer/Courtesy Fare Well)
April 29, 2026 | No sausage, eggs and bacon at this new diner (草莓传媒's Rachel Nania)
WASHINGTON 鈥� If you鈥檙e looking to scale down the amount of animal products in your diet and increase your veggie intake, it鈥檚 time to say 鈥渉ello鈥� to 鈥� D.C.鈥檚 newest diner.
Similar to other diners in the city, the H Street restaurant cranks out classics, such as omelets, pancakes, knishes and burgers. The difference: the food at Fare Well is plant-based and free of meat, dairy and eggs. Owner Doron Petersan doesn鈥檛 like to give it a label, but if you must, 鈥渧egan鈥� is accurate.
鈥淚f you think about it, vegetarians and vegans are a very small part of the population, so I am not here for only one population, or else I won鈥檛 stay around for very long,鈥� said Petersan, a former champion on Food Network鈥檚 鈥淐upcake Wars: All-Stars鈥� and the owner of the Columbia Heights bakery .
The New York native says the menu at Fare Well was inspired less by greasy spoon joints and more by the diners she grew up frequenting 鈥� where gravy means red sauce, not a topping for biscuits. It鈥檚 packed with Italian, Greek and Eastern European dishes, including an eggplant parm melt, moussaka and pierogies.
鈥淭he goal is to show everyone that this is accessible, delicious and that great food can be made when you鈥檙e focusing only on vegetables, just as you can when you鈥檙e also focusing on meat-based products,” Petersan said.
The French toast casserole is made with baked challah and a vanilla coconut whipped cream, and Southern fried seitan tops waffles for a play on chicken and waffles. There鈥檚 even a house-made cashew and almond burrata, served with kale pesto, balsamic marinated tomatoes, arugula, capers and toasted baguette.
鈥淵ou will quickly see that there are items that don鈥檛 have any animal products in them 鈥� and people don鈥檛 always realize that. Things can be made without dairy or eggs,鈥� Petersan said. 聽聽
A perfect example is pasta. Petersan says not all recipes call for eggs. In fact, the one she uses at Fare Well to make fresh fettuccine, cannelloni, ravioli and cavatelli, hails directly from her Italian grandmother.
鈥淚t鈥檚 veggie-centric and plant-based and it has to be delicious for everyone,鈥� she said.
In true diner fashion, Fare Well is open from breakfast through dinner. Full service starts at 11 a.m. Before that, customers can choose from sweet and savory options at the grab-and-go pastry counter and coffee bar. The restaurant鈥檚 bar program, headed by Matt Halligan, keeps it open until midnight (and 2 a.m. on the weekends).
There are classic cocktails 鈥� 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to really build the bourbon and rye and scotch,鈥� Petersan said 鈥� as well as signature drinks, like the Tiber Creek, made of mescal, passion fruit juice, ginger liqueur, lemon grass syrup and grapefruit bitters.
The beer and wine is all on-tap 鈥� a feature Petersan was passionate about implementing.
鈥淓nvironmentally, kegs can be reused but bottles can鈥檛, so it makes more sense, and also we don鈥檛 have to deal with any trash or recycling in that aspect,鈥� she said.
In the last decade, vegan food has become more mainstream. A number of dedicated restaurants have opened in the District, and more chefs have added vegan-friendly options to their menus.
But Petersan doesn鈥檛 want Fare Well to be seen as a fair-weather eatery contributing to the trend. She has more lasting plans for her Northeast outpost.
鈥淒iners don鈥檛 go out of business ever; they鈥檙e not allowed to. Once you have a diner establishment in your neighborhood, it has to be there for at least 110 years,鈥� she said.
Fare Well is located聽406 H St. NE, and is open from 8 a.m. to midnight Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to midnight Sunday.聽
