Vegan Deep-Dish Pizza in Chicago: Where to Start
Updated 25 October 2026. Recheck menus, branch status and vegan options directly before travelling.
Featured image: illustrative vegan pizza. Photo: K Zoltan via Pexels.
Short answer: For vegan deep-dish pizza in Chicago, start with the restaurant’s current official menu rather than an old “best of” list. Gino’s East confirms vegan cheese at its two Chicago locations, Sarpino’s publishes a vegan deep-dish option but warns that availability varies by store, and Paulie Gee’s and Dimo’s are useful vegan-pizza alternatives rather than deep-dish specialists. My Pi is closed, while Kitchen 17’s regular restaurant status needs rechecking.
What you’ll find in this guide
Choose the right pizza format, check current Chicago options, verify the order, plan by neighbourhood, handle group and allergy needs, and read the FAQs.
Quick decision guide
The right choice depends on whether you want a classic deep-dish experience, a fully vegan kitchen, a quick slice or a restaurant that works for a mixed group. This guide uses official menus as the final authority and treats discovery articles as leads, not proof of current availability.
| Your goal | Best starting point | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Classic deep dish with vegan cheese | Gino’s East | Current vegan cheese availability at the selected Chicago location and any extra charge. |
| Vegan deep dish from a chain | Sarpino’s | Whether your local store offers the vegan deep-dish item and which ingredients are in stock. |
| Vegan pizza by the slice or thin crust | Paulie Gee’s or Dimo’s | Current vegan cheese, vegan sausage, slice format, hours and shared cutting tools. |
| Fully vegan pizza or frozen deep dish | Kitchen 17 as a historical and frozen-pizza lead | No current home base; check Sugar Beet availability or the official relaunch notice before travelling. |
Which Chicago vegan pizza options are current?
As of 25 October 2026, the most dependable approach is to separate verified active menus from older Chicago vegan-pizza coverage. Official pages confirm current menu signals for Gino’s East, Sarpino’s, Paulie Gee’s and Dimo’s. My Pi’s own site says it has closed, and Kitchen 17’s pages should be treated as a changing status notice rather than a guaranteed restaurant stop.
Gino’s East: the clearest traditional deep-dish lead
Gino’s East says it offers vegan cheese for its deep-dish and thin-crust lineup. Its FAQ lists two Chicago locations: Magnificent Mile at 162 E Superior St and South Loop at 521 S Dearborn St. The same FAQ says the restaurants do not offer a gluten-free deep-dish, although a gluten-free thin crust is available. Confirm the vegan option with the location you choose before visiting.
Sarpino’s: official vegan deep dish, store-by-store availability
Sarpino’s publishes a vegan deep-dish page describing hand-pressed dough with plant-based ingredients and warns that not every item is available at every location. Use the store selector and exact ordering menu for your address. This is a practical choice when delivery or pickup matters, but it is not a guarantee that every Chicago-area store has the same menu.
Paulie Gee’s: vegan pizza, not a deep-dish specialist
Paulie Gee’s Logan Square is at 2451 N Milwaukee Ave. Its current menu marks vegan items, including housemade vegan sausage and a pie with vegan mozzarella, vegan bacon and vegan garlic aioli. The Logan Square page lists Detroit-style pies and pickup details, so treat it as a style-specific pizza alternative rather than a traditional Chicago deep-dish destination.
Dimo’s: verify the current vegan menu
Dimo’s official menu includes vegan pizza items such as vegan margherita and vegan sausage options. Because restaurant menus and locations can change, check the current menu and service format before adding it to a fixed itinerary. Ask how vegan orders are cut and whether the kitchen can manage an allergy separately from a lifestyle preference.
Which pizza style fits your trip?
Deep dish, stuffed pizza and thin crust create different travel commitments. Deep dish is slower and more filling; thin crust is usually easier to share or order quickly. A vegan traveller should also distinguish a fully vegan pizza from a conventional pie modified with a cheese substitute.

| Style | Best for | Travel trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Deep dish | A planned Chicago food experience. | Allow more time, confirm the order lead time and avoid placing it immediately before theatre or tour tickets. |
| Stuffed pizza | Travellers who want a heavier, layered pie. | Ask about every dough, filling and cheese layer; do not assume a vegan topping makes the whole pie vegan. |
| Thin crust or slices | Flexible groups, quick meals and neighbourhood hopping. | Check vegan cheese, shared cutters and whether the vegan option is whole-pie only. |
How do you verify a vegan pizza order?
Use a short script and verify the order at the location, not only in a search result. “Vegan” should cover the crust, sauce, cheese, toppings, finishing ingredients and preparation method. If you have an allergy, say the allergen explicitly because allergy procedures are different from a preference request.
Ask these seven questions
- Is the crust vegan as served?
- Is the tomato sauce vegan?
- Which vegan cheese is currently available?
- Are vegan meats, pesto, garlic butter or drizzles included?
- Is this location offering the vegan pie today?
- Is deep dish made to order or subject to a limited schedule?
- Are cutters, boards or serving tools shared?

How should you plan a Chicago pizza stop?
Choose the neighbourhood before choosing the restaurant. Gino’s East places the classic deep-dish option near the Magnificent Mile and South Loop, while Paulie Gee’s Logan Square is a different kind of vegan-pizza stop. Use the broader Chicago vegan travel guide for route planning, then select the pizza option that fits your day.
Make the pizza meal the anchor
Deep dish is a destination meal, not a guaranteed fast snack. Put the restaurant into your map, allow time for preparation and queueing, and avoid a tight connection immediately afterward. If your schedule includes a timed attraction, a thin-crust or slice option may reduce the risk of missing it.
Keep one backup nearby
Save a second restaurant or a non-pizza vegan meal in the same general area. Menus can change, vegan cheese can sell out and a restaurant may switch to pickup-only service. The wider Chicago vegan restaurant neighbourhood guide helps build that fallback list.
Use official ordering pages
Third-party delivery apps can show stale menus or the wrong location. Open the restaurant’s own menu or ordering flow, verify the address, then check the pickup or delivery estimate. For a longer stay, pair the pizza day with the site’s Chicago vegan meal-delivery guide so one delayed meal does not disrupt the whole itinerary.
What works for groups and allergies?
Mixed groups often do best with a restaurant that can prepare conventional and vegan pizzas together, but the ordering conversation must be specific. Ask whether the vegan cheese is placed on a separate pie, whether cutters are shared and whether the kitchen can manage an allergy. For severe allergies, contact the restaurant directly and do not rely only on a menu icon.

What happened to My Pi and Kitchen 17?
Older articles often recommend My Pi and Kitchen 17, so their current status matters. My Pi’s official website now says “My Pi has closed” after 54 years. Kitchen 17’s official page says it has no current home base, lists frozen pizzas at Sugar Beet Food Co-op, and gives an estimated late-2026 relaunch. Treat it as a historical or frozen-pizza lead, not a guaranteed walk-in restaurant stop.
FAQs about vegan deep-dish pizza in Chicago
Where can I find vegan deep-dish pizza in Chicago?
Gino’s East confirms vegan cheese for its deep-dish lineup, and Sarpino’s publishes a vegan deep-dish option with location-level availability warnings. Check the exact Chicago store before relying on either.
Is My Pi Pizza still open in Chicago?
No. My Pi’s official website currently says it has closed. Remove it from active restaurant plans unless the business announces a new reopening.
Is Kitchen 17 open for regular dining?
No regular walk-in base is currently listed. Kitchen 17 says it has no home base, offers frozen pizzas through Sugar Beet Food Co-op, and is awaiting a relaunch estimated for late 2026. Confirm current availability before planning.
Does Gino’s East have gluten-free vegan deep dish?
Its FAQ says Gino’s East offers vegan cheese and a gluten-free thin crust, but does not offer gluten-free deep dish. Contact the selected location to confirm current details.
Can I get vegan pizza by the slice in Chicago?
Some locations offer vegan slices or flexible thin-crust orders, but availability varies. Paulie Gee’s Logan Square lists vegan-marked items and vegan sausage options; ask whether the current service is Detroit-style pies, pickup, or another format.
How far ahead should I order vegan deep dish?
Ask the restaurant directly. Deep-dish preparation can take longer than a slice, and specialty vegan pies may have limited production windows. Do not schedule one immediately before a timed attraction.
Useful Sources And Verification
Checked 25 October 2026. Official restaurant pages were prioritised for current menu and status claims. Older independent coverage was used only to identify candidates and historical context. Recheck each location, menu, hours, order lead time and allergy procedure before publication updates or travel.
- Rated V Food, Plant-Based Tamika, SolaraStills, and Yelp’s local results were reviewed for deep-dish context, neighbourhood framing, wait-time expectations, and comparison patterns. This guide keeps current official menus and route fit as the decision standard.
- Gino’s East FAQ for Chicago locations, vegan cheese and gluten-free limitations.
- Sarpino’s vegan deep-dish page for the official option and location warning.
- Paulie Gee’s Logan Square menu for vegan-marked items, vegan sausage, and current pickup details.
- Dimo’s vegan menu for current vegan pizza items.
- My Pi official menu page for its closure notice.
- Kitchen 17 menu for current menu and status language.
Next step: choose the Chicago neighbourhood and pizza style first, then verify the exact menu and location directly. Save one nearby backup before you leave your hotel.
