—Navy Pier's RIVA Crab House announces a new brunch menu available every Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m.-3 p.m. ( Items include steak and eggs, stuffed French toast and a pork belly benny in addition to Riva signature items like oysters, calamari and lobster corn bisque. ) Also, there is a Bloody Mary Bar that ranges in price from $8 to $10 based on the choice of vodka. Brunch is $14-$19; see www.rivanavypier.com .
—Wine Spectator magazine's announced its 2014 Restaurant Awards, and 52 Chicago restaurants were honored, according to The Chicago Tribune. Thirty-five Chicago restaurants earned Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence, and 16 received the more prestigious Best of Award of Excellence. Among those in the latter group are Benny's Chop House, City Winery, Spiaggia and Salpicon. In addition, Benny's Chop House, L2O, Les Nomades, Oceanique ( in Evanston ), Spiaggia and Tru were honored in The World of Fine Wine magazine's inaugural "World's Best Wine Lists."
—Naperville's Grandma Sally's Waffle & Pancake House suffered extensive damage after a fire July 18, according to NBC Chicago. No injuries were reported in the blaze but damage to the building is estimated to be around $400,000, officials said.
—Weber Grill restaurants ( River North, Lombard and Schaumburg ) salute National Grilling Month by adding the Veteran's Burger to the menu all month long with $1 of each burger purchase going back to Illinois' Operation Home Front.
—The 4-Star Restaurant Group announced its initial plans for the opening of The Windsor at 160 E. Huron St. in June 2015. The Windsor is set to take over the space Elephant & Castle currently occupies, on the street level of [soon-to-be remodeled] the Crowne Plaza Magnificent Mile building. With a projected seating capacity of 175, The Windsor will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch, as well as extensive list of local craft beers, specialty cocktails, and worldly wines.
—Frankfort, Illinois, restaurant Dancing Marlin ( 20590 S. Lagrange Rd. ) has launched its new, seasonally inspired midsummer menu and announced its monthly Chef's Dinner series beginning Aug. 20. New specials added the ceviche jar, octopus a la plancha, paella, pastrami tacos, turtle cheesecake bites and summer corn, among other things. Visit www.dancingmarlinrestaurant.com .
—A Magnificent Taste, Chicago's annual outdoor culinary event, kicks off Aug. 22, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Ave., as a part of The Magnificent Mile Shopping Festival presented by MasterCard, which will take place Aug. 22-Sept. 1. A Magnificent Taste will feature Chef Sam Talbot, a Top Chef semifinalist ( season two ). Talbot will prepare a dish for guests alongside 15 Chicago chefs from top restaurants in the city to raise funds for Common Threads. Tickets are $125-$200; visit http://events.commonthreads.org/eventDetails.aspx?eventId=143.
—On Oct. 17, Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago will host Chicago's James Beard Foundation's Taste America: Local Flavor from Coast to Coast, a national epicurean tour celebrating America's culinary diversity. A weekend-long tour, Chicago's Taste America will kick off at Trump Chicago with A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation. Tickets are on sale now at JBFTasteAmerica.org .
—Pastry guru and Chicago Culinary Museum 2013 Pastry Chef of the Year Chef Alain Roby of the All Chocolate Kitchen announced the launch of his brand-new Exclusive Aroma Line, which features rectangular truffles in 20 exotic flavors. They are $2-$27 before tax; visit the All Chocolate Kitchen store, 33 S. Third St., in Geneva, or call 630-232-2395. Also, see www.AllChocolateKitchen.com .
—Bon Appetit presents Chicago Gourmet has announced an exclusive, newly added dinner to the 2014 event lineup: A Tribute to Charlie Trotter. On Saturday, Sept. 27, many of the world's finest chefs—including Graham Elliot and Rick Bayless—will gather at Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago for this event, which will benefit Trotter's Culinary Education Foundation. Tickets are $500 per person for the six-course dinner; see www.ChicagoGourmet.org .
—Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House is celebrating National Oyster Day at its Chicago and Naperville locations on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with $1 oysters all day long. Hugo's Chicago location will offer $1 Oysters in fried, Rockefeller and on-the-half-shell variations; Naperville will offer fried and on-the-half-shell variations. See www.hugosfrogbar.com .
—Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group ( SWRG ), a collection of U.S. steakhouses, will reopen Wollensky's Grill ( housed in the lower-level riverfront space ) this fall. The Wollensky's Grill menu is geared toward sharing and sampling, where formality is not the norm. Items on the gastropub-style menu will include beef bacon, a signature smoked rib eye, foie gras and lobster corn dog.
—The first Chicago branch of L.A.-based Umami Burger is on track to open in August in Wicker Park, according to Eater Chicago. When complete, the main room ( below ) will house a full 16-seat bar at entry, separated from banquettes by a half wall, with tables and a round corner booth behind. In addition, the decor will feature a music theme.
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