205 E. 75th St., Chicago
(Red line to 79th St., walk East to Indiana and North 1/2 mile to 75th)
(773) 224-0104 www.kingdomofyah.com/SV.htm
Soul Veg is another place that everyone loves and whose reputation precedes it with vegans all over the country. It's far away from all the other restaurants I list (9 miles south of downtown), but only here can you indulge in all kinds of "comfort" food cooked in a down-home Southern style.
The BBQ dishes are excellent, their soups are some of the best I've ever had, there's a variety of sandwiches, fresh juices, shakes, incredible desserts and more...and it's all vegan (ask about Honey if that concerns you; a few dishes may use it). The Protein Tidbits and Tofu Tidbits appetizers are always good, the BBQ Twist is probably my favorite thing there, even better with collard greens and cornbread. The only thing I haven't really liked there was the french fries and one or two of the creamier dishes, because I don't like anything creamy.
One wonderful thing about Soul Veg is that it's located in Chatham, the largest middle class black neighborhood in Chicago and probably one of the largest in the country. The location combined with the excellent food and friendly atmosphere means you'll see all kinds of neighborhood folks like construction workers, bus drivers, ministers, city employees, teachers, etc. in there enjoying the delicious vegan food (whereas most veg restaurants I've been to tend to have fewer "blue-collar" patrons). And like many vegetarian restaurants, Soul Veg has religious ties (Black Hebrew).
Another remarkable thing is that the prices are actually pretty fair; several sandwiches are in the $3-4 range, which is unheard-of at most other veg restaurants. Not everything is cheap, but overall it's very reasonable and I appreciate that. More money for dessert and carryout for all your friends who couldn't make it!
The people who work there are really nice, they dress in beautiful clothes, and they take pride in what they do (I remember reading somewhere that the servers were all volunteers, not sure if that's true but tip well regardless). That being said, the service can be a bit spotty at times if they're busy (and often are, especially with carryout orders), so be patient and enjoy the food, artwork and conversation.
On Sundays there's usually a set meal, aka "The Dinner," which will be the only thing you can really order (though it's always good). There's also a small health food store one door west, so check that out too. If you're driving from downtown you can take the Dan Ryan (94) south to 75th (I think there's an exit there), then drive a few blocks east to Indiana.
Sample Dishes from Soul Vegetarian
Soul Vegetarian (Chicago) A huge, gnarly plate of "BBQ Twist". You can get this on a sandwich as well.
Soul Vegetarian (Chicago) "The Dinner." This Sunday, everyone got The Dinner, 'cause that's all they served.
Soul Vegetarian (Chicago) A beautiful, typical meal including bbq tofu, greens, and vegan mac & "cheese."
Soul Vegetarian Jerusalem Steak Sandwich. Very tasty, kind of like chicken in texture.
Soul Vegetarian Jerked Tofu Wrap. The flavors in this were superb, I'd definitely recommend it.
Soul Vegetarian Side of collard greens and cornbread. Very nice.
Soul Vegetarian BBQ Roast (thin-sliced) or Twist (chewy like ribs) sandwich, both are similar and delicious!
Soul Vegetarian Protein Tidbits and Tofu Tidbits appetizers. Both outstanding and addictive.
Soul Vegetarian Probably the best lentil soup I've ever had...and it comes with awesome vegan cornbread!
Soul Vegetarian This is the Carrot Supreme sandwich. The flavor was good but it's kind of mushy, it's not like a cooked "burger!"
Soul Vegetarian Side of grilled cornbread (worth the extra $.25 for "grilled.")
Please note: My site is NOT any kind of official "Chicago Vegan" site. 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!
