Amy Cavanaugh is a Chicago-based food, drink, and travel writer. She is the dining editor at Chicago magazine and the editor of American Weekender.

Recent Work

  • A hand with rings and bracelets holding a glass of clear liquid with ice and a large ice cube, garnished with a toothpick skewering yellow candies.

    Nothing Says Summer Like a Grilled Martini

    For Punch, I wrote about the fun twist on a dirty martini being served at Kansas City’s Varsity Club.

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  • Multiple small bowls of fried chicken with lemon wedges on a dark counter in a restaurant kitchen, with chefs preparing food in the background.

    The Most Famous Shrimp Cocktail in the World

    For American Weekender, I did a deep dive into one of Indianapolis’s signature dishes: the fiery shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo Steakhouse.

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  • Three black ceramic plates with gourmet food, one with a dish topped with microgreens, another with layered thin crispy chips, and the third with a salad and a piece of fish.

    Fresh Fusion

    For Chicago magazine, I profiled Devin Denzer, a chef making his name serving a take on Japanese and Nordic cuisines.

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