Although I love my job and eating out at all the fabulous restaurants in Chicago, sometimes I need a break. I decided to kickstart the new year in a healthy way by trying out Sun Basket, a meal delivery service that ships quick and easy meals using organic and sustainable ingredients. Find out how you can receive $35 off plus 4 FREE gifts at the end of the post. To be honest, I’ve tried many meal delivery services and have never been completely satisfied. Either the meals are too tedious to make or my ingredients go bad if I don’t use it within a day. With a hectic schedule between work and ch ..read more

Lollapalooza was in the full effect this weekend and we can say it was another amazing year! With 8 stages, and over 170+ bands plus the Windy City’s favorite restaurants in Chow Town, we can understand why it is one of Chicago’s hottest summer fests. People from all ages and walks of life gathered at Grant Park for some fabulous beats, eats, and treats. From hip hop to electronic to indie bands, each stage had your body moving, heads nodding, and hands waving in the air. The all-star line up included artists like Ariana Grande, Chance the Rapper, The Chainsmokers, Twenty One Pilots, and more ..read more

Benihana is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. If you haven’t been, Benihana is known for its fresh food prepared on teppanyaki grills and theatric presentation. It’s not just a meal you’re getting but also a whole dining experience. Hiroaki (aka Rocky) Aoki moved to the U.S. from Japan to pursue the American dream and open his own restaurant. He sold ice cream on the streets of Harlem while studying restaurant management at night. Once he had enough money, he opened his first restaurant on West 56th Street in 1964 and named it Benihana, playing homage to his parents’ café in Tokyo. H ..read more

Fab Happenings: Chicago Food Crawls Book // Author’s Photo: Chamere Orr & Briana DeBolt © A Full Living, LLC // Photo: @fabsoopark I can’t believe it… as of today on 4/1/19 (no April Fools joke!) my book is here! It is with great honor and joy to announce the release of my book, Chicago Food Crawls. I’ve been working on it for a year so it is so surreal this day is finally here. Pinch me now. I’ve lived in Chicago since I was three years old so being able to share some of my favorite restaurants in my hometown has been a dream come true. Chicago Food Crawls (978-1-4930-3769-8 • Paperback ..read more

Fab Happenings: Top 10 Things I Ate/Drank in 2018 by Soo Park // Whole Fish Sashimi at Raisu // Photo: @fabsoopark Eeeeek! I can’t believe January is almost over. I really had plans to get this article out earlier but, you know, life happened. We had a whole lot of sickness going on in our house this month. My little one (@fabfoodbaby) had an upper respiratory infection and I had strep. UGH! And, just when we started to feel better, we both got sick again. Please put us in a bubble. I contemplated on ditching this article but I decided it was better to post late than never because I cou ..read more

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We’re thankful for all the food we’re about to eat especially the PIES! We, (@topchicagoeats) and (@hangry_amy), begrudgingly (sarcasm) tasted pies from all over the city and created this list of their favorites! Any of these pies would be a perfect addition to Thanksgiving dinner or just a special treat for yourself for making it through the holiday. Here are our picks for “Top 5 Pies 2018″… 5. Pumpkin Cheesecake at First Slice Pie Café We’re huge fans of First Slice Pie Café! The seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake is a must with a thick graham cracker crust mixed with ..read more

The crisp, colorful leaves are falling off trees and Chicago temps are quickly dropping. That can only mean one thing…FALL! Fall has always been my favorite season so of course, we can’t forget about all the seasonal treats that come with sweater weather. Here are my “Top 5 Fall Treats”… 5. Pumpkin Pie Le Stan at Stan’s Donuts & Coffee Stan’s Donuts & Coffee introduced their version of a cronut called Le Stan this past spring. Now they have made it even better with the quintessential Pumpkin Pie flavored Le Stan. Flaky layers of this croissant/donut hybrid are dusted in c ..read more

Lollapalooza may be over, but the memories are not. Every year around this time, thousands of music lovers descend upon Grant Park. This past weekend, I joined in on all the fun. As a self-proclaimed music festival connoisseur and foodie, I go for both the music and food.  Compared to some of my favorite music festivals in NYC and LA, Chicago can sometimes fall behind in the food department. However, I was excited to finally see a music fest in my hometown finally stepping up their food game. With so many great food options this year, it was tough to narrow it down to just my top 10. Fa ..read more

Who says suburban restaurants need to be boring or limited to chain restaurants? Downtown Evanston has one of the most vibrant food scenes in the Chicagoland area. From farm-to-table to ravioli and Asian eats, all your cravings are just a stone throw’s away and easily accessible via CTA Purple Line and Metra North Line. I headed out with some of my Instagram friends and checked out a few #EvanstonEats the best way possible… via a walking tour. If you’ve read about the Downtown Evanston Dining Tour 2016, you’ll know walking and stretchy pants are a necessity. TOUR 1: We started TOUR 1 at Farmho ..read more

Chicago’s North Shore Convention & Visitor’s Bureau is celebrating their 10th year of North Shore Restaurant Month. Every year, participating restaurants in the North Shore offer special dining deals for the whole month of February, except Valentine’s Day. Offers include 15% off guest check, FREE appetizer or dessert with a purchase of an entrée, and special prix fixe menus. It’s a wonderful way to try a new restaurant in the area or go back to your favorites. I grabbed a few of my Instagram friends and headed over to some of the restaurants that are participating in #NSRM18 to check ..read more