Veggie

WINNER Flying Saucer
We’d heard the veggie burger here was one of the best, but we were skeptical about its lentilness; a good veggie burger puts the veggies—not legumes—front and center. But we were pleasantly surprised by the smoky flavor of this huge patty. It’s a bit crumbly, as veggie burgers tend to be, but thick enough so that if we lost a bit out the back of the bun, we weren’t just chomping on bread and lettuce by the end. A side of blackened home fries turned the best veggie burger we had into the best meal we had all week. $6.75. 1123 N California Ave, 773-342-9076

#2 Kopi Café
When we tell people that tempeh is fermented soy, we cringe along with them. But this savory, smallish tempeh burger was not only delicious, it was hearty enough to make a side of chips unnecessary. And filling up on a veggie burger is no easy task. $6.75. 5317 N Clark St, 773-989-5674

#3 Cleo’s
Veggie burgers pretty much only come one way: hot. So we never tire of ordering a veggie burger medium-well. Hilarious! Jokes aside, this black-bean–based burger is a bit crunchy and charred, just how we like it. $7.50. 1935 W Chicago Ave, 312-243-5600

#4 Bandera
The price alone nearly kept this one off the list, but the patty—filled with rice, veggies and sweet potatoes—and (especially) the side of roasted peanut coleslaw eventually won us over. $13. 535 N Michigan Ave, 312-644-3524

#5 Black Beetle
he patty at this Ukrainian Village pub has the perfect mix of soy and vegetables, with black beans throughout. It’s good, but just not as flavorful as the other more adventurous offerings on our list. $6.45. 2532 W Chicago Ave, 773-384-0701