Vegan seitan doner kebab wrap and curry fries at DMen Tap, left, and vegan bayanetu at Demera. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)
WTTW News reporter Eunice Alpasan shares local recommendations.
Whether you’re a longtime vegan or someone dabbling in eating a more plant-based diet, it’s never been easier to find those options when dining in Chicago.
The increase in vegan options in Chicago’s food scene over the last 10 to 15 years alone is a night-and-day difference, according to Vadim Metta, president of ChicagoVeg, which aims to offer a supportive and non-judgmental community for vegetarians, vegans and those interested in the lifestyle.
“Obviously, we’re all a little bit impatient and we want to see more vegan restaurants and more vegan options in every restaurant,” Metta said. “Ideally, we want to see a vegan world around us, but realistically, we should be happy and appreciative of the changes that we already see.”
The group has more than 8,000 members on the social app and website MeetUp and hosts events such as restaurant outings, potlucks and educational sessions about the health, environmental and animal welfare reasons that bring many people to try a plant-based diet.
As a vegan for nearly 10 years, I’ve been fortunate to try many foods and cuisines that have expanded my idea of what vegan food can be and go beyond the restaurants that might appear when doing a quick Google search for vegan food in the city.
In light of World Vegan Day on Nov. 1, here are my favorite spots in the city serving dishes inspired from different cuisines around the world.
Demera
Ethiopian - 4801 N. Broadway
My go-to order: Vegan Bayanetu ($26.50)
From the Amharic word meaning “many kinds,” the bayanetu offers a sampling of various vegetable dishes atop injera, a spongy, fermented bread made with teff and whole wheat flour. The sampling of veggies makes for a variety of ways to mix and match each bite of food: stewed split peas and lentils, slow-cooked spinach and collard greens, stewed potatoes and carrots and sauteed sweet beets to name a few. The injera soaks up all the different flavors and makes for a hearty, fulfilling meal typically eaten with your hands. Admittedly, when I first tried Ethiopian food, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sourness of the injera. It took a couple more tries at several different restaurants for the food to grow on me, and now, the bayanetu at Demera is easily one of my favorite foods.
Tip: The restaurant also offers a version of the bayanetu that serves two, if you want to share a meal.
Boonie’s
Filipino - 4337 N. Western Ave.
My go-to order: Pancit Canton ($15) and Maitake Piaparan ($20)
When I first decided to go vegan nearly a decade ago, one of the hardest parts was the guilt of feeling like I was losing parts of my culture, an issue I was already grappling with as a first-generation Filipino American. Eating Filipino food and the act of sharing food with my family was one of the most salient ways I felt connected to my Filipino heritage. As the city continues to see more Filipino restaurants open, it warmed my heart to take my family to Boonie’s.
The food is a bit more upscale than the more traditional Filipino foods I grew up eating, but with that, it’s allowed me to experience Filipino food in a whole new way and introduced me to foods inspired from different regions of the Philippines that I was never exposed to. The pancit canton, a stir-fried noodle dish with scallion ginger oil, and the maitake piaparan, a spicy stew made with coconut milk and mushrooms, are listed as sides on its dinner menu, but if you also ask for a side of rice, you’ve got yourself a meal.
Tip: Try the iconic Filipino beers San Miguel or Red Horse.
Nhu Lan
Vietnamese - 2612 W. Lawrence Ave.
My go-to order: Vegan lemongrass tofu banh mi ($8.50)
Nhu Lan was on heavy rotation for me when I first went vegan during high school and has since become a tried and true comfort spot. There are several vegan banh mi options, served with pickled daikon carrots, cucumber spears, cilantro and jalapeños. The vegan lemongrass tofu banh mi is the showstopper. Forget what you think you know about tofu because the texture and flavor of the tofu in this banh mi is next-level. Pair that with loaded fresh veggies and fresh baguette-style bread — and you’ve got yourself a hearty freaking sandwich. They also have a phở chay vegan soup and fresh fruit smoothies.
Tip: Check out the fridge for some pre-prepared vegan foods, desserts and drinks.
Quesadilla La Reina Del Sur
Mexican - 2237 N. Western Ave.
My go-to order: Tamale ($3.99) and either a torta ($8.75) or the flautas dinner ($15.99)
Here are a combination of things that are sometimes hard to find in plant-based spots: Unpretentious. Huge menu. Reasonable prices. Well, thank goodness for Quesadilla La Reina del Sur. This casual, family-friendly spot serves up vegetarian Mexican food with many of its menu items already vegan. I’m the type of person who will stick to ordering the same foods at a restaurant if I find dishes that I love, so without fail, I go for the tamale and either a torta or the flautas, which come with rice, refried beans and guacamole. When I have a craving for Mexican food, this place hits the spot. I often see families eating here, which makes me so happy, and once when I dined in, there was a harpist playing in the restaurant. I’m obsessed!
Tip: The restaurant offers lunch specials on weekdays for dine-in or carryout.
DMen Tap
German - 2849 W. Belmont Ave.
My go-to order: Vegan seitan döner kebab wrap ($15) and vegan curry fries ($7)
Bars with vegan food options are few and far between, so that's one of the many reasons why DMen Tap is an absolute gem. The restaurant specializes in German street food, serving up Turkish style döner kebabs and Bavarian bratwurst made with housemade seitan, a common plant-based meat alternative. I'm also a big fan of the fries topped with a hearty curry sauce and, of course, pairing that with a beer from its rotating selection of drafts. A unique celebration of retro games, music and beer, this bar is perfect if you're into the dark and freaky.
Tip: Check out the back of the bar for some pinball and throwback video games.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]
