Urban Vegan: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Urban Vegan is a fully vegan Thai and Asian restaurant in Chicago’s Ravenswood/Lakeview neighborhood. Every dish on the menu is plant-based, so you don’t have to quiz the server or worry about hidden dairy. It opened in 2012 as a carryout spot and has grown into a full sit-down restaurant that regulars swear by for weeknight Thai cravings and casual group dinners.

What’s vegan and vegetarian at Urban Vegan

Everything. The entire menu is vegan, which means you’re covered from appetizers through dessert without asking a single question. The kitchen uses tofu, seitan, soy-based chicken and shrimp, Impossible meat, and Beyond meat as proteins. There are no eggs, no dairy, and no fish sauce hiding in the curries. If you’re a vegetarian who avoids eggs and dairy (or is exploring plant-based eating), this is as clean as it gets in Chicago Thai dining.

Signature dishes to order

The tofu satay with peanut sauce is a consistent crowd-pleaser and a good first order if you’re new here. Reviewers on HappyCow and TripAdvisor call the peanut sauce “probably the best” they’ve had. The panang curry with tofu is another standout, rich and balanced without the fish paste you’d get at a non-vegan Thai spot. Pad see ew and pad Thai both hold up well, and the orange “chicken” with soy protein converts a lot of skeptics. For dessert, the mango with sweet sticky rice is the move.

How to order

You can dine in, call ahead for takeout, or order delivery through DoorDash, Grubhub, and Uber Eats. The restaurant is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday through Sunday from 11 AM to 8:55 PM. It’s closed on Wednesdays. Lunch combos are available if you want to keep the bill lower. Prices run $10 to $20 per person, which is reasonable for a sit-down meal in Chicago. Reservations are accepted, and it’s worth calling ahead on weekends.

What to watch out for

The restaurant is not a dedicated gluten-free facility, so if you have celiac disease, call ahead at (773) 404-1109 to talk through what’s safe. The menu does include gluten-containing soy proteins and sauces, and cross-contact with gluten is possible in a busy kitchen. Also note the Wednesday closure. If you’re ordering delivery, check that your driver confirms the order correctly. One recurring note in reviews is that the service can slow down during peak hours, so build in a few extra minutes if you’re on a schedule.

Is Urban Vegan worth it?

Yes, especially if you want reliable vegan Thai food without the hassle of a mixed menu. A 4.6 Google rating across 825 reviews and a 4.2 on Yelp with nearly 550 reviews tells you this isn’t a novelty. The Infatuation included it in their Best Places to Eat Vegan Food in Chicago list, and RestaurantGuru ranks it 31st out of 727 vegetarian restaurants in the city. It’s a neighborhood staple that earns its spot as one of Chicago’s best all-vegan dining destinations for Thai food.