ILLINOIS

Lake Side Cafe: Vegetarian, Vegan-Friendly, Organic and Delicious! Reasonable prices and a peaceful atmosphere make the Lake Side Cafe a new home base for Chicago's Vegetarian Community.
1418 W. Howard St. Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 262-9503
Hours of operation: 10am-10pm (closed Tuesdays)

Arlington Heights

Chowpatti, 1035 S. Arlington Heights Rd., (708) 640-9554.

All-veg, vegan options. Chicago

Amitabul, 3418 N. Southport Rd., (773) 472-4060. All-vegan, Korean, macro options.

Blind Faith, 3300 N. Lincoln, (773) 871-3820. All-veg, macro/vegan options.

Chicago Diner, 3411 N. Halsted, (312) 935-6696. All-veg, vegan options.

Dasaprakash, 2511 W. Devon, (773) 465-3272. All-veg, Indian.

Karyn's Fresh Corner, 3351 N. Lincoln Ave., (312) 296-6990. All-vegan.

Mother Earth Café & Organic Juice Bar, 3111 N. Ashland Ave., (312) EAR-THLY. All-veg, macro/vegan options.

Natraj, 2240 W. Devon Ave., (312) 274-1300. All-veg, Indian, vegan options.

Soul Vegetarian, 205 E. 75th St., (312) 224-0164. All-vegan.

Udupi Palace, 2543 W. Devon Ave., (312) 338-2152. All-veg, vegan options.

Evanston

Blind Faith Café, 525 Dempster St., (847) 328-6875. All-veg, macro/vegan options.

Highland Park

Chicago Diner, 581 Elm Pl. (847) 433-1228. All-veg, vegan options.

White Buffalo Café, 508 Old Elm Rd., (847) 266-1825. All macro/vegan.

Normal

Coffee World, 114 E. Beaufort St., (309) 452-6774. All-veg, vegan options.

Urbana

Red Herring, 1209 W. Oregon, (217) 367-2340. All-vegan, international.

Villa Park

Better Living, 1555 S. Ardmore Ave., (708) 782-0441. All-vegan.

Westmont

Shree Vegetarian, 655 N. Cass Ave., (708) 655-1021. All-veg, Indian.

Vegetarian Express Gourmet
3031 W. 111th st (Northwest corner of 111th and Whipple)
(773) 238-2599
Chicago, IL.
(located on Chicago's southwest side)
Moderately priced menu - $5 and up
Totally vegan
Various sandwiches, wraps, appetizers, salads, dinners and desserts
Dine-in or carry-out
I've been a customer for about six months. I highly recommend the Steak (seitan) wrap and the Jerk tofu

Blind Faith Cafe Vegetarian 525 Dempster Ave., , Evanston 847-328-6875

"Would you expect less of Evanston?" say fans of this Vegetarian hangout for yuppies, college types and other veg-heads, who praise "large portions" of "tasty" fare and "dream about" the breads, but phobes gripe about "too much fiber" and "uppity service"; still, you can "go with a clear conscience - no junk food here." - Zagat's

Soul Vegetarian East Restaurant 205 E. 75th St. 773-224-0104 Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Thur.;9 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat,; 9a.m.-noon (brunch) and noon-8 p.m. (dinner) Sun. Credit cards: M, V Other:Wheelchair accessible

Cheap Eats Soulful vegetarian at home on South Side

By Bob Condor

Soul Vegetarian East joins two seemingly divergent cuisines. You expect soul food to taste good but maybe not be so good for you. You think vegetarian food tends to be good for you but it doesn't exactly taste good.

KARYN'S
1901 N. Halsted Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: 312.255.1590 Fax: 312.255.1592
"Vegan heaven!" that's how one customer describes this Lincoln Park raw-food restaurant. Acclaimed Karyn Calabrese has a gift for creating uniquely flavorful raw vegan dishes, making her restaurant, KARYN's, the longest standing raw-food restaurant in the Midwest.
Favorites, among many others, include: The Real Raw Vegan Lasagna - an exquisite dish made of marinated zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, cashew and macademia seed cheese, served over a mixture of organic greens dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette) California Roll -wrapped in a Nori sheet, stuffed with Almond Pate and avocado, this delicious roll tastes just like the aromas of the sea.

Amitabul 3418 N. Southport Ave. 773-472-4060

"Buddhists believe that to have clear thoughts you have to detach everything on the mental side. In order to do that you have to keep the body in tip-top shape," says David Choi, the owner of Amitabul. Keeping with this philosophy, Choi features the healthy vegetarian cuisine of Korean Buddhists in his restaurant. The menu is 100 percent vegan and dishes are packed with heaping portions of tofu and organically grown vegetables. Steaming is the preferred method of preparation (very little oil and no chemicals are used) with fruit, garlic and miso soup seasonings. The main dining room, which cozily seats 60 souls, was designed by Choi to replicate monks' eating quarters. It is pleasantly decorated with tall leafy plants, hand-painted ceramics and the brush paintings of Choi's Buddhist Master, a hale octogenarian woman who could beat him in an arm wrestle. There are tables so you don't have to sit on the floor in the lotus position as monks do. However, a low seating area with recessed hollows is available for those who desire a more authentic experience, without the leg cramps. The landscapes and portraits that decorate the walls are for sale. Those looking for spiritual nourishment will also find it in ample supply at Amitabul. Choi, a practicing Buddhist, is more than willing to discuss Far Eastern philosophies when he's out of the kitchen working the room. And for those who wish to delve a little deeper, there's a regularly scheduled afternoon of meditation and food at his master's Buddhist temple that he brings his patrons to on Sunday afternoon.

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.- 8:30 p.m. Sunday

Chicago Tribune review: 3 forks

Chicago Diner
3411 N. Halsted St.
Chicago, IL
(773) 935-6696
This is a purely vegetarian restaurant with plenty of vegan offerings.

Arlington Heights

Blind Faith Cafe' 3300 N. Lincoln (773)871-3820

Chowpatti Vegetarian Restaurant 1035 S. Arlington Heights Rd. (847)640-9554

Mother Earth's Cafe' 3111 N. Lincoln Ave. (312)EAR-THLY

Chicago

Amitabul 3418 S. Southport St. 773-472-4060

Arva Bhavan 2508 W. Devon Ave. 773-274-5800

Chicago Diner 3411 N. Halstead 773-935-6696

Dasaprakash 2511 W. Devon Ave. 773-465-3272

Karyn's Fresh Corner 3351 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-281-7708

Mysore Woodlands 2548 Devon Ave. 773-338-8160

Natraj 2240 Devon Ave. 312-274-1300

Soul Vegetarian East 205 E. 75th St. 773-224-0104

Udipi Palace 2543 W. Devon Ave. 773-338-2152

White Buffalo Cafe' 508 Old Elm Rd. 847-266-1825

Evanston

Blind Faith Cafe' & Bakery 525 Dempster St. 847-328-6875

Highland Park

Chicago Diner 581 Elm Place 847-433-1228

Normal

Coffee World 114 E. Beaufort St. 309-452-6774

Urbana

Red Herring Vegetarian Restaurant 1209 W. Oregon St. 217-367-2340

Westmont

Shree Vegetarian Restaurant 655 N. Cass Ave. 630-655-1021

Heartland Cafe
312 465 8005 7000n glenwood chicago

Mama Destas Red Sea
312 935 7561 3216 2n clark chicago

Original Mitchells
312 642 5246 101w north ave chicago

Patties Heart Healthy
312 645 1111 520 n michigan chicago

Pegasus
312 226 6666 130 s. halsted chicago

Star of Siam
312 670 0100 11 e illinois st. across from the firestation in chinatown Chicago

Cafe Voltaire
312 528 3136 3231 clark chicago

Chip n Dales
708 524 0406 deli and hot meals 109 n oak park oak park illinois