Veganism continues to grow in popularity. People choose this way of eating for many reasons, whether it's the health benefits, ethics, or helping the environment. It used to be challenging to eat out in a restaurant if you were vegan, but vegan-friendly and completely vegan restaurants are now popping up all over. Take a look at some of the best vegan restaurants in the Lake Forest area.
Be Market
Owner Vade Sankar opened Be Market when he made some lifestyle changes to benefit his health. This restaurant offers gourmet comfort foods that promote wellness. The store has packaged foods and groceries, and there is also a dine-in menu from the kitchen down in the basement. You can sit at the counter to enjoy a delicious vegan meal or grab one of the standing tables.
The menu features soups, salads, sandwiches, and pizza, along with some small plates. Make sure to try the roasted butternut squash salad with butternut squash, carrots, broccoli, quinoa, pea sprouts, power greens, and maple vinaigrette. There are also several sandwiches, including the PLT Tartine with portobello bacon, lettuce, tomato veganaise, and seeded grain toast. If you are in the mood for a pizza, the buffalo chicken has beyond chicken strips, arugula, buffalo chickpeas, and red pepper hummus, and the Margherita has San Marzano tomatoes, fresh basil, and creamy mozzarella.
Madame Zuzu's Teahouse
Madame Zuzu's Teahouse is a plant-based teashop in Highland Park. The kitchen serves up delicious food that pairs perfectly with the rare teas from around the world that this shop is famous for. The menu features sandwiches, salads, bowls, and soups. There are also kids meals, pastries, and grab-and-go snacks.
You can stop by for carrot lox toast, tofu banh mi, and the insane grilled cheese made with vegan cheese. The chickpea tuna melt is also delicious with the tuna made from chickpeas and topped with smoked vegan provolone cheese. The chinoise crunch salad has red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and green onion. It also comes with edamame, crispy wontons, cashews, cilantro, and a citrus sesame vinaigrette. If you like to dig into a hearty bowl, the miso tofu bowl is delicious and comes with house marinated non-GMO tofu, homemade pickled veggies, and coconut rice.
You can take care of your sweet tooth at Madame Zuzu's too. The double chocolate buckwheat brownies are vegan, gluten-free, and delicious, or you can try the chocolate chip banana bread or the vegan donuts.
Momcorn
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Image viaFlickr by ella.o[/caption]Head to Momcorn in nearby Gurnee for a fresh take on Mexican food. All the dishes at Momcorn are made from scratch, including the new vegan menu. The breakfast options include the vegan chilaquiles with vegan egg, vegan sour cream, cilantro, chilaquiles, and cabbage with a side of beans. The breakfast burrito has bell peppers, vegan egg, rice, beans, pico, and vegan sour cream, and the breakfast skillet has mushrooms, poblano peppers, onions, and potatoes. This is all topped with vegan egg, melted vegan cheese, and a side of rice and beans.
The vegan options extend to lunch with the vegan green pozole, vegan cactus and cheese with tortillas, and tostones. These are sweet, ripe, yellow plantains lightly fried and salted. The menu also includes tacos, flautas, burritos, jibarito, and quesadillas.
Healthyums
Healthyums in Zion serves healthy and flavorful food. Everything is always made fresh with natural ingredients. This place has a full breakfast menu, along with lunch, dinner, smoothies, a juice bar, and a bakery. Healthyums makes it easy to get the perfect meal with their create-your-own breakfast menu. You can start with diced potatoes sauteed in olive oil and then add five different toppings. Choose from onions, mushrooms, peppers, spinach, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, cabbage, avocado, and vegan cheese. It all comes with a choice of toast, bagel, muffin, or fresh fruit.
The menu also offers vegan pancakes and waffles along with coconut maple French toast, which comes with coconut butter and real maple syrup.
For lunch, choose from risotto with butternut squash or organic vegetables, pizza bread with veggies, ratatouille stew, or homemade veggie chili. Healthyums also has a variety of sandwiches on the menu, including a vegan burger, eggplant sandwich, and the Philly veggie.
Kale My Name
Kale My Name is a 100% plant-based restaurant in Chicago. Stop by for mocktails, appetizers, a tea party, or some of the award-winning soup. Choose from lentil or cheddar broccoli and get it in a cup or a bowl. The menu also has a variety of wraps, such as the jackfruit wrap with black beans, corn, jackfruits, kale, pico, and chipotle aioli. The Caesar avocado wrap is also delicious. It comes with avocado, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, and Caesar dressing.
The Mexican dishes on the menu have your favorite flavors and are all vegan. Choose from jackfruit tacos, fried avocado tacos, or seitan tacos, and get it topped with chopped kale, chipotle aioli, lime, and pico. A side of black beans and chips comes with every taco.
If you have a big appetite, the menu also has larger portion dishes such as the Beyond Burger, flatbread pizza, and the Southern supper. The supper comes with fried cauliflower, mac ball, garlic kale, quinoa with ranch, and Buffalo and BBQ sauces on the side. The Big Daddy Special has two Beyond Sausages in a bun, grilled onions, relish, and mustard with a side of fries.
Kale My Name even has a vegan-friendly kids menu. It features quesadillas, grilled cheese, a kids burger, and a veggie plate. Make sure you leave room for a vegan-friendly dessert. You can choose from homemade vegan cheesecake with a different flavor every month, dessert nachos, and vegan vanilla ice cream.
At Pasquesi Sheppard LLC, these are the places we head to when we want a delicious vegan meal, whether it's breakfast, lunch, or dinner. We're always looking to expand our list! If you know of any other restaurants, give us a call so we can check them out.