Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2026 i Chicago magazine

A LOT HAPPENED IN THIS CITY OVER THE THREE MONTHS Kelley Engelbrecht spent reporting and writing “The Man Behind the Shield” (page 54), her profile of Chicago’s police superintendent, Larry Snelling. Their first interview was in August, two days before President Trump announced Chicago would be the target of a federal crackdown on immigration. “It was interesting to see Snelling navigating this fraught situation next to a mayor and a governor who were playing into the politics of it,” says Engelbrecht. “I tried to be like, ‘Aren’t you upset that Trump is saying that we’re this hellhole?’ And he was like, ‘It’s not my job to worry about that.’ He was just really focused on ‘What’s the job we need to do today?’ ” In October, following weeks of federal agents…

CITY OF BIG QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY EDWARD MC CLELLAND Chicago’s most famous hot dog stand has a punctuation issue. We are talking, of course, about the Wiener[’]s Circle in Lincoln Park. The lettering on the building says “Wiener’s,” but the signature marquee has “Wieners” — sans apostrophe—as does the logo beside the cash register and on the employees’ T-shirts. The contradiction shouldn’t come as a surprise. The glib hot dog stand has a history of being casual with apostrophes. When Jason Kelce was in town as an analyst for a Bears game in 2023, the restaurant’s sign read: “Welcome Taylors Boyfriends Brother.” So what is the name’s correct punctuation? We called owner Ari Levy to find out. “When we bought the business [in 2015], the signs were written differently from…

A LONG WINTER’S TRAP Chug some coffee before you Settle In with Siskel Center’s annual series of marathon films. This year’s lineup includes the French tetralogy Tales of the Four Seasons and the seven-hour Russian Oscar winner War and Peace. Jan. 3–31. siskelfilmcenter.org PRESTIDIGITATION POWER Justin Purcell, a sleight-of-hand master with iO Theater and Second City training, begins a Chicago Magic Lounge residency with Magic Is People. Jan. 7–Mar. 25. chicagomagiclounge.com JAZZMATAZZ Local pianist Julian Davis Reid, one of Isaiah Collier’s Chosen Few, performs with his own ensemble, the multidisciplinary Circle of Trust. Jan. 14. constellation-chicago.com STRINGS TOGETHER Nova Linea Musica delivers its latest world premiere in Threads of Melodic Silence, featuring a piece for a violin-cello-piano trio by local composer Stacy Garrop. Jan. 21. novalineamusica.org PUPPET STATES This year’s…

Crowds are packing into Cornerstone Restaurant Group’s Dimmi Dimmi Corner Italian in Lincoln Park (1112 West Armitage Avenue) for chef Matt Eckfeld’s Italian fare with local twists. Here are four items to try. “ITALIAN BEEF” CARPACCIO One of the most clever—and elegant — riffs onItalian beef yet: thin slices of meat draped over beef jus aïoli and topped with hot housemade giardiniera, shaved Parmesan, and arugula. Pile it all onto a slice of sesame sourdough to take a bite. $24 RUBY MANHATTAN The cocktail list here features classics with Italian influences. This bracing Manhattan, made with Old Forester rye and a savory Italian vermouth, uses two different amari to lend bittersweet touches. $18 VODKA PIZZA Pasta takes up more real estate on this menu, but the über-thin tavern-style pizza has…

1 CRYING TIGER What A splashy Southeast Asian spot with food from HaiSous’s Thai Dang and drinks from the Gus’ Sip & Dip bartenders. Why It’s a modern dream team. Where 51 W. Hubbard St., River North 2 DAEJI DOUGH COMPANY What The latest bakery that people are lining up for offers Korean-influenced pastries. Why Creative bites like a tteokbokki croissant and bulgogi mushroom focaccia. Where 1360 W. Belmont Ave., Lake View 3 LE MISTRAL What A wine and cocktail bar tucked behind S.K.Y. Why We’re always here for sommelier Jelena Prodan’s expansive wine lists and spot-on pairings. Where 2300 N. Lincoln Park West, Lincoln Park 4 ATELIER What A (thankfully) larger space for the lauded tasting-menu fave. Why You’ll dig the bar, new for this location, which has an à la carte menu of bites. Where 4544…

WARM BRIE GOUGÈRES AT CREEPIES If classic gougères epitomize French elegance, purists might be horrified to find them oozing with melted Brie. But these bite-size puffs are a flex by the chefs, who ensure the cheese stays at the perfect melty-not-oily temperature for as long as it takes to demolish them. $14. 1360 W. Randolph St., West Loop —C.R. TAMALES OAXAQUEÑOS AT CANTINA ROSA The latest entrant to Erick Williams’s Hyde Park empire, this Mexican cocktail bar features snacks from Jesus Martinez. The standout: a savory, spicy tamale stuffed with chicken and dressed with tomatillo salsa and crema. It’s just right with a frozen guava colada. $9. 5230 S. Harper Ave., Hyde Park —A.C. Mushroom-stuffed plantain at Mahari Rahim Muhammad’s clever main dish hits like the best veggie plate from your favorite…

For a breast cancer survivor who opts for reconstruction, the struggle doesn’t always end with a successful mastectomy: She must cope with a lack of sensation in the reconstructed breast. “Even if it looks beautiful, she can still have the very distressing feeling that the breast does not belong to her body,” says Stacy Lindau, an obstetrician-gynecologist at UChicago Medicine. The partial or total numbness can lead to injuries, such as from a scalding shower, and can fundamentally detract from the human experience: You might not feel a hug or might have a harder time getting aroused. Lindau recalls one upset patient a few years back: “She said to me, ‘The numbness in my breast is interfering with my sexual function. What are you going to do about this?’ ”…

1 Your supermarket bill will get a little cheaper come Jan. 1. That’s when the state eliminates its 1 percent grocery tax. Municipalities can choose to continue it for their own coffers, but so far Chicago has not. 2 Walgreens is closing its offices in the Old Post Office by month’s end, moving employees to its Deerfield headquarters. It’s a blow to the converted downtown building, since that’s 8 percent of the space, and to workers who now have to familiarize themselves with the Metra schedule. 3 State Senator Emil Jones III is slated to be retried on bribery charges this month after an earlier hung jury. He is accused of taking $5,000 from a red-light camera operator—if true, a bargain payoff even in Illinois. 4 Wicker Park’s transformation from indie…

THIS WINTER, AS the cold winds cut across from Lake Michigan, Doug Schenkelberg wants people to embrace the discomfort of seeing snow-covered tents dotting Chicago’s parks and roadways. More importantly, he wants them to use that discomfort to advocate for better policies to address Chicago’s persistent homelessness problem. The executive director for the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness since 2016, Schenkelberg has dedicated his career to such advocacy. His connection to homelessness began years ago in Bridgeport, Connecticut, during a postcollege year of volunteering. It was then that he was first exposed to the idea that prospering — in terms of health, education, and steady employment—first requires safe, stable housing. Q: The City of Chicago, citing safety concerns, regularly removes tent encampments, only for them to return weeks or months later.…

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, IF César Murillo isn’t asleep, he’s on his feet. As executive chef at the acclaimed Lincoln Park restaurant North Pond, Murillo started a rooftop garden and composting program. He’s one of four Rising Chef finalists for the Banchet Awards, Chicago’s dining honors, to be announced this month. Meanwhile, the soft-spoken 34-year-old made a televised sizzle last spring with his final-four placement on Top Chef. (North Pond guests still ask about his lemon curd from the pickle-challenge dessert.) Murillo, who was born in Mexico and raised in Texas, recently became an endurance athlete: He’s run the past three Chicago Marathons, and in 2025, he also completed a triathlon and a 200-mile bike ride. Says Murillo: “I always tell people, ‘In Chicago, you’re going to be inside for…

ISRAEL IDONIJE’S FAVORITE part of the creative process is planting the seeds. Since his retirement from football in 2014, the former Bears defensive end turned entrepreneur has sown dozens: He has launched nonprofits, scored acting roles on shows like Empire and Chicago Fire, and even published comic books. In the past two years, though, his attention has been on starting bars and restaurants in the South Loop, where he lives. “It’s the city’s best neighborhood,” he says. “It feels like a little suburb where you can go to Indiana Avenue and you’re in this cove of trees and brownstones or jump on Lake Shore Drive and get to a Cubs game in 15 minutes. And every Sunday, 70,000 people descend, and this whole area gets activated.” Idonije is providing experiences…

I THINK ABOUT SUSHI THE way I do about wine. A few times a year, I’ll splurge far beyond my budget. More often than I like to admit, I’ll settle for the least worst choice from a supermarket. Yet it’s the in-between I’m always looking for, the mid-priced option that opens up to a larger world of flavor. Wine? Easy: Thousands of excellent, affordable bottles from Croatia to California fill local shelves. Sushi? Oof: Chicago sushi bars these days mostly divide between hushed top-dollar venues for omakase and the goofy roll spots where flabby Atlantic salmon plays second fiddle to cream cheese and crunch. That’s why I’ve long appreciated Andrew Choi, a young restaurateur who commits himself to providing premium sushi while nailing a price-to-quality ratio that lands the check…

WHILE THERE ARE SEVERAL MOVing parts to Art Wnorowski’s potato and cheese pierogi, a cherished family recipe turned menu signature at Pierogi Kitchen, the chef counsels that two key steps—making mild, creamy farmer cheese and kneading together a supple and forgiving dough—can be tackled in advance. Do so, and when mealtime rolls around, gather some helpers for a pierogi party. Working in assembly-line fashion, you’ll have the dumplings shaped, boiled, and fried in short order—and perhaps initiate a new tradition along the way. PIEROGI KITCHEN’S POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI Makes About 24 pierogi Active time 1 hour 30 minutes Total time 2 hours 25 minutes 8 cups whole milk (not ultrapasteurized)¼ cup heavy cream¼ cup white vinegar3¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided¼ cup oil4 cups flour, plus more for dusting1 lb.…

Time is of the essence during a lung transplant. The clock starts ticking as soon as the organ is removed from the donor. Typically, the organ would be chilled on ice, surviving only about six hours. But Northwestern Medicine recently started using a new method that buys more time. Stored in a special refrigerator at precisely 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the lungs remain viable for as long as 12 hours—allowing precious additional time between when they are received and transplanted. It’s just the latest technique Northwestern is deploying to help lung cancer patients. Since 2022, it has also been using a device called XPS, dubbed “lungs in a box,” that allows a procedure known as ex vivo lung perfusion. Here’s how it works: Once a lung is removed from the donor,…

I’ve never forgotten that day or his name. @hrhprincess lyndagears2 via Instagram The execution was horrifying, but do not forget the dozens of cops who signed false police reports and tried to cover up the murder. @eleven_good via Instagram THE ULTIMATE STEAKHOUSE GUIDE So well deserved [“The Best Steakhouses in Town,” November]. El Che is my favorite. @rebfyffe via Instagram That cover is SICK. Congrats [to cover subject John Manion of El Che]! @jonijonesphoto via Instagram Chicago Cut missed the cut. @realmjw57 via X MAKING MAPS FAIRER Oh yeah? Because the maps in Texas weren’t manipulated recently, huh [“Map Games,” November]? @quantum131313 via Instagram Everyone named Daley can go away forever. @jeffwallick via Instagram CHICAGO AFTER DARK These [photos] are wonderful [“2 A.M.,” November]. Great work, and love the…

A ROUND 2 A.M. ONE NIGHT IN THE SUMMER OF 2022, FIVE FRIENDS WALKED OUT OF a club in the Loop and got into an argument with a man who then pulled a gun. He fired a Glock pistol at them, one that had been illicitly converted into an automatic weapon capable of unleashing 20 rounds every second. A witness in a nearby apartment said the spray of bullets sounded like fireworks. Two people were killed — shot in the head and chest. Three others were hit but survived. Mass shootings like this are too common in Chicago, but now they could become less frequent, thanks to legal pressure the city has applied to Glock. In 2024, the city sued the Austria-based gunmaker and its U.S. subsidiary, accusing them of knowingly…

ART’S DRIVE-IN 1333 W. North Ave., Goose Island ◼ Perfect order Philly cheesesteak, fries, shake ◼ In 2022, a fire forced the closure of the Goose Island staple Art’s Drive-In, which had been slinging diner classics since 1967. Then, last February, it returned. It’s now under the ownership of Alex Stratakos, an industry vet who ran spots like his grandfather’s Milwaukee gyro stand. Stratakos’s wife’s family ran Art’s from 1981 until the fire, but now the restaurant is better than ever. Stratakos overhauled the menu (you won’t find the mass-produced gyro cones you see at other Greek diners here) and is committed to using highquality ingredients. That begins with the Philly cheesesteak ($17), which is made with flap steak, grilled onions, and Cooper sharp, the preferred American cheese for Philly’s…

WITH MORE THAN 175,000 GRAVES, Waldheim Cemetery is the largest Jewish burial ground in the Chicago area. Just east of the Des Plaines River in Forest Park, Jewish Waldheim, as it’s commonly called, is actually a collection of many small cemeteries — hundreds of them, with different owners, divided by fences and gates. Behind two of those gates there are plenty of graves, but few headstones. It is here that many Jews without the means to pay for a cemetery plot and burial are laid to rest, most of them by a man named Shlomo Tenenbaum, the former longtime rabbi at the Ark, a Jewish social services agency in West Rogers Park that helps individuals and families experiencing financial insecurity. Over four decades, Tenenbaum has organized and conducted more than 3,000…

◼ Whenever I finish a song, I still have that moment where I go, Holy shit, there was nothing, and now there’s this. It’s still a complete mystery to me how songs arrive. I understand the mechanics of it. I’ve learned it’s a craft. And so once I start working on something, I know what I have in my tool belt that’s going to get me where I need to go. But I’m still completely mystified that it happens. ◼ When I was a senior in high school, Lionel Richie heard my [demo] tape and liked what I did. It says a lot about him that he would, especially at that time in his career, take the time to cold-call some kid at his parents’ house. He said, “I don’t…