By Shannon Borgoyn, VRG Intern

Deep in the hills of Western Maryland, the occurrence of vegan and vegetarian food is far and few. I found this out the hard way when my parents and I took a biking trip on the Western Maryland Rail Trail, which is near the C&O Canal. After having biked for at least two hours, I felt a craving for a decent meal. My only energy was from snacks (a muffin, etc.) gotten from a quick stop at a bakery near the bike trail. Having eaten the same food, my parents happily agreed to my request. Quickly Googling veggie-friendly places, I found next to nowhere to eat nearby. Most of the places were at least forty-five minutes away. I looked harder and found Desert Rose Café and Catering. It is a cute, seemingly hidden cafe in the small town of Williamsport, MD. It offers indoor and outdoor seating and has A/C for those hot days! It is fifteen minutes away from Hagerstown, twenty minutes from the Western Maryland Rail Trail, and near the Maryland-West Virginia line. Glancing over their online menu, I excitedly noted that it had a vegetarian section, meaning we could easily adjust our meals to be vegan.

As we entered the cafe, we were told to seat ourselves, and so we chose a table at the back of the café. Walking through, I spied many things: baked goods, a sign for smoothie flavors, a fridge full of drinks, a free library, various brochures, bike equipment, and more. I was particularly impressed by the bike equipment, as it wasn’t something I was expecting to see. I asked an employee about it, and she said that there was a bike shop in town that closed down. Seeing the gaping need, the café purchased the bike shop’s stock. This is important because Desert Rose Café is literally right down the street from the C&O Canal, about a four minute bike ride, and receives a lot of bikers. However, bike equipment isn’t the only thing they have, but also delicious food! The café is perfect for the tired and hungry biker desiring a quick, nutritious meal or snack.

What would be a good meal or snack? There are several options. First, the most obvious is the vegetarian sandwiches: there are sandwiches like peanut butter and jelly; veggie lover (with spinach, tomato, onion, cucumber, banana peppers, and avocado); hummus and veggie (with spinach, onion, tomato, cucumber, banana peppers, and avocado); and more. Vegetarian sandwiches come with the choice of chips, yogurt, or a veggie bag, which is a bag of raw veggies that comes with ranch, hummus, or peanut butter. Keep in mind that there are sandwiches not easily made vegan, like the classic grilled cheese and the fancy grilled cheese with tomato. If you opt for the black bean burger, note that it has egg in it, but don’t let this deter you! When we told our server we were vegan, she informed us that they have a vegan burger. Just ask for it!

Second, there are other options that could be made vegan: red beans and rice; a daily hot soup (it varies day-to-day and isn’t necessarily vegan); gazpacho; vegan mayo (request this from your server); red beans and rice (made with vegetable broth); and salads (just order them without cheese). Third, as their name suggests, they do catering. Their catering service accommodates for gluten-free and vegan food requests, but they don’t usually have vegan desserts made, as they’re considered a specialty item. Fourth, gluten-free folks can also find options here: some bread and their red beans and rice are gluten free.

I got the hummus and veggie sandwich and chips; my mom got the black bean burger and the veggie bag (with hummus); and my dad got a wrap, a daily soup, and red beans and rice. My mom ended up sharing some of the veggies from her veggie bag with my dad and I because she found it to be too much for her. As we finished our meals, we found ourselves to be incredibly satisfied. Although our meals had been simple, they had also been delicious and hearty! We agreed that if we were riding the Western Maryland Rail Trail again, we would stop by Desert Rose Café.

If you’re in Western Maryland and find yourself hungry for good food, Desert Rose Café and Catering is the place to go! They are open from 8am-8pm Monday through Saturday and from 9am-8pm on Sunday. Whatever you’re in the mood for, they serve it: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Find out more at: www.desertrosecafeandcatering.com

For information on veggie restaurants throughout the USA and Canada visit:
VRG Online Veggie Restaurant Guide