About

Amy Cavanaugh is a Chicago-based food and drink writer and dining editor at Chicago magazine. She is also the co-founder and editor of American Weekender, which publishes a travel newsletter and guides focused on smaller cities, college towns, and vacation destinations.

Amy specializes in cocktails, food, wine, and travel in Chicago, the Midwest, and beyond. Her writing has recently appeared in Punch, Food & Wine, Chicago, Conde Nast Traveler, Fodor’s, and Plate. Amy has held editor roles at Plate and Time Out Chicago and has contributed to a number of books, including several Fodor’s guides. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards, including by the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the City and Regional Magazine Association.

Amy frequently covers cocktails, spirits, and drinking trends and often speaks about them at conferences and events, including BevCon, Taste Talks, the Center for Foods of the Americas at the Culinary Institute of America, and the Indie Spirits Expo. She is a regular guest on WDCB’s Arts Section program. 

Amy is a judge for the annual Spirited Awards for Tales of the Cocktail, the largest industry spirits event, among other industry awards. She was a fellow at the Wine Writers Symposium in Napa in 2019 and has earned the Certified Sherry Wine Specialist certification.

Originally from Holyoke, Massachusetts, Amy has a B.A. in English and American history from Mount Holyoke College and an M.A. in English literature from the University of Maryland. She enjoys reading, cooking, walks along Lake Michigan, and British detective shows.