Dining
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Dining out: New spicy sub at Jersey Mike’s, themed dinners, shiitake mushroom tacos and moreDec 03, 2025 6:34 am - Jersey Mike’s Subs has deemed Chicago as a test market for the new “Mike’s Hot Italian.” Plus, there’s a wine dinner at Mockingbird in East Dundee, a 1960s-dinner-party-themed gathering at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights and more.
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Cheers! Holiday experiences popping up at bars, restaurants around the suburbsDec 02, 2025 3:55 pm - If you’re looking to get in the holiday spirit, check out these creative pop-ups bringing cheer to the suburbs.
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Brunchy’s opens in former Panera spot in Buffalo GroveDec 02, 2025 1:20 pm - A new brunch restaurant is helping fuel the revival of a Buffalo Grove strip center near Dundee and Arlington Heights roads. Brunchy’s Pancakes and Cafe, owned by Victor Manuel Soberanis, is serving up American breakfast classics and Mexican cuisine in the spot previously occupied by Panera in Strathmore Square.
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Chili’s and Shake Shack are coming for the Big Mac. Which burger stacks up?
Dec 02, 2025 5:55 am - The McDonald’s Big Mac is more than a fast-food menu item — it’s an enduring symbol of American culture. Which makes it an irresistible target for rival burger-slingers eager to challenge McDonald’s in a very public way. Enter the Chili’s Big Smasher and Shake Shack’s Big Shack.
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Fire + Wine to open in St. Charles in January
Dec 01, 2025 1:23 pm - With wood-fired gourmet pizzas, sharable Italian-style tapas plates, and plentiful pastas, Fire + Wine looks to bring an upscale-casual atmosphere to St. Charles.
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Plans brewing to convert Rolling Meadows’ original firehouse into coffee shopNov 30, 2025 8:45 pm - A shuttered firehouse in Rolling Meadows is set to be transformed into a coffee shop, bakery and community hub, under a tentative deal between the city and proprietors.
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Christmas-themed seasonal pop-up bar opening in Port BarringtonNov 26, 2025 4:29 pm - A pop-up bar inspired by a turn-of-the 20th-century boat captain who delivered Christmas trees to families in need is opening next week in Port Barrington.
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Captive consumers are paying way too muchNov 26, 2025 7:34 am - Even though their leases require airport businesses to charge prices that are competitive with downtown Chicago, it sure doesn’t seem that way. I took the time to look at many items for sale at an airport, and the typical markup is 100% to 300% over industry standards.
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Dining out: Oberweis and The Nutcracker, 7 Brew’s new holiday menu and moreNov 25, 2025 1:22 pm - Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy and The Joffrey Ballet have teamed up on the new Nutcracker Peppermint Swirl, CRISP and GREEN recently opened in Naperville, and 7 Brew and The Original Rainbow Cone have added new holiday menu items.
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The Kate at 318, Bread & Vine now open in Geneva