Chicago restaurants

I am one of those people who never knows that to order at brunch, which is why I especially appreciated the opportunity to attend a brunch menu tasting at Frontier. …

On the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day, Charles and I escaped the madness and had a quiet leisurely brunch at The Commons Club at the Virgin Hotel. The Saturday before …

I’ll let you in on a secret. Paris Club Bistro & Bar quietly renovated and rolled out a new menu, and it’s an overlooked gem. I remembered the space as …

Every once in a while I have a meal so outstanding that writing a review proves to be a difficult task. My recent meal at Yum Cha is one of …

  I am slightly embarrassed that it took me to long to make it to the freshly opened Shake Shack in Chicago’s River North. While the doors opened at the …

  The Allis is hands down one of the coolest spaces in Chicago. The rustic mets refined decor includes massive chandeliers, plush velvet chairs, wooden tables, a long marble bar, …

Nomi is an elegant restaurant with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the water tower and Michigan Avenue in the Park Hyatt. Whenever I hear about hotel restaurants, I get a …

Two people. Five Chicago restaurants. One snowy night. Inspired by our Portland food crawl, Charles and I spent a recent Saturday night exploring Wicker Park. We visited a mix of …

On a recent snowy Monday, I met my friends Jocelyn and Soo at The Kitchen, a new restaurant along the Chicago River. The Kitchen has large open space, with a …

Chop Shop is a restaurant/butcher/event space hybrid in Wicker Park. After being invited to check out Chop Shop’s weekend brunch, Charles and I enjoyed a leisurely Sunday brunch, were we …

Range is a charming neighborhood restaurant in one of my favorite parts of Lincoln Park. The menu is comprised of rustic classics like roast chicken, skirt steak, and burgers. I …

Have you picked up on the fact that I love love love Mexican food? My love of eating, and Mexican food, has led to the most exciting thing! My very …

  Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that sneaks up on you, and if you don’t plan ahead it can be nearly impossible to secure a reservation at a …

There are burgers, and then there are burgers that put all the others to shame. The burger at West Loop eatery Au Cheval is legendary (even Barney Stinson would agree). …

SoHo House is a members-only club that recently opened a location in Chicago. While the upper floors of the club are private, the ground level has three restaurants that are …

A leisurely brunch with girl friends, followed by an afternoon spent decorating gingerbread houses – while sipping mimosas sounds just perfect, doesn’t it? The best part was that the Dana …

For a city known for hot dogs, Chicago has certainly been flirting with burgers lately. In the past couple of months Chicago has added two high profile burger joints to …

November 5th marked one year since the sudden passing of culinary legend Charlie Trotter. To honor Chef Trotter and to raise money for the Charlie Trotter Culinary Education Foundation, Charlie’s wife, …

My birthday gift from my husband was dinner at Alinea, the number one restaurant in America/number five in the world. Alinea’s owner/chef Grant Achatz’s is a culinary legend. He has been …

I’ve had a great couple of weeks and I’ve been everywhere from Alinea to Aldi. I celebrated my birthday, and I even spent an overnight outside Chicago (I hadn’t left …

If I told you that some of the best tacos I have ever had were from a little restaurant in Geneva, Illinois, would you believe me? This morning I traveled …

Birthdays are extra special when they land on a Saturday. I decided to treat myself to a rare day off! People are always asking how I write this site, work …

Deca, the restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, is a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner and they recently welcomed Executive Chef Martin Knaubert who previous worked as a chef at The Four Seasons …

The Pump Room at the Public Hotel is celebrating its 75th anniversary. While some hotel restaurants can be sterile and uninviting, The Pump Room, with its gorgeous globe lighting, is …

RPM Italian and Eataly’s La Pizza/La Pasta are two of the most buzzed about Italian restaurants in Chicago. They are similar in many ways. Both are owned by celebrities. Eataly is …

Adamus is one of the new additions to the loop dining scene, bringing life to an area that used to be a little too quiet. Adamus is tucked inside the newly …

Do you have a favorite chef? I am a huge fan of Chef Rick Bayless who owns several Chicago restaurants, and his Frontera line of sauces, salsas, and chips is …

The Taste Talks came to Chicago this year, and I hope that they are here to stay. The 3 day food festival was presented by Mario Batali and was curated by …

See that plate? That stacking is advanced stuff. I am still thinking about how much fun I had at Chicago Gourmet this year. The two day event is a chance to try …

Jeni Britton Bauer is the Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, which has a cult following in the Midwest. When she was 22 she began selling …

Kitchensurfing is a company that brings restaurant dining experiences into clients’ homes. I was thrilled when Kitchensurfing approached me and asked if I would like to try their service and …

The most glorious food event in Chicago has come and gone, and I am still full. Chicago Gourmet is the best of the best. It is two full day of …

Bohemian House is a new restaurant in Chicago’s River North, and I fell hard for the incredible food, and the fact that they are bringing a truly new concept to …

Last week I dined at IPO (short for Initial Public Offering) at the W City Center with 20 of my blogging friends. We were spoiled rotten with mixology demonstrations and …

Dear Chicago, There is a new food truck in town, and it’s GOOD. When I moved to Chicago 6 years ago, food trucks weren’t a thing. Preparing food on trucks …

Cocello is a new-ish Italian restaurant in River North, from the same restauranteur behind Bavettes, Au Cheval, and Doughnut Vault in River North. Located in the old Dillman’s space, Cocell0 looks …

Summer House Santa Monica is the sister restaurant to Stella Barra, in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. The restaurants are connected in the middle by a sweets stand, but they couldn’t be any …

Last weekend a friend from high school was visiting and exploring Chicago since she may be moving here. One of the first questions she asked was if restaurants in Chicago …

  A couple of weeks ago I joined a few fellow food bloggers for a dinner at Tesori, an Italian restaurant in the Loop. Tesori is a sophisticated yet low …

Recently The Palmer House Hilton, one of Chicago’s most famous and historic hotels invited me to meet their Chefs, tour their rooftop garden, and to taste some of their new …