News Chicago

Verzênay Chicago, a French patisserie and bakery-cafe, occupies a storefront at 2507-2509 N Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Park. The business got its start as a booth at the Green City Market, supplying wholesale to hotels such as The Drake, the Peninsula and Le Meridien, as well as local coffee shops …

Frank & Mary’s Tavern has been pouring drinks at 2905 N. Elston Ave. in Avondale since 1972, a history the bar marks on its own signage as “Est. A Long Time Ago.” The longtime neighborhood dive has recently been refreshed, with the tavern’s Instagram bio noting it “has been given …

Mi Lindo San Jose is a grocery store at 3519 W. Chicago Ave. in Humboldt Park. A sign above the entrance reads “Productos Ecuatorianos,” and the shop stocks groceries and specialty ingredients from Ecuador alongside everyday staples. Shelves carry fresh produce, frozen items such as tree tomato (tomate de árbol) …

Tortorice’s Pizza & Catering serves Chicago-style deep dish and thin crust pizza, along with a gluten-free crust option, from its West Town location at 1746 W. Grand Ave. The deep dish, made with what the restaurant calls a caramelized burnt cheese crust option, is a signature item, alongside jumbo wings, …

LYRIQ Music School runs a studio at 1909 W Byron St in Northcenter, one of two Northcenter locations the school operates; the other is at 1906 W Irving Park Rd. The school offers private and small-group lessons in piano, voice, violin, guitar and other instruments for students from age 5 …

The People’s Cafe is open on Belmont Avenue in Avondale, serving coffee and pastries from the storefront that previously housed Cultura Cafe. The cafe is a partnership between building owner and People’s Cafe founder Mary Sommers and new operators Nicholas McMillan and Coco Wallace. The menu features coffee from Common …

Piece, a brewery and pizzeria on North Avenue in Wicker Park, has served New Haven-style thin-crust pizza and house-brewed beer since 2001 in a converted former roofing and construction building. The menu includes New Haven-style pizzas, such as the Tomato Pie, the White Clam pie and a classic pepperoni pie, …

Offset BBQ serves slow-smoked barbecue at 1720 N. California Ave. in Humboldt Park, near the California Avenue entrance to the 606 trail. The kitchen smokes chicken, pork, brisket and St. Louis-style ribs over an offset smoker, the style the restaurant is named for, and serves the meats by the pound …

Second City Suffering Report, Oct. 31: Boston led 44-25 after one quarter and the Bulls are 1-5; a 20-year-old rookie was the only one in the building who sounded like the season mattered.

Jordan’s Food of Distinction, a full-service event catering company, operates out of 1551 W Thomas St in Wicker Park. The company has been producing weddings, corporate events and private celebrations throughout Chicago for more than 20 years. The business builds custom menus for each event rather than working from a …

The Windsor Tavern and Grill sits on the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Windsor Avenue in Portage Park, a wood-sided neighborhood pub whose marquee carries the motto “Where Friends Come to Meet.” The tavern is run under the name Caruso’s, L.L.C. The kitchen serves thin-crust pizza in 14-, 16- and …

El Tezcal Authentic Restaurant serves Mexican food at 4305 N Kedzie Ave in Irving Park, with a menu built around dishes like al pastor, guacamole, tacos and burritos, according to the restaurant’s website. Among the items listed on the menu are a three-piece taco dinner served with rice and beans, …

Milin Spa, a massage studio at 4163 N Milwaukee Ave in Portage Park, offers a menu of massage and bodywork services from its storefront on the Milwaukee Avenue corridor. The spa’s menu includes Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, Thai massage and hot stone body massage, plus a couples massage option, …

Weather Mark Tavern has anchored the South Loop at 1503 S. Michigan Ave. since 2006, a nautical-themed tavern built of wood, exposed brick and granite near the Field Museum and Soldier Field, according to its official site. The kitchen serves char-grilled half-pound burgers, fish tacos, sliders, chicken wings and baby …

Twisted Shamrock Pub, at the northwest corner of 65th and Central in Clearing, has been pouring drinks for its South Side neighborhood since late 2023. The Irish-style pub serves classic pub fare and cocktails alongside craft and domestic beers, with a private upstairs bar available for parties and group events. …

The latest Second City Suffering Report episode leads with the Bears trading two first-round picks to the Titans for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, plus the Cubs' free agents and the Blackhawks' loss at Detroit.

Thee European Spa, a day spa for men and women at 5927 N Milwaukee Ave in Norwood Park (the business’s Instagram bio places it in Gladstone Park), offers massage, facials, body treatments and nail and waxing services. Massage options include Swedish, deep tissue, sports, hot stone, reflexology, scalp, couples and …

The Menomonee Club, a nonprofit community center founded in 1946, runs its Drucker Center at 1535 N. Dayton St. in Chicago’s Old Town and Lincoln Park area. The organization is marking its 80th year serving area children and families in 2026. At the Drucker Center, the club offers supervised gym …

The Giant Penny Whistle, a tavern and live-music venue at 1854 S. Blue Island Ave. in Pilsen, is open every night starting at 5 p.m. The bar spans roughly 5,000 square feet across adjoining storefronts, with a dance floor, pool table, vintage photo booth and a stage for live acts …

Thairapy Plus Salon & Spa operates at 4247 N. Lincoln Ave. in North Center, offering haircuts, styling and color, keratin treatments, facials, nail services, waxing, brow and lash services, and vegan airbrush tanning. The facial menu ranges from a 60-minute Essential cleanse to a 75-minute Firming treatment that includes red-light …

Taste Food & Wine, a wine and specialty food shop at 1506 W. Jarvis Ave. in the Jarvis Square stretch of Rogers Park, carries wines from around the world alongside craft beer, small-batch spirits, artisan cheese and charcuterie, and handmade chocolates. The shop has anchored the Jarvis Square business strip …

Suncatcher Brewing, a neighborhood pub brewery at 2849 W. Chicago Ave. in Humboldt Park, pours a rotating list of house-made beers alongside guest drafts. The current lineup includes an IPA built with Pacific Northwest hops, a low-ABV Porter with a touch of rye, a Michigan Pale Ale, an Island Lager …

Roscoe Village Pub has anchored the corner of Addison and Leavitt streets in North Center since 2014, run as a family-owned, dog-friendly neighborhood bar. The pub completed a patio remodel that added picnic-style tables, hanging planters, and a brick fireplace area with mounted screens for watching games outdoors. The bar’s …