“U.S. Pizza Cup” from Paulie Gee’s Logan Square If you’ll excuse the alliteration, the pandemic has made plenty of pizza parlors pretty popular, particularly for pickup. But for the last century or so, ordering a pizza in Chicago meant you had one of three options: a round, thin-and-crispy, square-cut pie; a circular deep-dish – chunky … Continued
If you’ve been following my Instagram at all in the past year or so, you’ll see an inordinate amount of pizza. Slices, pies, wedges and all sorts of oven situations. I’m not opening a pizzeria, but rather, building a tour business. My book, “Pizza City USA: 101 Reasons Why Chicago is America’s Greatest Pizza Town” … Continued
(photo: Edouard Pierre) If the tacos al pastor and guac aren’t doing it for you these days, on Tuesday, March 7th, Big Star is bringing back its Sonoran hot dog – for just one day (gee, did they happen to hear The Feed Podcast yesterday by any chance?) It features a Vienna Beef dog wrapped in bacon and … Continued
Story and photos by Kristine Sherred A hookah lounge, a bakery, a cooperative housing center, an arts society, a fashionable sports bar serving alligator. Together, this unlikely consortium calls the few blocks along Milwaukee Avenue, just south of Division Street, home. Like so many Chicago neighborhoods, remnants of the past mingle quietly, if rancorously, as … Continued
I’ve always been a fan of Bill Kim’s soft serve at Belly Shack: the coconut water-infused vanilla, the unique flavors (Vietnamese caramel, huckleberry), but at his newest Urban Belly outpost in Wicker Park, he builds on that momentum, creating two new flavors that blew me away (and have me coming back for more). This is … Continued
Whereas retail boasts sales aplenty after the holidays, restaurants typically suffer low attendance – not to mention worn-out staff whose vacation (if such a respite exists) lasts a few short days in January. Restaurant Week, running from Friday, January 22 through Thursday, February 4, aims to ameliorate a typically quiet two weeks with prix-fixe feasts across … Continued
Inspired by a Texan sojourn and swayed by loyal regulars, BBQ master Charlie McKenna is finally bringing brisket to Lillie’s Q. Why the wait? He wanted the lesser-known tri-tip, a leaner, boneless sirloin cut from the bottom half of the animal, to earn his signature mark. “As a chef I am always looking to cook new dishes and try new procedures,” said McKenna. … Continued
Spanish food and drink are enjoying a resurgence in Chicago, and we’re not talking about tapas bars. That “small plates” concept is certainly still around, but we’ve now entered the next phase of Spanish dining in the city: food and drink from regions like the Basque country and Catalonia.
During the early part of the 20th Century, as Chicago’s ethnic enclaves continued to settle into their respective landing zones, The Polish Triangle – at the nexus of Ashland, Division and Milwaukee – was a hub of ex-pat activity. Sadly, most of their descendants have moved well beyond that original settlement, to the Northwest and … Continued
You can eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and while the recipe will change slightly (with or without collards in the middle, delicata or butternut squash) the basic dish is pretty much intact: steamed sweet corn tamal, sour cream-infused scrambled eggs, sofrito of tomato, onions and banana peppers. Sound good? Trust me, it’s Something … Continued
Slow-roasted ribs will be the star of the birthday celebration. A Wicker Park barbecue joint is celebrating two decades of bringing Southern flavors to Chicago the way it knows best – by combining good food with good company. From May 15th to May 17th, The Smoke Daddy (1804 W. Division St.) will host a 20th birthday party … Continued