Essential Kitchen Cafe

Thank you so much for the nice conversation and the amazing smoothie and food! I'm so happy to have this wonderful blessing at the Centre Club!! I'm very grateful!!! 🙌

A healthy option eating establishment located inside the Advocate Center Club on Hunt Club. Wraps, smoothies, desserts, soups, and more. No membership required. Seating & WiFi available. You can order ahead plus they cater. Small business, big flavor, mom approved.

Absolutely delicious. Everything is fresh and organic. I love that the preparation is done right in front of you. The owner is an amazing guy really great to sit and talk with him. Great energy and amazing juice.

Great little spot in Gurnee. The food is terrific and the staff is really knowledgeable. Wonderful location too, right off 94.

I’m so happy this popped up on my way back to Chicago. You can tell the owner/chef truly cares about health, the prices are good, and the food tastes great. It’s Vegetarian/Vegan comfort meets health innovation.

OMG, Fantastic food!!! Delicious, fresh, and nutritious. Meals to savor and wonderful desserts to please every palate. (Oops, mispelled palate) Essential Kitchen delights can also be found at Kelsey's Roadhouse and Organic Rootz in Barrington. (April 2025)

Amazing!! Googled vegan food near me and this gem popped up. Circled around a bit confused—it was hard to believe that actual China Study-level, nutritionally focused food would be served inside a health club owned by a healthcare organization. What a refreshing glimpse of hope that healthcare could be turning over a new leaf! Wow! Huge kudos to Essential Kitchen for delivering healthy and flavorful food. Consider me thoroughly impressed!

⚡️I’m in town for work and thank god I found this place -100% Organic, oil free, gluten free, plant based, Ayurvedic food - absolutely amazing ! If you want to eat delicious healthy food then this is where you need to go. If you are new on your health journey you. need to know that it is EXTREMELY RARE to find a place like this in America. Go out and support these guys - you will be happy that you did ! ⚡️

Owner was nice and knowledgeable on flavor combinations that work well for my taste palette. Food was very well-balanced in flavor, not too overpowering on any ingredient. Very clean ingredients. I had the fishy sticks and the sun chaser juice 10/10 would recommend!

I tried Essential Kitchen on advice from my Doctor to eat better and specifically to eat a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. Essential Kitchen and Shawn, the owner, were recommended by name. For what must be a year now or more I've purchased a 5 meal per week plan. I've been very satisfied with the food and service provided. Along with regular exercise, it has helped me to remain WFPB, lose lots of weight, and address my health concerns. I'd encourage anyone thinking of eating more healthy to give it a try.