Our Story
How Soul Veg City Became a South Side Staple for Real Plant-Based Soul Food.
About Us
Soul Veg City, which for years was known as Original Soul Vegetarian, has been a major destination on Chicago's South Side for 42 years. We first opened under the name Soul Vegetarian in 1981, as part of the vision of Prince Asiel Ben Israel to bring a healthier diet and lifestyle to the world. From the beginning, we served heart healthy plant-based foods at a time when there was little awareness of the connection between food and disease.
Over the years, many of our chefs and other staff went on to create their own restaurants and food companies, and there are establishments following the Prince's vision all over the US and the world. Soul Veg City, or Soul Veg, as it is often affectionately known, has become a cornerstone of Chicago's Chatham neighborhood.
Now under the ownership of the Prince's son and daughter, Arel Brown and Lori Seay, we have just completed a major renovation that expanded our dining area, more than doubled the size of our juice bar, live bar and hot bar and added new patio seating.
We are also now open on Friday and Saturday evenings with a series of events called Soul Vibes that features a full bar, karaoke with a DJ, live music, a special late night menu and such more.
Come see what Soul Veg City has become!
The Center of the Chatham Neighborhood
In 1981, a new concept in dining opened on Chicago's South Side. Soul Vegetarian introduced thousands of people to vegan plant-based foods, years before anyone knew what those words meant. Over the years, Soul Veg, as it was affectionately called, became a popular local hangout as well as a destination for people from across the city and around the world.
Now that plant-based cuisine is being sought after by more and more people, we have expanded our deli, we've added pizza and new soups, and we remodeled our building to be a shining oasis of Chicago dining.
Soul Veg City is here with an even wider variety of delicious plant-based foods, that are healthy for your heart and your soul and the planet.
