Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Carol Stream

"Meat free since ’83, this beloved diner is always near the top of any vegetarian-friendly list. Its signature Radical Reuben is loaded with corned beef seitan, grilled onions, peppers, sauerkraut, vegan thousand island dressing, and cheese on marbled rye."

"All options at The Chicago Diner are meat-free|© Chicago Diner. The slogan at this diner – “Meat Free Since ’83” – certainly rings true. Everything on the large menu is vegetarian and vegan or can be made vegan."

"Most dishes at Handlebar can be vegan upon request|© Handlebar. Veg lovers flock to this Wicker Park hipster haven for comfort food with a vegetarian twist. Most guests come for the fried avocado tacos, jammed with cabbage slaw, tomatoes, refried beans and house-made ranch, but there’s a bevy of other vegetarian dishes, too, such as a pepita scramble flanked by sweet potatoes, veggie chili mac and cheese, and biscuits and gravy slathered in seitan sausage gravy."

"The mantra at Handlebar is “food, booze, and good times” — and it delivers on all three. The menu at this bustling Wicker Park spot reads like a typical tavern menu (think nachos, buffalo chicken wrap, grilled cheese, and sloppy joes), but everything is made-from-scratch vegan or vegetarian. The food is made with farm-fresh, locally sourced ingredients, there’s a full-service bar and beer garden, and the regular crowd of locals keeps the good times going."

"Urban Vegan Chicago is a vegetarian and vegan eatery that serves authentic Asian and Thai fare with an international twist. The menu features vegetarian meat alternatives that are healthy and tasty, prepared with the highest quality meat-free and organic ingredients and products, and created from original recipes from every corner of the vegan lifestyle. Signature and favorite dishes on the menu include cashew nut stir-fry, spicy eggplant with sweet basil, Pad Thai rice stick noodles with bean sprouts, red and green Thai curry, lentil loaf packed with a variety of vegetables and spices, and spicy noodles."

"This Ravenswood gem takes traditional Thai dishes and remakes them using seitan and other meat substitutes. The result is the Asian flavors you love, with none of the meat products. At Urban Vegan, you’ll find almost everything you could order at a typical Thai restaurants: chicken satay (made with soy chicken), steamed dumplings (packed with vegetables), tons of flavorful curries, noodle dishes, stir-fried veggies with rice, and more."

"From the jump more than a dozen years ago, urbanbelly has been serving flavorful Asian fast-casual food and it only gets better. Led by award-winning Chef Bill Kim and Cornerstone Restaurant Group, the menu lists signature dumplings, bowls and specialties such as the gluten-free and dairy free Coconut Curry Pho and Kim's signature ramen. Order slippery dumplings (stuffed with Korean BBQ beef, chicken red curry or edamame) by the piece and pair 'em with something crispy like Thai fried chicken or Togarashi fries."

"Whether you snag a tabletop grill for a DIY experience or relax and let Bill Kim and crew do all the work, start with the golf-ball-size crispy tofu, move on to the tea-smoked duck, and finish with the textural delights of the seafood hot pot.L Mon–Sat, D nightly."

"Our kids weren’t sure about trying the Asian inspired cuisine. They aren’t the most adventurous eaters. But by the time we were done they all LOVED it and wanted to come back the next day."

"This longtime healthy Mexican spot has something for everyone. Sure, there’s carne asada and al pastor for meat eaters but vegetarians can dig into a veggie Cubana torta made with soy chicken, sausage, and bacon alongside chipotle sauce, an organic egg, and more."

"You get a good meal that will fill your appetite whether it be a burrito or gordita. Personally we got queso con ra..."

"After Art Smith lost the lbs., he turned his attention to a casual chain serving food that fit his new, healthy lifestyle. That meant the fried chicken had to go, and was replaced with an un-fried version served alongside roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and cashew cream sauce that maxes-out at 566 calories."

"While not an exclusively vegetarian restaurant, Lyfe Kitchen's locations promote a healthy lifestyle by placing vegetables above all else in their menu. Try their vegan beet poke or Beyond Burger to see what we mean."

"Restaurants Vegan River West/West Town. House-made seitan is the base for most menu items at Upton’s Breakroom, a bright little café attached to Upton’s Naturals, a company that makes seitan and sells it in stores across the country. The café has a plentiful menu, including a tofu-seitan banh mi, a BBQ jackfruit sandwich and Korean tacos with housemade kimchi."

"Head on down to Seitanville and grab some vegan comfort food and the famous soy-based ice-cream!. Upton’s Breakroom is an unassuming little shop where you can not only sit down for a bite, but you can shop their products as well. You’ve almost definitely seen their products as you wander the health food store – check out the packaging below!"

"Upton's Breakroom sits below Upton's Naturals, a natural-based food business out of Chicago. The company's focus is on vegan diets and meat alternatives, so it's only fitting that the Breakroom's menu would be completely vegan. Fried bacon mac and burgers (all meat-and-cheese free!) await you in West Town!"

"Located at the north end of Lincoln Park Zoo, the Lincoln Park Conservatory features four serene greenhouses (Orchid House, Fern Room, Palm House and Show House) all displaying fantastic arrays of flora. During summer, venture outdoors to find a lush, French garden filled with a large variety of plants and flowers, and a beautiful fountain. Many Chicago residents utilize this space to sit and read, toss a football around, let their kids run freely or just take in the beauty of nature."

"The Lincoln Park Conservatory is a conservatory and botanical garden in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. The conservatory is best known for its horticultural collections, community work, and educational programming. It is also housed in a glass house from the Victorian Era that is stunning to view on its own."

"Chicago's Jane Addams Hull-House Museum was a settlement house founded in 1889 by Ellen Gates Starr and Janes Addams. The Hull House served as a place for European immigrants to call home after landing into the United States. Within 30 years of its opening, the house had expanded to include 13 buildings and a summer camp."

"For free things to do in Chicago with a historic perspective, visit Hull House. Once a settlement house, it is now a memorial to Jane Addams, the first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. She created innovative programs for immigrants."

"The Charnley-Persky House Museum is in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. The location is famous for being one of the only surviving residential pieces designed by Louis Sullivan. Frank Lloyd Wright was also a contributor to the project; at the time of the house's construction, Wright worked for Sullivan."

"Description: Charnley-Persky House is one of the oldest houses of Chicago (with Glessner and Clarke Houses) and it is said to be the first modern house in Chicago. The red house next to it was built shortly before, and the differences are amazing. Tours are offered on Wednesday afternoons."

"Wishbone, a family owned, independent restaurant, has been cooking southern style, made-from-scratch comfort food for more than 30 years. You can get bacon and eggs anywhere but Wishbone's Shrimp & Grits, Blackened Catfish, Jambalaya Omelette, Chicken Andouille Hash and homemade biscuits in pork sausage gravy will wake up your neurons and digestion. There aren't many places in the Midwest offering signature cornmeal pancakes made with sweet corn and scallions with roasted red pepper sauce plus two eggs."

"Come for Southern-style soul food, full of flavor and served in a casual, relaxed environment. The quirky, funky warehouse-style space (abstract paintings of chickens and eggs adorn the walls) offers breakfast on weekdays and a popular weekend brunch. Try fluffy biscuits, French toast, salmon cakes with hollandaise, or a house specialty called Red Eggs, which consists of two eggs on corn tortillas with black beans, cheese, hot sauce, sour cream, and salsa."