Why Choose Vegan Restaurants In Chicago
There are so many varieties of meatless food on the menu that diners are sure to find something for everyone. Vegetarians have a myriad of options, while vegans are spoilt for choice. In Chicago you wont find fusion dishes everything is traditional, familiar, and delicious.
The vegan options are just as varied. In fact, there are more restaurants here that offer a vegan menu than a non-vegan one. The availability of vegan restaurants and food is driven by the thriving Chicago-area vegan community. Its made up of the most compassionate, knowledgeable, and experienced people in the vegan food community.
The United States was ranked the ninth-best country for vegans, and the number one vegan nation in the world by PETA. From a plethora of vegetarian and vegan options at fine dining restaurants to the latest new developments for vegans at all price points, Chicago is the go-to destination for those looking for an unforgettable dining experience.
Eating vegan or vegetarian does not mean giving up on any kind of food, but simply opting to serve food without meat, dairy, eggs, and fish. Since some traditional meat dishes are staples for vegans and vegetarians, diners often have to readjust when they step into a new spot. Many veg-focused restaurants in Chicago do not take this as an insult.
The Best Restaurants With Vegan Options In Chicago
Chicago is a fascinating city full of contrasts and idiosyncrasies. It loves its hot dogs, deep dish pizzas, and all kinds of Midwestern meat specialtiesâso itâs understandable if itâs not the first place that comes to mind when trying to find a great vegan restaurant. But a lot has changed in the past few years! Chicago is now home to some of the best restaurants with vegan options in the country, where chefs are doing fresh, inventive takes on vegetable-forward cuisine. But where are the smartest, savviest diners eating out? Welcome to our Tastemaker Lists. Weâve pulled data from thousands of restaurants to find the top spots among OpenTable’s most expert, seasoned diners. Impress your friends and family and score a table we wish we could join you.
A Few Vegan Restaurants In Chicago That I Missed
If I learned anything this trip, it was that Chicago has so much more to offer than I could imagine between the lake, its countless parks, the warm Chicagoans, and yes, the endless vegan restaurants, I seriously cannot wait to go back.
Ive already started planning out the restaurants on my next vegan Chicago tour.
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Fancy Plants Kitchen And Cafe
What starts the day as a casual coffee and sandwich joint transforms into a foodie fantasy at night. These sporadic special event menus are more like intimate dinner parties than a conventional restaurant experience- If you best friend was a gourmet chef, of course. Themes from traditional Italian to whimsical 90s throwbacks make every experience unique and unforgettable.
Best Vegan Restaurants In Chicago
When it comes to dining out, vegetarians are often left with limited options. Not in Chicago. The city has always been known for its diverse dining scene, and in recent years more and more places have embraced a more plant-powered philosophy. There are vegan diners touting comfort food classics, elevated vegetable-forward tasting menus, and piles of international food without a piece of meat in sight. Here are just a few of our favourite vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Chicago.
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Alice & Friends Vegan Kitchen
Alice & Friends is another popular vegan restaurant with a wonderfully diverse menu. Their website reads that they proudly celebrate the flavors, beauty, and diversity of vegan cuisine from all over but they also pride themselves on wowing non-vegans with their tasty dishes.
Founded in 2001, Alice & Friends offers a variety of Asian-style dishes as well as traditional American favorites like burgers and fries. Everything is made with fresh organic vegetables and spices and homemade dessert choices and soy ice cream are some of the best vegan options in the city.
Alice & Friends is located at 5812 N Broadway, Chicago.
The Alice & Friends vegan menu can be found here.
Soul Vegetarian East And The Eternity Juice Bar
- Cuisine: Soul Food
- Address: 203 E 75th St, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 60619
No list of eateries would be complete without a fantastic soul food vegan restaurant.
Chicagos Original Soul Vegetarian is a family-owned restaurant serving up your favorite dishes using all-natural plant-based ingredients.
From baskets of battered goodies to a full rotating dinner special, youre getting the best of the best here.
Using seasonal veggies and the freshest ingredients, Soul Vegetarian turns some simple veggies into magic.
Its one of those hidden gems that you have to see to believe, so head out there ASAP!
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This Asian-fusion vegan spot in River North is the rare plant-based restaurant where the food is really good and enough of a scene to earn its downtown address. Planta Queen is sleek, has a thump-y music playlist that may briefly make you consider going clubbing afterward, and the long menu is full of dishes that are objectively tastywhether youre vegan or not. Theres spicy tuna nigiri made with spicy dehydrated watermelon, jackfruit chicken wings that somehow mimic crispy skin, and firm udon noodles swimming in an unbelievably silky truffle mushroom cream sauce. The large space has plenty of seats for couples, but also enough big booths for a group of friends.
Eathai is a cute little Thai spot in the Logan Square. And like the 96 Bulls, its menu is a roster of nothing but standouts, almost all of which can be made vegan. That said, there are a few dishes you focus on. In particular, we like the curry puffs, the wonderfully sweet and spicy khao soi, and the fantastic pad see ewwhich has perfectly chewy noodles lightly coated in a not-too-sweet sauce. The restaurant is small and brightly lit, but our favorite place to sit here is when we can sit on their quiet, colorful sidewalk patio.
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Majani Vegan Restaurant In Chicago Serves Up Delicious Food
Manjani means green leaf in Swahili and this place is all about fast, casual and delicious vegan food.
Fresh local ingredients are combined with the owners African heritage to give the South Shore neighborhood something rather special.
The menu is a vegan delight containing things like black eye pea fritters, crab cake tacos, and jerk chicken sandwiches. They also have a great selection of soups, salads, and desserts.
This place is a real delight and one of the best vegan restaurants in Chicago.
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Cant Believe Its Not Meat
If you are looking for a Hyde Park vegan restaurant then Cant Believe Its Not Meat might be perfect for you.
It is flavorsome vegetarian and vegan food and is perfect if not all in your party are familiar with vegan food.
The food here could easily be mistaken for meat alternatives with burgers, brats, and hot dogs deserving special attention.
The Hot Diggity Chili Dog, Philly Cheesesteak, and the Who Betta Burger all receive high praise.
This is the kind of vegan restaurant where you can bring the kids and they wont be able to tell the difference. Being vegan in Chicago has never tasted so good.
Fancy Plants Cafe And Kitchen
Here you get two vegan restaurants for the price of one. Just a seven-minute drive from each other Fancy Plants Cafe and Fancy Plants Kitchen are 100 % vegan and serve delicious food.
For the best vegan breakfast in Chicago, head to the cafe on West Briar Place. You will find breakfast burritos, just egg breakfast patties, bagels with cashew cream cheese, and house-made pastries.
Fancy Plants Kitchen is a farm-to-table restaurant that has some of the best vegan food in Chicago.
Its open from Wednesday to Sunday in the evenings for dinner. If you are looking for somewhere to do after an evening in Chicago this place might be perfect.
You will find craft cocktails, friendly staff, and an ever-changing menu. The menu contains items that will make your mouth water. The parsnip apple velvet soup and smoked tempeh are delicious.
They also do a 5-Course Taste of Fancy Plants tasting menu which has garnered many rave reviews.
Chicago vegan food doesnt get much better than it does here.
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The Best Vegetarian Restaurants In Chicago
Chicago is one of the coolest, most affordable, accessible and beautiful cities in America. Located in the heart of the Midwest, it got its start as the grain capital of the country and quickly grew into a mid-point transportation hub for cross-country shipping, and later blossomed into the cosmopolitan center that it is today. This Midwestern destination has it all, from world-class museums and theaters to a stunning waterfront and, of course, out-of-this-world dining options. The food scene here has really kicked it up a notch in recent years and many of the city’s best restaurants have an interest in serving the growing community of vegetarians with more meatless dishes. We’ve put together a list of where to find the best vegetarian restaurants in Chicago, so you know exactly where to head next time you need some veggies in your life. Grab a table at one of these foodie havens next time you’re in town.
Best Vegan Restaurants In Chicago In 2022
As we begin to see the effects meat and dairy consumption is having on the environment, responsible consumers are turning toward veganism en masse. Finding vegan alternatives used to be hard work and vegan restaurants were few and far between, but the last decade has seen the rise in pristine, high end vegan eateries that aim to rival traditional establishments.
In Chicago, fully vegan kitchens are few and far between but some of the citys best chefs are putting their thinking hats on and creating high cuisine thats 100% free of animal products.
The Windy City is home to some of the worlds favourite comfort food of Italian and Irish origin. But as immigrant families find their feet, Chicago has become a hub of good food from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Latin, Korean and African cuisine have all made their mark on the city. Lets look at the ways chefs are looking at both traditional and ethnic food through a creative, vegan lens.
Here are the best vegan restaurants in Chicago!
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Im Vegan And Vegetarian
2907 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657 904-8905
Im Vegan and Vegetarian is another Asian themed vegan restaurant. Their prices are reasonable, and their menu has many options. They serve appetizers, entrees, drinks, and desserts. Their menu does not consist of too many mock meats, rather, they rely on traditional Asian flavors to carry their dishes such as for one of their famous dishes, Pad Thai, made with zucchini noodles. This dish has tofu, beansprouts, scallions, and crushed nuts. If youre looking for dessert, Steamed Banana with Sweet Sticky Rice is a popular choice. Most of their dishes are in line with traditional Asian cuisine, and the presentation of their dishes are very satisfying to the eyes.
2333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647
252-3211, ext. 1
3411 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657
935-6696
The Chicago Diner has been meat-free since 83, long before the plant-based movement gained steam, so clearly theyre doing something right.
One of the stars of the menu is the Radical Reuben: corned beef-style seitan , onions, peppers, sauerkraut, vega/dairy cheese, and Thousand Island on marbled rye. Another is the Cajun Black Bean Burger: a black bean patty with sautéed onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomato, fried jalapeño, Teese® cheddar, and Creole mustard. Make sure you start with the Poutine: hand-cut fries, Teese® vegan cheddar, gravy, and green onions .
204 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60606
658-1338
614 W Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60614
868-1863
Zero Proof Spirit Options
For lower and zero proof cocktails and sippers…we can substitute for alcohol-based spirits in most of our cocktails as well as most classics and highballs
Bare Gin
Delightfully floral and garden-green in flavor, this is perfect for a Gin & Tonic, Martini, or in our Lavender Gimlet!
$7.00
Bare Tequila Reposado
Herbal and vegetal, perfect for a Margarita, Tequila-Soda, or in our Paloma Nueva!
$7.00
Bare Bourbon
Warming & spicy, try this Bourbon as a low-ABV Old-Fashioned or Manhattan or a zero-proof Whiskey Sour or in any Highball ! Also perfect for our Hot ABC !
$7.00
Vers’eau Aperitif
A Michigan Grape-based, rooty , fruity , & spicy , medium-bodied and deep aperitif, this is excellent for sipping on its own, on the rocks, or with soda and an orange or lime. DELICIOUS! No added sweeteners, just naturally balanced.
$8.00
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Alice And Friends Vegan Kitchen
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We are citizens of the world, who proudly celebrate the flavours, beauty, and diversity of vegan cuisine from all over.
This is the message that greets you as you enter the vegan restaurants Chicago website. Operating since the mid-2000s, this 100% Vegan Kitchen is all about the message. Luckily for us, they dont forget about the food either. Offering a wide variety of mainly East Asian inspired dishes, Alice and Friends offers a wide variety of delicious entrees, desserts and baked goods. With warm indoor seating as well as a patio for those who enjoy an outside dining experience, Alice and Friends has become one of the most widely renowned vegan restaurants in Chicago.
Chicago Has Vegan Options From All Corners Of The World
Chicago is a city of diverse superlatives. One of the best skylines and some of the most revered architecture in the country are complemented by stunning parks and blue water beaches. Some of the worlds most renowned museums host masterpieces from all over the world, whilst a local art scene impresses on a global scale. Of all our boasts and sources of pride, however, few would dispute the prowess of Chicagos vibrant food scene.
Our great metropolis is home to a wonderful amalgamation of international cuisines. Vegetarians and vegans have long been left bereft of options but now through the combination of a flourishing vegan community and Chicagos great cultural diversity, there are a plethora of plant-based dining options all across the city. Whether youre a vegan, vegetarian, or a curious carnivore, weve here compiled a list of the 10 best vegan restaurants in Chicago for brunches, snacking, and dining out, so you can cut to the chase and enjoy the very best vegan options in Chicago.
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The Best Vegan Food In Chicago
Bad Hunter
The talk of the town for vegans and dietary-challenged diners is Bad Hunter, a vegan/veggie friendly restaurant with a casual fine dining approach. The food is best ordered and shared, as there are some really unique flavours to try and something for everyone. The cocktail list is one of the best Ive seen in Chicago, offering vegans somewhere to wine, dine and socialise in a sophisticated setting.
2308, 802 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL
Girl and the Goat
Right by Bad Hunter is another flavour of the month restaurant that has maintained crowds since opening. Although more on the meaty side, the small plate restaurant caters well to vegans but be sure to note your dietary requirements when booking to be on the safe side.
Beatrix
Did somebody say big, fat, gooey vegan cookies!? Beatrix is one of the most popular brunch spots in town and they do a great cauliflower steak for vegans that was so good that if I close my eyes, I can almost remember it! The cookies are next level fantastic so if youve saved some room, be sure to grab one before you leave.
Amitabul
All vegan and all of the flavours, Amitabul is one of the best casual vegan dining experiences in town. This korean restaurant does tofu like youve never had it before and if youve got a non-vegan with you, they might just be in for a conversion after this tasty meal!
West Town Bakery & Diner
Chicago Diner
Native Foods Wicker Park
Located in the midst of a cluster of touristy shops and restaurants along North Halsted and West Northport avenues, Native Foods stands out with its impressive array of locally sourced, vegan fare. Try the birch-smoked tempeh served with sweet potatoes, sauerkraut, and quinoa.
The rotating menu offers entrées such as the cheery, green kale Caesar salad and sweet potato waffles. If you’ve always wanted to try an authentic vegan diet, but the thought of going the entire day without cereal just made you sick, then Native Foods has a cure for you. Native Foods has been featured in all major food publications and has attracted several star chefs with its fresh and flavour-filled menu.
Executive Chef Erick Harcey, who’s worked at some of the country’s most lauded restaurants including WD-50, Big Star, and Next, has reworked some classic American comfort food classics such as mac n’ cheese and Buffalo cauliflower with an Eastern twist. Native Foods boasts a stellar reputation for its delicious vegan entrees. The Wicker Park location has an elevated dinner menu with many popular specials like its black bean lasagna, tacos, and cheese fries.
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