Just because you’re vegan, it doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite comfort foods. Over the past couple of years, it has become a bit easier for vegans to go out and enjoy a good meal in a restaurant without having to sacrifice flavor. Just because you don’t eat animal products, it doesn’t mean you enjoy eating only raw kale. Many restaurants have been trying to recreate popular meals as vegan-friendly ones, like vegan wings. Yes, you read that correctly. Check out this list of seven restaurants in Chicago where you can finally try vegan wings that taste just like the real thing, if not better.
Chicago Diner: Buffalo Style Wings
Location: 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL
3411 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL
Price: $10
Meat-free since 1983, Chicago Diner is one of the most popular vegan restaurants in Chicago. All of their menu items are vegan-friendly, including their famous milkshakes and lip smacking good wings. Their Special Recipe Wings are made with seitan, served with a side of vegan ranch & celery. Choose between bbq or spicy buffalo style or, if you can’t decide, just get both.
Ground Control: ‘Tofu’ Wings
Location: 3315 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL
Price: $6.75
Tofu has a bad rep of being bland and boring, but that’s what makes it so versatile and easy to incorporate into almost any dish for an extra protein boost. At Ground Control, you can choose between Buffalo-style wings served with ranch or Asian BBQ-style alongside some pickled daikon and carrots. Whichever style you choose, you won’t believe that tofu could taste this good.
Heartland Cafe: Buffalo Bites
Location: 838 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL
Price: $8
While Heartland Cafe’s crispy buffalo bites are more vegan nuggets than vegan wings, they still deserve a spot on the list. Their crispy tofu bites are coated in spicy buffalo sauce and served with crudité, plus some vegan ranch dressing.
Kal’ish: Basket of Crisps
Location: 1313 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL 60640
Price: $11.75
Kal’ish has a wide range of good food to choose from, including burgers, nachos, and tacos, all which are vegan-friendly. But their baskets of crisps are what really pop out from the menu. Made with Southern Seasoned Garbanzo and VW Gluten Seitan, their crips come in four flavors–plain, brushfire-dipped, sticky sweet, and beet root bbq. They are even served with fries, a daily side, veggie sticks and dip. Now that’s a meal and all under $12.
Kitchen 17: Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Location: 3132 N. Broadway, Chicago, Illinois
Price: $8
Okay so technically, these aren’t ‘chicken’ wings but don’t turn away just now. Kitchen 17’s Crispy Cauliflower Wings are nothing short of flavorful. These crispy wings are fried until golden and then doused in housemade Spicy Buffalo Sauce. Instead of blue cheese dressing, they are served with a side of Kitchen 17 Dill Ranch because I think we can all agree that ranch beats blue cheese dressing all day, every day.
Native Foods Cafe: Chicken Wings
Location: multiple locations in Chicago
Price: Small $6.50, Regular $8.50
Native Foods Cafe changes their menu regularly but one thing that sticks around is their chicken wings. These plant-based wings come in many varieties. Decide between crispy, grilled, naked or with your choice of sauce, which includes buffalo, spicy Korean, or Thai chili cilantro. All wings are served on a bed of shredded cabbage and carrots, with a side of ranch.
Veggie Grill: Wings
Location: multiple locations
Price: $8
If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to sit down for a long meal, stop by Veggie Grill for their Chill Out Wings that come with an option of three sauces–bbq, ranch or roasted red pepper. Or try their Buffalo Wings, if you’re in the mood for a little more heat.
Next time you’re in the mood for some good old saucy wings, give one of these places a try. Plus, make sure to check out the rest of the menu and experience what eating vegan truly means.