Chicagoans love their deep dish, and Lou Malnati’s has been serving its cheesy goodness for 45 years. The first Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria opened in Lincolnwood on March 17, 1971, and as their website says, “Lou always thought it was funny that an Italian should open a pizzeria in a Jewish neighborhood on an Irish holiday, […]
The statistics on food allergies in children in the U.S. are startling — and on the rise. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports a 50 percent increase in the number of children with food allergies between 1997 and 2011. That’s one in 13 children in the U.S. (or two in […]
Spring is a time of renewal, and that’s certainly the case in the restaurant world. New restaurants are opening their doors; chefs are reinventing themselves in different venues; and some notable food-based charities are renewing their commitment to raising money for worthy causes. Restaurant Openings The next generation of Lettuce Entertain You partners (R.J., Jerrod […]
Perhaps Oprah says it best, as she shills endlessly for Weight Watchers: “I. Love. Bread.” Oprah, truer words were never spoken. We hear you. We are with you. Carb watchers be damned, because bread is where it’s at. Especially when two thick, crusty slices of it surround gooey cheese, braised meats, crispy bacon and aioli […]
The Bottle Shop celebrated 10 years of business in December, and just like a fine bottle of wine, The Bottle Shop only gets better with age. The Bottle Shop offers a craft beer and wine bar, outside seating and lounge area, gift boxes, wine and beer classes with a professional, and a wine and beer club. You […]
“I’m an English farm boy who passed through many interesting phases and places, on the way to becoming the social caterer in Chicago,” George Jewell declares over tea and English fruit cake in his eclectic and perfectly decorated home in West Town. “It’s a mish mash,” he explains about his home, “but somehow it works. That’s the art […]
The garden is a love song, a duet between a human being and Mother Nature. —Jeff Cox Have you always wanted to start your own garden but been afraid of failure? Like most things in life, gardening is trial and error. Talk to any gardener and they’ll happily admit to killing plenty of plants. It’s part […]
Of course, cookbooks are all about good food, and the best ones are a thrill to read as well as cook from. And then there are the memoirs and novels where food is the protagonist — and occasionally, the antagonist. These books are so evocative, you can taste the words on every page. The best […]
The James Beard Awards are coming back to Chicago this May and three Chicago chefs received semifinalist nods in the Rising Star Chef category. (Jenner Tomaska of Chicago’s Next was named a finalist on March 15.) Here, they tell us what moves them and how it feels to be recognized on the restaurant industry’s biggest […]
There is some drop-dead gorgeousness happening at the very new, very chic Imperial Lamian in Chicago’s River North. This Indonesian import is sure to take the neighborhood by storm; it is the first American outpost for the brand. Named for China’s famed, hand-pulled la mian noodles (made on-site here in the open kitchen by Wang […]
