Written by Elizabeth Deneff.
With her debut novel a few years behind her, author of Catch Her When She Falls Allison Buccola, has her second book out on the shelves. Her most recent novel, The Ascent, was released in May, and it follows the journey of Lee Burton, a young woman who is the only one of her reclusive commune—The Fifteen—that didn’t vanish mysteriously. Twenty years later, Lee has a husband and a young daughter and is desperately trying to put her trauma behind her, which proves to be all the more difficult when a stranger shows up on her doorstep, claiming to be able to give her answers about a past she’s been trying to forget.
Although the backdrop of The Ascent is the beautiful city of Philadelphia, Buccola herself has been a Chicago resident for quite a while. She obtained her JD (Juris Doctor) from the University of Chicago, and currently lives in the west Chicago suburbs with her husband and their two young children. And although Buccola is quite busy a couple weeks post The Ascent hitting bookshelves, she—like many other Chicago residents—makes time for a good meal here and
there. Below, Buccola shares her favorite eats, everything between her favorite snack and her top date spot.
It’s first thing in the morning, coffee or tea? And who does your favorite brew?
I’m a coffee person! I’m in the Western burbs and so are most of my regular places, but we’ve got some good options out here! My favorite coffee spot is Bellbird—they’ve got great coffee and great pastries to go along with it. The almond croissant and the banana tea cake are both insanely good.
For the most important meal of the day aka breakfast, where do you go and what do you order?
Happier Now has my favorite breakfast sandwich. Their ham and cheese bagel is fantastic (smoked cheddar, over-medium egg—really delicious). If we’re going somewhere for breakfast as a family, it’s probably La Grange Breakfast Café for their pancakes!
Are you a grab-and-go lunch eater or a slow sit-down type? What's your place and order?
I’m definitely on more of a grab-and-go schedule these days, and I love Alpine. Friendly, fast, really good subs. Sometimes I can talk my five-year-old into doing a “fancy” mom-and-daughter lunch with me, and we like going to Prasino for that. My favorite thing on the menu is their citrus salmon salad.
Afternoon pick me up? Snack? Caffeine or happy hour? Where is your favorite spot to jump start the evening?
I’m not at too many happy hours these days, but my favorite at-home snack right now is Local Style chips. They’re Chicago-based, and they make chips with Chicago-inspired flavors, like Italian beef and deep dish pizza. I LOVE the hot dog ones. They’re my go-to for an afternoon snack.
Dinner time, what place or meal brings your day to a close the right way?
I really like La Serre in the West Loop as a date night spot. Closer to home, I’m a big fan of the braised lamb tacos from Kama Bistro!
Elizabeth Deneff is a writer living in Lincoln Park. She graduated with both her bachelor's and master's from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She grew up writing stories, some that spanned only a couple pages and others that spanned hundreds. Over the past year, she has rediscovered her passion for writing, and has been searching for outlets for said passion. Coincidentally, she is also a big foodie; she loves going out to eat and trying new things. Being able to write about Chicago cuisine allows her to combine two of her greatest joys, all centered around her favorite city.
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