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 specialties—so it’s understandable if it’s 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. We’ve 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.

The OpenTable Team

10 Restaurants

Updated February 26, 2020

Restaurants:	Le Colonial - Chicago, TAO Asian Bistro - Chicago, Nonnina…
Price Range:	$$ - $$$
Cuisines:	Vietnamese, Asian, Italian…
Neighborhoods:	Gold Coast / Streeterville, River North (Chicago)…

Le Colonial - Chicago

$$$$

Vietnamese

Gold Coast / Streeterville

4.8

6739 reviews

Le Colonial is a cleverly crafted re-creation of the bygone world of French Indochina. The ambiance is a throwback to 1920s-style dining, with warm lighting, intimate tables, and lush decor. Slide into a booth and ask to see the separate vegan and vegetarian menu. They serve delicious treats like crisp, fried spring rolls of tofu, jicama, carrots and Asian mushrooms, lotus root and tofu salad, rice noodles sauteed with soy sauce and tofu, and even some vegan desserts. This restaurant is a great blend of slight luxury with a relaxing vibe, and diners won't have to shell out too much cash for a great meal.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

TAO Asian Bistro - Chicago

$$$$

Asian

River North (Chicago)

4.5

2245 reviews

An outpost of the New York City original, TAO is a large two-level space with four private dining rooms and a large bar. Daybed sofas abound and the eclectic lounge is a perfect blend of stately living room meets nightclub. The menu is complete with Pan-Asian offerings varied enough to please any palate. Vegan offerings include edamame, shishito peppers, salads, noodle and rice dishes, and more. Diners can also inquire about whether or not the kitchen can prepare traditional dishes as vegan. The most stunning part about the restaurant is the gigantic gold statue of the Buddha is the first sight to see upon walking in and diners can see it from virtually anywhere in the restaurant.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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Nonnina

$$$$

Italian

River North (Chicago)

4.6

2461 reviews

Nonnina, in the River North neighborhood of Chicago, is an Italian restaurant with a focus on old-school cooking techniques inspired by “nonnas,” or grandmothers. The chefs put a modern take on classic recipes like their grandmothers used to make and the results are delicious! Ask the server about having meals prepared vegan — they have a few items on the menu such as the Cauliflower Arrosto and certain salads that are vegan-friendly, but many of the dishes can easily adapt to cater to vegan restrictions.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Café Ba-Ba-Reeba

$$$$

Tapas / Small Plates

Lincoln Park

4.8

8116 reviews

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba is Chicago’s original tapas restaurant, serving authentic Spanish cuisine in Lincoln Park since the 1980s. The menu features tapas, pintxos, and paella along with an extensive Spanish wine list, sangrias, and cocktails. They're a bustling place that is a great spot for meeting friends and sharing plates in a warm environment. They have a number of vegan dishes, such as some of the starters, which can omit cheese or cream, and the farmer’s market vegetable paella. After dinner, hang out in the bar for a while and digest a meal over a tasty margarita.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Quartino

$$$$

Italian

River North (Chicago)

4.7

9534 reviews

Quartino is an urban Italian restaurant and wine bar that combines the best of Italy’s osteria and enoteca to offer a casual, everyday food and wine experience. Located just off the Magnificent Mile, they are the perfect place to stop at after a day full of shopping and sightseeing. The menu has tons of vegan options, including small plates and pastas. Try an assortment of olives, the Sicilian caponata spuntini, broccoli rabe, sauteed spinach, white bean garlic spread, and more. The dishes will pair nicely with a fine glass of wine off their extensive list, and diners will feel so relaxed it might even supply the energy to continue shopping even more!

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

il Porcellino

$$$$

Italian

River North (Chicago)

4.7

3439 reviews

Il Porcellino, located in the heart of River North in Downtown Chicago, is a neighborhood restaurant featuring classic Italian-American food. Their casual setting is very welcoming for couples, groups, and families. They have a seasonal menu focused on housemade pastas, antipasti, and ingredients from local farms. Ask the kitchen about which menu items they will serve vegan—they have a number of vegetable sides, salads, and pastas that can skip the dairy items to fit a vegan diet.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

HUB 51

$$$$

American

River North (Chicago)

4.6

5327 reviews

HUB 51 is the River North creation of the Lettuce Entertain You organization. They are one of the best vegan restaurants in Illinois, featuring a perfect blend of entertainment, nightlife, dining, and social activity and offering outstanding food, drinks, and service in a spacious, beautiful setting. They have plenty of vegan menu items, like the shishito/edamame plate, bang-bang crispy cauliflower, a kale and grains salad, and more.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Summer House Santa Monica

$$$$

American

Lincoln Park

4.6

6592 reviews

Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Summer House is the perfect place to escape the city to feel like soaking up the sunny vibes of the West Coast. The setting features beach house decor and a beautiful retractable glass ceiling. Order the chickpea hummus, guacamole, local baby greens salad, or some of their other vegan dishes to enjoy. If there are any doubts about whether a menu item is vegan, just ask the kitchen to make sure it comes that way! They are very accommodating.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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RPM Italian - Chicago

$$$$

Italian

Chicago

4.6

10958 reviews

RPM Italian presents modern cuisine with an old-school Italian spirit. The menu features a wide variety of cold and hot antipasti, fresh pastas prepared in-house, salads and entrees, and many plates meant for sharing. The vibe is super laid-back with an open bar area and they're a cool restaurant to check out in the River North area. Dishes like the zucchini fritti, Roman-style artichokes, rosemary foccacia, and roasted beets can all come out vegan as well as some of the delicious pastas!

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Sepia

$$$$

Contemporary American

West Loop

4.8

4630 reviews

Sepia melds refined and rustic food and vintage and contemporary decor to give the feel of an instant classic. The space is stylish, warm, and inviting, with a strong attention to detail. Chef Andrew Zimmerman creates a seasonal menu that showcases the purity and quality of the ingredients, celebrating tradition with a modern twist. The menu features a number of items that can turn vegan, such as the Belgian endive salad, the falafel entree, and some of the vegetable sides. Just ask the kitchen which dishes suit a vegan diet.

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

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The Best Restaurants with Vegan Options