I have been a vegan since 1997, and was a "lacto-ovo vegetarian" for 5 years prior to that. I stopped eating meat and wearing leather thanks to some graphic ads for a now-defunct vegetarian shoe company. Unfortunately I basically lived on dairy products for 5 years, unaware of both the cruelty inherent in the dairy industryand the ill health effects that come with every ounce. Once I dropped dairy I learned to like a TON of new foods (never really ate vegetables until then, believe it or not), especially the ethnic cuisines listed below...and having so many options, I haven't looked back since.
I've tried to break these photos down into logical categories.
NOTE: There are a few photos that show non-vegan items eaten by friends I was dining with; items which could easily be made vegan. I have indicated this in the enlarged versions. Most photos and restaurants are in Chicago unless otherwise noted.
Please note: My site is NOT any kind of official "Chicago Vegan" site; I can't help it if it gets linked to more often than some other "Chicago vegan" sites. For a great restaurant guide from an excellent organization, visit VegChicago.com. With the proliferation of digital cameras and cheap web hosting, I encourage every vegan to document their own good-looking vegan food to share with the world...the more the scarier!
Also, vegan celebrity of sorts Sarah Sue Roberts asked that I remind vegans to suppliment their vitamin B12 in the form of cyanocobalimin. Wise for vegans and nonvegans alike to eat a balanced diet and take a good multivitamin!
-PJ Chmiel
