Dining
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Take your Mother’s Day brunch plans up a notchMay 06, 2026 9:53 am - Though it’s getting late in the game to make plans for Mother’s Day, here are some suburban options where you can do brunch (or dinner) and add in some live music, nature, exotic animals, historic surroundings and/or bottomless champagne.
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‘It’s iconic’: Des Plaines officials celebrate plan to repurpose former YMCA facilityMay 05, 2026 1:53 pm - A multimillion-dollar plan to renovate an old YMCA building in Des Plaines that’s become an eyesore since its closure six years ago is being celebrated by city officials and their soon-to-be partners in the project. The city council on Monday unanimously voted to purchase the former Lattof YMCA, 300 E. Northwest Highway, from the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago for $1.85 million.
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Dining out: New limited-time offerings at Portillo’s and Lou Malnati’sMay 05, 2026 10:51 am - Portillo’s is now serving the new Hot and Saucy Italian beef sandwich while Lou Malnati’s is debuting the Italian Combo Beef-Za, both for a limited time. Plus, Geneva Wine Cellar and Tasting Room is reopening under new ownership.
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‘A cozy coffee spot’: Irene’s Café brings family baking tradition to Buffalo GroveMay 04, 2026 1:40 pm - A new café rooted in family tradition is making its mark in Buffalo Grove’s Spoerlein Commons shopping center.
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Candy crush: Long Grove chocolate shop doubles as museum to iconic bridge’s mishapsMay 03, 2026 8:45 pm - Long Grove is well known, notorious even, for the frequency at which the town’s iconic covered bridge has been hit by vehicles too big to pass through. Now local store Broken Bridge Treats is paying tribute to that history with a minimuseum documenting the dozens of mishaps.
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Is Red Lobster’s revamped ‘Endless Shrimp’ deal worth it? A food critic tried it.
May 01, 2026 8:38 am - It’s easy to understand the appeal of Red Lobster’s “Endless Shrimp” special, a promotion in which diners are guaranteed as many shrimp as they can stuff in at one seating. But just how good a deal is it? Some premeal math told us how many shrimp we would each have to eat to make this a bargain: 23.
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Arlington Alfresco returns to downtown Arlington Heights FridayApr 30, 2026 12:49 pm - Arlington Alfresco, the popular outdoor dining zone in downtown Arlington Heights, returns for the season Friday.
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Stir well, slap lightly. Tips for making a mint julep worthy of the Kentucky Derby.
Apr 29, 2026 9:13 am - Horses are poised, bets are on, hats are at the ready and the bourbon is standing by, ready to be poured into thousands of mint julep cocktails. It must be Kentucky Derby weekend.
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Flavors of Mexico: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at suburban bars and restaurantsApr 29, 2026 9:12 am - From margarita specials to tequila pairing dinners to Chihuahua races, there are myriad ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the suburbs.
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Two Brothers Brewing taps apartment developer for big Warrenville projectApr 28, 2026 5:26 pm - Self-described craft beer pioneers, Two Brothers plans to keep their brewing facility where it is, but move their tap house out of an industrial park to front a major road — Route 59 — as part of a larger proposed development in Warrenville.