Best Vegetarian Restaurants in River North (60654)
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Indienne
Michelin-recognized tasting menus that modernize Indian flavors in a polished room.
Essential Picks
#1
Indienne
9.1
Chef Sujan Sarkar’s Indienne is a Michelin-starred fine-dining room where progressive Indian tasting menus include dedicated vegetarian and vegan progressions. Since opening in 2022, it’s become one of Chicago’s most discussed restaurants for plant-forward haute cuisine, pairing intricate plating with polished, guided service.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seared scallops in coastal-style curry, Signature lamb course, Butter-poached lobster supplement
What makes it special: Michelin-recognized tasting menus that modernize Indian flavors in a polished room.
Notable Picks
8.6
PLANTA Queen brings an all-vegan, Asian-inspired menu of sushi, noodles, and share plates to a polished, high-energy River North dining room. Since opening in 2022, it’s become the go-to for plant-based date nights and group dinners where cocktails and presentation matter as much as the food.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bang Bang Broccoli, Torched & Pressed Nigiri, Truffle Udon
What makes it special: Upscale plant-based Asian cooking with full sushi and dim sum in a dramatic room.
Chef Laricia “Chef Fab” Chandler Baker’s River North outpost of Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat is a vegetarian and vegan comfort-food counter where Chicago dogs, cheesesteaks, burgers, and gyros go fully meatless. Massive delivery and takeout volume backs its role as the indulgent, plant-based cheat-day stop in 60654.
Must-Try Dishes:
Birria burritos with plant-based protein, Loaded breakfast burrito, Crispy chimichanga with vegan cheese
What makes it special: Vegetarian and vegan comfort food where burritos and birria burritos are headline items.
#4
Sifr
8.5
Opened in 2023, Sifr is a modern Middle Eastern restaurant from the Indienne team where wood-fired breads, vegetable-forward mezze, and seafood share the spotlight. While not exclusively vegetarian, the menu leans heavily into dishes like charred eggplant dips, roasted mushrooms, and halloumi that make it a strong option for mixed vegetarian and omnivore groups.
Must-Try Dishes:
Black Tiger Prawn with Toum and Harissa, Hokkaido Scallop with Zaitoon, Lamb Kebab with Wood-Fired Vegetables
What makes it special: Michelin Bib Gourmand wood-fired Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking in a design-forward space.
8.3
Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria, opened in 2022 by chef Juan Lisandro Ramirez and Paloma Piña-Ramirez, runs a fully plant-based Mexican menu built on tacos, pambazos, pozole, and horchata. Locals treat it as Chicago’s flagship vegan taqueria for hearty plates, micheladas, and late-ish nights on the Chicago Avenue corridor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Quesabirria Tacos, Pambazo Sandwich, Vegan Pozole
What makes it special: Chicago’s first fully vegan taqueria, run by a family team leaning into regional Mexican flavors without meat or dairy.
#6
Ingrained
8.0
Ingrained is a small, brightly lit snack shop focused on vegan, gluten-free frozen raw bars and treats made without refined sugar. Open since 2019, it functions as River North’s plant-based dessert stop for bars, peanut butter cups, and coffee that feel nutritionally conscious but still indulgent.
Must-Try Dishes:
Double PB Cup Caramel Cookie Bar, Sltty Brownie, Oreo Rocher Ice Cream Bar
What makes it special: A vegan, gluten-free dessert bar that treats raw, superfood-based sweets like a serious craft.