1. Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
Out of 61 contenders, 17 great new establishments—beginning with familiar but brilliant bar food in Pilsen. Chicago magazine sorts through 317 meals to bring you the top choices.
2. Leitch Across America: Chicago
Sportswriter (and downstate native) Will Leitch begins a journey into the city that loomed over his childhood. Sports On Earth checks in on the city’s pro-sports scene.
3. MMA’s Only Transgender Pro Lets Her Guard Down
As a high schooler, Fallon Fox learned to wrestle in order to defend herself from bullies. Now she’s a pro in a physically brutal sport and a trans advocate. The Chicago Reader profiles the emerging star.
4. Reclaiming Wages a Tough Road for Temp Workers
Local class-action lawsuits shine a light on the growth of the temp industry. The Chicago Reporter investigates wage theft in a booming sector.
5. “Mecca Flat Blues”: Where Modernism Began in Chicago
A new exhibit explores the little-known but groundbreaking apartment building, which was demolished 60 years ago. Gapers Block unpacks the importance of Mecca Flats.
6. Heads or Tails
The great Chicago comics artist Chris Ware follows the path of a penny through the decades. The New York Times’s Sunday Book Review goes graphic.
7. If You Love Street Photography, This New Documentary Is a Must-See
A new movie explores the work of Chicago photographer Vivian Maier—who remains an enigma at its heart. The Atlantic Cities reviews Finding Vivian Maier.
8. Chicago’s Nifty Pilot Program to Fix Our Student-Loan Mess
A local startup invests—literally—in students. It’s an idea that goes back to the work of Milton Friedman. Forbes explains how Education Equity Inc. works.
9. Chicago’s $8 Million Push to Protect Students From Gangs
The principle behind Safe Passage is putting eyes and ears on the street while kids are going to and from school. CNN looks at the extensive program, five years in.
10. In Crime and Economics, Even the Data Have a Bias
Raw numbers don’t guarantee objectivity, since how we gather them reflects our beliefs. Chicago magazine analyzes the analysis.