Gravy bread, often called a "soaker," is a humble Chicago staple made by soaking toasted French or Italian bread in the savory jus of an Italian beef sandwich. Lacking the glamor or widespread recognition of other Windy City foods, gravy bread is rarely featured in guides or rankings. Yet, its understated presence on menus, sometimes available only by request, underscores its status as a local secret and a quiet classic cherished by those who know it.

Cooper's Hawk Winery Restaurants has revamped its Life Balance menu to enhance flavor and health, introducing dishes such as an All-American Chicken Burger made with ground chicken thighs, Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with capellini pasta, Grilled Tenderloin Medallions and Lemon-Herb Glazed Salmon. The menu, created by Chief Culinary Officer Matt McMillin, focuses on using high-quality ingredients and healthier cooking techniques while keeping dishes under 700 calories.

According to The New York Times critics, these standout restaurants represent the city's most exciting recent openings. They showcase chefs whose varied backgrounds and inventive cooking capture New York's energetic character and its talent for turning even small spaces into vibrant dining experiences.

Florida-based Italian chain Sicilian Oven, has secured a growth investment from private-equity firm Goode Partners, which will fund the 10-unit chain's growth in its home state and in new markets. Goode Partners brings experience from prior investments in chains like Wings 'N More and Chuy's. Ralph DiSalvo and Andrew Garavuso founded Sicilian Oven in 2008 and built a reputation for authentic, scratch-made Italian dishes, often using recipes passed down in their families.

Business dining is a bright spot for the restaurant sector, generating about 20% of US restaurant sales, according to a report from Dinova and Technomic. Year-over-year, business dining sales and traffic growth have both surpassed the industry average, with the sector projected to grow between 2% and 4% this year, as companies redirect spending from travel to local gatherings and team meals. Fast-casual chains such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Potbelly, Habit Burger & Grill and CAVA are capitalizing on this trend by expanding catering programs, with cities like San Francisco and Boston seeing double-digit sales growth.

Michelin-starred chefs Sungchul Shim of Gui Steakhouse and Wolfgang Birk of Cafe Riggs share their methods for preparing prime rib. Birk dry-ages the roast for seven days, marinates it for 36 hours, and roasts it at 350 F. Shim dries the meat for up to three days, uses an Asian-influenced marinade, and cooks it low and slow for 10 hours, finishing with hot beef fat for a crisp crust. Both emphasize the importance of letting the meat rest in the fridge to evaporate moisture.

AI startup AKA Foods is helping chocolate manufacturers reformulate products faster by using AI to analyze R&D data and sensory insights, reducing development timelines from years to weeks. The company's AKA Studio platform addresses fragmented R&D knowledge, a major pain point for manufacturers. However, while it "doesn't reformulate products automatically, it gives R&D teams the intelligence, context and alternatives they need to respond quickly when ingredients become scarce or expensive," CEO David Sack said.