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Home » Recipes » Articles

Where to Find the Best Vegan Brunch in Chicago

Published: Mar 9, 2025 · Modified: Mar 9, 2025 by Simply Fresh Foodie · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Discover some of the best restaurants, cafes and diners serving up vegan brunch in Chicago in 2025.

Brunch in Chicago just got a whole lot better — especially if you’re plant-based. Whether you’re in the mood for a stacked breakfast burrito, a stack of fluffy pancakes, or a fresh-from-the-fryer donut, the city has plenty of options to satisfy your cravings. From cozy neighborhood spots to trendy cafés and legendary diners, this list rounds up the best places serving vegan brunch in Chicago.

Jump to:
  • Beacon Donuts
  • Handlebar
  • Tweet
  • Smack Dab
  • Chicago Diner
  • Lucy's Cafe
  • Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria Andersonville
  • Flying Saucer
  • Pick Me Up Cafe
  • Kale My Name

Beacon Donuts

Image: @beacondonuts

This ‘secret donut spot’ is not so secret anymore. Operating out of an alley, Beacon donuts has become crazy popular for its vegan-friendly menu and decadent flavors. If you’re on the search for a sweet treat, don’t pass up Beacon. 

Rating

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.9 stars on Google

Location

In The Alley, 810 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

What to Order

Beacon makes their donuts in small batches every day, so once a flavor is gone — it’s gone. If there’s a flavor you really want, they recommend ordering in advance (up to 3 days ahead of time) to make sure you get the donut you want. 

Some of the most popular flavors include: 

  • Blueberry pancake donut
  • Vanilla bean cronut
  • Boston cream donut
  • Glazed brioche 
  • Apple fritter

Handlebar

View of the outdoor area of Handlebar, with several tables with green, white and blue umbrellas and lots of people enjoying their meals.
Image: Handlebar Chicago

Handlebar is a great place to get vegan comfort food. With brew fair-trade coffee, locally sourced ingredients and a full-service beer garden, it’s easy to love this neighbourhood restaurant. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.6 stars on Google

Location

2311 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

What to Order

One of Handlebar’s most popular brunch dishes is the vegan chimichanga. A fried burrito with all the trimmings: seitan chorizo, tofu, vegan cashew queso, peppers, black beans, rice, guajillo sauce, pico de gallo, guacamole.

Other great options include: 

  • French toast (ask for it to be made vegan) 
  • Biscuits and gravy (ask for it to be made vegan)
  • Pepita scramble
  • Vegan breakfast burrito

Tweet

Overhead shot of food on the table at Tweet in Chicago including hash, toast, omelet, salad, bagel fruit salad, mimosas and coffee.
Image: @tweet_lets_eat

The art-filled sister restaurant to Big Chicks, Tweet believes that sitting down for a good meal is about so much more than the food. Don’t get it wrong — their food is delicious and portions are generous — but equal attention is given to ambiance, vibe, and, importantly, the people. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.7 stars on Google 

Location

5020 N Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60640

What to Order

One thing visitors love about the vegan food here is that they can get their favourite classics, but with a vegan twist, including vegan bacon! 

  • Vegan omelet (choose egg substitute, vegan cheese etc., to make it vegan)
  • Vegan beyond burger
  • Mt vegan bowl
  • Vegan southwest tofu scramble
  • Burrito numero siete (choose vegan) 

Smack Dab

View inside Smack Dab cafe in Chicago, showing tall tables along the window.
Image: Smack Dab

This beloved casual breakfast spot is home to some of the best vegan breakfast sandwiches in Chicago. If you’re more of a sweet tooth — never fear. They also serve vegan donuts daily. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.7 stars on Google 

Location 

6730 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60626

What to Order

Smack Dab is well-known for they're breakfast sandwiches. Their signature sandwich, 'The Bestest Seller' can even be made vegan thanks to swapping scrambled egg for just egg, and serving it with vegan cheese on sourdough toast. 

  • ‘Vegan bestest’ breakfast sandwich 
  • Vegan breakfast burrito
  • Vegan green sammie
  • Vegan donuts

Chicago Diner

Image: @chicagodiner

The only problem vegans will have at Chicago Diner is in choosing what to order. With so many vegan options on the menu, it might be hard to decide which dish to go for. Whether you’re in the mood for a fluffy cinnamon roll or savory scrambled tofu, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Chicago Diner. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.6/7 stars on Google 

Locations

Lakeview: 3411 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60657

Logan Square: 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60647

What to Order

This quintessential Chicago diner has a long menu of tried-and-tested favourites. Whether you go for the cinnamon rolls, or country 'eggs' Benedict, you're sure to find a few breakfast dishes you like. 

  • Biscuit and Gravy
  • Cinnamon roll French toast
  • Breakfast bowl
  • Vegan milkshakes 

Lucy's Cafe

View of the outside of Lucy's cafe featuring a table set with breakfast dishes, with two mint-green chairs.
Image: Lucy's Cafe

This family-owned and operated cafe in Roscoe Village cares about good food, and it shows. As a business, their motto is to be better than the day before — and the quality of food they serve proves it. While not exclusively vegan, Lucy’s Cafe has multiple vegan options, so you won’t be short on options. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.6 stars on Google 

Location

2100 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618

What to Order

Though Lucy's isn't strictly a vegan restaurant, they're more than capable of making great vegan food. 

  • French toast (all flavors can be made vegan)
  • Southwest skillet (vegan option) 
  • Banana-walnut pancakes (made vegan)
  • Tofu scramble
  • Caramelized onion flatbread (made vegan) 
  • Street corn-style avocado toast (made vegan)

Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria Andersonville

Overhead view of food on the table at Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria Andersonville with chips, rice, tacos and drinks on a wooden table.
Image: Penelope's Vegan Taqueria

Penelope’s is known for their delicious, vegan Mexican food, and as an added bonus, the Andersonville location also serves brunch! Stop in for Mexican-inspired dishes and creative classics. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.6 stars on Google 

Location

5204 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

What to Order

​If you're in the mood for Mexican food, then Penelope's is the brunch spot for you. They put hash browns inside the breakfast burritos . . . need we say more? 

  • Huevos a la Mexicana
  • Chilaquiles
  • Dragon fruit blackberry pancakes 
  • Breakfast burrito

Flying Saucer

Image: @flying_saucer_chicago

Flying Saucer is all about making comfort food that vegans and carnivores alike can enjoy. Many of the flavors you’ll find on the menu are inspired by the owners’ love for Mexican cuisine, but you’ll also find your classic brunch fare — such as plant-based omelets, pancakes, and more. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.5 stars on Google 

Location

1123 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

What to Order

​Flying saucer isn't 100% vegan, but you can trust that whatever you order will be delicious. Whether your Sunday brunch looks like a tall stack of pancakes with maple syrup or a breakfast burrito with some vegan sour cream on the side, you're sure to leave feeling satisfied. 

  • Omelet with plant-based eggs
  • Vegan breakfast burrito
  • Vegan huevos volando 
  • Vegan pancakes 

Pick Me Up Cafe

Outside view of Pick Me Up Cafe in Chicago with a green umbrella and flower planters outside.
Image: Pick Me Up Cafe

Opened in 1997, Pick Me Up Cafe was one of Chicago’s first restaurants offering vegetarian and vegan options. And while they do have a dedicated brunch menu, Pick Me Up also famously serves breakfast all day, every day. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.5 stars on Google 

Location

4882 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60640

What to Order

You can get all your favourite brunch fare here, until 10 PM. Breakfast for dinner, anyone?

  • Vegan Santa Fe scramble
  • Vegan buttermilk pancakes
  • Vegan French toast
  • Vegan benedict 

Kale My Name

Front view of a vegan Benedict from Kale My Name vegan restaurant in Chicago.
Image: @kalemyname

Kale My Name is an award-winning 100% plant-based restaurant owned by vegan entrepreneur Nemanja Golubović. On the brunch menu, you’ll find longtime classics like pancakes and sausage patties, as well as innovative new flavors like jackfruit lox. 

Rating

 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.5 stars on Google 

Location

3300 W Montrose Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

What to Order

​Half the fun of Kale My Name is checking out all the creative dishes on order . . . and the rest of the fun comes from eating them. If you're in the mood to try something new, this should be the next weekend brunch spot you check out. 

  • Brunchpanadas (brunch empanadas) 
  • Jackfruit lox
  • Cauliflower wings and waffles
  • Chilaquiles 

Is your favourite place on the list? Let us know in the comments below!

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Simply Fresh Foodie is a cooking blog dedicated to making cooking healthy, fun, and easy! Sharing recipes that centre around simplicity, vegetarian cooking and starting the day on the right foot, Simply Fresh Foodie hopes to bring more of the good stuff into your life. Whether you’re fully plant-based or simply looking to add a few new easy recipes to your repertoire, we hope you find what you’re looking for.

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