Marilyn Odesser-Torpey

Top 100 Independents: The Northeast

Abe FisherPhiladelphiaThe restaurant is known for its contemporary Jewish cuisine like the Montreal-spiced, smoked short rib with house-made rye and mustards.

From Pawn Shop to Fine Dining

The exterior signage of restaurant Gold Cash Gold, including the name plastered above the door, is a cheeky reminder of the building’s days as a pawnshop.

Chicago Hot Spots

If there was ever any doubt about Chicago's clout as one of the top food cities, the decision by the James Beard Foundation to move the annual awards celebration to the Windy City this year dispell ...

Taking Up the Family Business

For many people in and around Bettendorf, Iowa, enjoying a traditional family meal doesn’t mean gathering around the table in their own homes.

Welcome to the South

Southern beverages and flavors dominated menus in 2014: quick serves latched onto the iced tea craze, incorporating Southern-inspired flavors such as peach, while brands like Red Robin reached for ...

Garnishes Go Glamorous

Lemon wedges, orange wheels, olives, cherries, and tiny umbrellas—these are the go-to garnishes that adorned cocktails for decades.

A Neighborly Approach

Bar LouieFRANCHISE FEE $50,000 per arrangementROYALTY FEE 6 percentMARKETING FEE 1-3 percentMINIMUM NET WORTH $3 millionLIQUID ASSETS $1 millionAVERAGE ROI 2.5 yearsAVERAGE UNIT VOLUME ...