A Vegan Hot Dog Cart is Parked Outside This Baseball Stadium

Baseball fans can expect more than just peanuts and crackerjacks. Even fans looking for a cold ice cream cone or a hot dog can find plant-based versions of these classic ballgame concessions. Now, Washington Nationals fans will be able to pick up a fully vegan hot dog thanks to Beyond Meat and HipCityVeg – an East Cost vegan fast food eatery with big plans for national expansion.

Seeing that Nationals Park lacked vegan options for its plant-based attendees, the local chain deiced to cater to Washington D.C. baseball fans searching for meatless options. Beginning May 23, fans can grab Beyond Sausage brats, sides, and drinks on their way to the stadium.

“We wanted to capture the essence of a traditional baseball outing with the Nats’ stadium right there. You can literally throw a baseball at it, it’s so close,” HipCityVeg founder, Nicole Marquis said. “People who take the Metro walk right past us. So when I saw that I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be fun if we sold hot dogs?’

Customers can grab a vegan hot dog and bring it into the stands to enjoy the game. HipCityVeg will provide the classic spread of hot dog toppings with absolutely no animal-based ingredients. The cart will arrive two hours before the games and stay through the first inning. Locals can also find the cart at the Half Street Central Farm Market on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“We’re thrilled to bring plant-based brats to the ballpark,” Marquis said. “America’s favorite sport is all about traditions, like rooting for the home team with a hot dog in hand. We’re putting our spin on those beloved game-day rituals with a vegan hot dog stand just steps from center field.”

HipCityVeg Eyes National Expansion

HipCityVeg intends to change the D.C. food scene by introducing an affordable vegan fast food option. Now, the Philadephia-based chain is eyeing national expansion following a decade of success across the East Coast. This February, Marquis opened its 10th location in Wyncote, Pennsylvania with plans to reach 15 storefronts by the end of Spring 2022. The restaurant chain is focusing heavily on take-out and delivery, noting that more consumers than ever want take-out food.

“We want to make eating plant-based easy, and convenient for everyone, and we plan to be the leader in this category, “ Marquis said. “In five years, we will have hundreds of restaurants all across the country and across the globe. I have never doubted this, and my strong belief in achieving this level of success against all odds is what has always fueled me and my team of strong leaders.”

Currently, HipCityVeg has locations in New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia suburbs.

Vegan Eats for Baseball Fans

America’s favorite pastime is historically linked with hot dogs, chili, and other foods that exclude plant-based fans. Now, Major League Baseball stadiums nationwide have shifted their menus to include plant-based options, providing vegan guests with everything from vegan nachos to veggie dogs.

While most ballparks offer some vegan or vegetarian options, 12 MLB stadiums have gone above and beyond to provide innovative, healthier meal choices to all guests. Baseball fans can find dairy-free cheesy nachos at the Texas Rangers’ stadium or Oatly Soft Serve at Wrigley Field (Home of the Chicago Cubs).

Off the field, Chef Matthew Kenney is collaborating with local entrepreneurs Mary Dumont and Pat McAuley to open a fully vegan pub next to Fenway Park in Boston. The plant-based grill aims to serve classic ballpark fare with a vegan twist to Boston Red Sox Fans. PlantPub’s menu will feature several signature burgers, hot dogs, Bavarian pretzels, and Buffalo cauliflower wings.

“Fenway is ground zero in Boston and we couldn’t think of a better location to showcase the fact that plant-based cuisine can be really crave-able and fulfilling and satisfying,” Kenney told the Boston Globe. “We feel confident that we’ll be able to fulfill the expectations of Boston sports fans, guests, university students, and of course the local community.”

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