Vegan Chicago-Style Hot Dogs Arrive in North Park

Farmers market vendor Chicago Not Dogs opens its first storefront on July 16 in North Park where it replaces the Modern Vegan. Founded by Windy City natives Brian and Susan Gervase, the 30th Street restaurant will serve Chicago classics made vegan, including a namesake hot dog that features a vegan Field Roast frank smothered in yellow mustard, onions, relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato wedges, pickled sport peppers, and a sprinkle of celery salt and an Italian “beaf” sandwich with house-made seitan and topped with hot giardiniera or sweet bell peppers.

Other menu items include elements crafted by other Chicago natives: the seitan chicken on their fried Chick’n Sandwich comes from Original Herbivore and vegan chili smothering their Chili-Cheese Not Dog is by Chef Poe of ReBeL.

Kelly Bone

The open-air restaurant, which features plenty of TVs, is designed for quick service. Guests will be able to order through their phones via a QR code, at a kiosk across from the bar, or directly from the staff. The Gervases are still awaiting their liquor license but the bar will eventually be pouring Pabst Blue Ribbon, a beer with Chicago ties, alongside local brews.

Since Chicago Not Dogs got its start at farmers markets, they’ve brought some other vegan vendors along with them. An attached market, dubbed Vegan Regional Goods (or VRG), will sell everything from date-sweetened double chocolate cookies by Tracy’s Real Food to açaí ice cream sandwiches from Soul Baked.

Chicago Not Dogs’s hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Saturday. Starting later this summer, a rotating lineup of chefs will host vegan brunch on Sundays and on Tuesdays VRG Vendors will take over the space to host special events like cooking classes and Taco Tuesday nights.

Kelly Bone