Want to feature
your restaurant
or bar in our
Food or
Wine & Spirits
video?
CLICK HERE
Eataly brings the best of Rome to Chicago.
Eataly brings the beauty of Italian culture and cuisine to Chicago. The enormous eatery off Michigan Avenue is a combination of grocery store and restaurant that Chicago foodies have made into a must-go destination.
People were lined up outside the door when Eataly opened two years ago and it’s not hard to see why. The eager reaction shows that Chicago appreciates unique grocery stores that provide a true “European market’’ experience. The sprawling 63,000 Near North Side building has the feel- and size- of a bustling Italian village. Eataly comes with the high pedigree of executive chef Rob Wing.
Irazu restaurant in Bucktown offers a warm and genuine Latin welcome, yet a relaxed "Pura Vida" experience. Translation: Pure Life. This BYOB Costa Rican place shouldn’t be missed in this lifetime!
Irazu (pronounced ee rah zoo) Restaurant brings exotic Central American cuisine right to Chicago. The Costa Rican eatery has been a staple in Bucktown for more than 20 years. You may have seen it before. The popular restaurant has been featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. And Irazu definitely lives up to its motto, ‘Pura Vida,’ which means ‘pure life.’
CHECK OUT CHICAGO'S
FINEST WINE AND SPIRITS
Chicago has no shortage of places to find remarkable beer. The best of the best, 3 Floyds Brewery, is profiled in this month’s edition. Yes, the fuss over them is legit and completely worth a trip to Munster, Indiana. Read about the granddaddy of Chicago breweries, Goose Island, and learn how they blazed the trail for craft breweries more than 20 years ago. Veteran Beer is a company with a mission: provide opportunities and fulfilling careers to men and women who have served in our armed forces. Founder and Navy veteran Paul Jenkins takes us on a tour of his award-winning brewery and proves that successfully transitioning military vets to a civilian job isn’t impossible.
If a brewery isn’t part of your evening plans, hit up Charcoal Bar – the sleek and modern Asian-designed lounge nestled under Sumi Robata Bar on Wells Street, hard to find but worth the hunt.
IF YOU’RE NOT QUITE SURE WHAT TO MAKE OF FOUR STAR LOUNGE IN LINCOLN PARK.
IS IT UPSCALE AND URBAN OR A LOW KEY WATERING HOLE?
WELL THAT’S THE WAY THEY WANT IT.
The markets have fresh produce and exclusive products, including all-natural sauces created by one of their chefs. There are butchers and even fishmongers to serve fresh meat and fish. Shoppers can explore around the store for the city’s best pastas, breads, and cheeses. Shoppers wanting something sweet can get some of the delectable desserts available, like Tuscan biscotti. There’s even a Nutella bar for visitors with a sweet tooth.
Irazu Restaurant: Central American Cuisine in Bucktown
The restaurant was founded in 1990 by Miriam Cerdas-Salazar. She brings the down home taste of her native Costa Rica to Chicago. The cuisine is typical Caribbean and Latin fare. Rice, tacos and plantains are heavily featured on the menu, but there’s great variety as well. Appetizers include empanadas and pico de gallo.
Diners can select from popular lunch items like the Pepito sandwich, a delicious meal with rib eye steak, black beans, and Lizano sauce. Dinner items include El Tico, steak or chicken, that’s sautéed with onions and peppers. Vegetarian diners can enjoy potato tacos or vegetarian paella with plantains and cabbage salad. Miriam’s favorite dish is the Shrimp Avocado Salad.
There is a new chef in town and her name is Nicole Bayani and she bringing her high end experience to our favorite Logan Square Pub, Scofflaw
