How to Find Vegan Food in Chicago

Despite its history as the slaughterhouse capital of the U.S., well known through Upton Sinclair’s "The Jungle," Chicago is actually home to some excellent vegan restaurants. Like any big city, Chicago is home to a broad range of ethnic cuisine, and has plenty of options for fine diners and those who need to eat cheap but want to maintain their moral conscience.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Visit the Chicago Diner, one of the oldest vegan/vegetarian establishments in Chicago. Opened in 1973, the Chicago Diner is your stop for delicious and affordable meat-less comfort food. The Reuben sandwich is particularly fantastic.

2. Stop at Alice and Friends’ Café in Edgewater. If you like restaurants that feel like you are eating in someone’s living room, this is the place for you. Their dishes are mostly vegan and the décor is quite eclectic, replete with some vague new age video playing by the register. Try the lady finger appetizers, delicious!

3. Go to the Handlebar, a great vegan/vegetarian hangout in the Wicker Park area styled as a hangout for rapscallions and messengers with bike-wheel seats at the bar. Their specials are usually ingenious, and their garden in back is a great place for a summer meal.

4. Head to The Heartland Café in Rogers Park, a venerable Chicago institution, home to open-mike nights, readings, and local activist events. Although not exclusively meat-less, the menu is all over the place, and has plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians alike.

5. Dine at Kope’s Travelers Café in Andersonville, right by the Swedish American museum. Take off your shoes and sit around the pillows at the front of the restaurant and try their mango jet tea. While you are there, pick up a travel guide from the shelf and plan your next excursion.

6. Check out the Dharma Garden on Irving Park if you are looking for vegan Thai food. The place really feels like a garden sanctuary, all done up in bamboo and ornate wallpaper. Their selection of meat substitutes is impressive, including my favorite, tofu duck. Almost everything on their menu is good. Also, unless you want your mouth to burn for days, try the mild or medium spice.

[El-na-quam]

on 9/25/2008 Your list of vegan food choices failed to include the south side of Chicago and southern suburbs. Soul Veg. restaurant at 201 E. 75 st 773 224-0104 has been serving vegan food for over 27 years. Totally vegan at 2011 w. 170 st in hazel crest does weekly meal plans 708 335-3661 and has 7 pionts of distrubution in health food stores throughout chicago www.totally-vegan.com