Ally Marotti

1 month ago | chicagobusiness.com | Ally Marotti

Fewer people are going out to eat at Chicago restaurants and are spending less when they do, as consumers brace for a potential recession. Restaurant operators report that revenue and foot traffic have slumped this year. While the first quarter is always tough for restaurants — people may be trying to eat healthier, pay off holiday debt or are simply hibernating — many operators say this year has been worse than normal. Now, with the weather warming, the crowds aren’t returning like they should be.

1 month ago | chicagobusiness.com | Ally Marotti

Chicago’s street festivals have seen a drop in gate donations. At the same time, the costs to host such events have skyrocketed. While some fests have watched the gate donations dwindle over the past few years, for others, the drop was precipitous. Wicker Park Fest, for example, saw its gate donations plummet 50% between 2023 and 2024. It’s a crisis that for some festivals has become existential.

1 month ago | blog.resy.com | Ally Marotti

Discover restaurants to love. The Hit List The Hit List For all your restaurant recommendation needs, look no further than the Resy Hit List, our monthly list of 10 spots that should be on your radar right now.

1 month ago | chicagobusiness.com | Ally Marotti

In the past three years, Chicago-based restaurant group Roanoke Hospitality has opened four establishments, three of which are in the Loop. Launching a downtown dining spot these days isn’t an outright anomaly, but opening three? Some in the hospitality world would consider that a gamble. Though half a decade has passed since the COVID-19 pandemic turned the usually bustling Loop into a ghost town, recovery has been slow for some restaurants that survived.

2 months ago | chicagobusiness.com | Brandon Raphael Dupre |Ally Marotti |Pawan Naidu

By Brandon Dupré, Ally Marotti and Pawan Naidu May 5, 2025 Looking for fresh ideas for a client dinner or post-workday drinks with colleagues? We've got you covered — plus recs for lunch and even a breakfast meeting option. FOR BREAKFASTCafe Yaya2431 N. Lincoln Ave. If you’re looking for freshly baked pastries and coffee in a unique cafe environment, the recently opened Cafe Yaya is the ideal place for that morning meeting.