Kale My Name: What’s Vegetarian Editorial Review

Kale My Name is a fully vegan restaurant in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood, and it’s one of the best-known plant-based kitchens in the country. Nemanja Golubovic opened it in April 2020 with takeout and delivery only. Today it welcomes about 120,000 guests a year, according to its own site. The menu says everything on it is vegan, “like EVERYTHING else,” including the cheeses, the cheesecake, and the hollandaise.

The kitchen leans on comfort food and gives it a joke for every section. The Chicago Burger ($20) uses a Beyond patty with cheddar, kale, tomato, onion, and pickles. The Chicago Reader nominated it for best burger in the city. If you want something made in house, the Homemade Tina’s Veggie Burger ($21) uses a soft veggie patty. The TiNDLE Chicken Sandwich ($20) and the Oyster Mushroom Sandwich ($22) cover the fried-chicken craving. The Southern Supper ($24) piles fried cauliflower, a mac ball, garlic kale, and fries with three sauces.

Smaller plates carry the menu’s best ideas. Try the Cauliflower Wings ($16) in buffalo, BBQ, or lemon pepper, the Mac Balls ($16), and the Tequeños ($16), which are Venezuelan cheese sticks. The Ajvar and Pita Bread ($15) nods to the founder’s Balkan roots, with a roasted pepper and eggplant spread. Salads start at $12, and wraps run $18 to $21 and come with fries. Soups include lentil, carrot ginger, and cheddar broccoli, and the Chicago Reader nominated the soup for Best Soup in Chicago. Tacos come on gluten-free corn tortillas, and the Taco Trio ($21) gives you jackfruit, fried avocado, and seitan.

Brunch runs Friday through Sunday. Order the Breakfast Burrito ($19) with tofu scramble and hollandaise aioli, the Jackfruit Lox ($19) on an everything bagel, or Cauliflower Wings and Waffles ($19). A tofu scramble plate costs $19, and the Brunchpanadas ($14) come filled with cream cheese and guava. The Afternoon Tea Party ($35 per person, daily from 11am to 5pm) needs a reservation. The restaurant serves one party at a time and caps each at two hours.

The bar deserves a mention. Cocktails cost $14, mocktails $12, and every wine on the list is certified vegan. Desserts include a gluten-free homemade cheesecake with a new flavor each month ($14) and cake from Pie, Pie My Darling, a Chicago bakery.

The kitchen handles no animal products, so cross-contamination from meat or dairy isn’t a concern. The restaurant says the whole food menu is free of nuts, though it warns that cross-contamination is possible. Many items carry gluten-free and soy-free labels, and one Google reviewer with celiac disease says the staff accommodated those needs. Mention your allergy when you order.

Plan on $15 to $25 per main, plus drinks. The restaurant has collected awards, including Vegan Restaurant of the Year from VegOut and Best Vegan Restaurant from the Chicago Reader. You can reserve a table online.

Kale My Name sits at 3300 West Montrose Avenue. The restaurant says it’s open every day from 11am to 10pm, and the phone number is 872-208-7125. Reserve a table for brunch, and order the Chicago Burger if you only get one thing.