Unfortunately my companies plans on expanding into Chicago (which will be 45 min away from my home in a few months/years).... we're being forced to 2.5-3 hours away (some daily commute eh?) in the next nearest location that it'd have the possibility of succeeding -- Champaign-Urbana area. Unfortunately since it involves a drastically scaled down restaurant without any of our additional related divisions.

Anyway... I was wondering, just how many actual vegetarian (not "can make veg*n based dishes on request") restaurants are in the area? I went looking online and found four, maybe five. But without knowing the area that well (last time I lived there I was under 1yr old), I don't know if there's tons of them, or if there's still room for another one.


Granted I use the term "restaurant" somewhat loosely as it's a restaurant only in the sense it sells food that's cooked. But it's the closest term that exists today.

Champaign has two that I know of. I don't get down there that often so I'm not too familiar with it. One is all vegan and it's called Red Herring...

http://www.yelp.com/biz/red-herring-vegetarian-restaurant-urbana

The other is Strawberry Fields. It started as a health food store and they've since added a deli. It's not all vegetarian but should be veg-friendly...

http://www.strawberry-fields.com/

There's also an excellent Mexican place called Dos Reales. Not all vegetarian but that's right up my alley. :lick:

I didn't even realize you lived in Illinois. Champaign is only about an hour from us. We have a vegetarian meetup at a different restaurant each month if you're ever interested in going.

Oh yeah I'm in Illinois :) Born in Champaign-Urbana Hospital, then lived up in Valparaiso, IN (about 45min from Chicago), now in Robinson (about 2.5 hours from Champaign). If I ever manage to get around that area I might, but for now I'm basically just in my town.

Basically in my town -- shocking though -- is that people actually know what vegan is, and vegetarian is (they actually know the differences in terms! well, some). But... no restaurant can be opened here that'd succeed.

If there were a lot of veg*n restaurants there, I'd have a lot harder time selling the idea to Angel-Investors and such, with two, I'd have a lot more breathing room :) Well, that and my plan.

Hi JL, I used to post here a few years ago and was randomly roaming and waddayaknow, I found this thread.

Red herring is only open during lunch for the most part. The Hare Krishna do hold a delicious dinner every monday for $5 but other than that they don't do dinner (that I know of).

Strawberry fields got rid of their cafe this last summer. They have take out items available and a coffee bar that carries vegan cakes and baked goods but otherwise it's mostly to-go sandwiches and deli items.

There aren't any pure vegetarian restaurants like Chicago Diner or Blind Faith, etc. There are a ton of restaurants that are vegetarian friendly, especially around Campus town. Flat top just came in and we recently got Noodles and Chipotle. The local places are the best though: Mandarin Wok (Asian), Za's (a create your own place with pizza, pasta and salads), and Siam Terrace (Asian) are cheap and have great food. There is a Greek restaurant that has a bunch of veggie options that just opened but I don't have a car so I haven't been there yet. Unfortunately a fantastic pasta place with a vegan chef is going out of business later this year.

I don't know if you were looking because you don't like your food prepared in the same area as meat or if you just don't like annoying servers by asking for the chicken dish without the chicken but if you want to know more I'll try to remember to come back to this thread after finals

:hi:

Hi JL, I used to post here a few years ago and was randomly roaming and waddayaknow, I found this thread.

Red herring is only open during lunch for the most part. The Hare Krishna do hold a delicious dinner every monday for $5 but other than that they don't do dinner (that I know of).

Strawberry fields got rid of their cafe this last summer. They have take out items available and a coffee bar that carries vegan cakes and baked goods but otherwise it's mostly to-go sandwiches and deli items.

There aren't any pure vegetarian restaurants like Chicago Diner or Blind Faith, etc. There are a ton of restaurants that are vegetarian friendly, especially around Campus town. Flat top just came in and we recently got Noodles and Chipotle. The local places are the best though: Mandarin Wok (Asian), Za's (a create your own place with pizza, pasta and salads), and Siam Terrace (Asian) are cheap and have great food. There is a Greek restaurant that has a bunch of veggie options that just opened but I don't have a car so I haven't been there yet. Unfortunately a fantastic pasta place with a vegan chef is going out of business later this year.

I don't know if you were looking because you don't like your food prepared in the same area as meat or if you just don't like annoying servers by asking for the chicken dish without the chicken but if you want to know more I'll try to remember to come back to this thread after finals


Hey, stranger! :hi: Good to see that you're still alive and kickin'! :hamster:

You've been missed! :yes:

:wave: It's been quite a while hasn't it? It's nice to see some familiar sns! I hope you all are well! Jen, you're in England now? Wicked!