10. Guapo’s Restaurant
4028 Campbell Ave., Arlington (Shirlington Village)
With rice, beans and guacamole on deck, Mexican restaurants are usually a safe bet for vegans and vegetarians. But rice and beans can get boring, and meat-free diners are often left feeling envious of their friends’ sizzling fajitas and overflowing burritos. At Guapo’s, the vegetarian options aren’t relegated to the side-dishes, and the restaurant is more than willing to switch up ingredients. A meatless version of cantina’s crown jewel, The Chimichanga,  finds a massive flour tortilla filled with refried beans, Mexican rice, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and sour cream (vegans ask for the last item on the side) and then lightly fried, yielding a crispy shell. Vegetable fajitas offer an aromatic medley of zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli and carrots. Also tasty: spinach enchiladas doused in spicy green tomatillo sauce.
Other dishes to try:
- Rosita salad (mixed baby greens, fajitas, corn, avocado, and almonds)
- Tostada Laredo (taco salad with refried beans, romaine and veggies in a crispy flour tortilla bowl)
- Plantanos Fritos (sweet fried plantains)