6 Favorite Restaurants with Outdoor Seating in Edgewater
With July coming to a close and Chicago finally seeing ease on some of the heat from the summer, outdoor seating is now more desirable than ever. Restaurants have made it a priority to ensure their outdoor seating areas are ready for people to dine. Within the last ten years, the north side of Chicago has been rapidly expanding, with good restaurants popping up on every corner. You will never run out of options! Edgewater and other northern neighborhoods have some of the best restaurants in the city, and with our guide, you can find one with the perfect outdoor vibe, too.
Little Bad Wolf
A new favorite, Little Bad Wolf, is an up-and-coming restaurant in Edgewater that is now picking up traction all over Chicago. Its main attraction, like so many places, is its burger. A must-try, the flavor, and quality are unmatched, and I almost called to ask how they made the special orange sauce slathered on the burger.
Rivaling Au Cheval and the Loyalist for its burger, LBW is a cheaper option on the northside, giving other legendary Chicago burgers a run for their money. Pair that with their crispy fries, and you have a can’t miss the restaurant. They also have tables set up under a tent so you can beat the heat and dine in peace. Check out their menu and hours here.
Alice and Friends Vegan Kitchen
Alice and Friends Vegan Kitchen is the perfect place for rare vegan finds like Roasted Sesame Pho, Bahn Mi, and Sweet & Sour Cauliflower with something for everyone in Edgewater. Alice’s is the perfect place for gluten, Soy, Nut, or Oil-Free, and all of their dishes are 100% vegan.
Alice Lee, who founded the restaurant in 2001, says, “Our lifestyle flows out of sincere respect for all living things and a desire to make as little impact as possible on our ecosystem. Our goal is to create a wonderland for vegans and those who want to adopt a plant-based diet. We want everyone to be able to enjoy flavorful, healthy, 100% vegan dishes.” The restaurant also features a small outdoor dining section in the front that is perfect for dinner or coffee dates. Check out their menu (with a ton of homemade desserts!!) here.
Tank Noodle
A Little Vietnam staple, Tank Noodle on the edge of Edgewater and Uptown, offers authentic Vietnamese cuisine that has been revered for decades among Chicago eaters. They boast that they provide the most authentic and traditional Vietnamese, Chinese and Asian cuisine.
A family-run restaurant, Tank Noodle has been held dearly in Chicagoans hearts as one of the best places in the city for a bowl of Pho. You can also take a seat in their huge outdoor seating area, covered and uncovered, and enjoy your cold noodle salad there! You can find them here.
Pick Me Up Cafe
A staple for vegetarians and vegans, Pick Me Up Cafe has been around since 1997 and prides itself on being one of the city’s first and most vegan-friendly places. But don’t be fooled, they sell all kinds of foods ranging from egg benedicts to stir-fry, all on the same menu! With options for everyone, this hipster joint has become the go-to stop for eaters of all kinds.
With a location on Clark St., Pick Me Up has kept busy through the summer by opening up seating outdoors and staying open until 11 pm. If you fancy a cool cocktail or coffee, Pick Me Up is the place.
Francesca’s Bryn Mawr
A popular stop in the Chicagoland area, Francesca’s is an elevated comfort food paradise. If you’re feeling like a little fancier delivery meal, you’ve gone to the right place by ordering from here. According to their website, “The original partners of Mia Francesca,[…] have reunited to bring the Edgewater neighborhood a restaurant with a contemporary, casually sophisticated trattoria ambiance, rustic cooking, friendly service, and fair prices”. They now have an incredible outdoor dining terrace, as they call it, that people are fighting for seats at. Check out their menu here.
Uncommon Ground
Checking out their website is enough explanation to why you should visit Uncommon Ground. Just on Sheridan, this restaurant is one of a kind, featuring a massive beer garden with tons of greenery and space. “Home to the f1st certified organic rooftop farm in the US! The farm provides us with the organic produce we incorporate in our dishes”. They have earthboxes for produce, a beehive in the far corner for honey, and planter boxes that feature even more fresh produce. Uncommon Ground is a neighborhood favorite with great food, great ethics, and an awesome dining experience.