Big Delicious Planet Canteen

Place just re-opened. Got the cold brew and the maple scone--both were excellent! Cold brew was nice and strong, maple scone tasted home made with a good pinch of salt. Didn't get a sandwich but the bread made it look tempting. Atmosphere is relaxing, it almost feels like you're outside without as many distractions. Ample seating and outlets, you could easily take a meeting if you needed to, but most people were just there to chat. Make sure you enter the courtyard through Wolcott; google maps wanted me to enter through Hart but I don't think you can

You thought farm to table was over? A prolific cater has given it a new and very hospitable spin Atmosphere — The space soars like a Soho loft, with multiple rooms and outdoor seating for those keen on dining among the flowers. Seating is a mix of rustic and modern; the playlist is chic, and complements the bustle of this farm-to-table cafe. As for service, there is a whole lot of it, with warm personalities led by Tasha hastening this way and that. Noise Level — Low Recommended Dishes — Tuna Melt Recommended Drink — Mint Lemonade, with the mint picked from the adjoining garden Open — Monday thru Friday 8-2:30p

Place just re-opened. Got the cold brew and the maple scone--both were excellent! Cold brew was nice and strong, maple scone tasted home made (my highest praise lol) with a good pinch of salt. Didn't get a sandwich but the bread made it tempting. Atmosphere is relaxing, it almost feels like you're outside. Ample seating and outlets, you could easily take a meeting if you needed to, but most people were just there to chat. Baristas were super accommodating (I was deciding on the stronger cold brew vs the sweeter one). Make sure you enter the courtyard through Wolcott; google maps wanted me to enter through Hart but I don't think you can

I had read an article about this place and they were talking about their breakfast sandwiches on homemade biscuits. I love biscuit breakfast sandwiches so was excited to check this place out, despite only being open on weekdays after 9a, I was able to stop in. Short menu, but the first item listed was a biscuit breakfast sandwich with poblano, onion, and egg (turkey sausage optional add on). Great. I ordered the biscuit breakfast sandwich. They brought out my food, and it was served on an english muffin. So I asked the server, "Wasn't this supposed to be on a biscuit?" And she was like, "We aren't doing that right now". The english muffin looked like a store-bought english muffin, which was doubly disappointing. I have had great homemade english muffins (Spinning J's breakfast sandwich) but this looked like a Thomas brand from Marianos. I asked, "Is this english muffin homemade?" And they confirmed it was not. The space inside is nice! But wow, the menu listed something that wasn't available - kind of a signature item that literally had a local article written about it. And then the person I ordered from didn't note that the biscuit sandwich I ordered weren't on biscuits anymore. Anyway, pretty disappointing to go out of my way for this.

What a sweet little spot tucked away on a side street in West Town. If you haven't gone - you should! My family lives in the neighborhood so I stopped in for some pastries to bring over to their house. Ohhh there were so many choices. Everything we tried was perfect - clearly made with love. The place was jam packed with workers from the neighborhood enjoying home cooked lunches. Each day the menu changes and the variety is endless. Farm to table freshness is so evident. The guy at the counter was super friendly. He was personable and so helpful. He joked that the Pastry Chef went a little crazy and baked everything she could think of. The room looks great. It is spacious, with a ton of seating. They have grab and go items too. The icing on the cake is they have a free parking lot!

I'm so sorry but I MUST say something. I work nearby and have been coming to BDP for about 8 months. I love the idea. The place is great and staff is efficient and well-mannered. The menu is interesting and the snacks/treats are usually pretty good. However, the price they charge for their lunch meals is unjust. They more often than not taste a little bland with only an occasional great meal. Please see attached photo for taco Tuesday today. I paid $12.95 for this meal (with an additional tip of course because the service is great). The tacos were fine and the sides were average at best. I struggle to justify the money it costs for what you get /:

Really have to say I appreciate the welcoming staff. Super nice. Every day they have different specials, which in some ways makes it feel like you're going to a different restaurant each time. Predictably tasty, and they always seem to have healthy veggie & vegan items in addition to meat and sometimes fish. The fish dishes I've had have in fact been quite nice. In addition to the daily specials, they have grab and go sandwiches and salads. I've liked everything I've tried, but do have one complaint. They seem to have some strange issues with keeping things up to temp. While delicious, I've ordered a few hot dishes that were served room temp or 1/2 cold 1/2 warm. Not a huge issue as everything has always been thoroughly cooked, but it's a little disappointing to expect hot and get not hot. That's all! Great place! I really like it, and glad it's so close to the office!

I'm on a mission to find healthier choices for my various meals. I usually have lunch with my mom once a week and knew she would like this place. Its healthier choices and they grown their veggies. It was cute inside as well. I look forward to going back. They change their menu daily as well.

Not bad! Hard to find and you will miss it if trucks are in the way. Had a tuna salad sandwich, small side salad and an Izze. I sat down at noon on a Friday. It was not busy. By 12:15 there was a steady line to the door. I want to come back and take a tour. It's an interesting place. Everything was nice.

Best lunch spot in the neighborhood! Because this is a catering company with a canteen at the front, the menu is always changing up and seasonal. Always fresh and delicious, awesome revolving selection, and I really appreciate how they post the daily lunch specials in advance on their canteen instagram @bdpcanteen. In the summer they use veg straight from their urban garden. Great spot for lunch meetings, too. Desserts are outrageous. Hibiscus lemon tart, triple chocolate brownie that's more like a piece of fudge, amazing cakes and fun pastries. A total gem in this neighborhood for everyone who works and lives nearby.

Amazing place, wish I found it earlier!! Fresh fresh food. Directions on here actually took me to the catering street. It's the next street over.

It's hard to find restaurants that aim very high and 90% of the time hit every single note. Not even Adele does that guys. BDP is one of those restaurants. They've managed to maintain Greenest Caterer in America (http://www.dinegreen.com/find-restaurants) status without making food you have to convince yourself you enjoy. Everything hits at solid choice or above that. Their burgers in summer are one of the best in the whole city. Their Tuna Melt is a CONSISTENT hitter, the Ben Zobrist of sandwiches. The rotating menu of main entrees and snacks all seem to try and make you and them happy. Pride that only comes from love is here. I learned about banoffee here, you can end up eating flank steak on a random Thursday here, you can also get a full breakdown of how to properly recycle just by attempting to throw something away here. Amazingly fresh and broad breakfast options too, made to order and a pre-made options everyday. Many other comments have mentioned the price and I understand their concern, because sometimes the bank account just doesn't agree with the cravings, legit. You have to understand though that anyone who's peeked behind the curtain of American Capitalism has seen something that's both overpriced and harming someone/something. I am old enough to know that we vote with our dollar, and you have to realize that BDP's costs are the cost of creating more life and not destruction. I will end the PSA part of this review by saying if you think increased droughts, stronger hurricanes, the Arctic becoming ice-free or any of the effects of climate change at all will be moved by you saving $1 on the cost of your Tuna Melt you are mistaken. You are mistaking, in a way. Practically speaking their coffee prices and flavor are reasonable and solid, tons of beverage options actually, you can snag some Field Notes here, you have solid salads and sammiches available to-go if need be, it's an oasis in the middle of a manufacturing district, the modern man (and woman's) solution to what Upton Sinclair was hoping we would fix. Also the whole staff, from old school champions like Brett and Martin, to the incredible Kelsea and Jessi, are wonderful. Intelligent, kind, efficient, hilarious, human. Also this establishment is run by a woman and if I have to tell you how important that is you're slipping (you're in the Sunken Place probably). And finally also I have tried to be pragmatic with this review but ended up sentimental because I really think they're doing so much right by making your food choice a matter of the heart so yes, come here and enjoy yourself and your newfound friends and your planet.

Fist bump, chest bump, high five, and an ass slap to Yelp on this one! You'd never know that BDP existed if it weren't for the internet. Hidden among all the warehouses on the Near West Side this place puts together a pretty healthy lunch or coffee option if you're over this way. Mostly known for their catering but the canteen menu has featured lunch options each day, good coffee, and pre-made salads and sandwiches. Perfect for the busy bee who's always doing breakfast or lunch on the fly. It's pretty easy to park and I'm guessing almost never super busy. It's a little pricey but you're paying for fresh made farm to table food that will make you feel justified in spending a little extra scratch.

Used them for a team party at a bar. In addition to the variety of food being excellent, and the flavors delicious, they were extremely easy to work with, positive, and coordinated directly with the venue, saving my team the trouble of being in between.

I just walked over for lunch - what a cute place! Its open 7 - 3 / M - F...I got a tuna melt which is very large and is very good. They had some other things I thought of buying and eating later...I was sort of in a rush so next time. Cute area to eat. I'd recommend this place for breakfast-coffee / lunch.

I sent them an email inquiring about my wedding catering service. I told them my budget is flexible, this is what they replied: After discussing with our wedding and events teams, we unfortunately will not be able to take on your wedding due to that being a busy weekend for us and the travel time for us to get to your venue. What a joke

My eyes have been following this truck and I kept telling myself that I will need to try this place out on a day that I get to work from home, and finally it happened! I worked from home and picked up the tuna melt and the chicken tortilla soup. I have to admit that I doctored it up to add vegetables and hot sauce because that's just how I roll. I could have been starving so it was really good as was the soup. Good recommendation by the girl that made my sandwich on the soup. I like knowing that there's this great spot I can grab lunch from now right near where I live. Prices are reasonable.

I have only purchased their deserts! I have tried the lemon bar-AMAZING, peanut butter cookie-YUMMY, Oatmeal Scotties- TOO SWEET, red velvet cake - OKAY. Unfortunately, today I purchased a very small, dry, hard as a rock, I need a knife to cut it...red velvet cupcake. They must have baked these yesterday and put them in the refrigerator, because it is severely dehydrated and cost me $3. Super overpriced for a $1 cupcake.

We had an amazing outdoor summer dining experience here. Dinner was at sunset, the urban garden had that amazing California sunset glow. It smelled delicious! Such a special place to have a wonderful outdoor summe dinner. It didn't even feel like we were in the city!

I've been to BDP about three times now and I have a feeling I'll become a regular customer. Everything I've tried there is very tasty. Sandwiches, salads etc. Love that you know they're growing it right there in the back. It's a cute shop too. Only points taken off is because 2 out 3 times the staff was not particularly friendly. Professional yes, but a bit cold. No huge biggie though. The price is also pretty high, so prepare for that. Every lunch I get is around $20 it seems. Overall, the rotating unique menu and quality food is great in my book.

This is a great place to grab a quick bite for lunch. My favorite part is that they change their menu daily so you can never get tired of the same items and they always offer healthy options for those that are looking for that.

I went here today for lunch, and I am already trying to recruit friends to go back with me. The canteen has a rotating menu, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, too. I had a slice of portobello, spinach and brie tart with a side salad. AMAZING. I am drooling just thinking about it. I could have polished off the whole giant tart if I had my druthers. I also got a peanut butter and chocolate cupcake. OMG. I think prices are pretty reasonable, considering the high quality and freshness of the ingredients (they also have a garden where they grow some stuff). Cute space, earth friendly policies, friendly service, and most importantly, fantastic food. Definitely will be going back! Oh, and if you have catering needs, they are one of the best companies in town--they cater many high profile gigs.

Was scooting around mad house on Madison and hit my bookmarks. This place came up. Won't find it unless you are heading there. In the middle of the industrial area. Great food.....great lunch food and the women at the front was super nice and friendly. Didn't get her name but great service and food. I went at 2 so it was empty but was told it was packed around lunch time. Cool garden outside

I like getting the daily email with the menu. Great options and they usually list if the menu items are vegan. The soups are incredible and they have good salads in the cooler. The service is accommodating and the seating area is very nice. Just wish they stayed open until 4.

Sorry but bad experience with a bug in my salad so they told that it "wasn't their fault due to being an organic garden." They also refused to refund the price of the salad after they didn't check it for dead large grasshoppers, but offered an exchange at that point my appetite was ruined.

Wonderful new surprise (for us anyway), hidden south of Grand, on Wolcott. Healthy guilt free delicious soups and salads, great paninis, Intelligencia coffee, and to die for bake goods...

A short walk from my office, I find myself checking the BDP Instagram page regularly for their lunch specials. Their paninis are always great (that ham & swiss tho...), the soups are fantastic (not overloaded with high amounts of sodium...v important!), and the hot meals are usually creative & flavorful. It's pricey, but you get a lot for what you pay for. The staff has always been friendly and they'll answer any questions you have about that day's specials.

This place is amazing! It always has a great atmosphere and good food!! The staff are rocks stars as well!!

Fresh, healthy, tasty, menu is always different--what's not to love? I have been here three times, and the first time I just got an entree (which comes with one or two side dishes), and I thought it was pretty good. The next two times, I got a dessert too--a Rosemary caramel brownie and an m&m blondie. While the blondie was good, the brownie was to die for!! I have never tasted flavored caramel before, but it was like a taste of heaven in my mouth. It was rich and filling, and I would love to have one of those again...but the menu changes daily, so I don't know if I ever will. :( The garden in the back provides a nice ambiance if you want to eat outside. Their parking lot is a little random (I always feel like I'm blocking somebody in, so I pretty much get my food and go), but I have always found a spot. You would never know this place was here from the street. Give it a try--you'll probably like it!

Went for the tacos. Bland tacos, bowl of mediocre carrot soup and a coffee was around $19. I can walk there, so I was excited to go. The urban farming hook doesn't do much for me since local and organic can mean a lot of things that are not what you think. You have to read what these terms actually define in the food world. Anyway, for the taste not worth the price. I will go to another neighborhood spot. It might be for you, not for me.

This place rocks with quality food/drink and CUSTOMER SERVICE. Chelsey was wonderful and paid attention to our requests. She was organized and knowlegable about what they can do, what we want and how it will all workout with our schedule. With 30 people at a rehearsal dinner in their "canteen", it was great! the food was out of sight, as the hosts, my wife and i got rave reviews all night AND at the wedding the next day about the great staff, delicious food and sweet drinks. the free parking lot also was a nice feature of this place. Highly recommend hosting your small gathering there anytime of the year.

Love love love big delicious planet!! Thank you for making and serving real food! Everyday new and fantastic options for breakfast and lunch, so good!

Cute place, good coffee, rotating menu. Don't make a visit, however, if you need WiFi. Came in to get a few hours of work done in the morning. Splurged on a latte, got my computer all set up, WiFi didn't work. I asked the employees if there was new password or if they knew of an issue and they said they had "never heard good things about it, it rarely works." Great. This employee asked other team members if I could get the password to another network but was "waiting to hear." When I followed up 10 min later, I got a snarky answer, so figured, not happening and I left. Frustrating experience.

I LOVE how every day there is a new menu. It excites me to no end. I love how when I get there the food is already made, just kept warm and ready to be plated, which means you are in and out. I love the variety (yummy crepes!) and healthy options. This is a welcome lunch choice over greasy fast food garbage which I don't eat anymore. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the portions are very small and don't fill you up.

What a better way to start the day than having breakfast with one of your besties? In charge of finding a place for the latest edition (close to home and to a bus stop) I stumbled upon Big Delicious Planet, and had to stop for a second. Four blocks away from home, and I had NEVER heard about it?!? How was it possible? How could I have missed an eating establishment in walking distance from my digs? HOW?!? I felt like a failure for a little while, got over it, and texted the address to my partner in crime. 412 N. Wolcott, 7:15 am. Turns out, it opens at 7:30 am. Set in the Kinzie industrial corridor, Big Delicious Planet is first and foremost a catering company; this morning they were advertising backstage events for Norah Jones and Alanis Morissettte, just to give you an idea. They are not kidding around. The space is huge, clean, modern and environmental-friendly (they operate a geothermal system), and they grow their own vegetables in an adjacent lot. 40 different varieties, yo. The chards were calling my name when I left around 8:30 am, still glistening in the sun with morning dew. So now. Breakfast is not necessarily their forte since the menu is really limited. Bagels with lox, breakfast sandwiches and pastries are basically all they have on offer, along with Intelligentsia coffee drinks. But the bacon and egg sandwich I had was incredibly satisfying, and served on a pretty delicious bagel. You can season it with any hot sauce you want, ground pepper, pink Himalayan salt, you name it. And the coffee kicks ass ($2.25 for 16 ounces). But lunch seems to be the way to go if you don't have any catering needs (and I wish I had, because from the look of it, their spreads look incredible). They change their menu on a daily basis, and have vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Examples? The specials for today are Spicy Thai Chicken, Panang Curry Catfis, /Curry Eggplant &Tofu with Rice, Cucumber Salad and Vegetable Potstickers. Follow them on Twitter for an up-to-date feed. A wonderful local business that I cannot wait to keep supporting. *Open from 7:30 am to 2 pm during the week only * Easy parking * Catering lunches for 12 people minimum; $14/person + tax, choice of 7 menus

Freshest, most delish, local, organic, on-site garden, clean eats, friendly staff. Wish I lived right next door so I could eat here every day!

In regards to newly opened Canteen: Just started making this a routine lunch stop during the week, and have enjoyed EVERY SINGLE BITE! VERY different menu set-up. Typically two daily entree specials (one meat one veggie,) handful of salads, soups, and sandwiches. It's been fun to try something new every time if I am ordering the entree, and if the entree just isn't my thing that day I know I can always count on the exceptional sandwich selections (today's choice was a Caprese with the FRESHEST Mozzarella!) All in all this addition to an already proven successful and reliable catering company was a savvy business move, and almost feels like a gift to public as it has opened the doors and exposed BDP's great tastes and haute style. One last note... Quality does come with a price. Not outrageous but a slight increase from your otherwise half ass lunch spot.

There aren't lots of lunch choices in the Kinzie corridor, so this is a welcome addition. Unfortunately we arrived (shortly after one) just as they sold their last order of the panini of the day we'd hoped to order. We settled for sandwiches from the cold case. They were fine--similar to what you'd get at Panera--but not fabulous. We also each had soup. Nice (my chicken noodle had a good sprinkling of fresh herbs) but underseasoned. We didn't take anything from the bakery case, but the choices, especially the key lime pie, looked delicious. Another time I might also try the toast with housemade butter and jam. In season, they grow lots of vegetables right next door. That would be fun to see. In the meantime, they're very conscientious about reducing waste. We spent some time reading the detailed signs about what goes into compost and what into recycling.

Breakfast selection is good and fairly wholesome, but it would've been nice if the girl with the tattoos working at the coffee/food counter would have paid more attention to making my food then being on her phone. I'll try this place again and update my review. There is a pretty garden next to the restaurant.

I have only been here once, but am already planning my next trip. Great lunch spot. Our service was just fine. The outdoor seating area faces a small parking lot, but still feels quiet and relaxing. The mini-farm in the back really helps make you feel like it is a special spot. We had Chicken (cooked perfectly) with a side of pesto gnocchi and brie/arugula/fig jam panini. I swear I could have eaten a five gallon bucket of the gnocchi. Yum.

Came in for lunch after searching for vegetarian friendly lunch spots near West Town. I had the poblano pepper and goat cheese enchiladas. It was delicious! This will be one of my new go-to spots for breakfast and lunch. They have daily specials, grab and go salads and sandwiches, and a full coffee bar with Intelligentsia coffee, my fave. The use organic ingredients and have their own gardens. It's located in an industrial-ish area, but there is a small parking lot.

I eat here LITERALLY everyday, the food is super delicious and I have become great friends with the folks working at the Canteen! Can't wait for all of the season summer stuff to come back. However I do wish Michael were still there, he was always so friendly great customer service and all around sweet heart!

Fresh delicious sandwiches, and sweets to die for. Love the chocolate mousse. Simple clean modern seating,and great personable staff. Definitely going to be a regular

I work in the area and regularly visit Big Delicious because of its convenient location. They have great bagels for breakfast and the morning staff is very friendly. The food is a little overpriced, but they generally give you big portions. They always have a vegan alternative and new meal choices daily. Their prepared salads are great too! Ive never tried their desserts but the Cupcakes and Cookies look amazing. I'd recommend this place, but it isnt my favorite option in the area, as it is an expensive option for a lunch.

Great neighborhood spot to have lunch during workweek. Different specials every day. Stuffed poblano pepper & roasted chicken entrees were excellent.

I really wanted to love this place because I love the concept. The space is really cool, and the gardens outside are AWESOME. I wish I could rate those separately, because they deserve 5 stars. And I love that the place is very eco-consious, oh and that it's located in an area totally devoid of lunch options. So yeah, love the premise. The food just didn't deliver. My group ordered almost everything on the menu that day, and only one dish stood out as very good, and that was the lamb curry. The paninis were all pretty bland, without anything beyond exactly what they sound like. My tuna panini was literally just tuna salad on a large amount of bread. No tomato, or lettuce, or fun sauce or anything interesting. And the soup of the day, mulligatawny, was outright bland and not good. We also shared a brownie that was so cold and hard you almost couldn't cut through it with a fork. I will give credit to the peanut butter chocolate chip cookie though - that was the star of the show! I might give it one more try since I'm so predisposed to like this place, but the specials would have to sound really enticing that day.

I discovered BDP earlier this week and have now been there 3 days in a row! I recruited some co-workers to join me for lunch today and all I can say is YES. The eggplant parmesan was to die for and they have Intelligentsia coffee. With a different menu and specialty cupcake featured every day, I can't promise this won't be a daily trip :)

I had lunch at BDP today for the first time. AWESOME. The panini sandwich was terrific and the soup was delicious. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful. So happy they showed up in this 'hood!

I appreciate BPD starting to offer up larger sizes of coffee in the morning, but what I don't appreciate is them pretending to serve Intelligentcia brand coffee when it's clearly not. It's almost as if they pour a different brand of crappier coffee into Intelligentcia bags and "disguise" it. I may be onto something here...

I work right next door to BDP. This place is absolutely delicious, just like the name says. I've had the Cobb salad, Southwestern Steak salad, and the Asian salad, my co workers have had the BBQ chicken, tuna salad, and the turkey club. 5 out of 5. The food is fresh, prepared daily, the ingredients are top quality and the price is affordable. I bring my lunch everyday and always manage to get something from here. They also have a great selection of Vegan, Vegetarian, and hot lunches. I really enjoy walking into the cafe because the atmosphere is very refreshing. I can't wait till they start serving breakfast. Last thing- the espresso is phenomenal, much cheaper than Starbucks for my afternoon coffee. If you work or live within 2 miles of this place I would suggest you try it out!

Big Delicious Planet is a dream come true. They catered our daughters wedding and the rehearsal dinner. The latter held in their own vegetable gardens. It was magical! The food for both events was simply fabulous. And they were the best and most gracious people to work with. I wish I lived in Chicago!