Chicago is famous for Italian beef, hot dogs, cheeseburgers and other carnivorous dishes.

But PETA, the animal welfare group, named Chicago as the country’s most vegan-friendly city, in a news release first shared with the Sun-Times.

“America’s former meatpacking capital is now a paradise for vegan eating with an abundance of animal-friendly restaurants,” PETA President Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement.

To celebrate, PETA will give out free slices of vegan deep dish pizza from Kitchen 17 on Tuesday at noon outside City Hall. PETA will also present an award and a vegan cake of the Chicago skyline to city officials.

Kitchen 17, based near Avondale, offers pizza with seitan pepperoni, soy sausage and vegan cheese made in-house.

PETA highlighted other local restaurants such as mainstays

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