A Mid-City donut and ice cream shop have announced their closures ahead of some changes to the building to make room for a new business.Blue Dot Donuts owner announced Wednesday on social media that the popular neighborhood spot would close before Labor Day weekend, leaving fans only a few days to get at least one more box of donuts. Owner Zach Menicucci thanked all “the Blue Dot Family,” current and former employees, former owners and the community that supported it all.”We will truly miss all the shared laughs, the hot gossip, the theorized ‘answer’ to the Saints, the baby’s first…

The Taste of Chicago, one of the city’s most popular summer festivals, is poised to make a return in a few weeks – but in a different timeslot. This year, the festival will be held Sept. 6 through 8 in Grant Park, according to officials. Timing was shifted due to big summer events in the city, including NASCAR Chicago Street Race and the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Over 40 food vendors and more than a dozen food trucks will line the three-day festival, which will also feature free performances by big names, including CeeLo Green, known for his 2010 hit…

Step past the blue gates of the new location of Merchant Roots in SoMa and prepare to become fully immersed in the world of this fine dining restaurant. This isn’t your typical white-tablecloth space with whispered conversations; instead, it’s a place with fine dining chops and service that leans far into the playful feelings that food can invoke. Chef Ryan Shelton and the Merchant Roots team are known for seasonal, themed meals that change quarterly. The themes are often rooted in an idea, rather than food, and the dishes are planned to express that idea through ingredients. A previous theme…

Here’s a look at this weekend’s tasty food and drink happenings:5th Anniversary Celebration at Craft Pita Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 1920 Fountain ViewCraft Pita’s Fountainview location celebrates its fifth anniversary by offering five different $5 menu items from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The discounted menu items include the Chicken Pita, Falafel Pita, Lebanese Tacos, Hummus and Shawarma Fries. Craft Pita will also give out complimentary Baklava Ice Cream scoops to patrons. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. 420 MainTaste Kitchen + Bar is celebrating National Waffle Day by offering All-You-Can-Eat fluffy, golden waffles for just $5 all…

In all his years in Tucson’s restaurant scene, Tyler Fenton had never had an out-of-town guest say that Tucson’s cuisine was the reason for their visit.But two years ago, when he opened his innovative upscale restaurant Bata at 35 E. Toole Ave. in downtown’s historic Warehouse District, a table of Midwest diners said just that.“They had read that we were a cool food town … and that was the sole reason they came to Tucson,” said the Bata chef-owner, whose family also has Reilly Craft Pizza & Drink at 101 E. Pennington St. downtown. “That was definitely really cool to…

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Most Cuyahoga County SNAP recipients will soon be automatically refunded a portion of their benefits to help them replace food lost during the major storm earlier this month, providing them with relief faster.Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients living in all but three county zip codes will see dollars added to their accounts, based on when they last received benefits.The only ZIP codes not eligible for the automatic reimbursements are 44017, 44040 and 44149, covering parts of Strongsville, Berea and Gates Mills, which were not as impacted by the storm as the rest of the county.“The closer their…

Last week in North Carolina, Kamala Harris called for a new federal law to ban “price gouging on food.” Such a law might be popular, but it would have, at best, no impact on grocery prices and might even make the problem worse. That’s especially unfortunate because it distracts from all the federal policy changes that actually could reduce food prices.The evidence that price gouging was responsible for the post-pandemic spike in food prices is somewhere between thin and nonexistent. A recent report from the New York Federal Reserve found that retail food inflation was mainly driven by “much higher…

SYCAMORE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — One of the region’s fastest-growing breweries also leads its rivals in restaurant violations.March First Brewing had 26 violations at its Sycamore Township location this year — 23 of them since July 23. That makes it one of five brewery locations with at least 10 violations this year, based on the WCPO 9 I-Team’s review of online food inspection reports in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky.March First spokesman Josh Engel said a regional manager is working with Hamilton County Public Health to address inspectors’ concerns.“We also just hired a new experienced kitchen manager that will be looking…

I have to say this is the beginning of my favorite time of year with the Fall colors on the way along with cooler weather. Eager to get outside and enjoy it, let’s look at 4 spots for the best outdoor dining in North Carolina. According to The News & Observer, recent reports unveil that the Tar Heel State is home to some of the best restaurants for outdoor dining in the U.S. More than likely one reason is our varied landscape and the views it offers along with some fantastic weather, especially in Fall. How OpenTable Arrived At Best…

Each week, Alexa is rounding up the buzziest fashion drops, hotel openings, restaurant debuts and celeb-studded cultural happenings in NYC. It’s our curated guide to the very best things to see, shop, taste and experience around the city.  What’s making our luxury list this week? A super-cool Yankees collab, yet another buzzy Korean restaurant, and Mia Farrow and Patti LuPone are back on Broadway.  Light is being shed on the lesser-known works of the late, great Richard Serra — 12 of the artist’s films are now on view at the Dia Chelsea. Courtesy of Richard Serra Richard Serra is probably…