There are dozens, if not hundreds of taquerias in our region, but what makes one stand out from the other? Homemade tortillas for one; but also a kitchen that takes the time to prepare its fillings from scratch, in some cases, slow-cooking to achieve perfection. At the Blue Star Taqueria & Margarita Bar in southwest suburban … Continued
Chicagoans have been eating mainly three styles of pizza over the past century: tavern-style, deep-dish and stuffed. But it seems the pandemic has unleashed a new wave of pizzerias in the city, with many finding inspiration from the East Coast and giving pizza lovers a chance to try some new slices. Pizza Friendly Pizza (Sicilian) 1039 … Continued
There are few restaurants in Chicago dedicated exclusively to vegans. The problem, up until recently, has been a lack of imagination on menus. You can only eat so many salads and black bean burgers. But a restaurant on the North Shore – open only since January – has put together a creative menu with several … Continued
Baked dough and melted cheese are pretty elemental, and in Chicago, we typically see them in pizza. But they can also form the basis of a classic dish with roots in Turkey and Georgia, near the Black Sea. The dish – khachapuri – is made from scratch every day inside an Andersonville restaurant, where the … Continued
In the Clearing neighborhood – just West of Midway Airport – two best friends have been combining their own recipes, creating a dish so popular in El Salvador, they named their café after it. Pupuseria 6533 W. 63rd St. 773-498-3676
Two Chicago restaurants are serving up a taste of Colombia with their hearty breakfasts and some of the best rotisserie chicken in the city, not to mention arepas that are made from corn that’s ground in-house. El Fogón de Elena 3149 W. Lawrence Ave. 773-267-6893 www.elfogondeelena.com El Asadero Colombiano 4800 N. Central Ave. 773-283-8323
Homemade tamales can be found all over Chicago, sometimes from storefronts, other times from street carts. And with Hispanic Heritage Month beginning soon, I’m going to spend the next couple of weeks taking a closer look at a few of my favorite dishes from Spanish-speaking countries, beginning with Mexico. There’s a husband-and-wife company producing thousands of … Continued
There are dozens of Thai restaurants in and around the city, but a relatively new one that opened shortly before the pandemic is now making some of the best versions of traditional dishes you probably won’t see elsewhere in town. Plus, everything- including the curry paste- is made from scratch. Same Same 2022 W. Roscoe St. … Continued
Paletas are a summertime treat found all over the region, often in Mexican ice cream shops. There are both milk and water-based versions, but there’s so much more than just mango or strawberry. A tiny shop on the city’s Southwest Side produces more than 60 flavors, some completely unique, inspired by the owner’s childhood in Mexico. Razpachos … Continued
After several years of construction and tens of millions of dollars, the landmarked Cook County Hospital building has been reborn as a hotel and food hall. The latter comes as a welcome sight to the hundreds of hospital workers in the Medical District. I sampled a bit from each vendor there. Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall 1811 … Continued
In the wake of the protests following the killing of George Floyd, there has been a surge of interest in supporting Black-owned businesses. In terms of restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries, a website designed by a Richton Park man has become the place for Black-owned businesses in at least a half dozen cities, including Chicago. … Continued