Handlebar Bar & Grill in Chicago is the Wicker Park vegetarian bar-and-grill on North Avenue with a strong vegetarian menu and a tree-lined back patio in summer.
Tip: The Buffalo-tempeh wings and the seitan-Reuben are both menu staples. Sit at the back patio in summer.
Address: 2311 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
Wheat's End Cafe in Chicago is the East Lakeview fully gluten-free cafe-bakery on Wells, with separate-kitchen certification, biscuits, breakfast sandwiches and pies.
Tip: The pie counter at the front sells whole pies to take home; the back-room cafe runs full breakfast service until 14:00.
Defloured Bakery in Chicago is the Andersonville gluten-free, dedicated-kitchen bakery on Balmoral Avenue, with sandwich loaves, cupcakes and birthday-size cakes.
Tip: Sandwich loaves are baked Tuesday and Friday only; pre-order on the website by the Monday or Thursday before for pickup.
Ghareeb Nawaz in Chicago is the West Ridge Pakistani halal kitchen on Devon, with a $7 special, daily-changing biryanis and one of the cheapest meals in the city.
Tip: Cash only. The chicken biryani special is $7 and feeds two. Open until 02:00, the only Devon plate at that hour.
Milt's Barbecue for the Perplexed in Chicago is the Lakeview kosher BBQ kitchen on Broadway, a glatt-kosher smokehouse with brisket, pulled chicken and rib tips.
Tip: Closed Friday from sundown to Saturday sundown. The brisket plate with pickles and white bread is the canonical order.
Shallots Bistro in Skokie (north of Chicago) is the kosher dining room on Carpenter Road with French-Mediterranean dishes, a kosher wine list and Friday-night menus.
Tip: Friday-night Shabbat dinner is the special event; the prix-fixe runs 19:00 with traditional courses and a kosher wine pairing.
Soul Veg City in Chicago is the African Hebrew Israelite vegan soul-food kitchen on 75th Street, with protein-tuna salad and the kalebone cuts based on wheat gluten.
Tip: Order the kalebone (seasoned wheat-gluten) plate with mac and cheese, greens and cornbread. Plant-based soul-food at its source.
