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STAYCATION REVIEW Sofitel Chicago
Bonjour! If you're like me, you've walked past the Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile (20 E. Chestnut St.; https://www.sofitel-chicago.com/) a million times. You've probably also admired the hotel's unique architecture almost ...
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Taste of Greektown festival returns to Chicago Aug. 26-28
-- From a press release
CHICAGO—Greektown Chicago's Taste of Greektown festival returns for its 32nd year this summer with the city's largest celebration of Hellenic cuisine and culture on Friday-Sunday, Aug. 26-28 along Halsted Street from Adams to Van Buren. The ...
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UpRising Bakery allowed to hold drag brunch, other events
UpRising Bakery—a Lake in the Hills business extensively vandalized after scheduling a brunch event featuring drag performers—will be able to host the rescheduled event and other programs after reaching an agreement with Lake in the Hills ...
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'Dining Out for Life' taking place Aug. 11
The annual event known as Dining Out for Life will take place Thursday, Aug. 11. People can join the Chicago restaurant community in ensuring essential services are available to people living with HIV during the daylong ...
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SAVOR Museum of Ice Cream; Epic challenge; Cafe Sophie closed
After 2 million visitors across seven sold-out locations, the Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) has found its latest sweet spot in the historic Chicago Tribune, 435 N. Michigan Ave. MOIC can be distinguished by its pink ...
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SAVOR Travelle at the Langham maintains high standards
For years, The Langham has been considered one of the top hotels not only in Chicago, but throughout the world, with the luxury stop having stops from Hong Kong to Boston to Sydney. And for years, ...
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Chicago Gourmet reveals 2022 lineup
Chicago Gourmet, one of the nation's most distinguished food festivals, has revealed a lineup of acclaimed chef participants for the 2022 weekend culinary celebration. Founding sponsor Illinois Restaurant Association, together ...
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SAVOR Bird's Eye Bar & Grill; Sweet Mandy B's marks 20 years
Feast while dining among the beasts. Located in the heart of the Lincoln Park Zoo, Bird's Eye Bar & Grill (https://www.lpzoo.org/venue/birds-eye-bar-grill/; right above the venue's gift shop) provides a respite from walking around and seei ...
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Suburban bakery cancels drag event after controversy, vandalism [UPDATE]
After protests, controversy and repeated vandalism, a suburban bakery's planned all-ages drag show/brunch has been canceled, ABC 7 Chicago reported. ...
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SAVOR Kala Modern Greek
Kala Modern Greek (2523 N. Clark St.; https://www.kalachicago.com/) is a charming spot in the heart of Lincoln Park that attracts a mix of residents and workers. ...
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SAVOR Spanish spot Jaleo by Jose Andres
One of the best compliments I feel a restaurant can receive is if it can make items you previously felt indifferent about or even hated seem almost addictive. That was the case with ...
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SAVOR The return of NoMI
Michigan Avenue denizens and shoppers, rejoice! NoMI (800 N. Michigan Ave.; https://www.nomichicago.com/)—the upscale dining destination located at the Park Hyatt Chicago—has reopened after a hiatus of five months. The reopening ...
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Food website: Chicago bakery among top LGBTQ-owned spots in the U.S.
The food website Taste of Home has listed what it feels are the top LGBTQ-owned restaurants in the country—and a Chicago bakery is among the spots. Jennivee's Bakery, 3301 N. Sheffield Ave., "is a queer-owned and ...
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SAVOR VietFive owner Tuan Huynh talks cafe, equity, hot-dog empanadas
Located in an area of Chicago West Loop that includes various restaurants and several fitness venues, VietFive (1116 W. Madison St.; https://www.vietfive.com/) certainly stands out—for all the right reasons. According ...
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James Beard Awards: One Chicago chef wins, Nobody's Darling falls short
On June 13, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2022 Restaurant and Chef Award winners during the live James Beard Awards Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony presented by Capital One at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. ...
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City of Chicago announces complete 2022 Taste of Chicago schedule
-- From a press release
CHICAGO—Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) are pleased to announce the food vendor and entertainment lineup for the 2022 Taste of Chicago, presented by John Deere. Established in ...
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SAVOR Nautical-themed spots Lake House and The Hampton Social; restaurant news
Remember when you had that spacious second lakefront home that you could visit during the summer—dining on seafood and kicking back on those lazy afternoons? Yeah … me neither. However, the Fairmont Chicago has brought the ...
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SAVOR Coco Pazzo: Lunch at a longtime Italian favorite
The River North spot Coco Pazzo, 300 W. Hubbard St., is one of those spots I've always wanted to visit. I had heard some people rave about the restaurant but, for some reason, I never got around to visiting this Tuscan ...
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Queer college salutatorian plans to help community through food
Back in March, Jose Cueva got an unexpected phone call from the president of Kennedy-King College: Cueva's perfect 4.0 GPA meant he would be graduating as salutatorian. "I was in shock; I wasn't expecting that," Cueva ...
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SAVOR Cafe Sophie: Chef Grant talks about his European getaway in the Gold Coast
Chef Danny Grant wants to take Chicagoans (and visitors) to Europe—via his latest spot, Cafe Sophie, which opened April 14. Named after Grant's aunt, Cafe Sophie (a 2,500-square-foot space at 847 N. State St., in the ...
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The Andersonville Wine Walk returns for its 16th year on May 15
-- From a press release
CHICAGO (April 21, 2022) — The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC), in partnership with In Fine Spirits, is pleased to welcome back its annual Andersonville Wine Walk, an afternoon of ...
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Andersonville Farmers Market returns May 11 - Oct. 19
-- From a press release
CHICAGO (April 14, 2022) — The Andersonville Farmers Market (AFM) is pleased to return for its 13th season featuring 30 vendors on Wednesdays from 3 — 7 pm from May 11 — October 19, 2022 on ...
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Out LondonHouse Executive Chef Liz Sweeney talks industry, personal journey
During a recent conversation with Windy City Times, LondonHouse Executive Chef Liz Sweeney revealed several aspects of herself—all coming together to show a complex and open individual. For example, she was quick to flash a smile ...
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SAVOR Michelin-starred restaurants; 'Study of Spring'
Four Chicago restaurants were named first-time recipients of Michelin stars, according to The Chicago Tribune. Those spots are the French-inflected Claudia (with items like squid-ink madeleines), artsy restaurant Esme, the ...
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SAVOR The Lunchroom at SPACE 519: A chic cafe in Streeterville
It turns out that some of the city's best dining spots are inside stores—seriously. There are long-established places like The Walnut Room at Macy's, but there are many others, such as Eataly and Restoration Hardware's Eat: ...
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SAVOR The Kitchen American Bistro: Brunch by the river
Brunch in Chicago has almost become an institution unto itself. Now that things are slowly returning to "normal," people are emerging from their homes—and some are just starting to realize the potentially overwhelming number of brunch ...
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SAVOR Adorn: One of the best restaurants you'll hit this year
In 2021, visiting Adorn Bar & Restaurant (in the Four Seasons, at 120 E. Delaware Pl.) were among the high points in what was a year of turbulence, to say the least. A recent visit, however, ...
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Nobody's Darling named James Beard Award finalist
A month after being named a Chicago-area semifinalist for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Awards, the Black- and queer-owned spot Nobody's Darling has been named a finalist for Outstanding Bar Program. Nobody's Darling will compete against ...
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Chicago Restaurant Week set for March 25-April 10
This year, Chicago Restaurant Week will span 17 days. The 15th annual event will run March 25-April 10, bringing together hundreds of the area's top restaurants that represent a multitude of cuisines. During Chicago Restaurant Week, ...
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SAVOR Hannah's Bretzel
It's time to get Bavarian! Hannah's Bretzel, as you may guess, specializes in pretzel (or, rather, bretzel—the German word for pretzel). (Added benefits are that the bread is organic, whole-grain and free of chemical additives. ...
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Queer-owned spots Nobody's Darling and Big Jones among James Beard nominees
The queer-owned Andersonville spots Nobody's Darling and Big Jones are among the Chicago-area semifinalists for the 2022 James Beard Foundation Awards. Nobody's Darling is a semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program. Big Jones' Paul Fehribach i ...
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SAVOR Aurelio's Pizza
Aurelio's Pizza has a lot of history behind it. Working with the motto "Tell 'em Joe Sent Me" (referring to founder Joe Aurelio), Aurelio's launched in 1959 in Homewood, Illinois. This small storefront had just enough ...
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FireLake Drag Champagne Brunch on Feb. 27
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel spot FireLake, 221 N. Columbus Dr., will host the Drag Champagne Brunch on Sunday, Feb. 27, now at 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Attendees can sip on mimosas and dine on brunch delicacies while dancing along to ...
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Milwaukee 'butter burger' restaurant among James Beard Foundation honorees
The James Beard Foundation announced the six recipients of its 2022 America's Classics Award. A Restaurant and Chef Awards category, the America's Classics Award is given to locally owned restaurants that have timeless appeal and are ...
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Artifact Events hosting Feb. 26 Golden Girls-themed drag brunch
In remembrance of the late and great Betty White, Artifact Events, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave., will host a Golden Girls-themed Drag Brunch on Saturday, Feb. 26. Attendees can enjoy bottomless mimosas, musical drag performances, sketches, photo ...
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SAVOR Rewired's Pajama Brunch
Last year, I visited the Edgewater spot Rewired Pizza Cafe & Bar, 1100 W. Thorndale Ave. for brunch—and was taken by the laid-back vibe of this spot as well as the wide selections of cool food ...
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Andersonville Restaurant Week taking place Feb. 18-27
The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) will host its sixth annual Restaurant Week, a salute to Andersonville's dining scene, on Feb. 18-27. The event returns for dine-in service this year with more than 15 restaurants and ...
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SAVOR Alpana Singh to open fourth restaurant, Alpana
Sommelier/restauranteur Alpana Singh who many also know from her time hosting the WTTW show Check, Please! announced that she will open her fourth restaurant venture, Alpana, in early spring. Located on the corner of State and Pearson street ...
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Chicago Black Restaurant Week running through Feb. 20
Chicago Black Restaurant Week has returned for 2022—and will again be two weeks long, starting today (Feb. 6) and running through Feb. 20. Approximately 200 restaurants have participated during the event's seven years. A few of ...
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James Beard dinner rescheduled for March 15
Chef Cedric Harden—of the River North restaurant River Roast, 315 N. LaSalle St.—will participate in the James Beard Foundation's 2021-2022 Taste America culinary series in collaboration with featured guest Chef ...
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SAVOR Jake Melnick's Corner Tap
Winter in Chicago (and other relatively northern spots) is known for many things—including comfort foods. Well, the River North spot Jake Melnick's Corner Tap, 41 E. Superior St., has it in spades—and it's all delicious. How ...
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SAVOR Uvae
The Andersonville spot Uvae (5553 N. Clark St., and which has the full name Uvae Wine Bar & Fromagerie), unsurprisingly, gets its name from the Latin word for "grapes." And guests might even expect many wine-related ...
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SAVOR Take in the sights (and drinks) at new spot Dusk
Looking for a place to relax after work? Then look no farther than the sleek bar/art space Dusk, at 1518 N. Throop St. a stone's throw from the seasonal Jack Frost pop-up and near the Clybourn Corridor. ...
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SAVOR Boxcar Betty's
Boxcar Betty's (which has two locations—at Ogilvie Transportation Center, 500 W. Madison St.; and in Bucktown, at 1856 W. North Ave.) is among many Chicago restaurants to bring a taste of the South to the city. ...
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Downstate Donuts starts Kickstarter campaign for Andersonville shop
Chicago's award-winning Downstate Donuts, known for its signature line of authentic potato donuts, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to open its first retail shop in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. Since founder ...
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SAVOR Sweetwater Tavern & Grille
The popular Loop spot Sweetwater Tavern & Grille which specializes in contemporary U.S. cuisine, and which is part of the Bottleneck Management stable of restaurants has a lot going for it. First, there are the views of the ...
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Yoshi's Cafe to close permanently after Dec. 12
Yoshi's Cafe, a Northalsted restaurant that specialized in the fusion of French and Asian cuisines for almost four decades, will close permanently after Dec. 12, The Chicago Tribune reported. "Yoshi's Cafe's last day will be Dec. 12th ...
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RESTAURANTS Epic Kitchens Lakeview
By Andrew Pirrotta
In our modern world of instant, online food ordering and delivery, there is really only one problem we encounter: Is there anything we can all agree on? Let's face it: No one wants to place several ...
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SAVOR Mango Pickle offering 21 Days of Thali supper Dec. 3-20
The Indian bistro Mango Pickle (5842 N. Broadway; https://www.mangopicklechicago.com/) will hold its next 21 Days of Thali event Dec. 3-20. Marisa Paolillo and Gregory Bazire the founders and chef-partners of Mango ...
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Local chefs to take part in James Beard series dinner [EVENT POSTPONED]
[This event has been postponed. A new date will soon be announced.] Chef Cedric Harden, of the River North restaurant River Roast, will participate in the James Beard Foundation's 2021-2022 Taste America culinary series ...
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SAVOR Farm Bar
You may not have heard of Farmheads Group, but it should be known that the organization is on a culinary mission. Farmheads which operates Farm Bar Lakeview, Farmhouse Evanston and Brown Dog Farm wants to exemplify responsibility by ...
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Local chef heading sixth annual 'Chefsgiving' for local shelters
For the sixth year running, Chef Bill Kim and Cornerstone Restaurant Group will host Chefsgiving the weekend before Thanksgiving. In partnership with Inspiration Kitchens, Kim and more than 45 Chicago chefs will prepare meals and come ...
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SAVOR Talking with Uvae's Lindsey Anderson
Uvae (pronounced "ooh-vay") is a popular Andersonville restaurant that has undergone a substantial change. Through Dec. 30, there is now a market next door that sells cheese, charcuterie, gift baskets and, of course, wine. (After all, ...
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Ann Sather to serve Thanksgiving dinners in dining room
The Ann Sather Restaurants family is planning to serve dozens of its regular diners a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in its dining rooms. Such dining was unavailable last year because of the COVID pandemic. Chicago Alderman and ...
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Chef Sheldrick Holmes embraces spirituality, authenticity at The Grail Cafe
Officially, The Grail Cafe is a restaurant in the South Loop. But for owner and chef Sheldrick Holmes, one of the few openly gay Black restaurant owners in the area, the cafe is both home and ...
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STAYCATION REVIEW The Gwen
Since opening in 2015, The Gwen, A Luxury Collection Hotel (521 N. Rush St.; https://www.thegwenchicago.com/) has earned plaudits from all over the globe. Some of the most recent honors came courtesy of the readers of Conde ...
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Local chefs holding 'Black Brown Unity Dinner' Nov. 4
Chefs Carlos Gaytan (Tzuco) and Lamar Moore (Eleven Eleven) have announced a collaboration at Tzuco, 720 N. State St., intended to reinforce and champion the unity of Chicago's Black and Brown communities. The collaboration takes place ...
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ATTRACTIONS Pizza pop-up, WNDR, Wrightwood
—Rewired's pizza pop-up: Rewired Pizza Cafe & Bar, 1102 W. Thorndale Ave., is getting in on the Halloween fun by paying homage to classic restaurant chains and "dressing up" as owner Daniel Barat's favorite pizza chain: ...
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SAVOR Lure Fishbar
Recently, I had a biscuit sandwich in the Gold Coast. The item was very good but I'm not sure it was worth the $11 price tag. This was the same feeling my dining companion and I had after dining at Lure Fishbar, ...
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SAVOR Brunch at Cobblestone
Recently, there have been a few restaurants I've visited multiple times—if for no other reason than to see if there is consistency in the quality (especially, if good) or some sort of improvement (if the food ...
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Kit Kat Lounge hosting Kamayan feast Oct. 24
Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted St., in honor of Filipino American History Month, will host a special "diva-infused" Kamayan feast featuring Chef Jordan Andino on Sunday, Oct. 24. Andino is the creative ...
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SAVOR Adorn Bar & Restaurant, take two
The last time I stopped by Adorn Bar & Restaurant—in the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Delaware St. (which was also the first time I went there)—I encountered one of the most innovative brunch menus ever, ...
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Latin Restaurant Weeks taking place in Chicago Oct. 4-18
National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place Sept. 15-Oct. 15, recognizing the many contributions of Hispanic Americans. As an effort to acknowledge the successful influences and cultures of Hispanic Americans, Latin Restaurant Weeks, LLC, will host its ...
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SAVOR Brunch at Wood
"Morning Wood" has returned. This provocative name was given to the brunch service at Boystown/Northalsted restaurant Wood, 3335 N. Halsted St., and it drew lots of people before the COVID pandemic changed the world. However, like ...
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SAVOR Funkenhausen
When it comes to fusion, West Town spot Funkenhausen, 1709 W. Chicago Ave., might be one of the more unusual restaurants. The cuisine here is a mixture of German ...
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NGLCC, Grubhub team to help LGBTQA-owned restaurants
The country's vulnerable LGBTQ+-owned restaurants and bars serving food will find help this fall, courtesy of a partnership formed by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and Grubhub. These small business owners have been among ...
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SAVOR Logan Square restaurant Lardon
As you might guess from its name, Lardon (2200 N. California Ave..; https://www.lardonchicago.com/) takes meat very seriously. Named after a small piece of pork fat or fatty bacon, the Logan Square spot is a carnivore's paradise, ...
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SAVOR Sunny Bowls
Looking for a comforting, healthful option for lunch? Then look no further than Sunny Bowls: Souper Food (theMart, #201.; https://sunnybowls.com/), which specializes in various soups? Part of the food court at theMART (which some also call ...
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SAVOR The Press Room
At The Press Room (1134 W. Washington Blvd..; https://www.pressroomchicago.com/), a lot of patrons may encounter the unexpected. The West Loop restaurant—which is only open Wednesday through Sunday evenings—has undergone quite ...
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SAVOR South Branch Tavern & Grille
Before taking a bite of anything at South Branch Tavern & Grille (100 S. Wacker Dr.; https://www.southbranchchicago.com/), patrons are likely to be impressed. The reason lies in the picturesque views surrounding the spot. Ensconced near some ...
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SAVOR Britches and brunch at The Dearborn
I've had the pleasure of dining at The Dearborn (145 N. Dearborn St.; https://www.thedearborntavern.com/) several times—but it's always been a weekday outing. Recently, I met a friend for Sunday brunch. The results were both expected ...
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SAVOR Smashburger
With hundreds of fast-food restaurants throughout Chicago, it might seem like the last thing the city needs is another burger spot However, the Denver-based chain Smashburger is in the Windy City at a pretty busy location, near ...
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SAVOR Cobblestone Restaurant
It's a case of "better late than never" for Cobblestone (4337 N. Lincoln St.; https://cobblestone-chicago.com/). After selling his Bohemian House restaurant in River North, Cobblestone Restaurant owner Dr. Markus Chwajol—who ...
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Taste of River North cancelled
On July 29, the River North Residents Association, along with theMART and Duff Entertainment, announced the cancellation of the 2021 edition of Taste of River North. The event was slated to take place Aug. 20-21 at ...
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Taste of Andersonville returns Wed., Aug. 11
--From a press release
CHICAGO (July 28, 2021) — The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) is excited to welcome back one of its most popular summer events: the annual Taste of Andersonville on Wed., Aug. 11, 5-8 p.m. This year's ...
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