- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Native Foods Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Vegan Restaurants Gluten-Free Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free [Edit]
1484 N Milwaukee Ave(between Evergreen Ave & Honore St)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighbourhood: Wicker Park
(773) 489-8480
Announcement
Having a party?! We offer party platters for up to 100 people! Check out our menu below!
http://nativefoods.com...
- Nearest Transit:
-
Damen-o'hare (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
195 reviews for Native Foods Cafe
Review Highlights
-
"...main course I would recommend the Chicken run Ranch burger." In 11 reviews -
"The sweet potato fries are wonderful." In 16 reviews -
"Let's hear it for the Watermelon Fresca." In 16 reviews
Loading...
- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
195 reviews in English
-
Review from Kate L.
Chicago, IL
4/25/2012
There's nothing like it- at least, not in Chicago. My husband and I pick up dinner from Native Foods once a week and couldn't be more pleased with the taste, quality and speed at which we're able to pick it up once we call our order in.
The soups are consistently AWESOME, the Yo Amigo Taco Salad is wonderful as are the earth bowls and the Portobello and Sausage Burger is to die for. It's a healthier way to eat and it's delicious...perfection. -
Review from Steve M.
5/25/2012
If Native foods and Chicago Diner got into the Octagon together.....******
Maybe I ordered the wrong thing (Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger), but I wasn't as blown away as some of the other reviews would set one up for. Sure, this is some super inventive vegan fare, and they are great at re-creating some carnivorous delicacies, but I left with a feeling of bloated "meh." I did get to try the deli reuben sandwich while I was there, and that was tasty though. If ever back there, I'll give it a go.
******I'll sum it up like the most interesting man in the world....
... I don't always eat vegan, but when I do.... I'll still choose Chicago Diner first. KaPow! -
Review from Josh G.
5/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Let me preface this by saying I am a carnivore, but I enjoy this food; that is impressive. I'm big on taste, and I feel they deliver in the taste category. I also feel pleasantly full when leaving. The portion sizes are good.
Customer Service- I would give them 5 starts consistently. Actually, each location I have frequented I would always give 5 starts for service. Everyone from management down to those bussing the tables, excellent. Whatever they are doing to train their staff IS working!
Gluten Free friends- Ask for the GF menu upon arrival. Some have a GF menu and others have a "if you delete these items in red it will be GF" menu. Either way, I like that they cater to my GF friends.
I LOVE the nachos. They are getting to be one of my regular meals there. -
Review from Taylor E.
Chicago, IL
5/14/2012
I'm not a vegan by any stretch of the imagination, and due to growing up with a dad and sister with major food sensitivities I tend to be distrustful of any food that claims to be a 'substitute' for another type of food. When I first glanced over the menu, I admit that I was immediately distrustful of what I was going to get - that said, I really enjoyed the food here. The highlight was definitely the sweet potato taquitos - I'm a sucker for sweet potatoes and thought that it was an inspired combination - but I also enjoyed my 'rockin' moroccan bowl,' as groan-worthy as the name might have been - it was very fresh and reasonably flavorful. My lavender lemonade was also delicious.
Definitely exceeded my expectations. -
Review from Lexie V.
5/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm surprised it took this long to open one up in Wicker Park.
I'm a poor, starving college student. The prices here are very prohibitive for people like me. I probably would have loved this place when I was a vegetarian and I had disposable income, but alas, those days have ended.
I guess I'm not as impressed with Native Foods as everyone else is, because if you look a little bit harder you can find smaller places with food that is just as good if not better for less. I got the chili, it was alright. I imagine they just threw some corn, canned tomatoes, beans and spices into a slow cooker. That's fine, but don't charge me $8 for a cup of it. However I do appreciate the unlimited refills on the delicious drinks, so for that I can look past the inflated chili (and everything else) prices.
The service is great and so is the location. Every employee I've interacted with at Native Foods is great. There are few establishments with customer service this good, so kudos for that. -
Review from Kevin G.
Chicago, IL
5/20/2012
We stumbled across Native Foods by chance, while we were in Wicker Park to run a few errands at Reckless Records and Myopic Books. We wanted to try something new for lunch instead of the usual restaurants we frequent, and once we spotted Native Foods our curiosity got the better of us and we opted to give it a shot.
Big mistake.
First, I would like to point out that my partner and I both enjoy vegetarian and vegan cuisine. We're meat eaters, but greatly enjoy eating vegetarian cooking at home and out at places like Handlebar where vegetarian cooking is prepared well and satisfies in terms of flavors, textures, and presentation. We were not aware that Native Foods was a vegetarian restaurant. We didn't see that information posted anywhere; not on the menu posted in the window, not on the mural painted on the wall at the front of the restaurant, not anywhere. If it is indicated somewhere, it must not be very blatant because we did not see it. Therefore, we assumed we were ordering a meat burger and as a result had different expectations.
I ordered the chicken run ranch sandwich, expecting it to be... umm, let me think... chicken? After a few bites I knew something wasn't right. The outside of the chicken patty wasdeep fried and crispy, but the inside was a flavorless mush with the color and texture of oatmeal. Interestingly enough, I would have preferred an oatmeal sandwich over this.
My partner ordered the deli Rueben. He only eats this sandwich once in awhile, and was looking forward to having a real rueben. Once he started eating, his reaction was the opposite of what I expected. Instead of saying, "Wow, this tastes great!" there was a look of confusion on his face, eventually turning into a frown. He commented several times during the meal, "This doesn't taste right." "If this is corned beef it's really bland." He liked the rye bread, but unfortunately the bread was the only part he complimented. The best part of a sandwich shouldn't be the bread.
We didn't find out until later that it was actually seitan.
We've had great seitan before. You can find it at Handlebar. We've eaten seitan at home and enjoyed it thoroughly. The issue isn't that we're opposed to seitan. The issue is: Native Foods has bad seitan.
To be fair...
There were a few minor pluses. (Not enough to save it from a two star rating, but nice nonetheless.) The sweet potato fries were good. Seasoned well and a good portion. I'd avoid dipping them in their ketchup, however, because they serve Annie's brand, which has so much cane sugar in it that it tastes more like cake frosting than ketchup.
The lemon dill potato salad was delicious. The portion size was small, but those few bites were fresh and quite tasty.
All 3 beverages were outstanding. The lemonade, iced tea, and watermelon fresca all hit the spot, and were all unique versions of traditional summer drinks. Native Foods owners, are you listening? Have you considered bottling and selling these 3 beverages? The beverages are one thing you're doing right.
PRICE:
In regards to overall value and price, Native Foods is way out of line. 30 bucks for a couple of sandwiches? We're not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but paying that amount of money for a couple of sandwiches we didn't even enjoy left us feeling ripped-off. For 20 bucks we could have had a made from scratch burger, boca burger, or chicken sandwich across the street at Pint and enjoyed every bite.
We won't be back to Native Foods, unless they make significant improvements. There is too much competition here in Chicago. Even among vegetarian restaurants, there are multiple places nearby where you can get far more bang for your buck and leave feeling satisfied, instead of leaving feeling unsatisfied, duped, and ripped-off.
Do yourself a favor. Stop in for a lemonade, and then go somewhere else to eat. -
Review from Kerry G.
Longwood, FL
5/13/2012
Oh, Native Foods, how I love thee.
Vegetarians can sympathize: it's not often that I can walk into a restaurant and have the ability to order ANYTHING off the menu. Usually my eyes just make a beeline for the "Salad" portion, and I satiate myself with that. However, here I can just go buckwild. (And let's face it...I usually do.)
Everything I've tried here has been quite delicious, although it may be a wee bit on the pricy side for salads/burgers/sandwiches. However, I'm willing to pay for some seriously good vegan fare. The drinks are also excellent (try combining the lemonade and the iced tea; it makes for a helluva good Arnold Palmer), and the fact that refills are free and unlimited makes me feel better about the $2.50 price tag.
The only downside? I live so damn far away from here. However, I usually try and come at least once a month and get my vegan-noms fix. -
Review from Andrea A.
Chicago, IL
5/18/2012
Love love love!
-
Review from Candice G.
Naperville, IL
Why has it taken me so long to review a place I've been so many times?
Imma be real- probably laziness. But I have started multiple drafts and just never felt they did Native Foods Cafe justice.
I think I've had about a quarter of the menu so far, and though I love them like a 5 star, I have to be real and give the food an overall 4.
Things I love the most:
- Elephant drawing in the women's bathroom
- Watermelon water and lavender lemonade- To.F*cking.Die.For
- ANY of their soups
- The daily deals!
- The frequent eater's cards
- The salads
- Apps are good to
- The bowls are beautiful
- The servers are beyond helpful- TIP THEM. They work hard and they bring your food, clean up your ish, and refill your drink for you even though, technically, it's self serve
-Mmm... phony fish tacos
- The art. Colorful, innovative, animal-y -- just my style!
- The desserts! Get the Gooey bar and if you can, wait a day or two to eat it. It tastes even better- I swear!
Things I'm 'meh' about:
- The burger. Specifically the Caribbean Queen burger. I loved all the mango salsa biz-nast but something about the burger's look, texture, taste and smell gave me the willies. Looked like sad bad chicken, smelled sour, tasted bad spongy.
- Being perpetually out of both toilet paper and paper towels in the women's bathroom. Solution: Check on the TP more, get an electric hand dryer. You know people are clogging with the paper towels bc they're wiping their asses with them, right?
And that's all folks. If you have any questions, you kind find me here all patio season with a neverending glass of watermelon water. -
Review from Hayley B.
Valparaiso, IN
5/16/2012
Popped in here on my way to a hair appointment and wanted a quick lunch. I ended up getting fabulous food on the go and was so surprised! The service was quick and the food was awesome!! i can't wait to go back =)
-
Review from Gretchen G.
Chicago, IL
5/16/2012
I love native foods! The price is pretty good, and the food is delicious. I love all the healthful options, and each dish is very flavorful. My favorite is the black bean twister wrap, and definitely get the lavender lemonade!
-
Review from L L.
Chicago, IL
5/14/2012
Finally made it in! I am a huge meat eater and have no desire to ever be vegetarian nor vegan. I do love vegetables and try to eat as much as possible to keep balance.
I am so excited that I finally got over to native!
The service was friendly and informative.
I had the chicken twister wrap w/ grilled chicken and loved it. I'm tempted to offer it to my some of my narrower minded friends, because I doubt they'd be able to tell.
I purchase a Moroccan Rockin bowl for lunch tomorrow and am super excited to try it!
At first I thought the prices were a tad high but you'll see that it is more than plenty!
Love it and elated at the new quick serve food option! -
Review from Virginia T.
Chicago, IL
4/17/2012
I brought my meat-loving friend here. I got the chicken run ranch burger, he got the meatball sub. We split a plate of the cheese fries. I love that they have local beers (Two Brothers, Bells, Metropolitain). The food is really good. He liked his meatball sub so much he went back to Native Foods a few weeks later.
This location has a nice patio, except for the EL noise.
The location is new and nice, but the bathroom sink handle broke off in my hand and it was annoying that we were given plastic cups for water and beer for our dine-in order, but that is me being picky. -
Review from Jamie B.
5/12/2012
I am super happy with this place. The food is really, really good. It tastes fresh, and makes eating healthy easy. I can't wait to come back and sit on the patio on a nice sunny day.
-
Review from Evelina L.
Chicago, IL
4/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
To even my husband's surprise, not only did we love this place, but it has fallen into our rotation for easy/lazy weeknight dinners!
Especially great are all the lemonade drinks and very friendly service. Everything so far we tried on the menu has been full of flavor and delicious. My husband shocked me last time by ordering steamed kale vs. his usual sweet potato fries...healthy must be growing on him :)
Thank you, Native Foods! Only complaint, please focus less on trying to imitate meat/cheese - let the veggies stand out in their glory! -
Review from Jeff W.
4/9/2012
Take this review with a grain of salt, because I am not a fan of the vegan/vegetarian lifestyle whatsoever. For me, the redder the meat the better, and try to live a paleo diet meaning I pretty much eat like a caveman... meat, meat, and more meat. With that being said, I probably should have never come here but was curious and a friend wanted to go.
So, for those meat eaters out there... don't come here. Let your girlfriends come here while you grow a pair and go home and cook a steak and drink a beer.
Started with the Tandoori Kabobs. These were ok, This was my first experience with Seitan, and as most first times go, it was a bit awkward. I didn't mind it though, kind of like a fake meat. The tofu was spongy and firm, not like the Chinese tofu I'm used to. I wanted to love the mango-apple chutney but I might as well have doused my food with applesauce. This was ok.
I got the wellington special that is a limited time dish for Easter weekend. I was thinking Beef Wellington, like as if Chef Ramsay was back in the kitchen screaming at the cooks to cook the perfect wellington. This was surprisingly decent. It was all ind of mushy for me, the crust was good and the mushrooms were a good touch. The "Hollandaise" sauce was weird, kinda tasty I guess. It was green. I like my Hollandaise sauce thick and hearty, as in the more butter and creaminess the better. Fail.
My friend got the gyro bowl. It looked like lamb meat, but the Seitan was not an adequate substitute to my liking. I prefer the greasy deliciousness loaded with tzatziki sauce on a pita please. The quinoa on the bottom was good and loaded with kale. It looked healthy and it was a healthy portion I guess were the upsides.
The lavendar lemonade with unlimited refills was, sadly, the best part. It was light and refreshing and delicious. Put some vodka in it and you have the perfect summer drink .
Again, this is somewhat like a vegetarian giving a review for a steakhouse. Take it with a grain of salt, but I wasn't a huge fan of this place. I do try to eat healthy so I wanted to find a gem, but left with an unfilled stomach (went home and ate something brutally unhealthy.)
I will say though, it's nice to leave a restaurant not feeling like you're about to sink into a food coma. The food is light and refreshing... if you're into that kind of stuff. -
Review from Katrina R.
Chicago, IL
3/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had been wanting to try this place for a while. It's been in my Yelp Bookmarks for ages and so when we found ourselves in Wicker Park the other day and Skewerz was mysteriously closed, we decided to come here.
First, the good: Service was nice and the place had a very low-key feel to it. I like. The Lavender Lemonade (or whatever it's called) was amazing AND... FREE REFILLS. So we drank a lot of that.
The bad: Everyone was mostly "meh" about the food we ordered. I got the curry bowl something and I couldn't tell there was curry in it at all. In fact, it mostly seemed like undercooked rice and kale to me. The kale wasn't terrible, but that's basically all there was. Kale. A scoop of rice and a freaking ton of kale. 20 bites in and I still hadn't made a dent on the kale. It was too much. To-go box please.
The really, really bad: This is honestly the worst food ever when left over. I gave my leftovers to the boyfriend who will honestly eat anything-- he is a goat-- and he loves vegetables. Despite these facts, he couldn't stomach the stuff. He gave in to office catering instead and trashed the food. Did you hear that? A healthy young man who LIKES veggies TRASHED this food. Couldn't believe it.
So no, not coming back, and a little broken-hearted this place didn't work out. -
Review from Doris F.
Chicago, IL
According to my smart phone yelp app I have had 5 visits to this particular Native Foods. (One at the Lakeview location) And I have NOT written a review? For shame!
This place is actually very good! The service is great and the recipe on the wall, I still need to try out. I have been working on the specials trying to come in on different days so I can try out all the specials. Today, I enjoyed the Twister wrap and they give you the option if you want to have it blackened, grilled or fried (I think.) I went for the grilled and it did not do me wrong. It tastes like chicken without the "meaty" taste and the texture was smooth and not rubbery. It was loaded in veggies and the sauce they used was actually not bad at all. Since I ordered the special of the day it comes with a side selection of your choice. (sweet potato fries, regular fries, side salad, potato salad, soup of the day, steamed kelp, etc.) My side was a side salad which I thought was going to be wimpy which most salads are either too much or too less. The side salad had carrots, bean sprouts, beets, butter lettuce, arugula served with a vinaigrette which was not an overpowering flavor as some get.
The black bean soup is amazing! It is served with their cornbread. I have had the Moroccan lentil soup as well. All great tastes! Their Caribbean burger was a bit messy and their bacon burger was good but not all at once along with their Reuben sandwich. When I say a lot I mean they seemed to put a lot into the sandwich and you can't finish it.
So, why four stars? The price is high but I guess it should be. That is the price you pay for good food. -
Review from Adam K.
Chicago, IL
I love good vegan food, that is why I am very upset about this place. Any vegan chief should do the world a favor, don't try to make stuff taste like meat. If you are trying to make things taste like meat, don't serve it if it tastes nothing like meat. Don't make cheese out of pickled fungus and serve it as feta. Don't shave loaves of wheat glutton and pretend its beef.
In all seriousness, I ordered a Buddha Bowl, everything was bland and the vegetables where overcooked. My wife got a veggie burger and it had absolutely no flavor. We ordered a salad and they ruined it, I have no idea how. If you cant fake cheese then don't. I have eaten at vegan places that blow this place out of the water so I know what can be done. This place is a disgrace to a perfectly good movement. I think they are taking advantage of good people.
The man sitting across from me looked like Christopher McCandless from Into the Wild when he was dying of hunger. My salad tasted like his last meal after he was done eating it. My wife and I had a meal that cost 49.00 and it tasted like pure evil took advantage of my face. -
Review from Bob L.
Chicago, IL
4/14/2012
Good, casual, friendly, warm.
Try moroccan bowl, it's good.
Just careful with lemonade, there would be few fruit flies in it. disgusting. -
Review from Jenny H.
3/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Native Foods, even though the scorpion burger was stellar, I gotta say that Northstar Cafe in Columbus, OH had the best veggie burger of all time.
Despite that, I still enjoyed it between the hearty chunk of avocado- scratch that... looked like half of an avocado on my burger, in addition to the rest of the fixins. This was my first tempeh experience and while I can get pretty burger-crazed, I still consider myself the casual carnivore. The patty sufficiently quelled my brain. My friend ordered the gyro bowl and who would've thought seitan "lamb" meat with quinoa, kale and hearty veggies would prove to be so refreshing?
With shiny new native cards in hand, a beverage (unlimited refills of watermelon fresca, lavendar lemonade, and or native iced tea), and table outside on a warm day.-- people watching and the acoustics of the blue line whizzing by-- I couldn't think of a better al fresco dining experience. -
Review from Sara J.
3/26/2012 6 photos
I loved the food, but before I get into the good stuff I'll explain the service and how the place works. You walk in and take a menu. Figure out what you want, then order it at the counter. Pay and get assigned a number which a waiter will use to find you and give you your food. It's not obvious it works this way when you walk in. When we ordered, I thought the guy talked too much and tried too hard to up sell us (drinks and more). He also made recommendations for people who were new... but since we already had a chance to look at the menu we already knew what we wanted. Seriously, we just want to order! If you're going to do the daily specials talk then become a sit down and order restaurant. Thank you.
The food is very good though. Everything is vegan. I ordered the very veggie wrap, a side of potato salad, and a carrot cake cupcake. My husband ordered the chef's garden pizza, sweet potato fries, and cheesecake slice. The break down:
*Veggie wrap: very tasty, but I don't know if they actually put any ranch in it though. The giardiniera was good but not very spicy. It still ended up being a wonderful lunch item. When they wrap them, they do not fold the ends so be a little creative in holding it. My husband enjoyed his sampling as well. Recommended.
*Potato salad: It is served in a cabbage leaf instead of a bowl. I thought it was wonderful, my husband thought it was bland.
*Carrot cake cupcake: best vegan cream cheese frosting I have ever come across, I wish I had time to stop there before I left Chicago to take some home. Lots of frosting, proportionally, to the cake itself (I love frosting).
*Chef's garden pizza: I thought it was good, it wasn't quite what my husband was expecting. He thought the crust and sauce were a bit thick, but he still enjoyed it.
*Sweet potato fries: they were good. They put some kind of green powdery topping on it. My husband liked the topping, I didn't care for it. Most of the potatoes are free of the powder though so I still liked my plainer fry. If you want ketchup they use an organic brand.
*Cheesecake: It comes with a little side of sweetened blueberries. Best vegan cheesecake I have tried thus far, even my husband thought it was good for a vegan cheesecake. -
Review from Nicole M.
Chicago, IL
5/7/2012
Native Foods is the best vegan food in Chicago.
-
Review from Allison G.
Chicago, IL
4/2/2012
Though I enjoy vegetarian food, I tend to draw the line at vegan. I may order a tasty-sounding vegan item off a menu, but I DO NOT seek out vegan restaurants. I love cheese. Whenever Anthony Bourdain rants about veganism, a small part of me is thrilled.
That being said, my husband and I were absolutely starving when we were doing some shopping in Wicker Park. We were right by Native Foods Cafe, and decided to try it. We split a jicama/guacamole salad, it was so good! It tasted very fresh. I had the lavender lemonade, and my husband had the watermelon fresca. Both were good, and all fountain drinks are free refills.
I hope to come back and try more of their items. -
Review from Linda S.
Chicago, IL
3/6/2012
Let me preface this review by saying I love meat. Chicken, pork, beef, you name it, I will eat it. So I was a bit skeptical when friends suggested "this new vegan" place for dinner one night. To me, fake meat never can properly emulate the texture and mouthfeel of real delicious meat.
Needless to say, my skepticism continued when I found out many of their menu items did contain "meat". I ordered my taco salad (thinking I could pick the "meat" out if needed) but alas, it tasted like MEAT! The cheese and the salad dressing were delicious as well. My friend had the chicken wings, which were also good, although the sauces didn't come close to what I expect from real wings.
Their drinks are also delicious, and if you sign up for a rewards card, you get a free drink your first visit.
The employees are very nice and helpful in their suggestions. They bring your food to your table, and even though they aren't considered servers/waiters, offered to refill all our drinks for us too!
My only complaints were how cold the desserts were served (the cupcake tasted 10x better after I let it sit out for awhile at room temp), the prices were a little high, and I would really like to see nutritional information for their menu items. I'm afraid I'm getting tricked into thinking vegan=low calorie, low fat and 100% healthy. But I'll just keep telling myself that and continuing to eat here... -
Review from Annie N.
3/4/2012
Their chai was wonderful - and free refill. On a cold winter night, it was the closest thing to perfection. I signed up for a member card, and received the drink for free, so if it's your first time here, ask for a membership card (free and give you rewards if you eat here a lot).
Their employees were very happy and friendly. It was almost closing time and yet I did not see a single sign of annoyance when customers were still walking in (which I see a lot at many other places).
Their foods looked delicious. We ordered a Gandhi Bowl and a Greek Gyro bowl. It came out looking like spring just arrived on our table: lots of vegetables of different colors, fresh and healthy. I might have enjoyed the food a little bit more than my dinning companion, as he's not a big vegetable fan. My food tasted good, but I have no be honest and say it was not out of this world, or perhaps, not up to the hype. Maybe because I've been cooking without meat for a while now, and I've been able to find ways to cook vegetable well, that I was not blown away by the flavor. My boyfriend was reacting the same way as well, he told me he was not impressed by the flavor of the food. On the positive site, I'd have to admit that despite eating a huge bowl of food late at night, we were both not feeling bloated at all - the beauty of eating vegetable.
Being a huge vegetable fan, I cook and eat the same thing at home daily (rice, or some grains, with lots and lots of vegetable), I probably should have known better and order a burger, or a wrap with the sweet potato fries, which looked delicious. Perhaps that is for next time when I'm back with someone else (since my boyfriend probably won't be convinced to come back). Their chai itself was a good enough reason for a return trip. -
Review from Jack P.
2/21/2012
This place is just scrumptious. And easier to access on a Saturday night than Piece. And I wasin the company of a vegetarian, so things worked out well for both of us. Just shifted our focus off the white clam thin crust pizza we'd been hallucinating.
The menu is full of interesting and inviting items, including the carnivore drag items where vegetable proteins impersonate meat choices such as Itlalian Beef, meatballs, burgers, sausage or chicken flesh. In fact, most of the recommendations by our waiter included these items. And there are just veggie dishes, like the Buddha Bowl my friend ordered, and like the Lentil Soup I ordered. Best veggie lentil I have ever had, infused with those unbeatable Moroccan spices and served perfectly hot. We were given samples at the order counter which made me an instant fan. Of both the soup and a place that actually let's you sample the food.
So it's the hybrid table service where you order at the counter and a server brings you your food and drinks. Our server could not have been more helpful or accommodating. After the soup, I had their portabello burger and my friend got sweet potato fries to share. My burger was excellent. Most carnivore drag items disappoint me, but now I want to come back and devour some fake meatballs. You go, Native Foods! I love your stuff.
Prices are a little higher than I'd like for vegetarian, but well worth it.Listed in: The Vegan Continuum, Could Eat Here Every Day
-
Review from Freddie L.
Chicago, IL
3/2/2012
Native Foods Cafe one of the new kids on the block is truly the only plant-based restaurant that I've been to. This is an amazing restaurant that represents humane food. Totally vegan absolutely delicious! Serving american-inspired cuisine, veggie burgers, and an Italian Beef sandwich with giardiniera to die for.
Bring back the Cubano sandwich. One of the best! -
Review from Rachel T.
Chicago, IL
2/28/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Wow, I am thrilled to see Native Foods in Chicago and doing so well. While doing a search for vegan food in my old neighborhood, I put my name on a mailing list to learn more. A few weeks later I received an invite for a free dinner they were hosting to get things up and running, and work out the kinks. It was great - delicious food, cheery service, and everything vegan? Amazing.
I've since ventured back to the Milwaukee Ave. and Belmont locations a bunch of times. It's always delicious and I love that you have the ability to choose where you want your meal to fall in the range from healthy/calorie conscious to decadent.
I recommend:
Watermelon Fresca mixed with a little Lavender Lemonade
Chicken Run Burger
Sesame Kale Macro Bowl. This is really tasty and wholesome - plus I usually get 2 meals out of it.
Soul Bowl
Peanut Butter Parfait. I can't really explain why I love this so much other than saying that it's absurdly tasty.
Oh, and the cheesecake absolutely does not taste like it's made with tofu. I honestly would never have known. We even bought an entire 'cheese'cake from Native Foods for my sister's birthday.
Native Foods seems to be doing really well, and this makes me very happy. Just one quick request: The Cubano sandwich that was promoted around the Superbowl was so fantastic. Please consider adding it to the menu permanently! -
Review from Caity G.
2/26/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Definitely not vegan or vegetarian, but I love trying out places like this. Such a creative menu! It was my first time around so I used their "first timer" suggestion and got the twister wrap. Silly me, I thought I was eating chicken. Seriously, I figured I had chosen one of the meat-eater options (which I later found out do not exist). I love the idea of spicing up products like seitan and tempeh. There was so much flavor in that little wrap! I am eager to go back because it was such a hit with my taste buds and NO overstuffed, guilty feeling. I also got the watermelon fresca. So what it's the middle of winter and no where near watermelon-summer-season? So refreshing and quenched my thirst after Bikram yoga.
I have to say I was still a little hungry when i got home. Backstory: I eat a super light lunch at work, then sweat my butt off in yoga, THEN need some serious food-time (I probably have terrible eating habits, but I digress...) Needless to say, I was famished. May get an app or a side to go with my sandwich next time around. -
Review from Dave G.
2/16/2012
FYI: The menu calls all the meat/cheese "Native" but they don't mean buffalo, they mean their own proprietary vegan products.
Completely vegan fast casual. This business would be perfect in Royal Oak next to Qdoba and Noodles Inc. Entrees were are consistently good, and my meatball sub tasted spot on. We ordered chili fries as an appetizer to share, but they were not very good and came with our meals. The chicken fingers were delicious with a perfect coating and perfect ranch. Make sure you get a unique fountain drink (free self-serve refills) , they have iced tea, lavender lemonade and mint watermelon and I had to try them all. The nugget kids meal is an excellent deal, you get about 10 chicken bites, a cup of brown rice, and some raw veggies and fruit for $5! -
Review from Regina C.
Chicago, IL
1/29/2012
The options for a vegan who doesn't like mock meats are few and far between. The desserts are terrible as well. Service is great and the few dishes I've had that were with tempeh (or subing tempeh in for the seitan) were yummy, but the mock meats freak me out. The chili cheese fries were not good (what was that cashew cheese?? ew!) they would be way better with the cheddar, which is strong!
It's not a bad otpions for so quick grab and go eats, btu don't get dessert...it's just not good. -
Review from Lori C.
Chicago, IL
5/16/2012
I love this place! Everything I've tried is delicious. I love the taco salad, best one I've ever had vegan or not. The food is quality, and because of that is a bit expensive. Not outrageous, but it's a treat. They have a large outdoor patio. Service is always friendly, they make great recommendations! Even if you are a meat eater you should check out this spot.
-
Review from Kristina B.
Chicago, IL
2/23/2012
First off, let me state that I am a meat eater. I'm throwing that out there because I want you, the reader, to know that you don't have to only eat soy products to enjoy vegan fare. That being said...
This place is pretty darn delicious. I've only been here twice but I was satisfied with what I had. Yes, humanity, you CAN take non-meat products and spice them up just right to make them not only edible but tasty. Who would've thought?! Here's what I had the first time:
Caribbean Queen Burger -- Shaved slices of island-style Native Original Seitan piled high with sliced avocado, lettuce, carrots, onion, mayo and a fresh mango-pepper salsa.
Yum, yum, yum. And with sweet potato fries on the side, I was a happy camper! (note -- I've never been camping so that's saying something.)
You need to give this place a shot. I feel like there's something here for everyone, even if you are huge on eating flesh. Also -- try their chocolate cupcake. The frosting tastes like it has a pinch of sea salt in it...ugh, so good. To quote Pee-Wee Herman from the Anderson Cooper SNL skit...
TWO MORE!!!!!! -
Review from Jen S.
Chicago, IL
1/26/2012
I have to tell you that their gluten-free menu is kind of a joke. No, not kind of. Straight up laugh-at.
It doesn't have that many choices. My favorite item on the GF menu was the "steak" sandwich. It comes with a side of kale. To order it gluten-free, the menu notes, order it without the seitan, and without the bread.
I burst out laughing, handed the menu back, and went across the street to eat BBQ. Why would they even print that? Why even bother? -
Review from Michelle S.
Chicago, IL
1/5/2012
When this place opened, I was shocked at how jam packed it was constantly! I just didn't realize that there were that many Vegans or Ominivores on hiatus in Chicago. I generally think if a Vegan restaurant can pull in your non-veg friends, than they are doin' somethin' alright!
So I've tried this place now more than a few times. I LoVeee the Greek Gyro Bowl and the Saigon Rolls. Not so crazy about the weird pasty cheese on the nachos. I REALLY, really wish that Chef Tanya would come out with a breakfast/brunch menu as we Chicagoans all know that we love our weekend breakfast places. I think a tofu scramble, strawberry topped waffles, or a breakfast burrito would fit on this menu perfectly.
I have to say that I'm not crazy about the fact that Native Foods uses meat terms to describe the Vegan dishes, but it is forgiven once one has tried the dishes. Maybe this is a marketing ploy to pull in the Omnivores.
The space itself is really open and airy with plenty of seating. There is also a HUGE outdoor area when the happy, sunny, warm months are around in Chicago. They even have heat lamps for sweater weather. Another beautiful thing about Native Foods is that you can order your favorite vegan food online and I love the fact that they have a football party platter!
All in all, great addition to the other stellar Vegan restaurants in Chicago!Listed in: I LOVE Vegetarian/VEGAN EATS
-
Review from Renee E.
1/3/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm so glad this wasn't the travesty that was Veggie Bite. Vegan food doesn't have to suck.
We stopped in for the first time last Saturday while we were in the neighborhood. We were hungry and couldn't absorb the menu, so we ordered the special: sausage and portabella burgers. I got a side of lemon dill potato salad and my friend got the sweet potato fries. We loved our burgers, which were very flavorful and much better than many veggie burgers I've eaten in my life (and oh boy, have I eaten a lot of veggie burgers.) The lemon dill potato salad was really tasty. I loved the flavor and the fresh dill. I snuck a sweet potato fry and that too, was delicious. And, because I'm a dessert hound, I got a chocolate cupcake. Good, not amazing, but nothing I wouldn't order again! The lavender lemonade was also lovely. -
Review from Bethany S.
Carmel, IN
2/6/2012
I can't comment on the atmosphere of the restaurant, because I had take-out, but I can tell you that my "meatball" sub was delicious even after being refrigerated and reheated hours later, and I don't always love seitan. The chili cheese fries were pretty good as well.
I find it interesting that someone said the gluten-free options are terrible... my step-mother is gluten-free and works near Native Foods, so she eats here regularly. She actually recommended it to us. There aren't a ton of options, no, but she is used to being more limited than that and likes several of the items she can eat. -
Review from Lindsay C.
Chicago, IL
3/17/2012
Two stars because I appreciate the concept of the restaurant...but the Carrot Cake Cupcakes are so not good!!!! I was so excited to see them on the menu and while I stood in line for 15 minutes to order one I thought about how perfect it would be to stop by here everyday for a cupcake after the gym! (ridiculous I know...my sweet tooth is out of control) I LOVE carrot cake, but these were not even edible to me!! Wahhhhhhh!!!
-
Review from Madeline S.
Chicago, IL
1/2/2012
I was surprised at all the great reviews on here, not to say Native Foods is bad by any means, but there could be some improvements.
Their "meats" appear to be the ones you can just get in the frozen aisle at the grocer, and the few orders that I've had have been a little under-seasoned (or bland). I definitely appreciate the food though, it's healthy and vegan and all in all is pretty good. But I feel like it's along the same lines of something I could very easily cook at home myself.
Up the ante, Native Foods!
