How does TastyPals choose the best vegetarian restaurants in Chicago?

We evaluate vegetarian restaurants in Chicago on food quality, room tone, price, and whether the experience holds up for real dining plans — not just the places with the most Google reviews. This list is anchored by The Chicago Diner, Lakeview alongside Handlebar and PLANTA Chicago, chosen through editorial review and cross-referenced against neighbourhood context and guest ratings. Read our full methodology at tastypals.com/methodology.

GuideUpdated July 15, 2026

6 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Chicago

Q: What are the best vegetarian restaurants in Chicago?

The Chicago Diner, Lakeview is our top pick in Chicago. What The Chicago Diner gets right — and has gotten right since opening on North Halsted in 1983 — is that it doesn't perform vegetarianism at you. This Lakeview institution predates the green-juice aesthetic by decades, and that longevity informs every decision the place makes. The room runs on unpretentious diner bones: counter stools, worn booths, a clientele that spans longtime vegans who were regulars before veganism had a brand, hungover twenty-somethings from Boystown, and families splitting plates on a Sunday. At a price level that keeps the check genuinely accessible, The Chicago Diner is built around access rather than aspiration — and longtime observers of the place will tell you that reads as a deliberate stance, not an accident. The drinks menu is where the Diner routinely surprises first-timers. The Lavender Gimlet is known for threading floral and bright without veering into soap territory — the kind of cocktail that reportedly earns a second order on reflex rather than novelty. The Hippie Toddy has a reputation for delivering what a good toddy promises: herbal, warming, with a slow-building quality that justifies the name. The Peppermint Spike is described by regulars as darker and more indulgent, landing somewhere in the territory of a dessert course poured into a glass. The Daymaker and Dreamboat round out a cocktail roster that takes its whimsy seriously enough that the bar program functions as a genuine anchor for the room, not an afterthought. Practical reality: weekend brunch draws a consistent line on Halsted, and regulars recommend arriving before 11am if you want to skip it. The line reportedly moves, but on the Diner's own schedule. A window booth goes fast; the counter fills with solo diners who know the rhythm. Skip delivery — by most accounts, the room itself is the context that makes this place make sense. Other strong options include Handlebar and PLANTA Chicago.

The 6 best vegetarian restaurants in Chicago, sorted by rating and curated by TastyPals editors.

The best vegetarian restaurants in Chicago are The Chicago Diner, Lakeview, Handlebar, PLANTA Chicago, and more. Start with The Chicago Diner, Lakeview if you want the strongest overall first pick.

By Priya Sharma•6 ranked picks•Published July 15, 2026•Updated July 15, 2026

Methodology•Editorial team

The Chicago Diner, Lakeview Handlebar PLANTA Chicago

6 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Chicago

Google

Top picks at a glance

#1The Chicago Diner, LakeviewVegetarian • Chicago • value #2HandlebarVegetarian • Wicker Park • value #3PLANTA ChicagoVegetarian • Chicago • value

Who this guide is for

This guide covers the highest-rated vegetarian restaurants in Chicago. The picks are sorted by Google rating and review volume to give you a reliable shortlist. Picks span Chicago and Wicker Park.

Quick picks

The Chicago Diner, Lakeview

Vegetarian • Chicago

What The Chicago Diner gets right — and has gotten right since opening on North Halsted in 1983 — is that it doesn't perform vegetarianism at you.

Handlebar

Vegetarian • Wicker Park

Handlebar is a vegetarian pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.

PLANTA Chicago

Vegetarian • Chicago

Most plant-based restaurants in this country are still making one of two mistakes: apologizing for what's absent, or moralizing about what's at stake.

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Editorial details

Author: Priya Sharma

Published: July 15, 2026

Last updated: July 15, 2026

How the restaurants compare

Google

The Chicago Diner, Lakeview

Wicker Park • Vegetarian

How we chose

We looked for restaurants that feel like a strong fit for the guide topic, not just the most obvious names in the city. The shortlist favors rooms with clear mood, dependable pacing, and enough distinction to help someone decide faster. Read our full methodology →

Room tone

Lighting, pace, and general energy all need to support the reason someone clicked this guide.

Food fit

We favored restaurants that feel best suited for the moment, not just restaurants with broad reputation.

Useful range

The final list tries to give readers enough variation in neighborhood, price, and style to compare real options.

6 ranked picks

The Chicago Diner, Lakeview — What The Chicago Diner gets right — and has gotten right since opening on North Halsted in 1983 — is that it doesn't perform vegetarianism at you. This Lakeview institution predates the green-juice aesthetic by decades, and that longevity informs every decision the place makes. The room runs on unpretentious diner bones: counter stools, worn booths, a clientele that spans longtime vegans who were regulars before veganism had a brand, hungover twenty-somethings from Boystown, and families splitting plates on a Sunday. At a price level that keeps the check genuinely accessible, The Chicago Diner is built around access rather than aspiration — and longtime observers of the place will tell you that reads as a deliberate stance, not an accident. The drinks menu is where the Diner routinely surprises first-timers. The Lavender Gimlet is known for threading floral and bright without veering into soap territory — the kind of cocktail that reportedly earns a second order on reflex rather than novelty. The Hippie Toddy has a reputation for delivering what a good toddy promises: herbal, warming, with a slow-building quality that justifies the name. The Peppermint Spike is described by regulars as darker and more indulgent, landing somewhere in the territory of a dessert course poured into a glass. The Daymaker and Dreamboat round out a cocktail roster that takes its whimsy seriously enough that the bar program functions as a genuine anchor for the room, not an afterthought. Practical reality: weekend brunch draws a consistent line on Halsted, and regulars recommend arriving before 11am if you want to skip it. The line reportedly moves, but on the Diner's own schedule. A window booth goes fast; the counter fills with solo diners who know the rhythm. Skip delivery — by most accounts, the room itself is the context that makes this place make sense. View restaurant →

Google

Vegetarian•Chicago•value

The Chicago Diner, Lakeview

What The Chicago Diner gets right — and has gotten right since opening on North Halsted in 1983 — is that it doesn't perform vegetarianism at you.

Plant-basedlunchdinner

Read restaurant page

Vegetarian•Wicker Park•value

Handlebar

Handlebar is a vegetarian pick in Wicker Park in Chicago when you want dinner to feel a little more planned.

Wicker Parkcasual nightdate night

Read restaurant page

PLANTA Chicago — Most plant-based restaurants in this country are still making one of two mistakes: apologizing for what's absent, or moralizing about what's at stake. PLANTA Chicago has apparently decided to do neither. The Chicago outpost of this plant-forward brand positions itself squarely in the maximalist, high-gloss lane — the kind of room that reads sleek and intentional, with a price point that sits at a single dollar sign, which feels almost incongruous given what the plating reportedly looks like. The crowd, by most accounts, skews young and diverse, and is there for dinner, not a wellness lecture. This is destination dining that happens to be fully vegan, and that framing distinction matters. What the menu is doing, specifically, is translating global comfort food through a plant-based lens without flattening the source material into beige obscurity. The Bang Bang Broccoli is consistently described as lacquered and boldly sauced — a dish that leads with confidence rather than apology. The Chili Crab Noodles have developed a reputation for real funk and heat, the kind of aggressiveness that registers as a deliberate creative choice. Diners tend to point to the Crispy Rice as the table-quieting opener — the one that earns immediate consensus. For anyone approaching plant-based cooking with skepticism, the Brisket Kimchi Fried Rice is the reported corrective: the kimchi's ferment-forward intensity does structural work, and the plant-based brisket is noted for its textural presence rather than mere symbolic inclusion. The Korean Chick'n Sandwich rounds out the lineup as the straightforwardly satisfying, no-asterisk sandwich option on the menu. Practical reality: this is a group-dining setup that performs best with four to six people moving through multiple dishes simultaneously. Weekend dinner reservations book ahead — walk-in optimism at prime hours is genuinely optimistic. Book the table before you talk yourself into something else. View restaurant →

Google

Vegetarian•Chicago•value

PLANTA Chicago

Most plant-based restaurants in this country are still making one of two mistakes: apologizing for what's absent, or moralizing about what's at stake.

Plant-basedlunchdinner

Read restaurant page

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Vegetarian•Chicago•value

True Food Kitchen

True Food Kitchen is a sensible vegetarian call in Chicago when you want something that usually lands well.

Plant-basedlunchdinner

Read restaurant page

Vegetarian•Chicago•value

Kale My Name

Kale My Name is a sensible vegetarian call in Chicago when you want something that usually lands well.

Plant-basedlunchdinner

Read restaurant page

Vegetarian•Chicago•value

Soul Veg City

Soul Veg City is an easy vegetarian option in Chicago to suggest without needing a long explanation.

Plant-basedlunchdinner

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Save these spots to your Chicago list

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Personalized city picksCleaner shortlistsBuilt for iPhone and Android

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Smarter follow-through after the guide: better restaurant context, quicker narrowing, less second-guessing.

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6 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Chicago

Top picks at a glance

Who this guide is for

Quick picks

On this page

How the restaurants compare

How we chose

6 ranked picks

The Chicago Diner, Lakeview

Handlebar

PLANTA Chicago

Save these spots to your Chicago list

True Food Kitchen

Kale My Name

Soul Veg City

Explore next

Related guides

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The 15 Best Date Night Restaurants in Toronto

Save these spots to your Chicago list