A Modena awakening, a Chicago tasting, and one very unexpected obsession By: Brenda Storch We sort of slipped into Casa Maria Luigia like we had wandered behind the velvet rope of someone else’s dream. Massimo Bottura and his wife, Lara Gilmore, have built a place that is half country estate, half art installation and entirely its own universe. After a small trip through winding roads, we were welcomed at the gates and escorted in through a patio. We saw celebrated chef Jessica Rosval cooking. She waved at us! Someone pinch me, please, and tell me I am not watching a cool travel show on Netflix.

Not all balsamic is created equal. Some bottles are history in liquid form, while others are simply salad dressing with a marketing budget. If you want to make sure you are bringing home the real thing, especially when it comes to aceto balsamico di Modena, this quick guide will help you spot quality with ease. Think of it as a quick reference guide that makes sense of shelves, labels, and the occasional imposter. 1. Check for the PGI Mark Look for: Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP Confirms it was produced in Modena or Reggio Emilia…

In the middle of Chicago’s ever-changing dining landscape, there’s a corner where memory simmers. Minyoli, a small Taiwanese restaurant in Andersonville, holds on to the stories of the culturally rich juàn cūn, or military dependents’ villages, that once dotted Taiwan and are now slowly disappearing along with their food. Named after the juàn cūn where chef and owner Rich Wang’s family lived, Minyoli traces its roots to the settlements created after 1949, when Nationalist soldiers left mainland China with their families and whatever pieces of home they could carry with them.

In the late 80s, when “Mexican food” in the U.S. was still too often reduced to nachos and margaritas, chef Geno Bahena was in the kitchen doing something far more daring. Bahena helped open Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, two restaurants that redefined the conversation and proved Mexican food could be as nuanced, layered, emotional and intellectual as any cuisine in the world. But this chef’s story begins far earlier, in Guerrero, Mexico. At the age of ten, he stood beside his grandmother as she stirred a pot of mole rojo. Built from 32 ingredients, roasted, toasted, ground, and coaxed together, this regional delicacy was “festive, seductive and impossibly complex.” Mole wasn’t just food; it was memory and ritual, and it became the north star of his life.

River North is having a moment. Heavy hitters like Asador Bastian and intriguing transplants such as Matilda (New York) and Hawksmoor (London) among a few others are breathing fresh energy into the neighborhood. Right in the middle of that buzz, LIA has moved into what I remembered most vividly as the old Bohemian House space (later home to Flora and Fauna), confident, creative and approachable. “Life Imitates Art” isn’t just a clever name, it’s LIA’s guiding principle. You see it in the textured walls, the brushstrokes behind the bar, and the food itself.

The suburbs have entered the chat — and Chicago’s pizza scene might just be better for it. WG Pizzas, the city cousin of North Shore’s mainstay Alex’s Washington Gardens, has opened its first Chicago location — bringing its tavern-style pizza to a city that takes its pies seriously. Tavern-style pizza is known for a thin, cracker-like crust and its signature square-cut slices. Born in neighborhood bars and taverns, this pizza is meant for sharing and it is inherently relaxed: easy to hold with one hand, drink in the other.

At Five O Four in Glen Ellyn, Chef Cristian Orozco Is Turning a Suburban Kitchen Into a Quiet Force When talking about the dining scene in Chicago, it’s easy to overlook the suburbs. But that’s exactly where some of the most thoughtful, quietly ambitious kitchens are taking shape today. Chef Cristian Orozco is living proof that excellence doesn’t always demand a downtown address. Sometimes, it’s tucked behind a construction zone. Sometimes, it’s quietly cooking just west of the skyline. Orozco was born just 10 minutes from the Guatemalan border with Chiapas, in a place where flavors, histories and borders blur.

At Five O Four in Glen Ellyn, Chef Christian Orozco Is Turning a Suburban Kitchen Into a Quiet Force When talking about the dining scene in Chicago, it’s easy to overlook the suburbs. But that’s exactly where some of the most thoughtful, quietly ambitious kitchens are taking shape today. Chef Christian Orozco is living proof that excellence doesn’t always demand a downtown address. Sometimes, it’s tucked behind a construction zone. Sometimes, it’s quietly cooking just west of the skyline. Orozco was born just 10 minutes from the Guatemalan border with Chiapas, in a place where flavors, histories and borders blur.

The 2025 James Beard Awards ceremony wasn’t just a celebration of culinary excellence — it was also a fun, glitzy evening and a good excuse to throw on your Sunday best. Held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the event also cast a spotlight on where the industry stands in a much larger — and much more difficult — conversation. It’s impossible to talk about food in this country without acknowledging the physical, emotional and intellectual contributions of countless immigrant communities. And yet, the backdrop was jarring: headlines blaring anti-immigrant rhetoric, immigration raids sweeping the country.

Something old, something new, and something good is happening in Fulton Market. Taquería Chingón has a new home. After shuttering their Bucktown location in 2024, they’ve taken over the former home of Cemitas Puebla at 817 W. Fulton Market,  and if that name rings a bell, it should. In a gesture equal parts homage and culinary flex, Chingón has added cemitas to its taco menu. For the uninitiated, a cemita isn’t just a sandwich. It’s Puebla on a bun — a sesame-crusted roll, usually stuffed with pulled meat, stacked high with avocado, smoky chipotle, cheese and a wild tangle of the earthy, fragrant papalo (if you're lucky).

At an age when most people are still figuring out the line between ambition and hustle, Chef Ambrocio Gonzalez was quietly building an empire. Now, not even 40, he’s opening his fourth La Catedral Café in River East. I’ve followed Gonzalez's  career for years — from before the original La Catedral in Little Village became a line-out-the-door mainstay, to his expansion across the city. It was never just about feeding people. Ambrocio wove himself into the fabric of the neighborhood, earning every inch of trust and respect along the way.

Walking into Sfera feels like stepping into a Dolce & Gabbana ad—rich tile, yellows, blues, and  greens. Lemons, oranges and  Moor’s heads line the shelves (the heads used to be at the counter, but have been relocated). Sunlight pours through the windows. The first time I went, I thought, someone really cares here. Not in the curated-for-Instagram way, but in the flavor-first kind of way. Everything is made fresh. The focaccia is baked in-house. The soups are flavorful and clearly made from scratch. The offerings are focused, but intentional.  There's the sfincione, a thick-cut Sicilian-style pizza with a golden cheese crust.

Walking into Sfera feels like stepping into a Dolce & Gabbana ad—rich tile, yellows, blues, and  greens. Lemons, oranges and  Moor’s heads line the shelves (the heads used to be at the counter, but have been relocated). Sunlight pours through the windows. The first time I went, I thought, someone really cares here. Not in the curated-for-Instagram way, but in the flavor-first kind of way.

Chef Alfonso Sotelo opened 5 Rabanitos in Pilsen nearly a decade ago, showcasing his take on regional Mexican cuisine. Now in Hyde Park, that same spirit is at the center of the bustling space on 53rd Street — and yes, it’s already packed. The Frontera alum credits his team for making the second location happen — and a true family effort, with his son Fernando now managing the Hyde Park restaurant. Chef Sotelo's menu carries over a few of the standout dishes that made the original a Pilsen favorite, alongside new additions like a fish taco and a crispy fried chicken taco.

Some meals feed your body. Others feed your soul. That’s exactly what’s happening at Taquizas Valdez, a new spot on Irving Park where chef Ivan Valdez isn’t just cooking to feed people—he’s cooking to honor where he comes from. Step inside, and you immediately feel that this place is personal. A mural on the wall tells Valdez’s story—his time in the military, his years in Chicago’s restaurant scene and, most importantly, his bond with his late mother, Rosa, whose dishes were creative and from the heart.

These bundles of masa and meat will keep you going from morning till night

To me, Mexico City is more than just a destination—it’s home. Over the years, the city has transformed, and its culinary scene is now celebrated on the global stage. Yet beneath the international accolades and newfound spotlight, the “City of Palaces” remains the same warm, bubbly friend who invites you to a party every single day. I’m lucky to visit regularly. On our most recent trip, we explored a vibrant mix of old favorites eateries and exciting newcomers. Yes, we’ve already checked off many of the headliners—Pujol, Migrante, Quintonil, Máximo Bistrot.

When I heard NYC taco chain Tacombi was hosting the celebrated El Califa de León as a pop-up in Chicago, I was intrigued—and judging by the lines snaking down the block, I wasn’t the only one. Could the magic of Mexico City’s Michelin-star-worthy taquería be conjured in this fleeting experience? I’d just tried El Califa de León’s legendary gaoneras a month or so ago…