The pleasure of peak-season produce is that you don’t need to do much to make it taste spectacular. Often a piece of ripe fruit is best eaten just as it is, but macerated strawberries are a worthy exception. This simple technique requires no heat and little work beyond stirring, and it can bring that pint of rosy red strawberries to a whole new level of juicy sweetness. All you need is the berries, some sugar, and a little downtime.

What is maceration?

Maceration is a process in which produce (usually fruit) sits in a flavorful substance such as sugar, vinegar, or juice. The process tenderizes the ingredient and intensifies its natural flavor. Stone fruits, berries, and even tomatoes can benefit from maceration, which helps concentrate sweetness and soften texture.

Strawberries are particularly well-suited to sugar maceration. Sugar draws moisture from the fruit, creating a glossy syrup while gently softening the berries. Depending on how long they sit, the strawberries can remain slightly firm or become soft and jammy.

How to macerate strawberries

Ingredients

• 1 lb. strawberries
• 1 Tbsp. sugar

Method

1. Wash 1 pound strawberries and dry them thoroughly. (We like to use a salad spinner for this; see how to wash and store strawberries in this guide from Epicurious.)
2. Hull the strawberries by inserting a paring knife into the stem end and twisting (alternatively, slice off the top to remove the stem). At this point, you can halve or slice the strawberries, or leave them whole. Halved berries work well for topping cheesecake, pavlova, and strawberry shortcake; sliced berries are ideal for strawberry galettes and ice cream sundaes.
3. Transfer strawberries to a large bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp. sugar; refrigerate at least 30 minutes. As the berries sit, they’ll release their juices and soften slightly, creating a sweet, syrupy mixture that’s delicious spooned over ice cream, cheesecake, yogurt, pavlova, and strawberry shortcake.

Additions: For even more flavor, add the zest of a lemon, lime, or orange, or a squeeze of any of their juice. You can also add a splash of almond or vanilla extract or a sprinkling of spice like black pepper, cardamom, or coriander. Meanwhile, a pinch of salt goes a long way to making the berries’ flavor more vibrant.

1360 W. Randolph St., Chicago
@creepieschicago

With a name that started as a joke between chefs and IRL partners David and Anna Posey (owners of Elske, next door), Creepies is a neighborhood neo-bistro that is anything but. Creeping, lurking, or even gawking at the table over comes with the territory here: don’t feel weird if another diner asks you what you ordered, because they thought about getting that, too. It’s that sort of establishment.

Start with the warm gougères, airy choux puffs with a molten brie center that arrive drizzled with honey and dusted with parmesan. Follow up with too many vegetable dishes. See: one of the best gem salads in the city, dressed with parsley root, ple and sunflower seeds. Did I mention the tarte flambé and the freekeh crepe filled with peak-season produce (currently artichoke, spring onion and fromage blanc)… I could go on.

Ready for entrees? The roast chicken won’t do you wrong. Its rigorous, three-day prep includes being cured, poached, and roasted, guaranteeing one extremely juicy bird. The whole shebang is anchored by a deeply rich pool of dry white wine sauce reduced with finely chopped chicken livers, shallots, garlic, and fresh herbs. And you’ll want to break the big chip of fried feuille de brick atop the French ravioli, creme brulee-style, instead of simply removing it because it’s much more fun.

Kanin’s main goal is to make a meal of snacks. Here, nurse-turned-chef Julius Tacadena’s marries Filipino heritage with his childhood growing up on the island of Kauai.

There’s the bento box of tender slow-roasted pork or classic adobo loco moco. Or perhs you want a two-scoop, half-pound poke bowl that will run you less than $20. Or you can get as go ham (Spam?) on as much musubi as possible while still pack away an order of ube-banana pudding before calling it a day.

What started as Tacadena’s passion project quickly escalated when he met entrepreneur and collaborator Francis Almeda. The latter’s Side Practice Coffee is known locally as an incubator for rising talent. (Almeda also helped give life to West Loop’s Drip Collective cafe and community space, and Novel Pizza Cafe in Pilsen.) Kanin keeps it all in the family, from recipes to staff. The storefront also stocks Tacadena’s snack line he shares with his brother, Krackish Snack Co..

But seriously: Let’s talk musubi. With seven options available from 9 a.m. until they’re sold-out, we understand why folks waited in line in the early pop-up days. The tomato jam and egg and spicy Spam are easy favorites, but it’s the Grand Slam (bacon jam, hashbrown and egg atop a molded boat of rice) you’ll really want to start the day with.

3268 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago
@txatxaclub

Pronounced like cha cha,” this beloved, avant-garde pop-up found its first brick-and-mortar home a few months ago and has already become one of the buzziest all-day cafes in the city. Known for its retro and whimsical proach to plating and communal dining, the cafe takes some of the best elements of Txa Txa’s well-known supper club series, distilled into something pealing to both discerning diners and neighborhood families.

It’s easy to be dazzled by Chicago’s centrally located Loop and River North neighborhoods, especially the bevy of swanky bars. But in a city of 77 diverse communities, we advise you to venture farther afield. It’s in these neighborhoods you’ll stumble upon local watering holes, wine bars, and breweries that keep the city buzzing, literally and figuratively.

Take Lincoln Park, home to some perennial heavy hitters like Boka and Alinea, or the James Beard Award–winning farm-to-table favorite Lula Cafe in Logan Square. Esmé’s chef Jenner Tomaska and Katrina Bravo have recently opened a cocktail counterpart, Bar Esmé, where a seasonal three-course prix fixe menu is accompanied by equally seasonal cocktails like a milk punch with Scotch whisky and farmers market berries.

Just west of Chinatown, in Pilsen, new businesses like Monochrome Brewing are a testament to the economic power of Latino-owned and -inspired businesses that have fueled the neighborhood for generations.

Down in Hyde Park, JBFA-winning chef Erick Williams runs acclaimed Virtue Restaurant & Bar. Last November he debuted Cantina Rosa, a cocktail bar that celebrates the Mexican culture of many Virtue team members with punchy mezcal-based cocktails alongside the unsung rums of Michoacán and more.

And that’s just a small snshot of what’s brewing, fizzing, shaken, and stirred around the city. From non-alc pours at all-day cafés to bars with hpy hours, read on for where to drink in Chicago now. —Kristin Braswell

5230 S. Harper Ave., Chicago
@cantinarosahydepark

Off the heels of his dining hit, Virtue, JBA-winning chef-owner Erick Williams opened Cantina Rosa, a cocktail lounge in Hyde Park that celebrates Mexican spirits similar to how Virtue showcases Black Southern food traditions. Williams’new loungepays homage to the matriarch of his family—his late grandmother, Rosetta—as well as the cherished maternal figures from the families of Virtue Hospitality Group’s team members. Adorned with monstera leaves, mesquite-style woodwork, and hand-stitched embroidery on barstools, Cantina Rosa was designed by Erin Boone of Boone Interiors with blackened windows that invite guests to fully immerse themselves in the experience.

Mixologist Paul McGee’s cocktail list moves beyond just tequila and mezcal, with offerings that include lesser-known agave spirits like small-batch, fire-roasted raicilla from Jalisco, and bacanora, an agave-derived spirit with botanical qualities reminiscent of gin. You’ll also find rarer selections of tequila or mezcal, including Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 and 5 Sentidos’ single-batch release. The bar serves small bites, including melty chicken and tomatillo salsa tamales, and a sea bass ceviche speckled with slivers of habanero pepper served atop velvety leche de tigre. —K.B.