Food continues to create a sense of community even during these days of social isolation, with strangers swapping free sourdough starter.

The various state and city coronavirus restrictions are having a dramatic impact on local businesses, especially mom-and-pop restaurants and stores. We visit Chinatown to see how businesses are coping with the changes.

We talk about the state of the restaurant industry with Alpana Singh, host of the WTTW restaurant review show “Check, Please!” and the owner of Terra and Vine restaurant in Evanston.

Rhine Hall Distillery is known for its high-end fruit brandies, but business has slowed because of the coronavirus. Now, the distillery is one of several that’s shifting its production from spirits to sanitizer. We go for a look.

With bars shuttered and stressed-out workers stuck at home, companies and friend groups across the U.S. are holding happy hours over video chat to commiserate and keep spirits high amid the new coronavirus pandemic. 

Illinois restaurants and bars are preparing for their last call for dine-in business until at least the end of the month. Meanwhile, grocers big and small are scrambling to restock shelves.

The drastic measure comes as officials announced the number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois has risen to 93. Restaurants can still serve food via delivery, or curbside pick-up. “This is another hard step to take,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement.

To help alleviate the impact of coronavirus-related declines in restaurant sales, Chicago-based Grubhub announced a temporary change to its fee structure and a charitable fund to support impacted restaurants and drivers nationwide.

The economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is being felt by industries and businesses in Chicago and across Illinois, from large hotel chains and restaurants to independent movie theaters and music venues. 

New Trump administration rules taking effect April 1 put hundreds of thousands of people at risk of losing their food stamp benefits. They hit particularly hard in places like Illinois, where roughly 90,000 will be affected statewide.

Small actions can add up to meaningful change in the race to avert a climate crisis. But Chicago is lagging when it comes to some of the simplest solutions.

Chicago made national news this week when an archdiocesan official suggested plant-based “meats” are a cheat during Lent’s meatless Fridays.

Clover sprouts served at Jimmy John’s restaurants have been linked with an E. coli outbreak that has sickened 14 people in five states, including six people in Illinois. The company said it is no longer serving sprouts.

If there’s one thing Aleksandra August hopes viewers take away from her new show “Flavor of Poland,” it’s that they learn something more about the country than its offerings of pierogi and kielbasa.

Amazon wants to kill the supermarket checkout line. The online retailing giant is opening its first cashier-less supermarket, where shoppers can grab milk or eggs and walk out without waiting in line or ever opening their wallets. 

Chicago’s Polish bakeries have to prep for two Paczki Days: Fat Thursday, celebrated by Poles, and Fat Tuesday, celebrated by everyone else.