Yo, ho, ho! It’s that time of year when unbridled eating, drinking and general merrymaking are the order of the day. Go forth, enjoy life while you can and happy holidays.
1 Southport Holiday Stroll and Cocktail Crawl (Southport Avenue, Belmont to Irving Park) Southport will be festooned with holiday decorations; restaurants and retail places are open late, and you’ll be serenaded by carolers, get photos with Santa and enjoy cocktails. Lots and lots of cocktails. December 2
3 Holiday Brunch with Santa (Offshore Rooftop) On Navy Pier, the world’s-largest rooftop space hosts a brunch with the big guy, who’ll pose for framed photos with you and pass out gifts to the kids. December 4
4 Chicago Martini Fest (Hubbard Inn) Tired of all that holiday Champagne? The Chicago Martini Fest has just what you need: dozens of different ‘tinis. December 17
5 New Year’s Eve Party (Congress Plaza Hotel) Buffet and bars ensure that good cheer will reign at what is traditionally the party of the season—you might want to reserve tickets and a hotel room (at discounted rates), in advance. December 31
Dining and Drinking Editor for Newcity, David also writes a weekly food column for Wednesday Journal in Oak Park and is a frequent contributor of food/drink and travel pieces to the Chicago Tribune, Plate Magazine and other publications. David has also contributed chapters to several books, including Street Food Around the World, Street Food, and The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. Contact: dhammond@newcity.com
Dining and Drinking Top 5: May 2022 The weather is encouraging us to go out and have fun, even with the enduring specter of the plague hanging over our heads. To be on the safe side, check websites for these events.
Dining & Drinking Top 5: July 2022 Because summer’s here and the time is right for festing in the streets, this July there are a lot of food and music parties happening in Chicago neighborhoods and parks. Get outside and play. Go on!
Dining and Drinking Top 5: August 2022 Food and drink events are coming on strong in August. Is this the last big blowout month before the invasion of Monkey Pox? Could be. So just to be on the safe side, go outside and have a good time while you can.
Dining & Drinking Top 5: September 2022 September—the last gasp of summer—is a fine time for food and drink events. Before winter befalls us, the next pandemic, or some other damn thing, let’s all make the heroic effort to eat, drink and be merry.
Dining and Drinking Top 5: March 2022 Many restaurants/bars and other venues are starting to operate at close to business-as-usual levels, and many one-off events are moving ahead as planned. However, it’d be smart to check respective websites for updates on changing requirements.
