What a fun month for me, I tried an exciting list of places I had never been before. Not all of these places are new, but most of them are, so it was awesome to go to some new hot spots. Either way, I consider this #winning. Read on:
True Food Kitchen
True Food Kitchen– I have been anxiously awaiting the opening of this restaurant focused on healthy eating with many vegetarian and vegan options. My friend Mamta told me about this place when it was announced it would be opening in Chicago and I couldn’t wait to check it out. I was fortunate to attend an opening party one night and go to dinner a separate night, all before the restaurant even opened to the public on November 22nd. And, let me tell you, this place is AMAZING! If you are vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten-free (or even if you are none of those), I promise you will be just as addicted to this place as I was. Literally, every single item I have tried has been a winner. I don’t come across many restaurants that I feel this way about, but I can honestly say that True Food Kitchen is going to be my second home. For reals. Just you wait and see. Now, let me get back to the unbelievable tofu lettuce wraps. Yum!
Max & Leo’s Pizza
Max & Leo’s Pizza– Located in the entrance of the awesome King’s Bowl is the famous Boston pizza joint, Max & Leo’s. Baking artisan coal-fired pizzas in a special oven that gets up to 900 degrees, this pizza is truly delicious. I had the chance to try several veggie pizzas and each was delicious in its own way. But, it always came back to that amazing crust! You can definitely taste the freshness and difference in these pizzas. One of my favorites of the evening was the L’Umina (made vegetarian without prosciutto) that had olive oil, sliced pears, caramelized onions, ricotta cheese and basil, drizzled with organic wildflower honey. And since you know I’m obsessed with pears, it’s kind of obvious that this would be a favorite. I loved the addition of the ricotta and honey, which you don’t normally see on menus, so it was nice to find something unique and so tasty. Trust me on this one, if you are craving pizza, get to Max & Leo’s ASAP. I promise you won’t be sorry.
The Little Beet Table
The Little Beet Table– This new restaurant is pretty much any dietary restriction person’s paradise. Not only is this gem also “vegetable forward,” it’s also 100% gluten-free. And, more than any of that, it is absolutely delicious. What I truly appreciated about this great spot is that I tried vegetarian items I’ve never tried before like sweet pea guacamole and cauliflower hummus. I truly appreciated having vegetables prepared in unique but yummy ways. I also need to acknowledge their great drink menu and I totally fell in love with the spicy grapefruit margarita. I always get my spicy drinks made extra spicy, and the bartender totally delivered on it. It was such a hit, that 5 out of 8 diners at our table ordered the same drink on our second round. I like having that kind of influence! ha ha. Definitely try The Little Beet Table and don’t forget to get that margarita!
Studio Three Cafe
Studio Three Cafe– Aside from my actual home and my workplace, my “other” home I would declare is Studio Three. This beautiful, new-ish (just one year old), fitness studio located in River North offers cycling, interval and yoga classes. It is hands-down the best fitness studio I have been to and I absolutely love it. A new cafe recently opened on the first floor offering everything from wraps, bowls, juices, smoothies and so much more. After an awesome Saturday morning sweat session in the Peloton cycling studio, I stopped by the cafe to try some of their delicious offerings and I was really impressed. My absolute favorite was the tofu burrito which had seasoned tofu, black beans and cilantro. So simple, yet so tasty and perfect to fuel up after an intense workout. I also really enjoyed their new line of fresh, cold-pressed juices. Seriously, you can’t go wrong with any of the options to help you refuel in a healthy way after a great workout. Now, who is ready to join me for a class?
Floriole
Floriole– Sometimes there are places that you have heard great things about, but just never had the chance to make it to. Floriole was one of those places for me. Luckily, I finally got to cross it off my list. One awesome event this Lincoln Park bakery offers is called the ‘Sunday Supper Series’, where a three-course dinner is offered one Sunday out of the month. I was super lucky to get to try out “Friendsgiving” for the month of November and was seriously blown away. We started off with a delicious squash soup, followed by a winter root vegetable gratin, mushroom cornbread muffin and fresh Brussels sprout salad (turkey was offered up for the meat-eaters) and finished up with a choice of gingerbread pumpkin tart or pecan pie cake. I mean, doesn’t that all sound unbelievable? It was. I can’t wait to see the menu for the December supper as I’m sure I will be going back.
Please Note: While I was invited to visit these establishments, all opinions are my own.