Maintaining a keto diet while enjoying the social aspect of dining out or satisfying a pizza craving can be challenging. This article explores various keto-friendly dining options, focusing on pizza and restaurants in Chicago and Los Angeles, offering insights into nutritional information and specific menu choices that align with a ketogenic lifestyle.
Keto in a Nutshell
The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that pushes the body to burn fat for energy by restricting carbohydrate intake and depleting the body's natural sugar reserves, leading to a metabolic state called ketosis. Typically, the macronutrient breakdown for keto is 55-60% fat, 30-35% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates, with a maximum of 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. The keto diet is often chosen for weight loss and managing chronic diseases. It's different from general low-carb diets, which allow for a more generous carbohydrate intake (50-150 grams) and offer the option of being high in protein instead of strictly high in fat.
Keto-Friendly Pizza Options
Keto Bro’s Pizza
If you're craving pizza, Keto Bros Pizza is a perfect place. Keto Bro’s one-of-a-kind recipe for a completely gluten-free pizza crust is just 4 net carbs per slice (for the crust).
- Veggie Pizza: Features a signature almond flour and cauliflower crust with mozzarella cheese, house-made tomato sauce, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, olives, and arugula.
- Turkey Pepperoni Pizza: Made with signature flour, mozzarella cheese, house-made tomato sauce, and turkey pepperoni.
Fresh Brothers Pizza
Fresh Brothers Pizza now offers a keto crust with 6g net carbs for a 10” pizza. The crust is made with cauliflower rice, eggs, casein protein, and whey protein.
Nutritional Information of Cauliflower Pizza Crust (per two pieces, one-sixth of the pizza):
- Calories: 110
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fat: 2.5 grams (1.5 grams saturated fat)
- Carbohydrates: 16 grams
In comparison to other crusts offered by Fresh Brothers, the cauliflower crust is a middle-of-the-road option for carbohydrates, equivalent to their deep-dish crust.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
Keto-Friendly Restaurants in Chicago
Finding keto restaurants in Chicago can be time-consuming and intimidating due to the sheer volume of culinary options. Here's a list of Chicago's top keto-friendly restaurants:
Bluebird: Known for incredible meals made from the best local ingredients, with everything made in-house daily.
- Keto/GF Fried Chicken Meal: Buttermilk fried chicken strips tossed with house spices and signature keto flour blend.
- Santa Fe Salad: Roasted chicken, avocado, Roma tomatoes, red onion, white cheddar with greens.
- Mediterranean Salad: Lemon hummus, feta, Roma tomatoes, red onion, and English cucumber on top of mixed greens. Served with red wine vinaigrette.
- Chicken Pesto: Grilled chicken with house-blend special seasoning, fresh baby mozzarella cheese, house-made almond toasted pesto, red onion, Roma tomatoes, garlic aioli, and greens.
Buona Terra Ristorante: Highlights classic Italian cuisine.
- Mediterranean Salad: Vine-ripened tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese. Topped with a red wine vinaigrette.
- Paillard di Pollo alla Grigila: Grilled pounded chicken breast topped with fresh herb sauce. Served over a bed of arugula and topped with fresh mozzarella.
- Melanzana alla Emilia Romagna: Baked and almond breaded eggplant topped with caramelized onions and goat cheese, served with tomato basil sauce.
Eataly Chicago: A restaurant and market in one, with two restaurants to try: La Pizza & La Pasta and Vino &.
- Polpette al Sugo: Beef and pork meatballs, Mutti tomatoes, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Insalata di Rucola: Arugula, Grana Padano, lemon vinaigrette, and Olitalia extra virgin olive oil.
Blue Door Farm Stand: Emphasizes seasonal eating with ingredients that are in season.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
- Sesame Chicken Salad: Watermelon radish, cucumber, carrots, pickled peppers, red cabbage, bean sprouts, and chicken over mixed greens. Served with sesame cilantro dressing.
- Pan Seared Salmon: 8 oz salmon filet with spinach, zucchini, garlic, and shallots.
- Farmstand Cobb Salad: Chicken, bacon, egg, pickled peppers, and bleu cheese over a mix of arugula and romaine. Served with Blue Door vinaigrette dressing.
- AVA Omelet: Spinach, kale pesto, avocado, bacon, green tomato relish, and a mix of havarti, swiss, and mozzarella cheese.
Fittingly Delicious: Provides pre-cooked, pre-packed meals for health-conscious individuals.
- Mediterranean Turkey Burger: Ground turkey, grilled asparagus, grilled red onions.
- Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers: Ground beef stuffed peppers with sautéed carrots, celery, and onions.
- Honey-Glazed Salmon: Wild salmon, broccoli, red peppers, honey, and some seasonings.
Lou Malnati’s: Offers keto-friendly pizza options.
- “Crustless” Pizza: Lou’s lean sausage as the base topped with vine-ripened tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Tango Sur: Showcases Argentine cuisine.
- Ensalada Paisana: House-made fresh mozzarella sautéed with spinach, roasted red peppers, garlic, and olive oil.
- Lomo Relleno: Half slab Argentinian-style filet mignon stuffed with ham and chimichurri. Served with portobello mushroom marsala.
Mable’s Table: Chef Anthony Reyes gives culinary classics a fun twist.
The Purple Pig: Focuses on pork and cheese.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
- Pork Belly: With ginger glaze, carrot, espresso, and frisée.
Keto-Friendly Restaurants in Los Angeles
Los Angeles boasts a variety of keto-friendly dining options:
- Tam O’Shanter Inn: A historic Scottish restaurant in Atwater Village.
- The Lobster: Located in Santa Monica, offering seafood dishes. Keto-friendly meals include grilled fish or meat with low-carb vegetable sides like sautéed spinach or grilled asparagus.
- My Vegan Gold: Situated in the Echo Park neighborhood, perfect for gluten-free and soy-free meals.
- Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse: Offers a traditional churrasco-style dining experience.
- The Smoke House Restaurant: A popular spot among locals and celebrities since 1946.
- Impasta: Keto-friendly place in Westwood.
- HOME Restaurant: A casual American-style restaurant in Los Feliz.
- The Boiling Crab: A casual seafood restaurant where you can order keto-friendly meals.
- Sevan Chicken Rotisserie: In Glendale, specializes in Mediterranean-style rotisserie chicken.
- Mrs. Fish: Provides contemporary Japanese cuisine, sushi, and cocktails.
Nutritional Information: 2 Bros Pizza Cheese Pizza
A slice of 2 Bros Pizza cheese pizza (20g) contains:
- Calories: 240
- Fats: 8g (10% DV)
- Saturated fats: 2g (10% DV)
- Trans fats: -
- Cholesterol: 20mg (7% DV)
- Sodium: 540mg (23% DV)
- Carbs: 29g (11% DV)
- Net carbs: 26g
- Fiber: 3g (11% DV)
- Sugar: -
- Protein: 11g
- Calcium: 250mg (25% DV)
- Iron: 0.5mg (6% DV)
- Potassium: 0mg (0% DV)
- Vitamin A: 180μg (20% DV)
- Vitamin C: 4mg (4% DV)