Is Himalayan Restaurant in Chicago South Loop and Niles, IL a good place for vegans? The answer is a resounding yes.
Our menu draws from rich Nepalese and North Indian culinary traditions — traditions that have celebrated plant-based cooking for centuries. Here are ten dishes you must try.
1. Daal Palak
A Himalayan Restaurant classic. Lentils and fresh spinach slow-cooked with cumin seeds, Himalayan herbs, and spices. Earthy, deeply satisfying, and entirely plant-based.
2. Chana Masala
Chickpeas simmered in an aromatic blend of Indian spices. Bold, hearty, and one of our most-ordered dishes by vegans and non-vegans alike.
3. Aloo Gobi
Fresh cauliflower and potato sautéed with tomato, onion, ginger, and garlic in mild spices. A weeknight comfort dish elevated to restaurant quality.
4. Baigan Bharata
Fresh eggplant roasted in our clay tandoor oven, then mashed and cooked with green peas in a tomato-onion sauce. The clay oven char gives it a depth of flavour you can’t replicate at home.
5. Tadka Daal
Our local-style boiled lentils sautéed with cumin seed, Himalayan herbs, and spices. Simple, clean, and completely vegan.
6. Jeera Rice
Long-grain basmati rice cooked with cumin seeds. The perfect companion to any of the above.
7. Chili Potato
A traditional Nepalese preparation — potatoes sautéed with onion, bell pepper, red chili, and timur (Himalayan Sichuan pepper). Boldly spiced and unmistakably Himalayan.
8. Bhindi Masala (Niles)
Fresh okra sautéed with onion, tomatoes, and aromatic Indian spices. Available at our Niles location.
9. Peas Pulav
Basmati rice cooked with green peas. Delicate, fragrant, and completely plant-based.
10. Tandoori Roti
Our whole wheat flatbread baked in the clay tandoor oven. No egg, no dairy — just flour, water, and the heat of the clay.
Both our Chicago South Loop and Niles menus have extensive vegan options. For catering events, we can prepare most menu items vegan upon request.