Spirit Elephant: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Spirit Elephant is a fully vegan, chef-driven restaurant and bar in downtown Winnetka, on Chicago’s North Shore. Its FAQ states that the menu is 100 percent vegan. The kitchen uses the terms plant-based and vegan interchangeably, and the dinners look like ones a meat eater would pick. Owner CD Young told NBC Chicago he wanted a restaurant with amazing food that happens to be vegan.

The menu reads like a regular American bistro, and each dish swaps in a plant-based ingredient. The Maryland Crab Cakes ($17) use artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, and chickpeas. The Calamari Fritti ($18) uses king oyster mushrooms, and the Baja Fish Tacos ($15) use hearts of palm. The Cauli-Wings ($17) come in five sauces, including mango chili and wasabi dijon. Brie, parmesan, and ricotta all appear on the dinner menu, and the owner told NBC Chicago the kitchen uses vegan cheese, often coconut-based.

Mains cover a wide range. The Steak Marsala ($34) is the most expensive plate, with mushrooms and garlic parmesan scalloped potatoes. The Meatloaf Bourguignon ($28) uses Impossible meatloaf over mashed potatoes. The Blue Cheese Bacon Burger ($21) stacks two Impossible patties with bourbon onion jam. The Lasagna Florentine ($23) layers Impossible beef and spinach ricotta. Lighter picks include the Korean Cauliflower Steak ($21), the Forbidden Bowl ($24) with black rice and tofu, the Pad Thai ($25), and the Butternut Sage Risotto ($26). Flatbreads, including a Fig ($18) and a Pepperoni Hot Honey ($18), start the table off well.

Lunch runs Thursday and Friday, and brunch runs Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant also hosts a Taco Tuesday, a happy hour from 4:30pm to 6pm Tuesday through Friday, and a kids menu. Separate Desserts and Beverages menus sit on the site. Thanksgiving feast orders are open now on the site.

Because the whole kitchen is vegan, you never have to ask what contains dairy, egg, or meat. The restaurant does warn that its small kitchen can’t guarantee against allergen cross-contamination. Many dishes carry a gluten-free label, and the kitchen can adapt several others, so tell your server about celiac disease or a severe allergy before you order.

Prices run higher than at most plant-based spots. Starters cost $13 to $19, and mains land between $19 and $34. That makes it a good fit for an anniversary, a date night, or a mixed group where one person is vegan and everyone else eats anything. A patio opens when the weather allows, and the owners also run catering and private events. You can reserve a table through the website.

Dinner runs Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30pm to 9pm, Friday and Saturday from 4:30pm to 10pm, and Sunday from 4:30pm to 9pm. Lunch is Thursday and Friday from 11am to 3pm. Brunch is Saturday from 11am to 3pm and Sunday from 10am to 3pm. The restaurant closes on Monday. The address is 924 Green Bay Road, and the phone number is 847-238-9054. Book the weekend before a holiday, and order the crab cakes first.