Thirty years after opening, the Chicago Diner is still the Windy City's premier vegetarian eatery, now with two locations and a national fan base. In honor of this momentous anniversary, the Chicago Diner is releasing this new cookbook, reflecting the wealth of new recipes, vegetarian and vegan dining sensibilities, and anecdotes from the kitchen of this award-winning foodie favorite.

In an attempt to eat healthier, Mickey Hornick became a regular at a local hippie haunt, the Breadshop Kitchen, where Jo Kaucher baked bread. One day, Hornick quit his job and took a position in Kaucher's...