Best Vegan Restaurants in Chicago: Our Honest Reviews from a Month in the Windy City
Our month-long road trip last year was a blast but far too indulgent. We ate poorly, savoring Southern comfort foods that left us craving healthier options by the time we arrived in Chicago. Beyond its iconic deep-dish pizza and Polish sausages, the Windy City offers an impressive array of vegan restaurants. As longtime vegetarians (not fully vegan), we made it a priority to visit as many as possible during our four-week stay. We enjoyed familiar favorites like veggie burgers and salads, plus new-to-us ingredients such as tempeh and seitan. Here's our roundup of what we loved and what fell short at some of Chicago's top vegan spots.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of Chicago's vegan restaurants. We'll keep exploring more on future visits.
Top Vegan Restaurants in Chicago
Native Foods Café
We're obsessed with this spot! Native Foods Café kept us coming back, limiting our exploration of other places. Every dish was outstanding, especially the Earth Bowls featuring brown rice, fresh veggies, and Tanya's homemade tempeh. That tempeh is addictive and stars in our favorite, the Scorpion Burger. While we're not usually fans of faux meats elsewhere in Chicago, Native Foods' seitan meatballs in the Meatball Sub with pesto were exceptional. Even their vegan cheese shone in the sweet potato tacos.
After our first visit to the Belmont Avenue location, we learned it's part of a small chain started in Palm Springs, California, in 1994 by chef Tanya Petrovna. Chicago marked its first expansion, with three successful outlets. Plans were underway for nationwide growth in 2012, including Boulder, CO (where we can't wait for our next fix).
The menu blends comfort classics with innovative vegan fare. We also raved about their game-day platters for playoffs and Super Bowls, loaded with veggie burgers, meatball subs, and irresistible fries that could win over any steak enthusiast.
*Verdict: 10/10
*Addresses: 1023 W Belmont Ave (Lakeview); 1484 N Milwaukee Ave (Wicker Park); 218 S Clark St (Loop)
*Hours: Daily 11am–10pm; Loop: Mon–Fri 10:30am–8pm, Sat 10:30am–4pm
*Menu: Lunch & dinner; salads, soups, burgers, wraps, Earth Bowls (veggies, greens, grains, seitan)
*Price Range: Entrées $8.95–$9.95, personal pizzas $7.95, sides $2.95+, desserts $2.95
The Chicago Diner
Our vegan journey kicked off here, a vegetarian diner with ample vegan choices. We visited twice; the food didn't wow us, but the vibe in Boystown on Halsted (near the lake) was lively. We'd return for the atmosphere, not the faux meats like seitan wings with vegan ranch, BBQ 'chicken' salad (seitan), vegan nachos, meatloaf, or Reuben.
We'd try the Bi Bim Bap (Korean rice dish), Soul Bowl (quinoa, grilled tofu, chimichurri, greens, sweet potatoes, black beans), or rumored-delicious vegan cupcakes next time.
*Verdict: 5/10
*Address: 3411 N Halsted St, Chicago
*Hours: Mon–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri 11am–11pm, Sat 10am–11pm, Sun 10am–10pm
*Menu: Breakfast, lunch & dinner; weekend brunch; burgers, salads, sandwiches, soups, desserts
*Price Range: Entrées $8–$11
Karyn’s Cooked (Update: Sadly, Karyn closed all Chicago locations, last in 2017)
Karyn Calabrese, a holistic health icon featured on Oprah, ran three vegan spots: Karyn’s Raw, Cooked, and on the Green (a beauty center). Named 'Raw Foodist of the Year,' she's a raw food advocate who looks amazing at 63.
Dining with friends, we chose Cooked over raw. Confession: We should've gone raw. We shared tasty breaded veggies (zucchini, tofu, cauliflower). Entrées leaned faux meat: solid vegan meatloaf with broccoli and mash, good Buddha Bowl (brown rice, grilled veggies, teriyaki). Meatball sub was meh without mash; roast beef sandwich was flavorless.
Hearty portions ease meat-eaters' vegan fears, but we craved bolder flavors. Next time: Karyn’s Raw.
*Verdict: 4/10
*Address: 738 N Wells St, Chicago
*Hours: Sun–Mon 11am–9pm, Tue–Wed 11am–9pm, Thu–Sat 11am–11pm; Sat brunch 11am–2pm, Sun 11am–3pm
*Menu: Lunch & dinner; weekend brunch
*Price Range: Entrées $9–$13, sides $2–$4
Delicious Café (Update: Permanently closed)
A cozy neighborhood gem in Lincoln Square/North Center. Food is average but quick, affordable, and healthy for breakfast or lunch.
I couldn't resist the vegan grilled cheese; side baby carrots outshone the bland cheese, but pumpkin soup and B.L.T. on whole-wheat bagel were solid. Bill under $20 for three, including juices.
Great for quick bites, work (free Wi-Fi, good coffee), or creative vibes.
*Verdict: 6/10
*Address: 3827 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago (North Center)
*Hours: Mon 8am–3pm, Tue–Sat 8am–8pm, Sun 9am–6pm
*Menu: Breakfast & lunch; sandwiches, pastries
*Price Range: Breakfast from $1.50, lunch $5.50+, sandwich/soup combo $7.50
For a full list of vegan restaurants in Chicago, check HappyCow.net.
Have you tried Chicago's vegan scene? Share your recommendations in the comments to help us expand this guide for our next visit!
