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The new Taco Bell Cantina drops drive-thru for alcohol service and an open kitchen to create a new experience in urban markets. The first of these restaurants opened in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood this month where it also serves alcohol alongside the brand's signature items. The second Taco Bell Cantina will open in San Francisco.

At the new 3 Stars Brewing Company and tasting room in Takoma Park, Md., architecture and design firm Studio3877 brought an "urban farmhouse" approach to the space.

Rusty Taco, the casual taco chain invested in by Buffalo Wild Wings last year has changed its name to R Taco as a way to broaden its appeal amidst new expansion plans, execs announced.

Limani

One of the capitals of dining in the U.S., New York never disappoints. There’s everything from restored old restaurants to restaurants that transport diners to another place. The Big Apple is awash in creative restaurant design.

Restaurants and hotels devote more space than ever to bars. They can generate a vibrant ambiance, encourage a sense of community and, of course, bring in significant revenue. Today’s successful bars rarely sit in a dark corner. Rather, they are up front and often center with décor, lighting and menus that invite customers to spend a relaxing hour or two (or three) socializing and creating memorable experiences that will make guests want to return and bring friends.

Restaurants leverage technology and their passion to do right by the environment to adopt best practices for water conservation.

Pork Shoppe Andersonville Chicago, main dining room

A certain aesthetic springs to mind with traditional barbecue restaurants, where design often receives far less attention than smoke, sauce and brisket. The same does not apply at the new Pork Shoppe in Chicago's eclectic Andersonville neighborhood. The owners of this two-unit restaurant set out to prove that serious barbecue and sophisticated design need not be mutually exclusive.

Tack Room at Thalia Hall

Thalia Hall and Cindy’s at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel