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everafterinthewoods.com

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This Old-School Illinois Butcher Shop Still Cuts From Hanging Cattle And Makes Over 80 Sausages

A carved wooden pig head hands out your number at the door. That’s how your visit starts at one of the most beloved butcher counters in Illinois. The kitchen behind the counter turns out more than 80 kinds of sausages and brats. A smokehouse adds more than 10 kinds of homemade bacon to the lineup.

Chicago, IL · 3d
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NBC Chicago

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Portillo's to close up to 9 ‘underperforming restaurants,' company announces

Iconic Chicago hot dog and Italian beef chain Portillo's will close a "select group of underperforming locations," the company announced during a third-quarter earnings call Thursday. The update came as the company said its results were "ahead" of expectations. “Our strategy is centered on running great restaurants, leveraging integrated marketing...

Chicago, IL · 1d
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The Independent

partner publisher · 2.6M followers
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Popular Chicago chain known for its hot dogs set to close locations

The Chicago-based fast-casual chain, known for its hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, has 109 locations nationwide Getty/iStock To be frank, fans of a popular Chicago -style hot dog chain may not relish this news. Portillo’s plans to close a “mid-to-high single-digit number” of underperforming restaurants outside the Chicago area, mostly by the end of the year, CEO Brett Patterson announced Thursday. The Chicago-based fast-casual chain, known for its hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, has 109 locations nationwide. It said it looked at each restaurant’s sales, operating costs and expected future performance before deciding which ones to close. The company has not yet announced the affected locations. “This will improve portfolio quality, strengthen returns on invested capital and reflect our commitment to disciplined growth,” Patterson said. The move comes as Portillo’s looks to get back on track after struggling to find the same success in markets outside Chicago. The move comes as Portillo’s looks to get back on track after struggling to find the same success in markets outside Chicago (Getty/iStock) Portillo’s plans to put more focus on its existing restaurants and take a more careful approach to opening new locations, particularly in unfamiliar markets. Patterson said the chain

Chicago, IL · 3d

WIFR

publisher · 20.1K followers

This local Culver’s may win $100K as one of chain’s top-performing restaurants

Dekalb, IL · 20h

NBC Chicago

publisher · 127.4K followers

Shoppers stand in line for hours for opening of new suburban Trader Joe's

Hundreds of shoppers reportedly stood in line for hours Monday as they waited for the doors of a brand new Trader Joe's store in a Chicago suburb to open. According to Oswego Village President Ryan Kauffman, shoppers began lining up as early as 6:30 a.m. for the 9 a.m. grand opening of the new grocery store.

Oswego, IL · 16h

allamericanatlas.com

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5 Best Restaurants in Schaumburg, Illinois You Need to Try Before Everyone Else Finds Them

Schaumburg, Illinois — a place where the prairie wind still whispers through the maples, where glass towers rise beside old farmhouses, and where every block hums with the stories of families who’ve called this place home for generations and newcomers drawn by the promise of something better. Here, the laughter of children echoes from sprawling parks, the scent of barbecue and biryani drifts through neighborhoods, and the city’s heart beats in the rhythm of festivals, shopping sprees, and the quiet pride of those who built something from nothing.

Schaumburg, IL · 7d

takemetotn.com

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This Cash-Only Illinois Tavern Has Been Serving Giant One-Pound Burgers For Decades

A full pound of beef on one bun. That’s the standard burger here, not some dare written on a chalkboard. The smaller version is the half-pound option, which tells you a lot about this place. There are no fries on the menu either. You get chips instead, and somehow that quirk feels just right.

Lemont, IL · 13h

Quad Cities Sports Network

partner publisher · 22.3K followers

Remember the Sycamore Restaurant Destroyed by Fire? It's Back!

Remember when a devastating fire destroyed Tom & Jerry's in Sycamore? After months of rebuilding and a temporary home, this longtime favorite is officially back home!

Sycamore, IL · 1d

familydestinationsguide.com

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This Illinois Seafood Restaurant Is Known Far And Wide For Its Incredibly Fresh Fried Fish

Some restaurants earn their reputation quietly, one perfectly fried piece of fish at a time, and The Fish Keg in Chicago has been doing exactly that for longer than most food trends have existed. If you haven’t heard of The Fish Keg yet, that’s about to change. The...

Chicago, IL · 3d

Cultivated Comfort

partner publisher · 80.6K followers

Diner Calls The James In Downtown Geneva Illinois The Coziest Restaurant Around With Themed Dining Rooms Like A Historic Home And A Huge Outdoor Patio With A Bar

Some restaurants feed you. Others make you feel like you have stepped into somebody’s well loved...

Geneva, IL · 12d

takemetotn.com

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This Unassuming Illinois Pizzeria Serves Sausage Pizza So Good It Should Almost Be Illegal

Anthony Bourdain called one pan pizza the only deep dish he ever loved. That pie still comes out of a small, homey pizzeria on a quiet suburban street in Illinois. The crust edge gets so dark and caramelized that it looks almost burnt. It isn’t. That crunchy, cheesy rim is the whole point, and the sausage on top is a house blend.

Illinois · 8d

everafterinthewoods.com

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This Illinois Donut Shop Still Fries Its Huge Apple Fritters Fresh In The Window, Just Like Always

An apple fritter roughly the size of your face comes out of a fryer in a shop window, and the man flipping it opened the place in 1972. He was 85 in 2024. He still works six days a week. The fritters get stuffed with apple chunks and cinnamon. Then...

Chicago, IL · 9d

We Are Illinois

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Portillo's Announces Closures, But What About Rockford?

Portillo's is closing several underperforming restaurants outside Chicagoland. Here's what we know about the Rockford location.

Rockford, IL · 3h

takingthekids.com

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6 Illinois Pizza Joints Where Tavern-Cut Squares Have Fed Families For Over 50 Years

Tavern-style pizza has its own official holiday now. It lands every October 22, and I love that a thin, crunchy pie earned a spot on the calendar. The squares came first for a practical reason. Early tavern pizza was handed out as a free snack, cut small so folks could eat with one hand.

Chicago, IL · 3d

everafterinthewoods.com

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This Family-Run Illinois Italian Market Still Bakes Its Bread Fresh And Piles Subs High For Under $10

A 9-inch Italian beef from this deli can show up looking more like a 12-inch one. That’s the kind of generous surprise that gets an old-school Illinois sandwich counter talked about across the city. The beef comes from a family recipe, and it can arrive fully dipped and dripping....

Chicago, IL · 4d

gotodestinations.com

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Why Locals ADORE This Hot Dog Drive-In That’s Older Than McDonald’s in Chicago, Illinois

Open Sun–Thu, 11 AM–1 AM; Fri–Sat, 11 AM–2 AM. In May 1948, two newlyweds opened a summer hot dog drive-in in Chicago to help pay for college. 🌭. At Superdawg Drive-In, Chicago diners still pull into a carport, order through a speaker box and wait for a carhop’s tray on the car window.

Chicago, IL · 13h

unearththevoyage.com

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This Low-Key Illinois Supper Club Still Grills Steaks The Old-Fashioned Way For Loyal Regulars

Some of the best meals in Illinois happen in rooms that look like they have not changed in decades, and that is exactly the point. You walk in expecting a simple steak dinner and walk out talking about the piano, the white jackets, and a slice of cake the size of a hatbox.

Chicago, IL · 9d

takemetotn.com

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This Hidden Gem Illinois Bakery Proves You Don’t Need Fancy Decor To Make Incredible Donuts

A maple bacon bar that only shows up on Saturdays. A strawberry cheesecake donut wearing pink sanding sugar every Thursday. Apple fritters that wait until Friday to make their entrance. This Illinois donut shop runs its week like a sweet little calendar. The case holds nearly 50 varieties daily, from...

Joliet, IL · 3d

everafterinthewoods.com

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Swedish Pancakes With Lingonberries Still Anchor Breakfast At This Andersonville Diner In Chicago, Illinois

A Viking breakfast in Illinois comes with falukorv sausage, eggs, potatoes, and thin Swedish pancakes topped with lingonberries. That combination alone made me sit up straight. The room matches the plate. Swedish folk art fills the walls, and whimsical tablecloths cover small tables in a cozy blue and yellow space.

Chicago, IL · 4d

everafterinthewoods.com

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With Bottomless Coffee And A 1970s Vibe, This Long-Running Illinois Diner Still Serves Country Fried Steak

The staff at this diner might announce your birthday over the loudspeaker and get the whole room singing. A complimentary ice cream with a candle shows up too, which feels like a very good deal. Then there’s the coffee, which keeps flowing as long as you keep sipping. The menu...

Elgin, IL · 1d