Make it a Wine Monday: June 1 at City Winery

Michigan wineries pour their best at City Winery on June 1 for one night only. You are invited to enjoy an evening with 24 wineries and 100 premium wines without crossing the border. This second annual Michigan Wines Showcase-Chicago enables everyone to “taste Michigan” with vintages often not even available in Chicago, due to small quantities […]

The 9 Most Gorgeous Chicago Restaurants

Rarely when confronted with a breadbasket do we bother to stop and reflect on our surroundings. But it’s worth putting down the butter knife (just for a minute) to admire the dazzling and innovative design on display in Chicago’s many fine eating establishments. We toured some of the city’s (and the North Shore’s) most beautiful […]

New in Town: Dylan's Candy Bar Sweetens Up Chicago

The Mag Mile is a lot more colorful thanks to the new Dylan’s Candy Bar store, the newest outpost of Dylan Lauren’s (Ralph’s daughter!) über-popular NYC sweets superstore. Of course, there’s a wide variety of candy (think chocolates, gummies, popular nostalgic and novelty sweets and more found in fun, unique packaging), but you’ll also find […]

New in Town: Furious Spoon is Chicago's One Stop Ramen Shop

Chef Shin Thompson is all about flavor at his new fast-casual concept, Furious Spoon. The ramen noodles are made fresh on site and they are tasty and toothsome. Choose from four terrific ramen soups (veggie, shoyu, miso or spicy “furious”), add toppings (poached egg and marinated mushrooms are musts, not to mention the pork belly), […]

New in Town: Bangers & Lace Comes to Evanston

Wicker Park favorite Bangers & Lace has opened a 4,200 square-foot outpost in Evanston on the site of the notorious Keg. It’s a big step up! Aside from a hip and fun remodel, they’ve got 32 craft beers on tap (including local favorite Temperance Beer) and inventive pub food from Chef Jesse Miller. We love […]

Where to Eat: Chicago Dining Guide 2015

Dining out is always a treat—whether you’re grabbing burgers in the neighborhood or celebrating a special occasion at one of greater Chicago’s world-class restaurants. The only problem is: There are so many good great Chicago dining options! Let Make It Better be your guide. We’ve vetted the best restaurants in so many categories—from kid-friendly to […]

James Beard Awards: Dish from Local Winners and Nominees

The James Beard Awards are the Oscars of the restaurant industry. Chefs and bartenders get to walk the red carpet as they step into the national spotlight for the hard work they do every day in the kitchens of the nation’s best restaurants. The award ceremony has traditionally been held in New York, but this […]

Chef Homaro Cantu: Remembering A Culinary Genius

Editor’s Note: Our Digital Media Editor, Laura Levy Shatkin, has been writing about food, wine and spirits for more than a decade. She had the great pleasure of knowing Chef Homaro Cantu as he rose to culinary prominence in Chicago. She experienced his cuisine at his various restaurants, in addition to having had a friendly […]

Do’s and More Do’s: The Tastiest Donuts in Town

There were donuts, then cronuts, now wonuts, oh my! Long gone is the time when Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme ruled the donut scene. These days you can find specialty donuts made of red velvet cake, coated in pistachio frosting, topped with bacon or even filled with coconut crème. With such a wide variety, it […]

From Tête to Tail: The Making of a Successful Restaurant

When Sausage King Doug Sohn closed his eponymous Hot Doug’s last year, Chicago mourned the loss. But fear not; chefs Thomas Rice and Kurt Guzowski are poised to assume the mantle at their West Loop restaurant. And what better place to open a meat-centric boîte than on Randolph Street, where generations of meatpacking companies have […]