Yes, Chef! Chicago Named Most Vegan-Friendly City; PETA Celebrates With Food Giveaway
For Immediate Release:
June 9, 2025
Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382
PETA has just named its Most Vegan-Friendly Cities in the U.S., and the Windy City has blown away the competition, nabbing the top spot on the list with its plethora of plant-powered choices. The honor may surprise fans of the Emmy Award–winning series The Bear—which cooked up the idea that Chi-town is all about beef—but despite what viewers might see in Carmy’s kitchen when season four debuts on June 25, more Chicagoans than ever are ditching meat (as well as eggs and dairy).
To celebrate the win, PETA’s Lettuce Lady and Lad will hand out free slices of vegan deep dish pizza from Kitchen 17 outside the mayor’s office tomorrow, while PETA representatives deliver the award and a vegan Chicago skyline cake from Alliance Bakery to City Hall.
Where: Chicago City Hall, 121 N La Salle St., Chicago
When: Tuesday, June 10, 12 p.m.
Restaurants getting in on Chicago’s animal-friendly action include Buona, which offers the Italian Beefless Sandwich and Bowl—perfect for diners who want to try a vegan version of The Bear’s famous menu item; The Chicago Diner, with its classic Radical Reuben; and award-winning Kale My Name, where everyone can find delectable dairy-free delights like its creamy Cheddar Broccoli Soup.
“From Chi-town’s meat-free Chicago-style franks to dairy-free deep-dish pizzas, America’s former meatpacking capital is now a paradise for vegan eating with an abundance of animal-friendly restaurants,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “All the cities on PETA’s list have cemented their status as vegan dining destinations, proving that delicious animal-friendly cuisine is available from coast to coast.”
Other vibrant vegan food options that earned Chicago the top spot include decadent nondairy cheesecakes at Alice & Friends’ Vegan Kitchen, the meat-free Chicago Style Frank at Soul Veg City, the plant-powered Meatball Sub with dairy-free provolone at Native Foods, Soy Al Pastor tacos at Penelope’s Vegan Taqueria, the Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls at Spirit Elephant, and tasty oat milk ice cream treats at Runaway Cow.
Other vegan-friendly cities recognized by PETA include Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Denver; Detroit; Los Angeles; New Orleans; New York City; Philadelphia; and Washington, D.C.
Every person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals each year from daily suffering and a terrifying death, and reduces their own risk of developing heart disease and cancer. PETA offers vegan starter kits to help everyone opt for animal-friendly foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—because when it comes to saving animals, every meal counts.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
