Chicago Vegetarian friendly restaurants

[pups224]

I'm meeting two friends in Chicago. One is a vegetarain. One is not. I am not.

Any suggestions for a birthday dinner at nice places that are veggie friendly but don't have to be limited to vegeterian. Money is not an issue, nor is vegan.

Thanks

[Alex]

I'm meeting two friends in Chicago. One is a vegetarain. One is not. I am not.

Any suggestions for a birthday dinner at nice places that are veggie friendly but don't have to be limited to vegeterian. Money is not an issue, nor is vegan.

Thanks

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Green Zebra

I seem to remember a similar thread, or portion thereof, about this topic. Try searching a bit.

[hsm]

It's here.

[white lotus]

I recently had the best vegetarian meal of my life at Charlie Trotter's. This would definitely be a special occasion meal for vegetarian. It was quite expensive but I have to admit that every single aspect of this meal was perfect. They even offered a beverage pairing for those who don't drink alcohol. This may not be for everyone but I was impressed and would go again. wl

[C Simril]

It's here.

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I ate at Charlie's on Aug 29th. My companion had the vegetarian menu, I had the other one. I had a bite of her heirloom tomato dish and it was unbelievably good. Later we switched courses. She took my meat course and I had her morel dish. It was even better than the tomato. I didn't know anything could taste that good.

[Poffertjes]

Mana just opened on Division in Wicker Park. I haven't been there yet, but the menu looks interesting.

[Lady T]

For anyone into Sixties/Seventies kitsch, the Heartland Cafe, in the Rogers Park neighborhood on the North Side, is fun, moderately priced, and has plenty for a vegetarian to enjoy -- including some pretty decent (yea, even prizewinning, though I find it a touch bland and sweet) chili. Check the nightly specials menu for all sorts of cool seasonal stuff.

Not far from that location, south and west a bit in the Indian neighborhood that centers roughly around the intersection of Devon and Western Avenues, is Hema's Kitchen. Seriously wonderful, and seriously cheap. (Allot plenty of time, though, because the service is seriously slow. Good-natured as all get out...but slow.)

If you've got the cash to spend, the suggestion of Trotter's is plenty apt. Amazing combinations of flavor and texture, drop-dead quality, and a wine list to read like the Great American Novel (almost that long, too).

Rick Bayless' two restaurants, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, in the River North neighborhood, have all sorts of meatless options.

Enjoy!

[maggiethecat]

Hema's rocks in every way you can imagine, and Lady T has given you the DL. The food, whether vegetarian or fleshitarian comes out of a homey kitchen where the lovely cooks make outstanding food.

Five years or so ago 12 eGulls went there for dinner, ordered pretty near everything on the menu (seriously) and the bill for all this was under a hundred bucks.It was BYOB back then and we stood outside on a lovely Chicago evening drinking beer while we waited in line.

Green Zebra, of course.