14 Best Chicago Vegan Breakfast & Brunch Spots

If you’re looking for a delicious vegan breakfast in Chicago, you’re in luck! The city has a thriving vegan food scene, with a never-ending selection of options for veggie eaters to start the day! 

The number of fantastic options can be overwhelming, but have no fear!

I’ve pulled together an incredible lineup of places to check out, no matter if you’re in the mood for something savory or sweet! I guarantee there’s a vegan breakfast or brunch spot in Chicago that will satisfy your cravings. 

To ensure you get your day started right, don’t miss these 14 vegan and vegan-friendly brunch spots in Chicago. 

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Vegan Breakfast & Brunch Spots in Chicago

It’s entirely possible that you’ve already heard about the epic vegan brunch spread that Kale My Name creates every weekend — it’s award-winning! 

The comfort-focused menu has a fantastic selection of sweet and savory eats; I promise you’ll want to try everything! If it’s your first visit, don’t skip the golden Belgian waffles — topped with buffalo cauliflower or traditional maple syrup. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, maybe Brunchpanadas filled with cream cheese and guava or a giant loaded breakfast burrito will!

During the summer, snag a table on their back patio. There’s nothing better than a bit of sunshine and waffles!

If you roll out of bed on a Tuesday craving a fully loaded breakfast sandwich, head here! This fast-causal vegan spot has a small but mighty vegan breakfast sandwich lineup available every day of the week. 

You can choose their fully loaded sandwich with sausage, bacon, egg, Provolone, arugula, and creamy chipotle sauce on a toasted English muffin or get sweet and savory with sausage and egg, cheddar, and sweet maple butter! Or, you might just have to get both — no judgment!

When you’re feeling sluggish and need a nutrient boost, there’s no better place to go than Chicago Raw. Everything on their prepared, ready-to-go menu is raw, vegan, and mostly gluten-free. You’ll find fan favorites like the Really Raw Oatmeal with raisins, apples, cinnamon, and maple powder to house-made fruit on the bottom yogurt made with coconut meat. 

In addition to healthy eats, there are a ton of healthful things to sip! They have an extensive lineup of fresh juices, elixirs, and smoothies. For a boost of green power, check out the Minty Fresh Greens (banana, spirulina, spinach, moringa, chlorophyll, mint), or for something a little sweeter, try the Pick Me Up (banana, blueberry, ginger, maca, grapefruit juice).

One note, there isn’t seating inside the café; orders are only available to go. 

For a chic and sophisticated vegan brunch outing in Chicago, look no further than PLANTA! You’ll want to shimmy up to the modern brass bar or slide into one of their cozy booths for a unique Asian and American-inspired brunch menu.

If you’ve had your fill of pancakes and waffles, check out their breakfast futomaki made with spinach, tamago, avocado, ahi watermelon, and masago arare or truffle scramble enhanced with their special truffle soy sauce. Now, if you haven’t had your fill of waffles, they have a fabulous ube mochi waffle topped with caramelized banana, pecans, maple syrup, and coconut cream with your name all over it! 

On Sunday morning, you’ve got to hightail it here! The brunch menu at this plant-based restaurant roams the Earth for flavor inspiration — your taste buds are in for a treat. 

On the sweet side, you can’t miss their mouthwatering churro waffle topped with cashew dulce de leche, Mexican chocolate, and coconut whipped cream! Now if that’s not up your alley, there are a ton of other options to satisfy your breakfast cravings, from their house-made eggplant omelet made with Filipino mung beans to savory chilaquiles.

Another neat thing about this spot is that they’ve partnered with ORCA, a bio-digester, to compost food waste and Green Grease to recycle the cooking oil. They’re on a mission to do as much good as possible for Mother Nature!

This charming coffee house meets café is the perfect place to start your day whether you’re on the run or want somewhere to work for a few hours!

There is so much to love on this menu! If you’re a coffee aficionado, you can’t miss their Aztec mocha latte blended with chili, cocoa, cinnamon, and vanilla, or the unique maple citrus Crème Brûlée (a flavor powerhouse of maple, vanilla, burnt sugar, nutmeg, and citrus).

Once you’ve made your caffeine selection, you’re in for a breakfast sandwich treat! You can’t go wrong with their fan-favorite croissant sandwich loaded with Just Egg, smoky seitan sausage, tomato, and Chao cheese or a house-made quiche (it’s gluten-free, too!). 

On Saturday or Sunday, you’ll want to set an alarm to head here to get your hands on one of their house-made sausage rolls — a veganized British classic!

In addition to the savory pastry, you can fill up with their hearty Brekkie Bowl, loaded with tofu scramble, hash browns, kale, bacon seitan, and topped with truffle sriracha and cheese sauce or a loaded croissant breakfast sandwich. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, this is a terrific spot for vegan donuts in Chicago! They have a rotating selection of traditional and creative flavors covered in chocolate, cookie dough, stuffed with cream, and more!

Vegetarian Restaurants with Vegan Breakfast & Brunch Options in Chicago

These Chicago vegetarian restaurants have terrific vegan options to help you start the day! 

Since ’83, long before vegan options were lining market shelves, The Chicago Diner was pushing veggie-packed dishes — an icon in the plant-based food space. If you’re in the mood for something a little sinful, this is one of the best spots in Chicago.

You can’t skip over their giant, cream-covered cinnamon rolls — you’ll probably smell them before you even see these magnificent baked breakfast treats! Many of their breakfast dishes can easily be made vegan by substituting vegan cheese or tofu, like the Mexicana bowl or potato tempeh hash. 

If you can’t choose one of their fabulous options, you can create your own from their Build-a-Brunch menu! Load your plate with pancakes, French toast, potato hash, and much more!

This family-owned vegetarian café is well known for its extensive All American breakfast menu. Start the day with a fluffy stack of banana walnut pancakes or golden French toast covered in sweet maple syrup. If you’d prefer something less sweet, check out their Go Eggless section for various flavorful scrambles and eggless wonders!

The menu is well-marked for options that can be made vegan and/or gluten-free. 

This hip spot is a little bit of rock-n-roll meets a whole lotta veggie-power — it’s anything but boring! The creative and delicious brunch menu is packed with flavor and comforting favorites. It will please even the pickiest eater!

The menu has many great vegan options, from a unique country-fried portobello with blackened tofu and seitan gravy to spicy vegan diablos with seitan chorizo, handmade tortillas, beans, rice, and chipotle sauce. 

Vegan-Friendly Breakfast Spots in Chicago

While I am sure you probably fell head over heels for something at one of the vegan or vegetarian brunch spots, these vegan-friendly restaurants have terrific options! You can never have too many options, right?

This playful vegan-friendly restaurant was one of the first to offer substantial vegan options to its menu back in the late 90s (glad they realized salads aren’t the only thing we eat). All day, every day, you can pop in here for their house-made vegan benedict with fried tofu and home fries, a sweet stack of chocolate chip pancakes, and so much more!

This is the best place to go with an omni group!

This vegan-friendly chain has a great selection of healthy, vegan options to fuel your day. The well-marked menu features vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free options like berry-packed smoothie bowls, cinnamon bun overnight oats, loaded breakfast burritos, and more. 

Bonus! Vegan Donut Spots in Chicago

Is there a better way to start the day than with a chocolate-covered vegan donut? I don’t think so! 

#13 Beacon Doughnuts 

In The Alley, 810 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
You will miss this floral-covered donut shop if you’re not looking for it! Every day this vegan-friendly donut shop is frying up a rotating selection of outrageously delicious vegan donuts — apple fritter, blueberry pancake, lavender vanilla, and many more!

This is a popular spot, so get there when they open or order ahead of time. 

#14 Do-Rite Doughnuts 

Multiple locations throughout Chicago
This vegan-friendly donut franchise is making sure vegans aren’t forgotten. No matter your location, you’ll always find three freshly made vegan flavors — double chocolate, orange olive oil, and spiced maple chai.