Summer is fleeting, but there are more than enough sunny afternoons left to make the most of the miles of sparkling blue lakefront views, grassy green parks and stately architectural gems that make eating outdoors in Chicago a no-brainer.
Luxury picnics are picking up steam on social media, and you can embrace the trend with a specialty picnic spread from Delightful Pastries. Or picnic the old-fashioned way, with a simple wrapped sandwich or bucket of fried chicken.
Once you’ve settled where to order from, picking the right park in which to picnic is a challenge in and of itself. We considered walking distance, transportable foods and park comfortability in our listings. Here are the food desk’s favorite places to picnic.
— Lauryn Azu, deputy editor
6 picnic food and park pairings across Chicagoland
Delightful Pastries at Portage Park
Pastry chef Dobra Bielinski just launched a new seasonal picnic at the beloved bakery she founded with her mother Stasia Hawryszczuk in 1998. Delightful Pastries, the pink jewel box of a shop in the Jefferson Park neighborhood, is offering the special through Sept. 30. They say the picnic ($70) serves two, but they’re Delightful-sized servings, which means generous, with four buttery mini croissant sandwiches (stuffed with roasted veggies, egg salad, Polish ham and cheese, plus a Thanksgiving stuffing sandwich with turkey and cranberry sauce), along with a dozen mini quiches, half a dozen mini cookies and even a bowl of fruit. Do note you need to order your picnic three days in advance online or by phone. Or pick your own picnic food from the pastry cases, packed with cakes, croissants, quiche, plus year-round plump paczki of course. You could walk over to the nearest park (Dunham, just nine minutes away), but if you can, head over to the wonderland that’s Portage Park (a five-minute drive, but a 33-minute walk), where you can unpack your spread by the Olympic-sized pool on lounge chairs, by formal gardens with cacti on shaded lawns or by the dog park on a bench to watch pups play. — Louisa Kung Liu Chu
Delightful Pastries, 5927 W. Lawrence Ave., 773-545-7215, delightfulpastries.com
Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave., 773-685-7235, chicagoparkdistrict.com
Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern or Morry’s Deli at Promontory Point
Promontory Point’s serene views require a small walk through a tunnel, but once you’re there, there are plenty of places to relax next to the water. However, there’s not much in the way of food, so prepare yourself by bringing some wrapped sandwiches from nearby Hyde Park favorites. Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern offers an addictive 12-inch BBQ or fried shrimp po’boy ($25) with the classic toppings of lettuce, tomato and mayo. Or if you’re craving a classic deli sandwich, Morry’s Deli provides a nicely balanced hot pastrami sandwich ($12) for lunch or an egg and cheese sandwich ($5.99) for breakfast. The Point itself has plenty of grassy places to sit in intimate or larger groups; some locals even set up picnics with blankets on the stones closer to the water. — Ahmed Ali Akbar
Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern, 5215 S. Harper Ave., 773-675-8767, daisyspoboychicago.com; Morry’s Deli, 5500 S. Cornell Ave., 773-363-3800, morrysdeli.com
Promontory Point, 5491 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, chicagoparkdistrict.com
Honey Butter Fried Chicken at Horner Park
A fried chicken meal is a fun indulgence, and Honey Butter offers deliciously crispy and juicy chicken that’s the perfect treat to have while sprawled out on a picnic blanket. Load up on chicken strips, fries and corn muffins to share, and be sure to grab a variety of dipping sauces from their eight options. There are things for vegetarians too, including salads, or strips and sandwiches made with fried tofu. Less than a 10-minute drive from the restaurant’s Avondale location is Horner Park, one of the biggest parks on the North Side. Relax in one of 13 picnic groves and soak up the sun. — Kayla Samoy
Honey Butter Fried Chicken, 3361 N. Elston Ave., 773-478-4000, honeybutter.com
Horner Park, 2741 W. Montrose Ave., chicagoparkdistrict.com
Nhu Lan Bakery & Sandwiches at Montrose Beach
This Vietnamese bakery in Uptown preps banh mi sandwiches made fresh to order, where a satisfying lakefront lunch can be yours for under $20. Just a 15-minute trek from Nhu Lan are the grassy areas on the north end of Montrose Beach off of North Simonds Drive. Order crispy roasted pork or barbecue pork, neatly tucked on fresh French bread with a spicy kick of jalapeño, and balance it out with a refreshing and not-too-sweet coconut smoothie or passion fruit juice drink. There are also more picnic-friendly grab-and-go options such as spring rolls in the cooler. Drinks are served with a durable cup-sized plastic baggie, making handling your food even easier if you’re hauling a lawn chair or tote bag. — LA
Nhu Lan Bakery & Sandwiches, 4810 N. Sheridan Road, 773-944-9288
Montrose Beach, 4400 N . Dusable Lake Shore Drive, chicagoparkdistrict.com
Señor Jalapeño at Lilacia Park
Lilacia Park is a dreamy little nook a few feet from Metra’s Union Pacific West Line stop in downtown Lombard. The lilacs bloom anytime from the end of April through June, but there are other colorful flowers planted around the very well-kept green lawns and water fountains. It’s an ideal spot for a quiet summertime picnic in the west suburbs. Lombard is home to dozens of Halal restaurants; both sit-down and fast-casual grab-and-go places. A popular pick is Señor Jalapeño on Main Street, which is only an 11-minute walk (or two-minute drive) from Lilacia. There are several menu standouts, though not all are picnic-friendly. The chorizo tacos ($3.99 each), however, hold up well and are just as good piping hot as they are eaten a little later. The Halal chorizo is spicy and smoky, deep in flavor and just greasy enough to be indulgent. Definitely ask for extra napkins and a cold mango-flavored Jarritos. As a bonus treat, there’s an iconic walk-up Dairy Queen right around the corner. — Zareen Syed
Senor Jalapeño, 436 S. Main St., Lombard, 630- 495-3050, senor-jalapeno.com
Lilacia Park, 150 S. Park Ave., Lombard, lombardparks.com/Lilacia-Park
Spoke & Bird at Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens
The South Loop cafe is within a Chicago Park District field house and next to the picturesque Women’s Park and Gardens. Of note on the locally sourced menu is a ham and cheese breakfast sandwich, served hot, and a delicious matcha latte made with “cereal milk” flavored house-made syrups, including vanilla, lavender and white chocolate. You could grab a seat under the cafe’s shaded patio, or take your breakfast to go and sit out on the spacious lawns in the park or near the bubbling copper fountain, whisking you to a scene from “Bridgerton” right in the heart of Chicago’s Prairie Avenue Historic District. For an extra dose of learning, the park features Chicago’s oldest surviving home, the Clarke-Ford House, and a memorial dedicated to social reformer Jane Addams. — LA
Spoke & Bird, 205 E. 18th St., 929-263-2473, spokeandbird.com
Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens, 1801 S. Indiana Ave., 312-328-0821, chicagoparkdistrict.com
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