Olympia is a city with a small-town charm. It is Washington’s illustrative State Capital—and a vegan-friendly one. The first and only time I’ve ever been was when I was on my way back from the Oregon Coast a year ago. I didn’t have enough time to truly explore, so I made a mental note to come back. It’s like reading a good book that you have to return early: you bookmark it and hope that you can pick up where you left off.

I’m usually not the kind of person who flies by the seat of their pants. But a year after my stop-and-go visit, my friend Daren offered to take us to Olympia for a vegan field trip. It was a hands-down “yes.”

We ventured down to Olympia from Seattle in October, when the leaves are at their prime. I may be a bit biased when I say that autumn is the best time of year to go. But when crimson, vermilion, and golden leaves gently fall as you walk by bright storefronts, you might want to flock over there as well.

A vegan meal to fuel our Olympia adventure

We were hungry when we pulled into the city, so we looked for nourishment to fuel our day. Our first stop was Park Side Cafe, a casual vegan deli inside a grand Victorian home. This place even had a rooftop patio! We collected our food and walked up three flights of stairs to eat and enjoy the view. I enjoyed my breakfast burrito: tofu scramble, spinach, pico de gallo, and dairy-free cheese wrapped up in a flour tortilla, topped with country gravy.

Downtown Olympia

After we ate, we parked in downtown Olympia and spent the day wandering by foot. Olympia is very pedestrian-friendly like Seattle. And it’s easy enough to orient yourself with the grid street plan. Not to mention taking in all of the street art as you walk by!

Anywhere you go in Olympia, you’ll find colorful murals gracing the exteriors. Some of them are more obvious, and others are hidden in secluded parking lots or in narrow alleys.

This town also brims with quirky, weird creativity anywhere you go. The amount of black-clad folks strolling past us—with their pink, blue, or green hair—made me, a purple-headed visitor, feel like I was right at home.

Favorite shops from the Olympia day trip

Olympia has a bunch of adorable establishments for all ages and genders. We meandered through modern apothecaries, gift shops, and cafes to see what might be found.

The Rolling Pin: A hidden gem on the second floor above Parkside Cafe, quirky kitchen shop The Rolling Pin sells culinary gadgets and tools so you can be your own chef. There’s an entire wall of cookbooks—many of which promote the vegan lifestyle. The aprons on the rack are locally made. I couldn’t resist the cupcake apron. Not only am I obsessed with how cupcakes look, but the theme is very appropriate for baking them.

Encore Chocolates and Teas: Encore is like an apothecary of sorts, displaying racks of high-quality teas and chocolate. Many of these teas—black, green, oolong, herbal, and more—have medicinal qualities. Some help fight inflammation, and others soothe a tummy ache. Some of the chocolates are vegan. I bought a bar of dark chocolate infused with anise and cinnamon, and topped with slices of dried figs. This is the kind of chocolate where you want to take your sweet time to make it last longer. Instead of chewing, respect the chocolate. Let it melt in your mouth and immerse yourself in that dopamine high. I might have been a little biased with the outer space background, but the spices warming as the chocolate melts in my mouth was just as satisfying.

Compass Rose: Compass Rose is an independent one-stop-shop offering locally made goods right from our very own Pacific Northwest. Modern, yet down-to-earth and friendly, this bright shop has something unique for many loved ones. You’ll a wide range of gifts, from local art and tasteful jewelry to kitchen and home goods. Some of them are classy; others have sardonic messages in good fun. Last year, when I was single, I bought a bottle of holographic vegan nail polish. This time, I bought a space cat sticker for my space goth partner.

Captain Little: Captain Little is an inviting toy shop for the little ones. The board games, science kits, and paint sets inspire the younger folks to get curious and excited about the world around them. As an adult, I still appreciated what this toy shop has to offer; the cupcake sticker called my name. As an aside, it’s owned by the same group as Compass Rose.

Archibald Sisters: This eclectic gift shop offers a plethora of kooky items, ranging from holographic patches and dream journals to body washes and perfumes. Their selection boasts 150 different fragrances. Being a scent-sitive person, I skipped the perfumes and meandered around the shop. Cat-themed mugs and feminist stickers painted a portrait of the modern cat lady. Racks of bawdy greeting cards gave me and Daren a good chuckle. I bought a glittering avocado pin for another friend.

Seize the day with vegan comfort food in Olympia

After poking through these shops, Daren and I were hungry again. So, we went to Wayside Vegan. Because of COVID-19, they are still take-out only. I ordered what looked like the most scrumptious item on the menu: the BBQ rib plate. It has a side of melt-y macaroni and cheese and a bed of mashed potatoes, on which a pool of brown gravy sits on top. The steamed collard greens added a healthy dose of veggies. Finally, the sticky, tangy, pull-apart barbecue seitan “ribs” were the center of this hearty meal.

Daren and I took our meals to his car. He opened the hatchback, and we ate sitting in the back, watching the world go by in this quaint city.

I could have opted for the healthier dish that my friend had: a lighter sandwich with a side of fresh sprouts. Every time I explore a new city, I want to know the best dish from the best vegan restaurant. The must-have on the menu. So that I can report back to our friends: You must try this. Yes, being vegan generally means eating healthier without animal fats or cholesterol. We should all eat more veggies. But if it means that a dish like this can sway a meat eater to opt vegan for at least one meal, they should know about this one.

The welcoming vegan vibe from Olympia keeps visitors coming back

The sun was slowly setting. After Daren and I finished our meals, we headed up north back to Seattle.

While Olympia is a small city, it’s brimming with a friendly charm. It’s slower than Seattle, and that’s because you feel relaxed enough to look it in the eye and take it in. If Seattle were a person, she’d be a sleek tech guru on the go with a latte. She’s friendly, but too busy to slow down at first glance. Olympia, on the other hand, would be a retired state worker who took up pottery and knitting as a grandma. She may live that omnivore life, and still wants to make sure that vegans have a place here too. Because maybe, eventually, vegans like myself will come back one day.