Visited on 06/05/2022
An Honest Review:
Manna Kitchen... what a little hole in the wall! This wonderful little spot is in the Western Suburbs of Chicago, and while Manna Kitchen has some classic options almost always seen at vegan restaurants, they boast unique daily specials that offer warmth and flavor that go beyond the typical plant-based joint. Being a native Chicagoan myself, I could recognize the home-cooked flavor and love that went into the food and emerged in the flavor and feeling upon greeting my tastebuds. The food here is classic, unique, comforting, and exciting all at the same time. The environment was comfortable, colorful, and spacious. I enjoyed my experience ordering, waiting for my food, and eating. A steady stream of customers who were delighting about the food let me know, with confidence, that Manna Kitchen is well-known and well-loved locally for their food. Now, my boyfriend and I are part of the local fan club!
Cauliflower wings are pretty hard to screw up, in general, but they are hard to master. Manna Kitchen's Cauliflower Wings are up to par with the other great cauliflower wings I have had around the country. I particularly enjoyed the homestyle flavor that exudes from their spices and coatings, especially on the cauli wings. We tried the Buffalo flavor, of course, and plan on trying their other flavors in the future- without a doubt! My Vegan Chops in Paprika Sauce came out next, and this dish BLEW me out of the atmosphere. I really, really thought of my German and Polish grandmothers when I tried this plate of goodness. The sauce was creamy, thick, rich, satisfying- the vegan chops were tender, spicy, and well-flavored. All together, the sauce and noodles merged together and created a creamy, delicious goodness that truly satisfied my soul. I was most impressed by this dish, in particular by the love that went into creating and executing it. Finally, my boyfriend's vegan chicken sandwich arrived. We have tried a lot of vegan chicken the last few weeks- most notably, in southern states where fried chicken rules supreme. Manna Kitchen's vegan fried chicken sandwich was right up there with the vegan chicken we tried in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. My favorite part of the sandwich was the deliciously crispy breading, their homemade seitan, and their homemade purple cabbage... did I forget the pickles? That sandwich was crispy, crunchy, powerfully flavored goodness. We also tried their Garlic Parm Fries and I have one word for those... sold! They had a wide selection of drinks- we tried two sodas they had in their fridge (pictured above) and they were also very good (I am a hard sell on natural sodas). Definitely a good find, especially if you live in the Chicagoland area or are passing through for an adventure. A great place to come alone, with friends, family, kids, or a casual date!
What we tried:
Crispy Chic-n sandwich- Buffalo
Vegan Chops in Paprika Cream Sauce
Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
Garlic Parm Fries
What we plan on trying in the future:
Schnitzel Platter
Crispy BBQ Chick-n Sandwich
Poutine
Crispy "Crab" Cakes
Masala "Egg" Fries
Sweet Chili Cauliflower Wings
House Fried Chick-n
Caesar Salad
Massaged Kale Salad
Chicago Style Hot Dog
Cashew Mac & Cheeze
Cheeze Fries
Their daily specials, cookies, and cakes!
Check it out!
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Visited on 06/17/2022
Second visit:
We love the fact that Manna Kitchen has daily specials. It keeps things exciting, especially in an area that is steeped in tradition and food that is rooted in the old countries of Europe. Manna Kitchen knocks tradition and ingenuity out of the park. More than that, they combine the two together and create food magic. This place is so small but mighty, and I know that they will continue to grow steadily- simply because the quality of products and thought that goes into the food is astounding. What really stands out to me here is the quality of the homemade seitan, sauces, breading, fermented foods, and vegan meats that Manna Kitchen creates and serves. I tried their homemade Jackfruit Asada Tacos and just wow- the jackfruit meat was marinated, treated, and cooked so well. You can tell someone went through a lot of effort to find just the right method of turning jackfruit into tasty vegan steak. I taste that mindful effort in every bite, and that is why I will return! A notable MUST try is their House Fried Chick-n. If you like crispy, delicious, deep-fried treats- these are the trick for you. We also tried their Masala "Egg" Fries, and were shocked by the yummy vegan egginess. Not only were we shocked by how eggy the fries were, but how good they were and how the vegan egg flavor perfectly complimented the masala spice. We are definitely hooked and will be back again soon- for another food adventure!
What we tried:
Jackfruit Asada Tacos
House Fried Chick-n
Masala "Egg" Fries
What we plan on trying in the future:
Schnitzel Platter
Crispy BBQ Chick-n Sandwich
Poutine
Crispy "Crab" Cakes
Sweet Chili Cauliflower Wings
Caesar Salad
Massaged Kale Salad
Chicago Style Hot Dog
Cashew Mac & Cheeze
Cheeze Fries
Their daily specials, cookies, and cakes!
Come visit their comfy spot for all the comfort food!
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Visited on 06/24/2022
Third visit:
We absolutely love Manna Kitchen. Wow! We are blown out of the water every single time. This visit, we ordered the Red Velvet Cake, Tower Burger with Garlic Parmesan Fries, and their BLT. Delicious! The cake was moist, sweet, rich, tangy, and decadent. The Tower Burger tasted so unique- the vegan cheese that they used had a very interesting flavor profile. It kind of tasted like a healthy vegan fondue burger. The patty was homemade and went so well with the cheese and other toppings on the burger. I would definitely get that again. The BLT was stacked with lettuce, tomato, tempeh, and vegan mayo. It was just right. Tempeh isn't for everyone, but I do have a soft spot for a good tempeh BLT. The marinade used for the tempeh had a lot of smoky umami flavor, and a subtle sweetness. The tempeh slices were cut so thick, it kind of tasted like ham! The Garlic Parmesan Fries were ridiculously tasty. We have had them before, but this time they were drenched in oil, garlic, spices, and hemp heart parmesan. Out of this world goodness! We are quite friendly with the employees there now- they are so friendly and are very kind to each group/person who comes in. We will be back!
What we tried:
Red Velvet Cake
Tower Burger with Garlic Parmesan Fries
BLT
What we plan on trying in the future:
Schnitzel Platter
Crispy BBQ Chick-n Sandwich
Poutine
Crispy "Crab" Cakes
Sweet Chili Cauliflower Wings
Caesar Salad
Massaged Kale Salad
Chicago Style Hot Dog
Cashew Mac & Cheeze
Cheeze Fries
Their daily specials, cookies, and cakes!
Yum!
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Visited on 11/13/2022
First Sunday Brunch Visit:
Every second Sunday of the month, Manna Kitchen hosts a vegan brunch from 10AM- 2PM CST. I have been trying to make it for months, but my schedule had gotten the best of me for some time. Finally, I was able to make it out one weekend, and truly, I was not disappointed, and my time was well-spent going on a little drive to get this food! The owner was there, working with his employees in the line of fire (because they were so busy), which is always great to see. The staff is always very kind, and the order is brought out on time, and is just perfect visit after visit. I returned home from my voyage, with the goods in my passenger seat, and one fresh apple fritter in my hand.
For brunch, I sampled their pancakes, lox bagel, cinnamon bun, and apple fritter (as previously and affectionately stated). I also ordered a fresh cup of orange juice, that I drank happily while driving home with my order. Everything was delicious, as always. The items that were extraordinarily impressive were the apple fritters (I ordered two- of course), and the lox bagel. The lox bagel was created with vegan "salmon" that was made out of cured, dehydrated, spiced papaya. Paired with the cream cheese, capers, fresh dill, onions, and a little bit of seaweed on the papaya, it tasted truly heavenly and surreally delicious. It is far the BEST LOX I have ever had in my entire lifetime. My boyfriend, who is not exactly a fish person, was very impressed by the flavor. We both prefer this version to the real fish version. Much lighter, much better for the oceans! The apple fritters tasted like deep fried apple doughnuts- which they are essentially. Better yet, a deep-fried apple funnel cake. We will be back for more of them. The pancakes were great, as was the cinnamon bun. So many carbs, so much goodness! Well-done, Manna Kitchen! I will be back to have another round of your wonderful brunch menu, and will definitely sample more of your creative vegan dishes.
What we tried:
Pancakes
Cinnamon Bun
Lox Bagel
Apple Fritter
Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
What we plan on trying in the future:
Whatever is on the Brunch Menu!
Plan your brunch!
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Other photos from various days at Manna Kitchen - Pictures of DELICIOUS FOOD ~
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