Beer and wine, Beyond, Food, Parks and zoos, Suburbs and exurbs

Alter Brewing Keeps Flavor Local With Lyman Woods Honey Wheat Ale

On September 8, Alter Brewing and Downers Grove Park District put on their Field to Fermenter event. This precedes the release of a fall staple for Alter and Downers Grove […]

Matthew Bucher /
Beer and wine, Food

San Diego Brewery Ballast Point Comes to Chicago

Earlier this summer, California brewery Ballast Point opened a brew pub in the West Loop at 212 N Green St. It’s the brewery’s second venture outside of its home state; […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Beer and wine, Food, Suburbs and exurbs

Three Takeaways from the Tri-City Craft Brew Festival

On Saturday morning, I climbed aboard an outbound Metra and headed west in search of friends and beer. An hour later I arrived in a strange, exurban land where the […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Beer and wine, Food

Ranking the Summer’s Craft Beer Cruises

Throughout the summer, Entertainment Cruises/Brewfest Partners will host geographically themed craft beer and cider cruises on Lake Michigan. In addition to the chance to sample across three levels of tasting […]

Nicholas Blashill /
Lit, Reviews

Review: Ron Faiola’s Wisconsin Supper Clubs Another Round

Ron Faiola is no stranger to supper clubs, especially those scattered throughout our neighbor state to the north. Wisconsin Supper Clubs: Another Round is his second glossy coffee-table book focusing on […]

James Orbesen /
Food

Do Yourself a Favor and Head to Logan Square’s Boiler Room

Logan Square’s Boiler Room set up shop in 2006 and remains a neighborhood “hidden gem.” Honestly, I’d prefer that it not be so hidden, so I’m encouraging you to drop […]

Tracie Bedell /
Food

The Queen Mary of Ukrainian Village: A Time-Traveling Tavern

It was a cold spring afternoon and we were headed downtown to the theater via Division Street, that razor’s edge between Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village. The boundary used to matter, […]

Kim Campbell /
Food

Learn Something While Drinking on These Chicago Beverage Tours

I love seeing how food and beverages are made. Sadly, the M&M Mars facility on Oak Park Avenue is locked up tighter than Willy Wonka’s and the Vienna Beef factory […]

Tracie Bedell /
Front page

Your Chicago Curated Weekend, 3/24-3/27

Before we get to this weekend’s awesome events, a note on some changes I’ll be making to the Curated Chicago Weekend feature. As you may or may not have read, […]

Zach Blumenfeld /
Food

Lagunitas Beer Dinner

On Thursday, March 10, the Signature Lounge at the 96th (in the John Hancock) will be serving up a four-course dinner from Executive Chef Cardel Reid paired with five beer selections […]

Tracie Bedell /
Food

Beer, Bragging Rights, and More Up for Grabs

Picture of the author

I must be in a drinking mood this week because this sounds like my kind of evening. On Monday, February 29, Parts and Labor is hosting an evening of trivia […]

Tracie Bedell /
Food

Experience Asian Street Food Without a Plane Ticket

February here can be exceptionally brutal, so why not leave Chicago for a sultry, jungle-inspired sanctuary without splashing out for a plane ticket? Chef Won Kim, winner of Food Network’s […]

Tracie Bedell /