John’s Food & Wine and the Birth of Fast-fancy
At the new Lincoln Park spot, the model of scaled-down service for fine dining has some kinks, but the food is not one.
Custom Placements: Dining Lead
How I Fell in Love With Ballyhoo’s DeNucci’s
Eating at a new restaurant is like going on a first date. If your expectations aren’t met, the match is doomed. But if you keep coming back, it means you feel a connection, maybe love. And so it was with DeNucci’s, from Ballyhoo Hospitality, which runs Gemini across the street and six other spots. Walking … Read more
Bon Yeon Explores the World of Beef Omakase
Sangtae and Kate Park’s third spot honors their native Korea through this traditional dining style.
John Manion Celebrates His Memories of South America at Brasero
The restaurant is slated to open soon in the former Funkenhausen space in West Town.
Jason Vincent’s Pepperoni Salad
January in Chicago brings competing impulses. Our holiday indulgences are over, our pants a little tight, our bodies starved for wholesome things. And yet the long, bitter nights call for comfort. At Pizza Matta, Jason Vincent offers a compromise of a salad: a bracing tangle of greens and crunchy raw veg and seeds, finished with … Read more
Places for Solo Dining and a $50 Meal for Two
Where’s a good place to dine solo? When I eat at a restaurant by myself, my preferred spot is at the bar, and I love the one at Elske in the West Loop. There you can order the tasting menu or go à la carte with the cheese plate, anchovies, and martinis. Another recommendation: Sepia … Read more
The 10 Hottest Restaurants in Chicago: January 2024
The city’s most buzzed-about restaurants this month
Frontera Grill’s Sous Chef Nabs Victory on Chopped
Javauneeka Jacobs won the Julia Child-themed challenge on the Food Network show this month.
Maman Zari Charms With Its Persian Tasting Menu
Iran’s family-style cuisine gets reimagined as a clever tasting menu at Maman Zari.