While Chicago is the best city in the country right now, according to Condé Nast Traveler, it doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to healthful food. Some of the the city’s quintessential dishes will “do a fine job of obliterating whatever diet you’re trying to follow,” Nick Kindelsperger wrote for the Chicago Tribune. But locals know the Chicago dining scene isn’t all about hot dogs and deep-dish pizza. Some of the best healthy restaurants in Chicago are also adding to the city’s thriving catering scene. Read on for ten of the best healthy catering in Chicago to keep your team energized throughout the workday.
Square Roots Kitchen (S. Halsted Street, Chicago)
Widely regarded as one of the best healthy restaurants in Chicago, Square Roots Kitchen relies on ingredients that are hand-selected for freshness. It uses only the highest quality asparagus, peppers, edamame, portobello mushrooms, onions, and squash to fill the quinoa veggie bowls, and both meat eaters and vegetarians rave about the Mediterranean tofu wrap full of grilled tofu, carrots, hummus, and mixed greens.
Chicago Curry House (S. Plymouth Court, Chicago)
While Chicago Curry House has lots of familiar Indian dishes on the menu, it truly specializes in the veggie-forward cuisine of Nepal. Think aloo ra seemi ko tarkari (potatoes cooked with green beans, Nepalese spices, ginger, tomato, and herbs) or aloo tama bodi (potatoes with bamboo shoots, black-eyed peas, and Himalayan spices). The large pans of food make it easy to order healthy catering in Chicago for a crowd.
Just Salad (E. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago)
Bookmark “Just Salad” in case you need to order healthy catering in Chicago that will accommodate people with different hungers. The salad bar allows everyone to assemble their own lunch according to their personal needs. Choose from delectable toppings like roasted sweet potatoes, crunchy onions, and brussels sprouts slaw, along with creative dressings like miso-ginger vinaigrette, smoky poblano ranch, and agave dijon mustard.
Native Foods (N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago)
California-based chain Native Foods offers a quick and healthy take on today’s favorite fast-casual fare, and the entire menu is 100 percent plant-based. The Large Sandwich & Wrap Platter totes unexpected items like the avocado crunch wrap filled with coconut-crusted avocado, green goddess dressing, and mango mayo. And you won’t even miss the meat in the portobello and sausage burger filled with balsamic-marinated mushrooms, seitan sausage, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, pumpkin seed pesto.
Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen (E. Grand Avenue, Chicago)
For crave-worthy catering that includes seasonal ingredients and fresh flavors, look no further than Doc B’s Fresh Kitchen, named after founder Craig Bernstein’s late father. The Chicago restaurant serves up scratch-made hot entrées like The Plate featuring quinoa, kale slaw, crisp cucumber salad, grilled artichokes, and sautéed brussels sprouts. The pan-roasted chicken, served with quinoa salad, glistens with a miso demi-glace.
Protein Bar & Kitchen (W. Washington Street, Chicago)
Since 2009, founder Matt Matros has been providing Chicago with healthy, protein-rich meals like the superfood vegan salad brimming with roasted organic tofu, hemp seed blend, chickpeas, avocado, and the famous homemade creamy chia dressing. Order healthy catering in Chicago for a mob with one of the catering packages like the signature Bar-Rito buffet that includes an assortment of burritos like vegetable black bean or Buffalo chicken, as well as a protein bowl and salad of your choice.
Kitchfix (W. Grand Avenue, Chicago)
This Chicago catering and healthy meal service focused on anti-inflammatory meals was founded by former personal chef Josh Katt. With mouth-watering entrées like chimichurri steak, mustard barbecue pork, and honey-glazed chicken breasts, you’d never know that the entire menu is gluten-, dairy-, corn-, and soy-free and built around organic and local produce, grass-fed meats, pastured poultry, and sustainable seafood.
Nepal House (S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago)
Make Nepal House, one of the best healthy restaurants in Chicago, your go-to for outstanding Himalayan food with influences from Tibet, Pakistan, India, and Bhutan. Signature dishes like farsi bhaji (green beans in coconut sauce) and jhane ko dal (lentils cooked with Nepalese spices, onion, cumin, garlic, and ginger) are guaranteed to satisfy while still increase your intake of vegetables.
Freshii (W. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago)
Founder Matthew Corrin strives to make superfoods like kale and quinoa convenient and available at worldwide chain Freshii. In the morning, surprise the team with the grilled pocket box with an array of wraps stuffed with bacon, egg and cheese, spinach, mushroom and goat cheese, and Monterey chicken. Later in the day, the delicious Metaboost Salad composed of spinach and kale and sprinkled with goodies like goat cheese, mango, almonds, carrots, and edamame, always pleases.
Wicker Basket Cafe (N. Damen Avenue, Chicago)
Quickly order healthy catering in Chicago with an exquisitely prepared sandwich platter or some salads from Wicker Basket Cafe. The build-your-own quinoa salad comes with an impressive selection of toppings that are guaranteed to please everyone, including baby spinach, avocado, edamame, diced beets, chickpeas, black olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs, onions, shredded chicken, cheddar, feta cheese, balsamic vinaigrette, and Greek dressing.
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