FOMO no more

Vegetarians may feel a hungry twinge of FOMO when friends mention going to Empress Tavern but, heads up, the subterranean meat-focused restaurant also has tasty animal-friendly options, including several choice appetizers. The chickpea fritters ($6) serve up a generous portion of fried garbanzo-bean patties with saffron aioli for dipping. The savory snack is surprisingly hearty and should fill the emotional void you might feel when nibbling lettuce as your pals dig into slabs of meat. 1013 K Street; www.empresstavern.com.