Visited on 08/14/2022
An Honest Review:
Kitchen 17... such a gem. As an Italian and a Chicago-raised foodie, I must have a good vegan deep dish in my repertoire of good vegan restaurants. Everything we had here tasted so authentic, that it brought me back to an earlier time in my life before my plant-based food journey. The deep dish pizza really stole the show here, along with the Spinach Artichoke Dip and the Cauliflower Wings. One of the biggest downfalls of most vegan cheeses is that they lack a rich, savory flavor like real cheese does- many vegan cheeses often have a sweet undertone that, while flavorful, reminds you that you are indeed eating nut cheese. The cheese here was absolutely the best vegan cheese that I have ever had baked into a dish- it melted like cheese, tasted like cheese, satisfied like cheese, but didn't weigh us down like cheese does. Perfectly, a win-win! We all want that delicious deep dish pizza without the weigh-down... this is that pizza.
The environment of the restaurant is very relaxed- I particularly enjoyed the laid-back attitude of the workers, and enjoyed getting glimpses of Lord of the Rings playing on the TV in the background. Of course, I also appreciated the grass-roots vibe of the place, with hand-made art decorating the outside, and the inside, you can feel the love in this place and the good energy that went into manifesting it.
Now, onto SOLELY the food. It was perfect, and that is coming from a Chicagoan who used to indulge frequently in the heavy food luxuries of Chicago. Italian food and Chicago-style food run through my veins; the taste, the flavors of those foods burned forever into my psyche. At Kitchen 17, every item we sampled tasted like something from my childhood, bringing back fond memories, all while staying modern, current, and light. We tried the Cauliflower Wings, which were crunchy, well-flavored, and so yummy. The sauce was a knock-out, and the style of frying was up-to-par with some of the other delicious cauliflower wings we have tried (these hold their crisp well, even with heavy sauce). Next, we had the Spinach Artichoke Dip, which was an absolute masterpiece. The cheese, herbs, and other ingredients were quality, and we could taste the effort that went into making it, and baking it. It was also beautifully presented with some bread slices, which were the perfect medium to dip and enjoy the dish. For our main course, we ordered the Pepperoni Deep Dish and the Mac and Cheese Deep Dish. Both were absolutely outstanding. I had not had a true Chicago deep dish in 6 years at the point of trying this pizza, and was almost moved to tears from the homey deliciousness and sense of normalcy that this pizza gave me. The sauce, crust, and the cheese truly tasted authentic. The food was made with such love and care, I know I will be back soon for my pizza kick! We also tried their Oreo Cake on the way home for dessert, and needless to say, that was also a vegan KNOCK-OUT! Kitchen 17 gives me everything I need- tasty, garlicky, cheesy, authentic, and cruelty-free.
What we tried:
Cauliflower Wings
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Pepperoni Deep Dish Pizza
Mac and Cheese Deep Dish Pizza
Oreo Cake
What we plan on trying in the future:
Nachos
Cheese Fries
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Chicken Platter
BBQ Cheddar Burger
Big K Burger
Pizza Burger
Bacon Cheeseburger
Mega-Bus
Chicken Sandwich
Chicken Parm
Philly Cheesesteak
Gyro
Cheese, Traditional, Plant-Eater, Fully Loaded, Jalapeno Popper, Cheeseburger Pizza Deep Dish
Cheese, Jalapeno Popper, and Pepperoni New York Style Pizza
More desserts! (Daily stock)
For your hometown Chicago cravings, stop by and get a deep dish- you will be blown away!
https://kitchen17.com/menu/
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