Type: Vegan
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch Dinner
Price: $$

Located in the historic neighborhood Kerrytown, The Lunch Room fits perfectly in its neighborhood, showcasing the unique and welcoming atmosphere that the neighborhood strives for.

The restaurant is bright, with floor to ceiling windows that are lined with succulents. A counter lines about half of the restaurant, making up the bakery case, the ordering spot, seats that face the windows or watch your food made, and seats lined up to the small, but quaint bar. The interior is friendly, with mid-tone painted walls and bright accents. Though the seating is limited inside with about 12 tables and approximately 8 bar seats, they also offer outdoor seating during the warmer months. 

Per the name, their daily menu is focused on lunch-style dishes: salads, sandwiches, noodles. Our favorites are the Pad Thai, Mac and Cheese, Banh Mi Chay, and the Buffalo Wrap. They offer a daily soup and chili and for dinner, they have a rotating themed special: Mondays are Sushi night, Tuesdays are taco night, and so on. Though some of the specials stay the same, such as the same hearty pasty they serve on Friday nights, they sometimes have rotating options. For example, on Wednesday which is Asian Night, they have had Bibimbap, Ma Po Tofu, and different rice bowls. Though the specials are usually a little more than the normal menu, I highly recommend them because they’re usually overflowing with food.

In addition to lunch and dinner, they also offer a Saturday and Sunday brunch, which include items such as French Toast, Bisquit, Sausage, and Gravy, and numerous types of rice bowls.
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Make sure to try a dessert when you’re there. They usually offer between 5-10 desserts ranging from cinnamon rolls, whoopee pies, cakes, and cookies. I’ve never had a bad dessert there and more often than not, it is unbelievable how good these dishes are. Some of our favorites have included the Bourbon Caramel Donut, Oatmeal Cream Pie, and Cookie Dough Brownie.
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On top of it, the service is always great. The servers are friendly and the food comes out quickly. If a mistake is made, they're always quick to fix it and offer to make it up to you. 

Type: Vegan-friendly
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Price: $$

This restaurant is basically a diner with some updates. It has inset stools that are at the small counter, but also has exposed brick and an exposed ceiling, hinting at a hipster vibe. The windows were lined with plants giving it a homey feel and complimented the mint green walls.

There were 2-3 vegan options on the menu. I settled on the Tofu Sweet Potato Hash. Although it wasn’t really a hash since the sweet potatoes were cubed (as opposed to shredded), it did have great flavor. The tofu was prepared excellently: squeezed and fried up well and the steamed kale was fresh and full of flavor. It was served with really good bread which possibly could have been homemade, a side of Earth Balance butter, .and a small salad.
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The menu also included vegan pancakes and vegan tacos. In addition, they offered soy milk. Very delicious brunch overall. Be aware though that they only take cash. They have an ATM in the restaurant that has an added fee, but I would still recommend coming prepared with cash.

Type: Vegetarian
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Price: $$
Website: www.victorysbanner.com

Victory's Banner is breakfast and lunch spot for many Chicagoans. Their Zen-like atmosphere is welcoming and relaxing, with bright walls, colorful artwork, and plants around the restaurant.

Though their entire menu is vegetarian, they offer a completely separate vegan menu which includes a breakfast and lunch section. The breakfast section offers items such as French Toast, Tofu Scramble, and Oatmeal.  I got the Tofu Scramble for my meal with mushrooms and vegan chicken. It was delicious- flavorful and filling, especially with the vegan chicken. It came with a side of delicious hearty bread and fabulous potatoes. The only complaint I had was that the “Tofu Scramble” was not a scramble at all. In fact, the tofu was cut into cubes and fried. So while it was delicious, it shouldn’t be marketed as a tofu scramble. The lunch menu offered salads, burgers, and wraps and a daily soup. Last, they also offered soy and almond milk and had vegan lattes on the menu. I got the Chai latte with soy milk which was delicious- perfect amount of spice and richness.

If you're looking for a good brunch that offer vegan meals other than oatmeal and fruit, Victory's Banner is definitely an option.