Amy Cavanaugh is a Chicago-based food and drink writer and the dining editor at Chicago magazine. She is also the co-founder and editor of American Weekender, a food-focused travel publication with a weekly newsletter and travel guides.

Amy specializes in cocktails, food, wine, and travel in Chicago, the Midwest, and beyond. Her writing has recently appeared in Punch, Food & Wine, Chicago, and Condé Nast Traveler. Amy has held editor roles at Plate and Time Out Chicago and has contributed to a number of books, including Eaterland: Recipes and Stories From Across the United States and several Fodor’s guides. She has been a finalist for numerous awards, including from the International Association of Culinary Professionals and the City and Regional Magazine Association.

Amy frequently covers cocktails, spirits, and drinking trends and speaks about them at conferences and events, including Tales of the Cocktail and the Culinary Institute of America’s Center for Foods of the Americas. She is a regular guest on radio programs on Chicago stations WGN and WDCB. 

Amy is a judge for the annual Spirited Awards for Tales of the Cocktail, the largest industry spirits event, among many other industry awards. She was a fellow at the Wine Writers Symposium in Napa Valley 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, British detective shows, and a good martini.