Featured on Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in America, Healthy Substance is bringing the vegan side of Mexico to the US. Here's everything you need to know about one of Chicago's friendliest Mexican restaurants and why you need to check us out.
Our story
Healthy Substance opened back in August 2018 in the warm, friendly community of Garfield Ridge. It's our goal to show people how delicious vegan and vegetarian Latin food can be – it's not just an alternative, it's a lifestyle choice.
We use locally sourced ingredients for optimum freshness, but our dishes are all based on authentic Mexican cuisine so you can enjoy a healthy taste of Mexico right in the heart of Chicago! And, if you're in a hurry, you can order your food to go, or we can provide catering services for your birthday parties and other events.
About our founder - Patricia Gonzalez
My passion for cooking began when I was just a little girl. I grew up in Guadalajara, and my mother taught me how to cook delicious homemade meals for our whole family. Cooking isn't a chore for me – it's my passion, and I put my heart into every dish I make. Running a restaurant has always been a dream of mine, but I didn't know how to make it reality.
I first got the idea for Healthy Substance when I realized how hard it was to find vegan Latin American food. Following family health issues, I'd already been looking into vegan food for some time, and I began wondering if it was possible to recreate my favorite family dishes in a vegan-friendly way without compromising on flavor or depth.
Inspired by my love of Mexican food and my passion for healthy cooking, I decided to attend culinary school. At culinary school, I didn't just learn how the food industry works – I learned how to start up and successfully run a restaurant. Since then, I've spent years developing and refining my dishes, and I can't wait to share them all with you at Healthy Substance.
Our delicious vegan food
For me, food is everything. It brings people together. I love trying out new recipes, and I'm always looking for fun, innovative ways to make our menus even better. Here's just a small sample of the wide variety of vegan and vegetarian Mexican food on offer:
Food
Breakfast burritos
Vegan chilaquiles
Vegan Tortas
Vegan Gorditas
Vegan nachos
Desserts
Brownies
Banana cake
Cookies
Rice Pudding
Drinks
Berry and chocolate smoothies with milk, almond, or coconut
Energy-boosting smoothies with juice or water
Freshly squeezed fruit juice
Delicious fresh fruit water
Check out our menus to see a full list of the tasty vegan food we have available, and remember, you can contact us with any dietary questions.
Visit Healthy Substance
If you want to try out the vegan side of Latin cooking, come and visit the friendly staff at Healthy Substance on W Archer Avenue in Chicago, IL. We're open 7 days a week, and we can't wait to introduce you to vegan Mexico! Find out more about our menu and get in touch with us here.