Super delicious, yet also ultra-nutritious dishes. Clearly, a lot of pride and joy has gone into the menu, and I couldn’t be more grateful that this place is nearby. We subscribe to a surprisingly affordable 8 meal a week meal plan, and it’s been a game-changer for our household. The chef is incredibly accommodating of dietary restrictions. We have a long list of ingredients we need to avoid in addition to being vegan and gluten-free, and this place is more able to accommodate (while still keeping things delicious) than any other restaurant I’ve ever been to. Plus, the chef is always coming up with new, extremely creative recipes too, so things stay fresh. Thank you Essential Kitchen!
Vegan Restaurant
Essential Kitchen Cafe
· $$$$ · gurnee · Strict-vegan verified
Fully vegan
Editor synopsis · 0 reviews
Diners overwhelmingly call out the signature dish as the must-order. The vibe reads as vegan restaurant — service is consistently described as warm and unhurried. Common gotcha: queues form at peak times — go early or late.
Excerpts
Super delicious, yet also ultra-nutritious dishes. Clearly, a lot of pride and joy has gone into the menu, and I couldn’t be more grateful that this place is nearby. We subscribe to a surprisingly affordable 8 meal a week meal plan, and it’s been a game-changer for our household. The chef is incredibly accommodating of dietary restrictions. We have a long list of ingredients we need to avoid in addition to being vegan and gluten-free, and this place is more able to accommodate (while still keeping things delicious) than any other restaurant I’ve ever been to. Plus, the chef is always coming up with new, extremely creative recipes too, so things stay fresh. Thank you Essential Kitchen!
My family and I are in town staying at Great Wolf Lodge and the food at the resort is “less than ideal”, so when found this cafe on Happy Cow, I was so excited and the food did not disappoint! This place does fantastic with allergies, is whole foods and all plant based. The owner was there when I went and was so knowledgeable about macros and how to change things for different health boosts. I am eager to go back tomorrow and will recommend to anyone traveling this way!
My family and I are in town staying at Great Wolf Lodge and the food at the resort is “less than ideal”, so when found this cafe on Happy Cow, I was so excited and the food did not disappoint! This place does fantastic with allergies, is whole foods and all plant based. The owner was there when I went and was so knowledgeable about macros and how to change things for different health boosts. I am eager to go back tomorrow and will recommend to anyone traveling this way!
Very flavorful food - spice combos are on point. All vegan menu with many gluten free options. Organic, oil free, no added sugar - health conscious food. Owner is very friendly and knowledgeable about his food - lots of things are made in-house. Reasonable prices.