10 best places to eat in Chicago for a healthy waistline

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As much as I love Chicago, it does have one attribute that isn’t that good for you – its food. This cosmopolitan city on the shores of Lake Michigan is famous for its hot dogs and pizzas. Of the 20,000 restaurants in Chicago, many of them serve food that isn’t good for you – there are over 6,000 pizza restaurants!

If you don’t want to pile on the pounds, try this list of 10 best places to eat in Chicago when you’re feeling peckish for a healthy bite to eat.

1. Native Foods Café, various locations

file Photo courtesy of Bing.

Founded in 1994, Native Foods Café is a casual vegan restaurant serving healthy meals that are always made from scratch. Their menu is entirely plant-based and everything is non-dairy – even the mayonnaise. Favourites include the ‘Rockin’ Moroccan Bowl’ and the ‘Gold Rush Ciabattta’.

Locations in Wicker Park, The Loop, the West Loop, Lakeview and Hyde Park. For more info visit Nativefoods.com.


2. The Protein Bar, various locations

file Photo courtesy of Beth Granter.

The Protein Bar’s mission is simple – they want to change the way people eat on the go. As a result, they are entirely committed to providing healthy food quickly. Meals on their menu include ‘Bar-ritos’ which have half the calories of traditional burritos, and wraps made with whole-wheat tortillas.

Locations in Riverside, Franklin and Adams, Lincoln Park, River North, State and Lake, Washington and Wells, and the West Loop. For more info visit The Protein Bar.


3. Mana Food Bar, 1742 West Division Street, Wicker Park

file Photo courtesy of Rachel Kramer Bussel.

This vegetarian/vegan restaurant in the Wicker Park area of Chicago has been a neighbourhood favourite for a while now. You can choose from both cold (think seaweed and cucumber served with daikon sprouts) and hot (spicy eggplant tofu) food. They do good cocktails too.

For more info visit Mana Food Bar.


4. Lula Café, 2537 North Kedzie Boulevard, Logan Square

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Stretching across three shop fronts (it started as just one when it opened in 1999), Lula Café is one of the forerunners in Chicago’s ‘farm to table’ movement. What’s even more unique about this café is that the chefs are self-taught. It’s open for breakfast, brunch and dinner, while there’s a café aspect to it too (obviously) if you’re looking for something a little bit more informal for an evening bite.

For more info visit Lula Café.


5. Uno’s, 29 East Ohio Street, North Side

file Photo courtesy of AmberDeel.

Established in 1943, Uno’s claims to be the restaurant that invented the deep-dish pizza… the bane of all calorie conscious people's lives. So you’re probably wondering how it’s made it to this list? Well, it’s because of their flatbread pizzas – they’ve got half the fat of the big ones.

Uno’s have another restaurant in Wicker Park. For more info visit Uno.


6. Karyn’s Raw Café and Juice Bar, 1901 N. Halsted Avenue, Lincoln Park

file Photo courtesy of Jennifer Brandel.

With a tagline like ‘A place to facilitate your individual path towards well-being’, you know the food in this eatery is going to be good for you. Here you can choose from wheatgrass shots, half sandwiches instead of full ones, cakes that have your health in mind and more. All of this is brought to you by the city’s celebrated chef, Karyn Calabrese.

For more info visit their website.


7. Beezzee Fresh Food, 2807 N. Sheffield Avenue, Lincoln Park

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While it might have been slightly presumptuous to call itself ‘Beezzee’, this Lincoln Park favourite really is busy by name and busy by nature. Its menu is full of salmon, tuna and chicken plates, while they’re well known for their juices also, hence the busyness.

For more info visit Beezzee's website.


8. The Peasantry, 2723 N. Clark St, Lincoln Park

file Photo courtesy of esimpraim.

After finding success with his ‘Frank N Dawgs’ restaurant, owner Alexander Brunacci opened his second restaurant The Peasantry that had a very clear concept – ‘elevated street food’. Sourcing all produce locally, and making everything fresh in-house, you can get your burgers and pastas here, only healthier versions.

For more info visit their website.


9. The Burger Point, 1900 S State Street, South Loop

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This is probably another entry that has you scratching your heads. What makes this restaurant ‘healthy’ is that the proprietors are committed to natural, hormone, antibiotic and preservative free meats, and they’re one of only a few restaurants in Chicago that serve it. Everything is cooked to order, nothing is ever frozen, and the result is a very tasty one.

For more info visit https://theburgerpoint.ordersnapp.com/home.


10. Amitabul, 6207 N Milwaukee Avenue, Norwood Park

file Photo courtesy of Greg Grossmeier.

I couldn’t have a list of healthy places to eat without singling out an Asian restaurant. Amitabul is an unassuming Korean vegan restaurant that dishes out dumplings, miso soup, tofu salads and more.

For more info visit their website.

Main image photo courtesy of atramos.


Fancy a bit to eat in Chicago? Check our our homestays in the Windy City


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