"MITA is not only DC’s most exciting vegan restaurant, it's one of the best vegan restaurants on the East Coast. On the ground floor of an otherwise modest apartment building, the industrial-chic space gives the impression that it was once something decidedly edgier than the first floor of a new-build high-rise. The restaurant uses ingredients from around Latin America and serves dishes so rich and creamy they will challenge your conception of non-dairy cooking. The menu changes frequently, but the arepas—some of the best we've ever had—are a mainstay. Other standout dishes include arracacha with fava beans and sweet plantains pureed into something resembling a rich chowder, and a barley salad with charred banana." - tristiana hinton, madeline weinfield