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Alinea Is Now An Outdoor Restaurant + 5 New Rooftops You Should Know About
Chicago’s best new rooftops.
photo credit: Anjali Pinto
For the next six weeks, Alinea is taking over a rooftop space in the West Loop. This version is called “AIR,” and from July 1st to August 15th, they’ll serve their $285-$315 tasting menu outdoors. And because reservations will probably be sold out before you finish reading this sentence, you’ll be happy to know they’re still offering “Alinea At Home” for carryout.
Editor’s Note: Some photos below were taken before shutdown
4 More New Rooftops to Visit This Summer
This is the low-key rooftop restaurant on top of Pacific Standard Time in River North. The Laurel Room is from the same team, which means you’ll find the same California-inspired seasonal menu. As a bonus, since the rooftop is covered, you can sit outside even when it’s raining.
The Kennedy is on top of the Hyatt in Wicker Park, and since you’re not literally in the skyline, you have a nice view of downtown Chicago. It also has a long menu full of cocktails and bar food, and plenty of tables and couches spaced far apart for social distancing.
You might know Joy District as the loud bar on top of Parlay in River North, because it is. But now you can come here for outdoor dining, since this rooftop bar now serves food and has couches and high tops so you can hang out for a while.
OK, so this isn’t “brand” new. But Utopian Tailgate opened late last year in Old Town, and we hardly had any time with it before both Chicago winter and the shutdown started stealing our joy. This bar reminds us a lot of a rooftop version of Paradise Park - meaning astroturf, lots of colorful patio furniture, and things like swing sets. Their food and drink menu is tailgate themed, so you can find things like nachos, pizza, and skewers.
After a lot of delays, the The Nobu has finally opened in the West Loop. This rooftop bar is 11 stories on top of the hotel, and along with a long list of sake and cocktails, they’re also serving Japanese small plates and sushi.
Suggested Reading
Chicago restaurant news for the week of 10/12/20.
A photo series covering what it looks like to dine outside in Chicago right now.
18 great restaurants to hang out with your real best friend.
New places that just reopened for outdoor dining, carryout, and delivery.