Eat Green with Chicago’s Best Vegetarian Dishes
ROOH
Your mom used to have to force you to eat your veggies, but it doesn’t have to be that way anymore! There are now plenty of delicious ways to get your greens in aside from forcing down mushy carrots or boring steamed broccoli. Creative and colorful recipes abound in Chicago restaurants that will give you the healthy ingredients you expect from vegetarian recipes, without sacrificing a single bit of flavor.
ROOH Progressive Indian Restaurant & Bar {736 West Randolph Street, Chicago; 312.267.2323}: Their Cauliflower Kolidwada is a thing of beauty, complete with peanut chutney and a sweet & spicy sauce, but there are plenty of other delicious veggie-forward dishes on the menu at this cozy West Loop destination. Chickpea Curry, Garlic Naan and more await, all perfect for sharing!
Saigon Sisters {multiple locations}: Though they have plenty of veggie-focused and tofu dishes, the BBQ Eggplant is a signature meal that’s vegetarian and gluten-free! The Saigon Sisters team thoughtfully prepares Chinese eggplant with chili bean paste, onions and rice for a perfectly balanced and flavorful dish. You can order it for pick-up or dig in to more of their amazing cuisine by ordering for the whole family from their catering menu.
Barrio Chicago
Barrio {65 West Kinzie Street, Chicago; 312.940.9900}: Their Forest Mushroom Tacos are famous - and for good reason! But don’t sleep on Barrio’s other vegetarian menu items like the Esquites Style Corn, Cotija Fries or one of their delicious salsas. They pair perfectly with a margarita, which is also vegetarian in case you were wondering ;)
ingrained {108 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago; 312.248.2862}: If you want to eat fresh on the go, ingrained has tons of bars, cups, baked goods and more that are almost all vegan and gluten-free. But they still taste great don’t you worry! It makes eating healthy extra easy.
Yūgen Restaurant {652 West Randolph Street, Chicago; 312.265.1008}: Test your Top Chef skills with Yūgen’s daily changing meal kits! They include specials like Truffle Gnocchi and their signature Kaisho Salad made with avocado, cucumber, tofu, watermelon radish and a fermented carrot dressing. Just save room for their amazing desserts!
Brightwok {multiple locations}: You can create your own veggie-lover’s dream with Brightwok’s bowls! They have so many customizations and unique ingredients like crispy egg, organic tofu, sweet glazed potatoes and more. You could eat there every week and not repeat an exact meal for months!
Tanta {118 West Grand Avenue, Chicago; 312.222.9700}: From Papa a la Huancaina (fingerling potatoes, huancaina sauce, soft quail eggs, queso fresco) at brunch to Quinoa Tamal Empanadas (choclo, sweet corn, quinoa, queso, aji amarillo) for dinner, Tanta has plenty of favorites to satisfy your veggie cravings!
Kamehachi {1531 North Wells Street, Chicago; 312.664.3663}: Chicago’s original sushi house serves up vegetarian dishes as well as their signature makis! Think Tempura Green Beans, Yaki Soba Noodles, the AAC Maki (that’s avocado, asparagus and cucumber) and more!
By Kaleigh Glaza | Market Editor