Vegan-Friendly Restaurants in Oak Park & the Near West Suburbs
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Dining out can get complicated when you have dietary restrictions. Fortunately, many restaurants in Oak Park and Chicago’s near-west suburbs go that extra mile to provide a great plant-based meal and a stress-free experience for vegan guests.
Take a look at some of the favorite local picks.
Oak Park
Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza | 128 North Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park
A favorite of gluten-free diners, Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza takes dietary restrictions seriously. They offer plant-based and dairy-free diners delicious pizza and sandwiches made with Selfish Cow, a tasty plant-based cheese brand with incredible texture, melty-ness, and flavor, naturally gluten-free and vegan dough, and more than 20 vegan and veggie toppings for its Neapolitan and New Haven-inspired pizzas, plus a variety of vegan salads and sandwich options.
Weekly promotions, including a “2 for Tuesday” special and game day deals, take-and-bake options, and easy online ordering make this a go-to for last-minute meal planning and party prep.
Grape Leaves | 129 South Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park
Chef Karim Benyaich shares the warmth of Moroccan hospitality, honoring the tradition of sharing good food, while bringing the authentic flavors of his homeland to every dish at Grape Leaves.
Choose from a charbroiled vegetable kebob, perfectly seasoned falafel, hummus, or baba ganoush. Try the restaurant’s signature, stuffed grape leaves with a vegetable medley. Or taste the eggplant shakshuka, a warmly spiced dish of saucy chard tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplant. It’s to die for. This lively BYOB restaurant serves the area’s best Moroccan, Mediterranean, Lebanese, and Middle-Eastern cuisine.
MORA Oak Park | 201 Harrison Street, Oak Park
MORA Oak Park combines Asian fusion flavors with a modern, chic ambiance. Vegan selections at MORA Oak Park include tofu salad, vegan fried rice, green curry tofu, rice noodles, and—our favorite!—basil tofu. Ask about the vegan sushi options. We like dragon rolls with sweet potato tempura, unagi, avocado, and sesame.
The bar menu includes creative cocktails, local beer, a wide selection of Japanese whisky, and an extensive list of sake served by the glass, carafe, and bottle. Happy hour specials—Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 pm to 6 pm—include popular appetizers and a selection of sake, wines, and beers.
Munch | 104 North Marion Street, Oak Park
Primarily vegan and entirely meatless, Munch offers delicious and healthy comfort food. Everything on the menu is vegan, from lentil soup and a Mediterranean plate appetizer with rich lemony hummus as its centerpiece to salads that make a meal—ask for no croutons, which are also gluten-free! Try their pulled “chicken" poblano burrito, an amazing black bean burger, or a “baddass” beet burger alongside a smoothie, dessert, or milkshake. Eat in Munch’s charming cafe or order online for pickup.
Thai Neighbor | 250 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park
Thai food is vegan-friendly, with favorites like rice noodles, masaman curry, and pad thai ordered without eggs—and Thai Neighbor is no exception. The menu notes vegan items, such as tasty scallion rotis, tom yum soup, curries, stir-fries, and noodle dishes. However, don't be afraid to ask if they can make your entree vegan because every dish is cooked to order! The updated dining room offers more seating for dine-in.
Brookfield
Sebastian’s Ale & Whiskey House | 8900 Fairview Avenue, Brookfield
Put aside the massive menu of bacon-focused bar favorites and comfort food at Sebastian’s Ale & Whiskey House, and go to the equally extensive vegan menu that includes many of the same items, modified for a vegan diet, and other tasty items made with plant-based ingredients. Try the protein-packed house chili made with “Impossible Meat," red and black beans, impossible sliders, or nachos.
Their sliders are made with vegan chicken, and their tasty parmesan sandwich uses melty vegan mozzarella tossed in Buffalo sauce— a spicy treat in a vegan wrap or on a bun. The vegan menu also includes entrees, like a meatless meatloaf dinner with potatoes and veggies, pizzas with a choice of toppings, and a couple of desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Taquero Mucho | 8420 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield
A welcome addition to Brookfield’s dining scene, Taquero Mucho opened its much-anticipated brick-and-mortar restaurant in October with many of its catering favorites and a menu of authentic Mexican dishes. This bright restaurant offers take-out and comfortable seating for those who can’t wait to dig into flavorful homemade tacos and tamales. Try the sweet and spicy jackfruit al pastor taco with pineapple pico de gallo and roasted poblano peppers with corn and vegan cheese.
Forest Park
White Crane Creative Thai & Sushi | 819 S Harlem Avenue, Forest Park
Vegan options for sushi, including avocado rolls, edamame, our favorite steamed veggie potstickers, and Thai food entrees, are offered at White Crane Creative Thai & Sushi. Try the vegetarian avocado curry with creamy tofu; it’s a luscious, beautifully flavored dish that feels oh-so indulgent. Don’t be afraid to ask if your favorite dishes can be made without animal products. Walk in or make a reservation to enjoy the beautiful dining room with its stunning mural, or order online to take out lunch, dinner, or trays for a big gathering or event.
La Grange
Aodake | 21 Calendar Avenue, La Grange
A delightful ramen spot with a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, Aodake offers excellent food, including a spicy vegan tantan ramen made with a rich veggie broth, enhanced by soy sauce and sesame paste, with baby bok choy, broccoli, bean sprouts, green onion, brussels sprouts, mustard greens, cabbage, onion chips, shredded chili, and vegan green noodles. The delicious vegetable ramen and other menu items can be adjusted for a vegan diet, and if you aren’t sure what’s available, just ask! The staff is knowledgeable and very polite.
Blackberry Market | 36 South La Grange Road, La Grange
A fast-casual cafe, bakery, and coffeehouse, Blackberry Market offers handmade meals in a casual, friendly space, dinners to go, and memorable baked goods, including vegan options like cookies, scones, and a tasty vegan pumpkin cranberry loaf, all created with non-processed and fresh ingredients.
For breakfast, we love the steel-cut oats topped with a whisper of brown sugar and cinnamon, blackberries, and house-made nut brittle; at lunch, we like the coconut curry lentil soup along with a kale salad with balsamic, apple, and blackberry dressing. The market case offers a few vegan options to grab and go. If you find something you like that doesn’t fit your dietary requirements, modify it. Blackberry Market happily allows extensive customization on many menu items!
Forbidden Noodles | 50 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Popular for delicious interpretations of classic ramen noodle and stir fry dishes that start with family recipes, Forbidden Noodles offers creative Asian-fusion dishes, including many vegan and “veganizable” options—dishes that can be made vegan on request. Try the vegan dumplings, spinach bao buns, and incredibly flavorful veggie miso ramen. You’ll be glad you did!
Kama Bistro | 9 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Among Chicagoland’s most buzzed-about restaurants, Kama Bistro offers bold, fresh dishes, scratch-made sauces, spice blends, desserts, dressings, specialty cocktails, and a truly unique dining experience.
The intimate dining room, where much of the reclaimed wood came from Poland during WWII, has intricately carved family-style tables, wine racks adorning the bar, and a custom handmade ceiling arch. Contemporary Indian and Indian-influenced American dishes include delicious vegan options, like samosas, roasted cauliflower, curries, pindi channa, and a super spicy “Kama-Kaze” vindaloo. Many items are graciously made vegan on request.
Prasino | 93 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Prasino is sustainable and eco-conscious, from recycled and reclaimed building materials and the high-tech water filtration system to organic, all-natural, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible. Tempting menu items are marked vegan (v), vegetarian (vg), and gluten-free (gf). Try the black bean burger with a bright mini greens salad on the side, or the cauliflower ceviche with house-made tortilla chips.
La Grange Park
Happier Now Café & Market | 1016 East 31st Street, La Grange Park
La Grange’s Happier Now Café & Market, created by mother-daughter duo Andrea and Donna Slivka, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of food and drinks, focusing on high-quality ingredients and local sourcing, and a welcome break in an inviting atmosphere. The dine-in menu features coffee and breakfast snacks to start the day right, small plates, soups, and sandwiches throughout the day, and delicious dinner entrees.
Grab a table or a seat at the bar and enjoy a wide selection of beers and wines. Vegan (v), gluten-free (gf), and dairy-free (df) items are clearly marked on the dine-in and prepared foods menus. The space also features a to-go food and beverage market with beers, wines, coffees, teas, prepared meals, and soups to take home and reheat—and a kids' play area and library!
Riverside
Cubanito Express | 3222 South Harlem Avenue, Riverside
Our go-to for a delicious sandwich to-go is Cubanito Express. The menu includes vegan sandwiches with layers of veggies and housemade vegan chipotle mayo, served with or without a vegan meat patty and cheese, and vegan jibaritos. A Chicago original, this Puerto Rican-inspired delight is a veggie-filled sandwich with tomatoes, lettuce, and garlicky vegan mayo stuck between two fried and flattened green plantains instead of bread. Yum!