Lists

This year’s March Tournament has been total madness. Over the last two weeks, Smile Politely readers have voted on incredible local eats and drinks in head-to-head battles for the 2024 Food & Drink Championship. The …

If I’ve learned anything from the national, annual March Madness sportsball tournament, it’s that people love a good competition. Me, too. What’s not to love about a battle of The Best? Every year, Smile Politely‘s …

The Illini Union food and drink scene has seen some changes in recent years. I used to eat at the Union about once a week, and believe me, it was hopping with Wendy’s, Blaze, Qdoba, Chick-Fil-A, …

Now that spring is teasing us it’s near, it’s exciting to see things get busier in the music scene in Champaign-Urbana. I’ve been excited to see bookings increase, and some of the local venues getting …

The month of March always throws me for a loop. Spring break is smack-dab in the middle of March, and then there’s that stupid spring-forward daylight savings time adjustment, and then wow, the holidays; it’s …

This time of year, eating fish on Fridays is a whole thing. In Champaign-Urbana, if we get a hankering for fish on a Friday, where to go? We’ve published a few fish lists over the …

I don’t mean to brag, but I’m pretty experienced when it comes to eating chocolate. Decades upon decades, I’ve been enjoying chocolate. Growing up, I picked the same flavor for my birthday cake year after …

Valentine’s Day is next Wednesday, February 14th. However one feels about next week’s holiday, it is a day, and it’s coming up on the calendar, so here’s a round-up for V-Day of sweet treats, romantic …

Happy February, Happy Black History Month, and Happy Leap Year Month-That-We-Leap! This month, my list of things to eat in Champaign-Urbana covers five things that will make you leap for joy — oof, it’s good …