Springtime and it’s time to shine. Whether we're wasting it, finding it, killing it, or making it, time is a convoluted commodity. But like all commodities, time is worth whatever we're willing to pay for it.
We talk about "spending" time the way we spend money, because we do both the same way. When we spend money, we get something in return. The value of what we get is set by us -- we get to decide what something is worth.
Like our money, our time has a perceived value. The question is: When we spend our time, what are we getting in return? At work, it should be money and professional purpose. At home, it should be love. In relationships, it should be reciprocity, the benefit of the doubt, and trust. Even time spent in service returns spiritual compensation.
Whether you’re a longtime Chicagoan or looking to move here soon (in which case you should call Sophia Klopas and Jason Stratton!), you deserve to spend your time smartly this Spring. Chicago’s dining scene is more delectable than ever in 2023, and we’ve rounded up our best recommendations!
Don’t Miss #1
Pistores Pizza & Pastry – River North
https://www.eatpistores.com
“A husband-and-wife team has returned to Chicago to launch a modern Italian restaurant and cafe focusing on gourmet thin-crust and Detroit-style pizzas. Pistores uses high-end ingredients with spectacular results. Find meatball, sausage & pepper varieties, including items like a tarte flambee.”
Don’t Miss #2
Don Bucio's Taqueria – Logan Sqaure
http://www.donbucios.com
According to Eater: “A few years ago, Chicago’s vegan options were a bit drab when it came to fine and casual dining. Junk food vegans enjoyed their chain restaurants (many international restaurants understood the appeal of cooking without meat and properly seasoning vegetables), but the lineup wasn’t especially eclectic. Rodolfo Cuadros (Amaru, Bloom Plant Based Kitchen) is changing that with his third restaurant. Don Bucio’s Taqueria in Logan Square focuses on delicious veggies and uses chef-driven techniques to produce delicious results. The vegan pastor — which forms a cone out of chopped veggies before roasting on a vertical spit — is an example of the genius involved.”
Don’t Miss #3
Alpana – Gold Coast
https://www.alpanachicago.com
According to Dining In Chicago, “Alpana is the namesake restaurant of Alpana Singh, former host of "Check, Please!" and the youngest woman and first Asian American to become a Master Sommelier. So, it should come as no surprise that what she's offering at her restaurant is "wine-inspired cuisine." Alpana’s website boasts that wine and food are only two parts of a memorable dining experience. Warm and inviting service completes the trinity.
Don’t Miss #4
Boulevard Bistro – Bucktown
https://boulevardbistrochicago.com
According to The Infatuation, “Boulevard Bistro is a new breakfast and lunch spot in Bucktown that’s open seven days a week. Their menu is heavy on egg dishes—with a variety of skillets, omelets, benedicts, and things like huevos rancheros. There are also classics like pancakes and waffles, plus salads and sandwiches for lunch.”
Don’t Miss #5
Le Select – River North
https://www.leselectchicago.com
According to Thrillist, “When two titans of the restaurant industry join forces, would you expect anything less than cherry heering-glazed bone marrow and gilded eclairs the size of an Italian beef sandwich? Of course you wouldn’t. Le Select is the kind of swanky, terrazzo-clad brasserie that looks like New York’s Pastis in its glory days, replete with antique mirrors, arches, and glass from Maison de Verre. It’s all courtesy of the spare-no-expense Boka Restaurant Group, a winning team with more James Beard Awards than Adele has Grammys, and Daniel Rose of New York City’s perpetually buzzy Le Coucou.”
Springtime is the best time for renewal, learning new things, and experiencing exciting flavors, ideas, and people. This year, make it your mission to wine or dine, and spend your time in the most tasty way.
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