Dining Al Fresco: Bites Nearby

We in Chicagoland are used to taking advantage of every decent bit of weather we can get. We don’t ever take any of our great weather for granted—not like, for instance, those spoiled folks in San Diego.

So when the average temperature has been 20 degrees, the minute it hits 40 degrees we are out celebrating the warmth.

Just as true, when the average temperature has been in the 90’s, we get out to enjoy the evening lows of the upper 80’s, observing the very pleasantness of it all.

Midwesterners are used to making lemonade out of lemons when it comes to weather.

Also in true Midwest fashion, we must pay for each pocket of beautiful weather with the threat of cool 60 degree temperatures and storms to remind us how lucky we were in the first place to have any nice days to enjoy.

And so goes the cycle.

So when Tom Skilling encourages us to endure a Friday and Saturday of wet yard sales, baseball games and graduation parties in the garage, he does so knowing that Sunday and Monday bring the promise of 70 and 80 degree weather similar to that in San Diego.

And on those oh-so-glorious days, we’ll be ready—with the enthusiasm of an eight year old who just came off of a month long hiatus from eating candy—to dash out to any of these local eateries that offer the opportunity to dine outdoors: 

1. Front Street Cantina in Lemont
2. La Notte Due in Darien
3. Suparossa in Woodridge
4. Meson Sabika in Naperville
5. Ballydoyle in Downers Grove

On such lovely evenings, it can’t be a crime to think, “Eat your heart out, San Diego, you may have more nice days than we do, but our Enjoyment Quotient is much, much higher than yours.”