The Dining Table

It’s our first episode of the month and that means it’s time for Where Dave Ate. Hear about David Manilow’s experience at three recent restaurant grand openings in Chicago. We explore the glitz, glamour and major expenses that come alongside a bold debut. How important is a lavish opening to a restaurant’s long-term success? What works — and what doesn’t? Event planning expert Karrie Leung joins t...

The food scene in Chicago thrives on the neighborhood streets dotted with crave-worthy restaurants, trattorias, bistros, bakeries and delis. One of those streets is Grand Avenue near Racine. In this episode, host David Manilow learns how Rosanna D'Amato has taken her grandfather’s creation to a whole new audience. Learn some secrets from the third-generation behind the Italian bakery and uncover w...

In this week’s episode, host David Manilow takes listeners to an ethereal space with complex cocktails and food. He unravels the mystery of a new cocktail restaurant in River North alongside its founders Chireal Jordan and Brian Galati. Their new creation, Dearly Beloved , relies heavily on the element of surprise — and, during this conversation, Manilow gets to the bottom of that. Hosted by Simpl...

Nothing goes better with dinner at home than movies and TV shows that make your mouth water. In this week’s episode, David Manilow gives listeners his picks for five foodie films that will make you think — and drive your hunger at the same time. Our host also shares his three favorite episodes from the latest season of "The Bear." Plus, restaurant reporter Ally Marotti takes us behind the scenes o...

Chef Jake Potashnick has cooked at fine dining spots all over the world from Sweden to Japan. His journey has led him back home to Chicago to open up his own restaurant in West Town. It’s an ambitious effort where dinner will feature a tasting menu of more than 30 courses. Potashnick joins David Manilow in this episode to talk about Feld, one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of the summ...

Food entrepreneur and Chicago native Erica Bethe Levin is on a mission to expand kids' palates. That's why she founded the Globowl baby food company. In this episode, she talks about how her passion led her to a spot on the current season of "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars." Plus, host David Manilow wants to know: Are food reality TV shows real or manipulated? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....

In the era of finding the newest and hippest spot, host David Manilow says Lula Cafe in Logan Square has created a restaurant standard that shouldn't be missed. And this week, chef Jason Hammel and his team at the nearly 25-year-old eatery won the James Beard Award for Best Hospitality. In this episode, Hammel talks to Manilow about his restaurant philosophy and what’s unique about the Chicago che...

It’s the first episode of the month and that means it’s time for Where Dave Ate. Host David Manilow shares his recent dining experiences at two very different spots: Briny Swine, which serves low-country Carolina-style barbecue in Lincoln Park, and Tre Dita, the high-end Tuscan dining at the St. Regis Chicago. Both restaurants recently opened, and one is rowdy while the other's more relaxed. Both...

David Manilow is a big believer that restaurants should provide diners with a simple feeling: They really want you to dine there. In this episode, our host has a conversation with the restaurateur he believes may be the best host in the city of Chicago. Listen in for some sage advice on service from Dave Bonomi, owner of Coalfire Pizza and Peanut Park Trattoria. This episode contains adult languag...

Where do you take Europeans to show off Chicago? It's time to board the food tour given by David Manilow to three guests from the Netherlands. In this episode, Hans Steenbergen of Food Inspiration Magazine recaps and reviews his recent Chicago foodie adventure, led by our host. Plus, our Dutch guest rates his ride on an architectural boat tour. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https:/...

This week’s episode searches for the answer to the question: “Does Chicago have the best taco scene in the U.S.?” Host David Manilow is joined by chef Stephen Sandoval and hospitality entrepreneur Oscar Sotelo to debate just that. The two are co-owners of the Baja-inspired Diego restaurant in West Town — but their opinions are very different. The pair have cooked and explored Mexican restaurants a...

Star chef Avgeria Stapaki came to Chicago four years ago from Greece to open up Nisos Prime in the West Loop. Now she’s moved on to Bucktown with Tama. In this episode, the chef describes how she hopes to bring the finest European-style hospitality to Chicago. Plus, Stapaki explains why she doesn’t want her menu to be limited to her Mediterranean roots. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. Se...

We open the month of May with another edition of "Where Dave Ate" — as host David Manilow eats his way from Lakeview to Chinatown. In this episode, hear Manilow's recommendations for small spaces with big flavors. The journey includes Thai street food and one of the best egg sandwiches he's ever tasted. David's recommendations from this episode are: TukTuk at 2852 North Clark, Doma at 946 North Or...

How did a multigenerational family-run store in Little Village become one of the nation's biggest sellers of tequila? Host David Manilow gets the full story with Mike Moreno Jr. of Moreno’s Liquors in Little Village. Moreno shares the secret for patrons aiming to discover the more than 900 different types of tequila on his store shelves. Plus, you’ll hear about the next big thing in Mexican spirit...

Sujan Sarkar is one of two Chicago chefs who are finalists for this year's James Beard award for Best Chef in the Great Lakes Region. In this episode, host David Manilow talks with Sarkar about the Indian dining scene in the city, what it's been like to cook all over the world and where he likes to dine out. Plus, Manilow talks with chef Sarkar about how he created his hit restaurant Indienne and...

By some accounts, chef Sarah Stegner is one of Chicago's most unheralded culinary creators and connectors. She's raised millions of dollars as co-founder of three food-related nonprofits. In this episode, Stegner shares the success stories behind Green City Market, Chicago Chefs Cook, and the Abundance Setting. Plus, Stegner is also co-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe and talks about why women chefs an...

Coffee led the way to our April edition of "Where Dave Ate." In this episode, David Manilow visits with Artur Yuzvik, co-owner of Soloway Coffee in Lincoln Park. Artur and his wife, Iryna Yuzvik, opened their Ukrainian cafe on Lincoln Avenue just 13 months after moving to the U.S. from Ukraine. Manilow talks with Yuzvik about Chicago’s Ukrainian restaurants — including what works and what doesn’t...

A hot new spot is disrupting the status quo when it comes to service in restaurants. Host David Manilow talks with the owners of John’s Food & Wine in Lincoln Park about whether other eateries will follow their lead. There may be a learning curve for customers, but Manilow’s guests contend "limited service" is a necessity in order to create a sustainable business. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz...

Widely acclaimed for his handmade pastas, chef Evan Funke has just opened Tre Dita in the St. Regis Chicago Hotel. In this episode, David Manilow talks with Funke about this upscale Italian concept, while Funke describes what he’s learned from his longtime collaboration with Rich Melman and the Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group. Plus, Funke tells us why he thinks the movie and restaurant indu...

Have you ever walked into a restaurant or bar and immediately said, "I love this place?" There's a lot that goes into creating a restaurant’s layout, color scheme, flow and even its sound. In this episode, host David Manilow talks with Nicole Alexander, one of Chicago’s top designers and the founder of Siren Betty Design . Go behind the curtain to learn how to create an unforgettable vibe. Hosted...

It’s our first episode of March, and that means the latest edition of "Where Dave Ate." This month, David Manilow explores the best thin crust pizza around Chicago with chef Richie Farina from Adorn Bar & Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel. Manilow talks with Farina about the evolution of hotel restaurants and how he integrates his whimsical style into the menu. Plus, Farina explains how — as a...

One of Chicago’s most prolific restaurateurs joins the show to share how cannabis figures prominently in his future growth plans. Scott Weiner is co-founder of the Fifty/50 Group , which owns or manages 19 establishments and expanded to include dispensaries in 2023. Weiner also compares the city's restaurant community with other major cities across the nation. Plus, Weiner has a lot to say about C...

After his successes at Avec, Publican, Nico Osteria and Pacific Standard Time, Chef Erling Wu-Bower has opened Maxwells Trading in the West Loop. In this week's episode, Wu-Bower calls it intimately American — and says fusion is the wrong word for the style of food at his new spot. Learn how he gathered the deep influences of Europe, New Orleans and growing up as a "city kid" in Chicago, as well a...

Can fine dining be combined with barbecue? The answer lies somewhere in David Manilow’s conversation with chefs Heather Bublick and D’Andre Carter. The creators of Soul & Smoke are partners in life and business, with restaurant locations in Evanston and Avondale . The couple has served hundreds of thousands of community meals for families in need, but the odds were against them surviving the pande...

One of the city's fusion restaurants has just made a big upgrade. Bayan Ko — which translates to "my country" — now has a five-course tasting menu. During this episode, David Manilow tracks the evolution of Chef Lawrence Letrero’s fusion of Filipino and Cuban cuisine. While Letrero’s menu is new, he and Raquel Quadreny first introduced their combined cultures to the Ravenswood neighborhood in 2018...