Anthony Todd

Chicago

Criminal defense atty, counsel at Reed Smith. Food writer @chicagomag. Cocktails. Oysters. Old Books. Catdad. Boyfriend: @rsaeks. [email protected]

Articles

Four Food Fests to Hit This Summer

1 week ago | chicagomag.com | Anthony Todd

It’s finally feeling like summer, and that can only mean one thing: street festivals! Chicago has an abundance of street festivals throughout the city, and while not all of them have interesting food, a lot do. Here are four of our favorite food festivals you need to add to your calendar. Rogers Park Taco CrawlEveryone loves tacos, right? If you want to try lots of them all in one spot, head to the Rogers Park Taco Crawl on July 17.
Four Food Fests to Hit This Summer

1 week ago | l8r.it | Anthony Todd

It’s finally feeling like summer, and that can only mean one thing: street festivals! Chicago has an abundance of street festivals throughout the city, and while not all of them have interesting food, a lot do. Here are four of our favorite food festivals you need to add to your calendar. Rogers Park Taco CrawlEveryone loves tacos, right? If you want to try lots of them all in one spot, head to the Rogers Park Taco Crawl on July 17.
Jimmy Bannos Jr. Will Open Kouklas This Summer

3 weeks ago | chicagomag.com | Anthony Todd

Jimmy Bannos Jr. made his name in Chicago as the chef-owner of Michigan Avenue stalwart the Purple Pig, but since departing the restaurant a few years ago, Bannos has been quiet. But not for much longer — Bannos is preparing to open Kouklas, a Greek spot in Niles (7620 N. Milwaukee Ave.), later this summer. He’s working on the project with his father, Jimmy Bannos, best known for the beloved Cajun-Creole spot Heaven on Seven.
Jimmy Bannos Jr. Will Open Kouklas This Summer

3 weeks ago | l8r.it | Anthony Todd

Jimmy Bannos Jr. made his name in Chicago as the chef-owner of Michigan Avenue stalwart the Purple Pig, but since departing the restaurant a few years ago, Bannos has been quiet. But not for much longer — Bannos is preparing to open Kouklas, a Greek spot in Niles (7620 N. Milwaukee Ave.), later this summer. He’s working on the project with his father, Jimmy Bannos, best known for the beloved Cajun-Creole spot Heaven on Seven.
An Artful River North Restaurant is Coming Next Month

1 month ago | chicagomag.com | Anthony Todd

The combination of fine dining and fine art is not new; there was a time when restaurants bragged about their art collections, and dining beneath expensive paintings was part of the ritual of going to a fancy eatery. Justin Vaiciunas’s new restaurant, LIA, aims to put a dramatic new spin on the interaction of art and cuisine, with all of the fun and none of the fuss. Vaiciunas has one of the most geographically diverse resumes that I’ve seen.
CH Distillery’s Sushi Restaurant Changes Things Up

1 month ago | chicagomag.com | Anthony Todd

For so many food businesses, COVID proved that necessity is the mother of invention. At the West Loop’s CH Distillery (564 W. Randolph St.), this meant an interesting pivot toward, of all things, high-end sushi, and the bar/restaurant’s omakase efforts continue to this day. Now, a bunch of exciting changes are coming to CH’s sushi program, including a new name, new spaces, and a ton of new offerings. CH General Manager Tony Frausto laughs ruefully as he describes his early days at the company.
Ambar Brings Balkan Flavors to River North

2 months ago | chicagomag.com | Anthony Todd

“The idea came from the way we eat in the Balkans,” explains Ivan Iricanin, owner of the newly opened Ambar, a Balkan spot in River North (700 N. Clark St.). “Food is always on the table; as soon as you come, there are appetizers, cheese, cold cuts, and the table is never empty. If the table is empty, the host is doing something wrong and people are not happy!” That’s how Iricanin wants guests to feel at Ambar, which offers an all-you-care-to-eat approach and a robust menu.
Ambar Brings Balkan Flavors to River North

2 months ago | l8r.it | Anthony Todd

“The idea came from the way we eat in the Balkans,” explains Ivan Iricanin, owner of the newly opened Ambar, a Balkan spot in River North (700 N. Clark St.). “Food is always on the table; as soon as you come, there are appetizers, cheese, cold cuts, and the table is never empty. If the table is empty, the host is doing something wrong and people are not happy!” That’s how Iricanin wants guests to feel at Ambar, which offers an all-you-care-to-eat approach and a robust menu.
Proxi Gets a Clearer Description

2 months ago | chicagomag.com | Anthony Todd

I’ll be honest: Until I was chatting with chef Andrew Zimmerman earlier this week, I had never given much thought to how important it was for restaurants to concisely describe themselves. The chef at Sepia and Proxi told me how, for the eight years that it’s been open, he’s had trouble describing exactly what Proxi does. “All of our reviews and interactions with guests are great, and almost overwhelmingly positive,” he explains.
Shaw’s Crab House Celebrates its 40th Anniversary

Mar 19, 2025 | chicagomag.com | Anthony Todd

Yet another Chicago dining icon is celebrating a big anniversary right now — Shaw’s Crab House turns 40 this year. Regularly listed as one of the highest-grossing restaurants in America (in 2022 it was #42), Shaw’s has continued to turn out high quality dishes in a great atmosphere for its entire existence. To celebrate the anniversary, and to learn about what might be coming next for the restaurant, I chatted with Bill Nevruz, one of the partners at Shaw’s.