Stories by Lisa Futterman

An upcoming dinner in Glencoe honors recipes from Holocaust survivors. One recipe for a walnut cream cake was a childhood favorite of Steven Fenves, whose family ledger of recipes is in the culinary archives of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. 

Long Grove, Illinois is home to the state's oldest restaurant, The Village Tavern. What was once a watering hole 177 years ago is now a charming spot steeped in history.

The Chicago area’s incredible variety of international restaurants has expanded over the last decade to include a growing number of eateries that serve Central Asian cuisine. Anyone with a taste for hearty, homestyle food and an adventurous spirit can undertake a tour of that cuisine here in Chicago.

“I feel like Chicago is on the brink" of offering more traditional Japanese cuisine and beverages, says Jun-Jun Vichaikul, one of the owners of Konbini & Kanpai, a Lakeview bottleshop that celebrates sake, shochu, and other Japanese spirits.

Looking to switch up your negroni or shake up your spritz? A pair of Chicago spirit makers share the thinking behind their unique liqueurs, which they hope will give mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts new tools to experiment with new and classic cocktails alike. 

Chicagoan Danielle Tubbs runs a Jamaican-inspired cookie company called Tubby's Taste. She shared her story, and her favorite treats, on a recent visit to the Caribbean American Bakery in Rogers Park.

Alex Skrzypczyk and Brian Greene were both busy chefs in the restaurant industry, but the pandemic slow-down gave them a new passion: pickling. 

Chef Lamar Moore of Bronzeville Winery talks about running a restaurant in his own neighborhood and the importance of mentoring young chefs. He also shares his recipe for Tiger Shrimp Ceviche with Ají Limo Leche de Tigre.

Explore the food stalls surrounding the Swap-O-Rama Flea Market in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood, where there are a variety of diverse and sometimes rare Latino foods and flavors.