Sneak Peek at Patio Season 2015
At the risk of jinxing us into seven more months of winter, it seems that patio season is upon us in Chicago. Across the city, restaurants, bars, and cafes are thawing out and opening their al fresco dining spaces to take advantage of the sunshine and warmth.
Two of the greatest restaurant patios in the city happen to be across the street from one another in West Town. Piccolo Sogno’s enormous enclosed patio transports guests to the Italian countryside with its bounty of trees and greenery, while the tall wooden fencing blocks out city life and makes you forget you’re not actually on vacation. Then there’s The Dawson across the street, a palatial restaurant with an equally massive patio with seating for 120. There’s an outdoor fireplace for extra coziness, and come May 1 the restaurant will also open its outside bar.
With front-row views of Logan Square proper, Lula Cafe is a mainstay in the neighborhood’s patio scene. Weather-permitting, the patio at this perpetually packed staple will open April 15, situated smack dab in the midst of prime Logan Square people-watching.
The Smoke Daddy stands out as an oasis of outdoor dining and drinking on the bustling Division Street strip. On one hand, the barbecue bastion features a flower-y sidewalk patio, while another option is the restaurant’s sprawling outdoor bar area. Bringing a sense of the indoors outside, The Smoke Daddy features 60-inch high-definition television screens in its outdoor bar area, which play sports games as well as stream live music from indoor performers. Bonus points for dog-lovers, because The Smoke Daddy offers housemade smoked pig ears for pups.
One of the most magical and alluring patio destinations in Chicago is nestled down a cobblestone alleyway in the West Loop. I’m talking about RM Champagne Salon, a veritable trip to Paris without ever leaving Chicago. When the outdoor dining area is open, it is illuminated by candles and twinkly dandling lights. New this year, RM is implementing an enhanced-capability bar outdoors and more of a lounge vibe on the lower patio with new banquettes and furniture.
Alleviating some of the incessant wait inside at Fat Rice, the cozy patio at this feverishly popular Logan Square spot is just the ticket. The vibrant space is draped in plants, lending the sensation of dining in some sort of refined Asian garden. The space has seating for 18 on a walk-in basis only.
Pisco takes the spotlight at Tanta’s second floor lounge and rooftop patio. The massive space contains indoor seating for 35 and outdoor seating for 85, complete with a skylight in the floor that looks down into the main dining room. Special pisco-focused cocktails and a food menu inspired by Peruvian street foods are sure to keep guests quenched and sated as they linger into the evening.
On the opposite side of town, well outside the hustle and bustle of downtown, The Promontory provides a comfortable respite in Hyde Park. The sprawling restaurant boasts not one but two outdoor dining areas, including a first-floor patio and a second-floor al fresco lounge. Each one seats 45 and the ground floor comes equipped with an outdoor fire pit. The first floor is available for guests enjoying during brunch, dinner, or cocktails, while the lounge is open during shows.
With a patio that will eventually overlook Millennium Park, soon-to-open Remington’s promises to be a player in the downtown patio game this year. With a target launch date set for May 5, Remington’s bills itself as a classic American grill ideal for lunch, dinner, happy hour, and more. The sidewalk patio will feature seating for 40, while the restaurant facade features retractable floor-to-ceiling windows that will open completely onto the sidewalk.
Piccolo Sogno
464 N. Halsted Street, Chicago
(312) 421-0077
Website
The Dawson
730 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago
(312) 243-8955
Website
Lula Cafe
2537 N. Kedzie Avenue, Chicago
(773) 489-9554
Website
The Smoke Daddy
1804 W. Division Street, Chicago
(773) 772-6656
Website
RM Champagne Salon
116 N. Green Street, Chicago
(312) 243-1199
Website
Fat Rice
2957 W. Diversey Avenue, Chicago
(773) 661-9170
Website
Tanta
118 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago
(312) 222-9700
Website
The Promontory
5311 S. Lake Park Avenue, Chicago
(312) 801-2100
Website
Remington’s
20 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago
(773) 278-1177
Website
