12 Postcards
In the heart of Ukrainian Village, Upton's Breakroom serves vibrant, all-vegan delights paired with airy decor, making it the perfect casual lunch spot.
"Upton’s Breakroom is the vegan cafe connected to Upton’s Naturals, a homegrown manufacturer of seitan products available nationwide. It also just so happens to be the closest lunch spot to our studio. Everything on their menu is 100% vegan – not there’s anything wrong with that. We are unabashed meatlovers, but every now and then a Togarashi Bowl (baked tofu, grilled kale, carrots, pickled radish, scallion, shredded seaweed, sesame seeds over purple rice with a lemon tahini miso dressing) really hits the spot. And the café gets bonus points for its airy, minimal aesthetic." - Potluck Creative
"The quest for a vegan hot dog is one that comes with much peril. The sausage needs the right texture and cooked properly. The bun is also not an easy feat to execute. Upton’s Naturals, the vegan food company, knows this and has applied their commitment to quality at their restaurant, Liberation Kitchen. The Chicago-style Updog is almost a perfect copy of the original hot dog, and the toppings are expertly applied. For a true “dragged through the garden” experience, order online. This isn’t just for vegans. Omnivores looking to reduce their meat consumption would be wise to enjoy." - Ashok Selvam
"Chicago’s first all-vegan doughnut shop, Liberation Kitchen rotates flavors each week. Options include Flapjack (maple glazed with spiced chocolate crumbs) and Balaclava (plain cake doughnut, sweet tahini glaze, pumpkin seed baklava). Half of proceeds from the Total Liberation lemon poppyseed doughnut will go to a nonprofit that rotates every two months." - Samantha Nelson, Eater Staff
"Liberation Donuts is a carryout vegan donut shop, but—vegan or not—these are just excellent donuts. They’re cake-based, not at all dense (which can happen with vegan baked goods), and perfectly fried until just crispy. Our favorite donut is the For Greta - a plain cake donut filled with vegan whipped cream, and topped with vanilla glaze and fresh strawberries. We also really like the Sanctuary (bruléed sugar and pineapples) and the Kindness, which has a maple glaze and spiced chocolate crumbs." - adrian kane, veda kilaru
"The quest for a vegan hot dog is one that comes with much peril. The sausage needs the right texture and cooked properly. The bun is also not an easy feat to execute. Upton’s Naturals, the vegan food company, knows this and has applied their commitment to quality at their restaurant, Liberation Kitchen. The Chicago-style Updog is almost a perfect copy of the original hot dog, and the toppings are expertly applied. For a true “dragged through the garden” experience, order online. This isn’t just for vegans. Omnivores looking to reduce their meat consumption would be wise to enjoy." - Ashok Selvam
