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Jun 2011  |  By  |  Comments (3)

Living Large: Outdoor Dining on the North Shore

TAGS: July 2011 magazine, outdoor dining, restaurants with patios, alfresco restaurant

Doesn’t every meal taste better outdoors? Whether it’s a burger in its natural habitat, a brat at the Friendly Confines, or a steak under the stars, it’s all good.

In the too-short season known as summer in Chicago, there are hundreds of restaurants inviting you to join them in the great outdoors. It may be at a table on the sidewalk, or on a secluded terrace or patio. So what if there’s a bus going by or a hornet that’s interested in your Cosmopolitan? It’s all part of the experience.

Here are some of our favorite places to dine al fresco.

Arlington Heights:
Carlos & Carlos
115 W. Campbell St.
847-259-5227

BaPi Italian Ristoranti
1510 Hintz Rd.
847-253-2333

Harry’s of Arlington
1 N. Vail Ave.
847-577-2525

Barrington:
Barrington Country Bistro (Reviewed!)
700 W. Northwest Hwy.
847-842-1300

Francesca’s Famiglia
100 East Station St.
847-277-1027

L’Eiffel Bistrot & Creperie
100 W. Higgins Rd.
847-428-4783

The Lucky Monk
105 Hollywood Blvd.
847-898-0500

Buffalo Grove:
Nino’s Pizza
960 S. Buffalo Grove Rd.
847-947-4111

Winberie’s Restaurant and Bar
800 W. Lake Cook Rd.
847-520-7447

The Club House and Tavern
48 Raupp Blvd.
847-459-5522

Wild Goose Café
401 Half Day Road
847-913-9112

Deerfield:
Trax Tavern & Grill
833A Deerfield Rd.
847-236-0203

Wildfish
730 Waukegan Rd
847-317-9453

DC Sarnies
649 Lake Cook Rd.
847-509-2000

Townhouse Kitchen & Bar (Reviewed!)
695 Deerfield Rd.
847-948-9700

Evanston:
Prairie Moon
1502 Sherman Ave.
847-864-8328

Siam Pasta
809 Dempster St.
847-328-4614

Quince at the Homestead (Reviewed!)
1625 Hinman Ave.
847-570-8400

The Celtic Knot Public House
626 Church St.
847-864-1679

Bravo Cucina Italiana
1701 Maple Ave
847-733-0917

Campagnola
615 Chicago Ave.
847-475-6100

Oceanique
505 Main St.
847-864-3435

Bluestone
1932 Central St.
847-424-0420

Tapas Barcelona
1615 Chicago Ave
847-866-9900

Bar Louie
1520 Sherman Ave
847-733-8300

Jacky’s Bistro (Reviewed!)
2545 Prairie Ave
847-733-0899

Bistro Bordeaux (Reviewed!)
618 Church St.
847-424-1483

Blind Faith
525 Dempster St.
847-328-6875

Donatella Mediterranean Bistro (Reviewed!)
1512 Sherman Ave.
847-328-7720

Flat Top Grill
797 Church St.
847-570-0100

Globe Café
1710 Orrington Ave.
847-866-8700

Glenview:
Hackney on Harms
1241 Harms Rd.
847-724-5577

Bravo Cucina Italiana
2600 Navy Blvd.
847-724-8400

The Yard House
1880 Tower Drive
847-729-9273

Jolane’s Café and Wine Bistro
1100 Milwaukee Ave
847-375-6986

Mitchell’s Fish Market
2601 Navy Blvd.
847-729-3663

El Jardin Norte
1831 Tower Dr.
847-729-9888

RA Sushi
Glen Tower Center
2601 Aviator Lane
847-510-1100

Glenview House
1843 Glenview Rd.
847-724-0692

Zingarella (Reviewed!)
2300 Lehigh Ave.
847-657-0707

Highwood:
Froggy’s French Café
306 Green Bay Rd.
847-433-7080

Bridie McKenna’s
254 Green Bay Road
847-432-3311

The Grill
331 Waukegan Ave.
847-579-4666

Miramar
301 Waukegan Rd.
847-433-1078

Alex’s Washington Gardens
256 Green Bay Rd.
847-432-0309

Gabriel’s Restaurant
310 Green Bay Rd.
847-433-0031

Bertucci’s
246 Green Bay Rd.
847-432-6663

Highland Park:
Norton’s Restaurant and Bar
1905 Sheridan Rd.
847-432-3287

Hot Tamales
493 Central Ave
847-433-4070

Phoenicia Mediterranean Cuisine
1910 First Street
847-266-9990

Now We’re Cookin Grill
710 Central Ave
847-432-7310

Abigail’s American Bistro (Reviewed!)
493 Roger Williams Ave.
847-849-1009

Bluegrass (Reviewed!)
1636 Old Deerfield Rd.
847-831-0595

Cafe Central
455 Central Ave.
847-266-7878

Bella Via
1699 Second St.
847-681-8300

Sushi Kushi Too
495 Central Ave
847-681-8997

Lake Bluff:
Aleks’ Restaurant and Lounge
525 Rockland Road
847-295-7140

Bluffington’s Café
113 E. Scranton Ave.
847-295-3344

Donelli’s Pub & Eatery, Inc.
515 Rockland Ave
847-234-0225

The Silo (Great for pizza!)
625 Rockland Rd.
847-234-6660

Grille No. 43
28800 N. Waukegan Rd.
847-234-7643

Inovasi (Reviewed!)
28 E. Center Ave.
847-295-1000

Noodle Bar (Reviewed!)
20 E. Scranton Ave.
847-735-8170

Lake Forest:
South Gate Café (Reviewed!)
655 Forest Ave.
847-234-8899

Lake Forest Food and Wine Specialties
672 N. Western Ave.

Ferentino’s Pizza
842 N. Western Ave.
847-295-8888

Lovell’s of Lake Forest
915 S. Waukegan Rd.
847-234-8013

Bank Lane Bistro (Reviewed!)
670 Bank Lane
847-234-8802

The Grille on Laurel
181 E. Laurel Ave.
847-234-9660

Deer Path Inn
255 E. Illinois Rd.
847-234-2280

Francesca’s Intimo
293 E. Illinois Rd.
847-735-9235

Libertyville:
Mickey Finn’s Brewery
412 N. Milwaukee Ave.
847-362-6688

Café Pyrenees
1762 N. Milwaukee Ave.
847-362-2233

545 North
545 N. Milwaukee Ave.
847-247-8700

Lincolnshire:
Fleming’s
960 Milwaukee Ave.
847-793-0333

Kona Grill (Reviewed!)
940 N. Milwaukee Ave.
847-955-1210

Flatlander’s Restaurant & Brewery
200 Village Green
847-821-1234

Lincolnwood
Myron & Phil’s
3900 W. Devon Ave.
847-677-6663

Morton Grove
Rivals Sports Bar
9001 Waukegan Rd
847-581-1888

Mundelein:
Adina’s
906 Rt. 45
847-918-9060

Gale Street Inn-Diamond Lake
935 Diamond Rd
847-566-1090

Park Street Restaurant
14 East Park
847-949-1900

Northbrook:
Pinstripes
1150 Willow Rd.
847-480-2323

Zapatista (Reviewed!)
992 Willow Rd.
847-559-0939

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
1819 Lake Cook Rd.
847-509-8844

Northfield:
Tapas Gitana
310 Happ Rd.
847-784-9300

Happ Inn (Reviewed!)
305 Happ Rd.
847-784-9200

Three Tarts
301 Happ Rd.
847-446-5444


Skokie:
Frontera Fresco
Macy’s Old Orchard
1 Old Orchard Shopping Center
847-329-2638

McCormick & Schmick’s
4999 Old Orchard Center
847-763-9811

Vernon Hills:
Nirvana Wine & Grillerie
Suite 280
701 N. Milwaukee Ave
847-918-7828

Portofino Italian Bistro
102 Hawthorne Pkwy.
847-680-4300

Wadsworth:
Savanna House Restaurant
38905 Route 41
847-249-3770

Wheeling:
94th Aero Squadron
1070 S. Milwaukee Ave.
847-459-3700

Pete Miller’s Seafood and Prime Steak (Reviewed!)
412 N. Milwaukee Ave
847-243-3700

Ram Restaurant & Brewery
700 N. Milwaukee Ave.
847-520-1222

Wilmette:
Depot Nuevo (Reviewed!)
1139 Wilmette Ave.
847-251-3111

Bluette (Reviewed!)
1162 Wilmette Ave.
847-853-8988

Convito Café & Market
1515 Sheridan Rd.
847-251-3654

Fuel
1222 Washington Ct.
847-251-3835

Gilson’s
1126 Central Ave.
847-256-2430

Olive Oil (Reviewed!)
1154 Central Ave.
847-26-1002

The Noodle Cafe
708 12th St.
847-251-2228

Winnetka:
Avli Estiatorio (Reviewed!)
566 Chestnut St.
847-446-9300

Restaurant Michael (Reviewed!)
64 Green Bay Rd.
847-441-3100

And in the city ...

Chicago
Anteprima
5316 N. Clark St.
773-506-9990

Big Jones
5347 N. Clark St.
773-275-5725

Bistro Campagne
4518 N. Lincoln Ave.
773-271-6100

Café Selmarie
4729 N. Lincoln Ave.
773-989-5595

Fat Cat Bar & Grill
4840 N. Broadway St.
773-506-3100

Francesca’a Bryn Mawr
1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
773-506-9261

Hop Haus (Reviewed!)
7545 N. Clark St.
773-262-3783

Hopleaf
5148 N. Clark St.
773-334-9851

Uncommon Ground (Reviewed!)
1401 W. Devon Ave.
773-929-3680