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City Cast Chicago

Simone Alicea

Chicago has no shortage of icons and symbols — from winning sports teams to inventive architecture to whole music genres. But which is the ultimate icon that represents the city to outsiders and Chicagoans? We created a tournament bracket and are narrowing it down to just one symbol to top them all. Think we got it wrong? <a href="https://chicago.citycast.fm/best/chicago-icon-tournament">Weigh in on the matchups, and let us know what we missed.</a> Good news: <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.com/chicago-sky-vs-indiana-fever-chicago-illinois-08-30-2024/event/0700604D872E0F48">Chicago Sky vs Indiana Fever</a> Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our<a href="https://chicago.citycast.fm/newsletter/"> Hey Chicago newsletter</a>. Follow us<a href="https://twitter.com/CityCastChicago"> @citycastchicago</a>You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246Learn more about the sponsors of this Aug. 29 episode:<ul>
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What’s the ‘Most Chicago’ Thing in Chicago?

The winner of the ultimate Chicago icon bracket is the Sears Tower! 

The Sears Tower beat out the mighty Chicago–style hot dog in the finals. Plus, we think a 

What's the ultimate symbol of Chicago? (City Cast Chicago)

Chicago has no shortage of good bites around town. That’s why we’re highlighting the best new restaurants opening in the city.

At the new Labriola, I was delighted by the candied-orange cannoli and crunchy thin-crust pizza (though deep dish and 

 are also available). Pizza Lobo, meanwhile, has opened just around the corner. Both spots are third locations for the local chains.

 is now open in Lakeview. It recently ranked among the 

gained a fast following in Portage Park. Now, it’s expanded to Bronzeville, on the 

. Fusion highlights include a lamb cheesesteak torta and chicken pastor tacos.

.: “Delicious, fresh made halal food on the Northwest Side. Best biscuit in the city to boot.”


Like its former location inside the Emily Hotel, Bad Butter’s new standalone spot in Bucktown is 

. I tried to skip all that by going on my lunch hour, but alas! This bakery is only open till 2 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Good luck!

From the owners of lesbian hotspot Dorothy comes Fathom, which aims to be a queer neighborhood dive. According to the 

, there are just 36 — yup, you read that right — lesbian bars nationwide. “ So when we see a place like Fathom coming to life in our city, it’s something we ought to celebrate,” 

says City Cast Chicago contributor Anna DeShawn

Replacing Golden Teardrops, a limited-hours bar under Lonesome Rose, Culebra is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The Puerto Rican and Caribbean cocktail bar maintains the speakeasy atmosphere — and adds 

. Opening night was packed, but I managed to snag two delicious daiquiris.

Congrats to 28-year-old owner Diego Garcia-Gonzalez, who spent years bartending upstairs. A Logan Square legend!


You might recognize Schneider Deli as the picturesque, old-fashioned eatery attached to Ohio House Motel. Now, a second location has opened in Lincoln Park. The corned-beef reuben is excellent, though I didn't notice any giardenera kick when I visited opening week.


, this all-day cafe is open to all. It offers coffee, cocktails, and light bites, including a popular breakfast sandwich.


Indgō Mrktō is a new food hall and event space in Pilsen featuring four restaurant concepts: a coffee shop, a multicultural seafood spot, a street food bistro, and a late-night cocktail bar. They’re all by the same chef. And there’s a chilaquiles torta on premises 👀

Crying Tiger has been generating buzz since it opened in the fall — now there’s a swanky cocktail bar in the basement: Kitty’s. The addition marks another step in 

Unsurprisingly, the food at Chubby Skewers comes on a stick. From the folks behind Chubby Cattle, it’s another cook-it-yourself spot.

Oooh Wee! IT IS! Smothered Potatoes Breakfast Bar

Oooh Wee! IT IS!, a popular soul food restaurant that closed in 2024, has a soft reopening Saturday in a new Chatham location. Formerly located on 83rd Street, this new spot is in the old Reggio’s Pizza space on Cottage Grove Avenue. Although it has 

Award-winning bartender and Speed Rack champion Katie Renshaw has opened her own bar — and it’s buzzy. The interior literally glows. The menu, meanwhile, features send-ups of classic cocktails and elevated bar bites. (I’m actually checking Bar Bambi out tonight, so I’ll keep ya posted.)

I’m skeptical of dive bar overhauls (lookin’ at you, Small Bar) but Belmont Tavern seems truly laid back. That’s a feat considering I visited on a jam-packed Friday night. And while cutesy, 

the interior doesn’t feel overly curated.

 It’s naturally eclectic. Extra points for carrying bison grass vodka!

Hero’s sub shop was an institution, and seeing the shack sit empty since 2017 hurt my soul. Now, new life has sprung in the form of Retro Pizza. The take-out only shops serves square Roman slices of ‘za plus coffee. 

. But avoid visiting on school day afternoons or face the mobs of Lane kids — a Hero’s tradition.

Tune-Up, in a former auto body shop, doesn’t 

 live up to the name. Although drink names like Anti-Freeze and Brake Fluid are fun to order, the space, affixed with flittering disco balls and mirrors, leans away from its blue collar roots. However, Tune-Up is bound to turn up — it’s open till 5 a.m. on Saturday nights. Yes, 

Logan Collective is the neighborhood’s newest coffee shop with home-roasted beans and extremely reasonable prices. $3 for a drip coffee? Hell yeah! With a comfy couch and relaxed vibe, it’s also an excellent spot to write a daily newsletter from … On that note, shout out to barista Keillor!

The return of the $10 cocktail. That’s how Radicle, a new bar in Logan Square, is billing itself. And I have to say, it’s quite the hook. Radicle arrives in the former Daisies space — find that 

 a couple blocks away — but the focus really is 

. My favorite was the ESOO, with rye and balsamic olive oil.

Carmine’s, one of Chicago’s most old-school Italian restaurants, has reopened in its original Rush Street location after 

 If you missed the red sauce, you’ll be happy to know Carmine’s 

participating in Restaurant Week. (Pasta, plus an app, salad, and dessert 

If the pared-down name didn’t tip you off, 

 is serving classic brunch in, yep, Portage Park. Located near Milwaukee and Montrose, the opening marks another boost for 

. It comes from two chefs who met working at the popular 

Quesabirria Jalisco Tacos expands beyond in Pilsen

 has opened a location in Chinatown Square, marking its first expansion to the midwest. Naturally, this place is for shrimp lovers (

) but there are plenty of seafood and non-seafood options alike, ranging from shrimp broth noodles to prawn buns to chicken rice bowls.

 opened in Bronzeville in 2019. Now, a third location has come to Lakeview. The menu draws from the owner’s family’s 

, with dishes like Creole fish and honey-butter muffins.

. The latest spot, Black-owned Brûlée, offers a comfort food take. Think fried-lobster-tail-sweet-potato waffles. And don’t worry if you sleep in — Brulee is open till 4 p.m. Non-breakfast highlights include a brisket grilled cheese.

Once the “it” cookie of New York City, Levain expanded to the West Loop in 2022, then River North. Now, there’s a third Chicago location in Lincoln Park. In addition to famously gooey chocolate chip cookies, the chain began offering savory sandwiches and flatbread this fall.

After 15 years in Chicago kitchens, Ecuadorian brothers Enrique and Luis Calderon opened their own, Savanna, in 2018. Now, it’s expanded to four locations. The newest is in North Center on Western Avenue. All serve brunch — working at the former (beloved) Ina’s Restaurant, Enrique earned the nickname 

, New York slices are great on the go. (Sorry, it’s true!) That’s exactly what Chomp Pizza is serving, straight out of a window inside the 18th Street Pink Line ‘L’ station. Portability aside, I hear it’s pretty damn good.

It’s hot pot weather. (Honestly, I’ll take anything hot at this point.) And Tasty Pot, a new Taiwanese spot in Chinatown, makes it extra accessible by focusing on 

 and Canada, but this location on Jefferson Street marks Illinois’ first.

Sourcing tea and coffee from different Asian-owned businesses, HAIBAYÔ is a nexus for Asia on Argyle. The cafe operates within the space of the HAIBAYÔ nonprofit, which aims to bring more visitors into the cultural area. As the name suggests in Vietnamese: “One, two, three, cheers!”

Pilsen brunch hub Azul 18 has opened a second location at 1230 W. Taylor St., bringing Mexican-American flavors to the heart of Little Italy. Azul 18 serves breakfast, lunch, brunch — and, for now, the spot is BYOB. Get your at-cost bubbly on while you can!

It’s all women’s sports all the time at Babe’s, a new rosy-hued sports bar on Armitage Avenue. It’s Chicago’s first sports bar of its kind, featuring eight TVs for game-watching and chile margaritas. Think Sporty Spice.

Andersonville mainstay Marty’s Martini Bar closed in 2024. Now, its former manager has opened his own neighborhood watering hole: Wil’s Martini Lounge. The featured fall cocktail with cardamom bitters sounds especially cozy.

Chicago has no shortage of good places to eat around town. Here are some of the bar, restaurant, and café openings we're watching.

Chicago's Best New Restaurants and Bars

New Spots To Dine & Drink in Chicago

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Chicago. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Chicago Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Emily Mack

May kicked off with a jolt on Friday as Chicagoans turned out to celebrate May Day all across the city. I expect the energy will stay high all month long — a lot is going on!

, true Chicago farmers market season begins in May. Twelve seasonal markets start back up this month, stretching across the city from 95th Street to Uptown. 

Maxwell Street’s Sunday market returns May 17

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is AAPI Month. Here’s how Chicago is celebrating:

 | May 7 | Experimental Station | Woodlawn | Free

 | May 26 | Davis Theater | Lincoln Square

📆 Stay tuned all month long for more AAPI events!

catch “The Sun Never Sets” and director Joe Swanberg

 on May 17. Speakers include Padma Lakshmi, Peter Sagal, Mary Beard, John Waters (!!!), and Rep. Lauren Underwood (14th).

 have already returned to the side of Merchandise Mart. This month, the projection features works by current School of the Art Institute and Chicago Public Schools students. Catch it Thursday through Sunday evenings.

, all eyes are on the Chicago Sky. The Sky’s 

. Meanwhile, White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami is riling fans up with his home-run hot streak. The team recently had its highest April attendance for a non-opener in 19 years. 

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, twice-weekly fireworks return to Navy Pier. Catch them Wednesdays at 9 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 p.m. Chicago’s beaches open May 22. 

 returns to its original home in Lincoln Square. Grab a pint and get ready for warmer months ahead. Prost!

May kicked off with a May Day jolt, and I expect the energy will stay high.

City Cast Guide to May 2026

Your Guide to May 2026 

Everything to know about Chicago neighborhoods: Where to go, eat, shop, drink, and more.

Chicago Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood Guides

Have you been following the news in Chicago this week? Prove it! Take the City Cast Chicago news quiz.

Looking for a previous Hey Chicago news quiz? Find it here.

How closely were you paying attention to this week's current events? Test yourself in our weekly trivia quiz.

Your Weekly News Trivia Quiz

Take This Week's Chicago News Trivia Quiz

What Chicagoans have been wondering. We break down why things in Chicago are the way they are and how they work.

Chicago, Explained

We’re about one week into bridge-lifting season in Chicago. That means all 27 bridges along the Main and South branches of the Chicago River lift twice a week to accommodate boats.

But maybe you already knew that. Maybe you’re a bridge expert. Or maybe you just listened to 

yesterday’s podcast about the (poor) state of Chicago bridges

Think you know Chicago bridges? Test your knowledge!

Chicago Bridges Quiz

 through April 25 — which is coincidentally Independent Bookstore Day! There’s an 

However, our recs on where to find and read books in Chicago are timeless.

City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran is on a mission to hit all of Chicago’s public libraries before 

Chicago’s oldest public branch, Blackstone, looks like it could sit on Museum Campus. It's got impressive columns and a dome with 

The modern Chinatown and Northtown branches

Stretching across the building’s entire facade, Edgewater’s mural nicely frames the library sign. 

Murals at the Merlo, Greater Grand Crossing, Bessie Coleman, and Little Village branches.

Legler Regional is a big, busy branch, and the staff is attentive through all the hustle and bustle. Employees walked Jacoby through the library’s public art and food pantry.

Branch manager Valerie Carter of the Bessie Coleman Branch 💕

Da Book Joint boasts plenty of social events every month. This Saturday, cap off Indie Bookstore Day with 

Indie bookstores are undeniably romantic. Take the fantasy one step further at The Book Cellar with a glass of pinot noir. Their cafe (and patio!) is a longstanding Lincoln Square social hub.

Non-profit Open Books recently closed its Logan Square location (RIP), but Chicagoans can still score great deals in Pilsen and West Loop. The stores sell used books, plus like-new books at similarly cheap prices.

Secret World Books celebrates its two-year anniversary, I want to shout out Owner Gayle Brandeis, who has published nine books. I also know she’s a fabulous writing teacher — she was mine!

🚶🏼‍♀️ Best Stretch: Hyde Park to South Shore

 this Saturday. Each sounds fun, but we think their South Side crawl has it all, hitting 

It’s National Library Week through April 25 — which is coincidentally Independent Bookstore Day! There’s an official crawl across Chicagoland.

However, our recs on where to find and read books in Chicago are timeless.

Where to Read in Chicago

Lincolnwood Town Center shuts down at the end of this month — depending who you ask. I’ve seen posts about the mall’s impending closure on social media, but no official reports. So I went to check things out for myself.

, and Lincolnwood is no exception. After years of rising vacancy, the mall was sold to Prairie Ridge Development and Xroads Real Estate Advisors late last year.

A redevelopment plan is in the works, but Xroads declined to comment on what that might look like. 

Creating a tax increment financing (TIF) district

In the meantime, the Village of Lincolnwood says it’s 

At Lincolnwood Town Center last week, I found a half-empty mall. The food court was cordoned off, with nowhere to get a bite in the entire place (RIP Coffee Beanery).

But a half-empty mall is still half full. Unlike what I saw on an 

, Lincolnwood had foot traffic. The line at Old Navy was 

. Tween boys biked loops near the defunct food court. There was literally a party at Paint-N-Party!

The perspectives of employees ranged. Some were getting ready to pack up. Mulan, a women’s shoe store, looked ransacked thanks to a BOGO deal. It, along with most other shops, will close by the end of the month. Victoria’s Secret and JD Sports plan to stay in business, though workers don’t know for how long.

Old Navy’s general manager said their lease is through the end of the year, and they’ve received no notice to vacate. However, if teardown on the mall begins, she worries about how shoppers will access the store.

That’s not a problem for exterior store Kohl’s, which says it will stay open, regardless of the rest of the mall's fate.

For me, the fate of Lincolnwood Town Center feels personal.

When I was five years old, I got my picture-day outfit from the Children’s Place there and a Skip-It from the toy store across the way. A few years later, my mom was spoiling me at Claire’s. I eventually graduated to Charlotte Russe and Wet Seal. In eighth grade, my boyfriend and I got matching studded belts at Hot Topic. Our squad used to bum around for hours on the uncomfortable blue ribbed chairs of the food court, 

 (plus fries from Great Steak) and watching All-American Rejects videos on the massive TVs. We were just excited to take the Kimball just past the city limits. We didn’t have anywhere else to go.

I loved hanging out at the mall. I think about it every time I shop online. I’ll think about it every time I take the northbound Kimball bus — I wonder what the last stop will 

 without Lincolnwood Town Center. I wonder where today’s 13-year-olds are supposed to hang out.

Lincolnwood Town Center shuts down April 30 — depending who you ask. I went to the mall to check things out for myself.

The End of an Era for Lincolnwood Town Center

The End of an Era For Lincolnwood Town Center

City Cast Chicago staff

It’s been a little over 6 years since recreational marijuana was legalized in Illinois. At the time, Gov. JB Pritzker called it 

the “most equity-centric” legal cannabis law in the country

. The idea was to center people who had been harmed by cannabis-related enforcement, especially Chicago’s Black and brown communities.

the rollout of social equity licenses has been rocky

. But you can support these Black-owned and employee-owned dispensaries to meet your 4/20 needs.

The state’s first-ever queer, Black, Latino-owned dispensary opened in 2024. Sway sources many of its products from Black- and women-owned businesses. You can join their rewards program, 

, for what they call “brownie points.” They are planning on opening in 

Grasshopper Club was Chicago’s first Black-owned dispensary. Founded by a South Side family, they later opened another site in South Loop, which is the dispensary I frequent the most. You can join their Cloud Club loyalty program for perks like member-only discounts and birthday benefits. Chat with “cannicierges” if you need some help looking for something in particular.

This Black-owned and social equity dispensary was inspired by a local market shopping experience. Founded by a group of women, the name celebrates the nation’s first state legalization of medical cannabis in 1996. Join the 

This 100% employee-owned dispensary was opened by a social equity cannabis license recipient. Spark’d opened a location in South Loop in 2024. Their locations in Richmond and Winthrop Harbor are also consumption lounges. They have plenty of events at both, like their Garden Party today at 

There are no consumption lounges where you can smoke flower in Chicago, yet. There are a few outside of city limits.

This majority Black-owned dispensary opened its doors in Bucktown in 2022 and its Logan Square location in 2024. Join their 

 for exclusive perks, like cash-back purchases, and a thank you Tuesday discount.

What’s your favorite Chicago dispensary?

It’s been a little over 6 years since recreational marijuana was legalized in Illinois. At the time, Gov. JB Pritzker called it the “most equity-centric” legal cannabis law in the country. The idea was to center people who had been harmed by cannabis-related enforcement, especially Chicago’s Black and brown communities. 

Celebrate 420 at These Chicago Dispensaries

Michelle Navarro

It’s National Poetry Month, and while you can find 

 in April, poets call Chicago home all year round.

 is a poet, artist, and educator born and raised on the South Side. She is also Chicago’s poet laureate who began her two-year tenure in January.

We talked to del Valle to learn more about how her upbringing in Chicago impacts her work and what makes Chicago’s poetry scene special.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

How does your South Side experience inspire your work?

“My earliest experiences as an artist happened in the house I'm in right now, and down the street from here. Even while I was living away from home, when I left for school, and as my career took me to NYC and LA, I always returned to many of the same themes, moments, and memories. I was gone for so long, but was always coming back, physically and metaphorically. It's just cooked into me! … I think a lot about that young woman who was running up and down 63rd St in the 90's and the things she was looking for. The way she wanted to see herself reflected in something. So I think I write for her a lot of the time.”

“I think there's a sense of community and a commitment to activism here in Chicago that you don't find in many other places. There's an underlying sense here that poetry is meant to be written and shared for a greater good, and people who do this work either know each other or know of each other, because of the level of commitment to building a better world that poetry asks of us. It's an art form that demands truth from the audience as well as the writer, and I think Chicago's scene exemplifies that in a way you don't find in many places. … It's done from a place of love for people, for the city, and from a place of "passing it on" and contributing to the lineage of poetry as a truth-telling tool. I love that.”

What is your favorite poem about Chicago, and why?

. It's just amazing to think it was written in 1914, and it remains one of the best portraits of Chicago. It's beautiful to think that what made the city so special and real back then still stands today. It's unapologetically rough, raw, never pretentious, and always defiant.”

🎤 Poetry events all month long

For more poetry events and to learn more about Chicago’s poet laureate program, check out the 

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)

It’s National Poetry Month, and while you can find a variety of workshops and open mics in April, poets call Chicago home all year round. 

3 Questions With Chicago’s Poet Laureate

What Chicago celebrities, public figures and key citizens have to say about living here.

3 Questions With Chicago Public Figures

3 Questions With

A tournament to crown the ultimate Chicago icon.

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City Cast

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