The recent boom in handcrafted nonalcoholic beverages has produced its fair share of fun experiments with sugar and spice but very few drinks that you’d actually want to sip with food. At Tavernita, the housemade fizzy sodas—including a kicky ginger ale flecked with guindilla and a spa-appropriate blend of fresh cucumber juice, lemongrass, and pure … Read more
Johnny Clark and Top Chef alum Beverly Kim vanished for a while after their short-lived stint at the now-departed Bonsoirée, where the husband-and-wife duo’s attempt at an upscale Korean menu never quite stuck. They’ve resurfaced at a new place in Avondale. Here, they’re putting high-end touches on classic Korean comforts: dolsot bibimbap mixed with savoy … Read more
Yeah, sure, Eataly is impressive. But for old-school Italian goodness, you gotta go west. In 1968, long before Mario Batali came to River North, Naples-born Giuseppe Quercia came to Cicero and landed a job working for Frank Deluca at a neighborhood pizza joint called Freddy’s. The business grew from a place to get thick rectangular … Read more
Too chicken to jump from a plane? Try the next best thing at iFly Chicago, which lifts you off the ground by way of an enormous vertical wind tunnel. Opened in May, the indoor skydiving facility offers an experience somewhere between freefalling, trampolining, and superhero flight training. You’ll suit up, learn hand signals, and then … Read more
The city’s first-ever vodka distillery opened last August, and in just a few short months the West Loop business’s flagship product has become a household name among spirit enthusiasts because of its perfectly smooth taste and its makers’ pledge to use local ingredients. The triple-distilled vodka—made of winter wheat from Kaneville—has a peppercorn sibling and … Read more
Every child of the ’80s needs to take a walk down memory lane and straight into this new Logan Square toy shop. Opened in March by husband-and-wife team Sam Wells and Liz McArthur, this silly store—its official name is Toy de Jour: Vintage, Toys, Arts & Farts—sells a serious collection of nostalgic toys from classic … Read more
Soon after the MCA settled into its home behind Water Tower Place in 1996, monumental sculptures began popping up, adding a dash of the surreal to the museum’s entrance plaza. So far, a dozen artists have been showcased there. In 2005, a car and its camper seemed to crash through the pavement from below in … Read more
This centenarian monthly has long engaged local writers, but a recent redesign claimed the magazine’s cover for contemporary artists. “Our heart is in Chicago, and lately we’ve been wearing it on our sleeve,” says Poetry’s art director, Fred Sasaki. This year, works by Rebecca Shore, Jessie Mott, Lilli Carré, and Kate McQuillen have graced the … Read more
Built around the idea that having a decent sofa to sit on or a place to stow your sweaters shouldn’t break the bank, Lake View–based Wrightwood Furniture stocks well-priced goods in a variety of styles, from French antique to industrial metal to rustic country. Prices hover around $100 for dining chairs and other smaller pieces, … Read more
From its 1960s bar to the collection of salvaged furniture sourced from shuttered spaces such as the Viaduct Theater, this year-old salon is all charm and just a hint of flash. Lead stylist Jamie DiGrazia opened the Logan Square storefront with Tricia Serpe last August. From a menu of 30 services (haircuts from $30, coloring from … Read more
