Eating a plant-based diet can have many health benefits, and even just eating plant-based meals once in a while can help you and your family eat more veggies. You can make delicious meatless meals at home or treat your family to a delicious vegetarian or vegan meal made by the pros. Whether you eat a plant-based diet or are just looking to try delicious meatless meals, you are sure to enjoy these five restaurants that serve plant-based dishes. 

El Burrito Habenero

“Nasha” licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Flickr by veganLazySmurf

If you’re craving Mexican food with plant-based options, then you’ve got to check out El Burrito Habenero. Not only can you order regular Mexican classics like tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and chimichangas with flavorful chicken, steak, pork, and more, you can get many of those options in vegetarian- and vegan-friendly form. Order from the vegan menu to get vegan tamales, burritos, tacos, and tostadas. Or, order a quesadilla sin carne (without meat) or grilled veggies as the centerpiece of your tacos and enchiladas. And don’t leave without ordering their delicious vanilla or Oreo churros.

This restaurant is located at 1500 S. State St. in nearby Lockport, and they’re open every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Vegan Cafe

If you and your family want to try the vegan version of some of your favorite dishes, then the Vegan Cafe in nearby Lockport is the place to go! The menu includes a variety of raw, organic, and gluten-free foods that use many different kinds of plant-based ingredients. Plus, the menu features foods from different cuisines, making it a very diverse selection. And because your children are likely to recognize many of the dishes on the menu, this place is also kid-friendly.

Start with some homemade guacamole and chips, garlic parmesan bits, Thai spring rolls, or bell pepper “boats” topped with guac, pico de gallo, nacho cheese, and plant-based taco meat. Order from the pasta menu and get creamy alfredo pasta with veggies, zucchini-noodle spaghetti, veggie-filled pad Thai, and spicy Southwestern macaroni and cheese. Consider a vegan burger, sloppy Joe, burrito, or cheesesteak sandwich. Or, grab a pizza for the table and get it topped with a vegan cheese, your favorite vegetables, taco fixin’s, or even vegan sushi ingredients. End your meal with a delicious vegan dessert, like macaroons or brownies.

If you want to dine in more often, you can also order meal plans with the Vegan Cafe where you can pay upfront for multiple meals and either dine-in or take them home. Visit the Vegan Cafe at 928 State St. in Lockport. They’re open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Shikara Restaurant

Shikara Restaurant is an Indian and Indo-Chinese restaurant that serves a wide variety of flavorful dishes. And since many Indian dishes are naturally vegetarian or vegan, this is a great place to go for unique plant-based food. What’s more is that they also have a buffet throughout the week so you can try a little bit of everything, which can be helpful if you’ve never had Indian food before.

For starters, order samosas (pastries filled with spiced potatoes and peas), or pakoras (spiced fritters) made with vegetables, spinach, or paneer, a type of Indian cheese. Then, grab an entree from their massive vegetarian menu. If you’re eating vegetarian and still want cheese, anything with paneer is going to be absolutely delicious. But if you’re not eating cheese, then you should try dishes like aloo palak, which is a dish of potatoes and spinach, vegetable jalfrezi, which has eggplant, potatoes, peas, and other veggies stewed in a delicious spicy sauce, or chana masala, chickpeas stewed in an amazing curry.

You can find Shikara Restaurant at 1620 75th St. at the Grove Shopping Center in nearby Downers Grove. This place is open every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Saag Hut

Saag Hut serves many different kinds of Desi food, which is the food of Pakastani, Indian, and Bangladeshi culture. This is a good location to get similar dishes to Shikara Restaurant but with a wider variety of flavors and international influences. What’s more is that you can order traditional breakfast foods here, too. 

Try the Halwa Puri, which comes with chana masala, a semolina pudding known as halwa, and soft fried dough called puri. Or, start your day with Anda Paratha, which is two eggs and a paratha, which is a type of flatbread. Also on the menu are veggie-filled dishes like a mixed vegetable curry, chana masala, and dal fry, which is a stew-like dish made with lentils, onions, tomatoes, and amazing spices. Make sure to get some homemade naan, roti, or paratha with your meal, too.

Visit Saag Hut at 646 S. Frontenac St. in nearby Aurora. They’re open Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Vegan T’ease

Vegan T’ease isn’t as malicious as it may sound; in fact, this restaurant has mastered the art of turning plant-based ingredients into the would-be meat-filled dishes that we know and love. They serve a diverse collection of cuisines, from Mexican to Greek to American. 

You can get a delicious vegan gyro with meatless lamb and fresh veggies, vegan beef tacos, vegan steak and vegetable fajitas, and even fried vegan chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese. Some of the more unique dishes on the menu that you may not have had anywhere else include the bite-sized fried tofu fish “poppers,” the Baltimore-style “crab” cakes, and the Crazy Crunchi Cauliflower, a must-try twist on boneless chicken wings. In addition, they also serve fresh smoothies with special flavors changing every day. 

This plant-based join is located at 14600 S. La Grange Road in nearby Orland Park. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.So there you have it, Crème de la Crème of Romeoville‘s favorite plant-based restaurants around Romeoville. Did we miss any of your favorite vegetarian or vegan restaurants in the area? Let us know, and we’ll be sure to add it to our list!