—It’s an honor: Congrats go to all the 2026 Jean Banchet Award winners—and bravo to all the attendees who braved the wintry conditions!

John Manion (Brasero; El Che) was named Chef of the Year while Indienne was Restaurant of the Year. Feld received two awards (Best New Restaurant and Best Hospitality) while Mahari was named Best Neighborhood Restaurant and The Alston won the Best Design award. Gene & Georgetti received the Iconic Restaurant of the Year and Grant Achatz received the Culinary Excellence Award; both of these recipients were named before the ceremony.

—Amazon overhaul: Amazon plans to close its Fresh and Go brick-and-mortar chains, CNBC reported.

However, the company intends to open more than 100 new Whole Foods locations over the next few years. It will also expand its line of Whole Foods Daily Shops—mini-markets that offer a smaller assortment of grocery items. In December 2025, Amazon received approval from local officials in Orland Park to construct a big-box store that would offer groceries, household essentials and general merchandise. (BTW, this new store will be a one-story, 229,000-square-foot building, making it larger than a Walmart Supercenter.)

—Melting ICE: Local restaurants supported the Jan. 30 protest event “ICE Out,” which served as a criticism/rebuttal of the tactics of immigration and border agents in Minneapolis.

For example, in memory of those who have died on the streets of this country and while in custody at ICE facilities, and in solidarity with immigrant communities, The Fish Guydonated 100% of its profits to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Also, restaurants such as Nettare issued statements of solidarity even if they didn’t close, and Boka Restaurant Group announced it would donate $50,000 to ICIRR and the National Immigration Law Center.

And make no mistake: This was a nationwide movement. For example, almost 20 restaurants and coffee shops across Denver closed Jan. 30, per The Denver Post.

—Cool offer: The Cookie Bar by Summer House in Streeterville is offering hot drip coffee priced at the day’s temperature at 8 a.m.—with any purchase. For example, if the temperature is 8°F, the coffee will cost just eight cents with the purchase of any cookie, soft serve, sundae or other item. If the temperature drops below zero, the coffee is free with any purchase. Hot drip coffee may be purchased on its own at any time at its regular price of $2.95, plus tax.

—Taste of Ravenswood returns for an evening of culinary delights from local restaurants and businesses around the neighborhood on Friday, Feb. 6, 7:30-10 p.m., at the Ravenswood Events Center.

Hosted by the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce (GRCC), Taste of Ravenswood brings the neighborhood’s top restaurants, brewers, and spirit makers together for a one-night-only experience. Among other things, attendees will explore a private collection of vintage neon signs and classic cars while admiring florals from The Flower Girl Company. Businesses participating include Bartelby’s Ice Cream, Begyle Brewing, Demo Brewing, Farm Bar, KOVAL Distillery, Platform 47, Spoken Cafe, XOchimilco and more.

General-admission tickets are $108, with an optional $40 cocktail hour. RSVP here.

—Field day: As practically everyone knows, the Super Bowl will take place Sunday, Feb. 8. Although sports bars will be ready, other spots are offering specials and deals for the big day:

• Publican Quality Bread (PQB) is going big with its BIG Sandwiches, each serving up to 10 and available for pre-order via Tock. Options include Italian, turkey, roast beef, veggie and porchetta, all served on PQB’s fresh-baked bread and paired with bags of local-style chips. BIG Sandwiches will be available for pickup at the bakery’s Oak Park and West Town locations. The regular menu is available as well.
• Lexington Betty Smokehouse is turning Super Bowl Sunday into a feast with catering and tailgate menus from award-winning pitmaster Chef Dominique Leach. Go with Sliders & Glizzies—wagyu beef franks with Chicago-style toppings—plus brisket, pulled pork and pulled chicken sliders with coleslaw and pickles ($20/person, 10-person minimum). For a hearty option, tryRibs, Tips & Wings with smoked spare ribs, rib tips and wings in sweet, spicy and Caribbean BBQ sauce ($25/person); or go all-in with Macaroni & Cheese Please—extra cheesy with your choice of brisket, chicken or pulled pork, topped with breadcrumbs and green onions ($20/person). Contact Lexington Betty at 708-927-5614 or email info@lexingtonbetty.com. (The catering menu is here.)
• Cody’s Public House will host its 5th Annual Puppy Bowl Viewing Party on Sunday, Feb. 8, noon to 4 p.m., inviting dog lovers and football fans to enjoy a dog-friendly Super Bowl Sunday celebration while supporting Chicago Canine Rescue. Guests can also take advantage of game-day food and drink specials, including FREE Chicago Dogs, $5 Modelo drafts, $10 Tito’s draft cocktails, $10 Tito’s Espresso Martinis and $25 Pacifico buckets.
• Big Star has catering covered with taco party packs designed for crowds of all sizes. The 12 Taco Party Pack ($79.95) includes a dozen tacos of your choice, plus chips and guacamole and ensalada de Big Star. The 24 Taco Party Pack ($119.95) doubles the tacos and adds rice and beans and the 48 Taco Party Pack ($149.95) scales up the full spread for larger gatherings. Pre-batched Big Star Classic Margaritas are also available as an add-on, with sizes serving six, 12 or 18 guests.
• Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap will have its popular chicken wings but will also have highlights such as the Game Day Tower (three tiers of those wings), the Giant Bear Claw Pretzel (served with bear cheese), caramelized onion dip (served with waffle fries), BBQ pork sliders and even a 100-ounce beer tower.
• West Loop spot Cruz Blanca is offering taco packages featuring options like carne asada, chicken al carbon, and wood oven carnitas paired with various sides. To complete your feast, there are house-brewed cervezas to go, including Mexico Calling, Cruz Light, Vamos, Chelada and Palm Shade.
• Sweet Mandy B’s will offer football-themed treats at both its Lincoln Park and Streeterville locations on Feb. 6-8. Fans can choose from festive favorites including Goal Post Rice Krispies treats, football-decorated cakes, football-themed cupcakes, cookies and more. (Customers looking to order a football-decorated cake are encouraged to call ahead, with three to five days’ notice required for those orders.)

—Where’s the beef?: Chicago-based fast-food giant McDonald’s is the subject in the class-action lawsuit alleging that its iconic McRib sandwich doesn’t contain actual rib meat, per The Independent.

The 45-page complaint—filed on Dec. 23, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois by Peter Le, Charles Lynch, Dorien Baker and Derrick Wilson—basically accuses McDonald’s of a bait-and-switch. The plaintiffs take issue with the product’s name and presentation, notably the term “McRib” and its rib-shaped patty, which they say would lead a reasonable consumer to believe the sandwich includes real rib meat when there is none. They claim the McRib is actually made from restructured pork, combining cuts that exclude rib meat. A McDonald’s spokesperson told The Independent that the McRib uses 100% boneless pork with BBQ sauce, onions and pickles, and that no hearts, tripe or scalded stomach are included. 

Introduced nationwide in 1982, the McRib has grown into one of McDonald’s most recognizable limited-time items.

Until next time…

Find out even more news (along with interviews and reviews) at SAVOR with Andrew.