Currently browsing West Loop

Hand-Stacked Shawarma, Homemade Falafel the Stars at Crave Kabob

Shawarma stands selling falafel, kabobs and other Middle Eastern dishes are all over the region. But a locally-owned concept – with locations in Skokie and the West Loop – differentiates itself, by hand-stacking their shawarma each day into giant cones that are cooked slowly. Crave Kabob 1521 W. Madison St. 312-600-6800 http://www.cravekabob.com 7240 Niles Center … Continued

Two New Bakeries Get Creative During COVID

With the holidays approaching and most restaurants closed to indoor dining, bakeries seem to be opening at a frantic pace. This week, I visited two new spots in the city where creative pastry chefs are leading the way. Sugargoat 820 W. Randolph St. 312-667-0108 www.sugargoatsweets.com Brite Donuts & Baked Goods Available at Metric Coffee, 2021 W. … Continued

Peruvian Flavors Served At Cabra

  Stephanie Izard is one of the city’s busiest, high-profile chefs. Not only does she oversee several restaurants in Chicago’s West Loop, she’s also an “Iron Chef” on TV and does a lot of charity work. But she recently added a new restaurant to her portfolio – this one more Peruvian inspired – and it’s … Continued

Pizza City USA Tours, Open for Business

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

Roman-style Pizza at Bonci in West Loop

The West Loop continues to be the Wild West when it comes to restaurant development. There are new concepts from out-of-town, right alongside local brands that continue to expand in the area. But one of those out-of-towners is truly special. It’s well-known in Rome, but only recently decided to open its first location in the United … Continued