Chicago author, Greg Borzo, recalls the city's celebrated lost restaurants. Many of Chicago's greatest or most unusual restaurants are no longer taking reservations, but they're definitely not forgotten. From steakhouses to delis, these dining destinations attracted movie stars, fed the hungry, launched nationwide trends and created a smorgasbord of culinary choices. Stretching across almost two centuries of memorable service and adventurous menus, this book revisits the institutions entrusted with the city's special occasions. Noted author Greg Borzo dishes out course after course of fondly remembered fare, from Maxim's to Charlie Trotter's and Trader Vic's to the Blackhawk.

Growing up in Chicago during the 1930s, `40s and `50s was a life rich in tradition, family and memories. Nick Thomopoulos in 100 Years chronicles the vibrant life of the neighborhood surrounding the St. George Greek Orthodox Church. He tells of the tragic death of his father and the difficulties and joys his immigrant mother faced in raising five young children in an emerging metropolis unlike Zakynthos, Greece. Because of the Great Depression, World War II, the Greek Civil War and the hardships in Greece, Marie received only an occasional letter from her siblings. In 1962, Marie, with Nick, returned to Greece 42 years after she left. Three of her five siblings did not know she was coming, and her husbands lone sister did not know the family was even alive. The story describes the excitement of reuniting with the family.

Thinking about moving to Chicago? What should you know about moving to Chicago? How do you get around? How do you find a place to live in Chicago? Where should you go, what should you do, and how do you meet people? Most of the people who live in Chicago have achieved promising careers, incredible friends, and incomparable life experiences. But this life was only attained after an initial period of learning to live in Chicago – where times were difficult, bewildering, and lonely. Starting a new life in an unfamiliar place isn’t easy and it can take years of trial and error to find your place in it – meanwhile your life is passing you by. That’s why this book was written for people moving to Chicago. “New in Town Chicago” is the resourceful, streetwise, savvy new resident’s guide to moving in, getting around, and building a new life in the Windy City. What you really ought to know about moving to Chicago to navigate through the minefield of financial pitfalls, social foibles, and lurking dangers that befall the thousands of new residents moving to Chicago each year. New in Town Chicago is not a reference book, address book, or yellow pages for people who live in Chicago. Here on the Internet, that information is just a click away. It is also not a review book or Zagat’s Guide giving ratings to restaurants, bars, and attractions in Chicago. Who needs another person’s subjective opinion when you can discover on your own the best stuff to do in Chicago? “New in Town Chicago” is a straight, honest, non-textbook, concise guide to take you – the fresh and naive new-in-towner – through the steps of moving to Chicago, getting acclimated with the city, building your new life here, and ultimately finding your unique place as an official resident in this sprawling cultural milieu. What you will learn about moving to Chicago * How to find an apartment in Chicago by visiting the Chicago neighborhoods that are safe, convenient, and offer the best experience for you. * Navigate the Chicago streets without getting lost, and travel from point A to point B on the Chicago CTA * Save money and avoid the costly mistakes that new residents moving to Chicago often make * How to find the people and places that interest you (from Chicago theater to Chicago street fests) and build a social life * Master the weather while you live in Chicago and experience the best of the city in the spring, summer, fall, and even winter. WARNING! New people moving to Chicago make frequent mistakes that lead to suffering, humiliation, and emotional and financial ruin. The warnings in this book will identify them for you and show you how to carefully step over these common pitfalls. SECRETS! Insider tips and tricks scooped directly from the brains of people who live in Chicago and have been around the L more than a few times and learned a thing or two. We’ve culled for the handiest and most pragmatic crackerjack counsel so you can save money, find convenience, and experience the best of the city. A Great Gift for anyone moving to Chicago! “New in Town Chicago” makes a great gift for a college graduate, son, daughter, friend, or relative that is moving to Chicago or anyone just thinking about moving to Chicago.

A BookRiot Most Anticipated Travel Book of 2023 Italian beef and hot dogs get the headlines. Cutting-edge cuisine and big-name chefs get the Michelin stars. But Chicago food shows its true depth in classic dishes conceived in the kitchens of immigrant innovators, neighborhood entrepreneurs, and mom-and-pop visionaries. Monica Eng and David Hammond draw on decades of exploring the city’s food landscape to serve up thirty can’t-miss eats found in all corners of Chicago. From Mild Sauce to the Jibarito and from Taffy Grapes to Steak and Lemonade, Eng and Hammond present stories of the people and places behind each dish while illuminating how these local favorites reflect the multifaceted history of the city and the people who live there. Each entry provides all the information you need to track down whatever sounds good and selected recipes even let you prepare your own Flaming Saganaki or Akutagawa. Generously illustrated with full-color photos, Made in Chicago provides locals and visitors alike with loving profiles of a great food city’s defining dishes.

Chicago began as a frontier town on the edge of white settlement and as the product of removal of culturally rich and diverse indigenous populations. The town grew into a place of speculation with the planned building of the Illinois and Michigan canal, a boomtown, and finally a mature city of immigrants from both overseas and elsewhere in the US. In this environment, cultures mixed, first at the taverns around Wolf Point, where the forks of the Chicago River join, and later at the jazz and other clubs along the “Stroll” in the black belt, and in the storefront ethnic restaurants of today. Chicago was the place where the transcontinental railroads from the West and the “trunk” roads from the East met. Many downtown restaurants catered specifically to passengers transferring from train to train between one of the five major downtown railroad stations. This also led to “destination” restaurants, where Hollywood stars and their onlookers would dine during overnight layovers between trains. At the same time, Chicago became the candy capital of the US and a leading city for national conventions, catering to the many participants looking for a great steak and atmosphere. Beyond hosting conventions and commerce, Chicagoans also simply needed to eat—safely and relatively cheaply. Chicago grew amazingly fast, becoming the second largest city in the US in 1890. Chicago itself and its immediate surrounding area was also the site of agriculture, both producing food for the city and for shipment elsewhere. Within the city, industrial food manufacturers prospered, highlighted by the meat processors at the Chicago stockyards, but also including candy makers such as Brach’s and Curtiss, and companies such as Kraft Foods. At the same time, large markets for local consumption emerged. The food biography of Chicago is a story of not just culture, economics, and innovation, but also a history of regulation and regulators, as they protected Chicago’s food supply and built Chicago into a city where people not only come to eat, but where locals rely on the availability of safe food and water. With vivid details and stories of local restaurants and food, Block and Rosing reveal Chicago to be one of the foremost eating destinations in the country.

This is an engrossing account of Greek Americans--their history, strengths, conflicts, aspirations, and contributions. This is the story of immigrants, their children and grandchildren, most of whom maintain an attachment to Greek ethnic identity even as they have become one of this country's most successful ethnic groups.