Windy City Eats for Vegans

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

What started out as a vendor in local farmers markets has materialized into brick-and-mortar digs in North Park.

Step into the quirky-named Chicago Not Dogs, a company founded by Chi-Town natives Susan and Brian Gervase.

“Chicago is in our DNA,” they state on their website. And once you begin scrutinizing the menu of iconic Chicago foods they offer, so is veganism.

For the dogs, which are crowned traditionally with mustard, onions, sport peppers, celery salt and other sundries, the kitchen uses Field Roast franks. An Italian “beaf” sandwich relies on house-made sietan, as does an Italian sausage hoagie topped with giardiniera or sweet peppers.

The eatery replaces The Modern Vegan, so you can be sure there are no vestige molecules of saturated fat lurking in the kitchen.