Gino’s East Becomes First Major Chicago Pizza Chain to Offer Vegan Cheese

Pizza chain Gino’s East—which specializes in Chicago-style deep dish pizza—recently added vegan cheese to its menu. The new option is currently available at the Gino’s East downtown Chicago locations with plans to expand nationwide soon. The chain also has locations in other Illinois cities, as well as Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas, and offers nationwide shipping. Gino’s East added the new vegan cheese option to its menu to offer an animal-free alternative for deep-dish pizza lovers. It is available as a premium topping option for deep-dish and thin-crust pizzas for an additional $5 to $7, but it can also be added to other components of the menu, such as on a salad or sandwich, upon request. The company chose to partner with vegan cheese brand Daiya because it aligns with Gino’s East’s sustainability commitment to reduce its carbon footprint. “Our food team has been working around the clock to finally bring a vegan option to our deep-dish and thin-crust lineup,” the company told VegNews. “We are one of the first major deep-dish pizzerias in Chicago to cut the cheese.” Gino’s East is also currently experimenting with the possibility of adding a vegan meat option for its pizzas and sandwiches.