Dining alfresco may be one of a Chicagoan’s favorite things in life besides a Cubs, Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks or Bears victory. Bandit allows restaurant-goers the option to dine outside in comfort with its fully enclosed pergola on the back patio.The pergola is a 15-foot-wall and ceiling, secluding guests from the cooler temperatures and allowing guests to experience the alfresco atmosphere and sun, sans shivers. On warmer days, the pergola opens its roof, for fresh air. Count on American comfort food using fresh and locally sourced ingredients: the signature burger, The Diplomat, a shareable and pull-apart burger made with hormone-free meat, naturally raised, and locally sourced. Merkts sharp cheddar, savory bacon jam and delicate caramelized onion aioli make it special. Bandit’s menu features several lighter dishes like charred spiced carrots, Kung Pao cauliflower and a tuna poke bowl. There are cocktails, beer, wine, bubbles and alcohol-free drinks to wet the pipes.

Piccolo Sogno, Italian for “little dream,” is just that. The first restaurant of partners Tony Priolo and Ciro Longobardo is still satisfying diners after 11 years on the competitive Chicago dining scene. The menu is studded with hand-made seasonal rustic Italian dishes and an impressive all-Italian wine list checks in at over 400 varieties. The River West eatery, with its serene interior and shaded patio, provides an intimate refuge from the noisy city streets. Lucky you – it’s open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner seven days a week. The menu is full of incredible dishes from earthy wood roasted oyster mushrooms with house
cured pancetta, aged balsamic, radicchio and spinach to ethereal pasta like artichoke tortellini with fava beans and peas. Locals rave about the seafood and wood-fired pizzas.

Indian cuisine may be in a state of renaissance in Chicago and Superkhana International is just another indicator. Expect vivid Indian colors, patterns and palettes amid lime-washed brick and an indoor courtyard supplying lots of natural light. A joint venture of chefs Yoshi Yamada (Lula Cafe, Blackbird), Zeeshan Shah (Old Town Social, The Bristol) and Jason Hammel (Lula Cafe, Marisol), the eatery targets Indian flavors via 18 modern vegetable and non-vegetable dishes that change with the seasons. Try Aloo Gobi Pizza with cauliflower, potato and shallot-pepper confitor the butter chicken supreme, a naan calzone stuffed with butter chicken and mozzarella and amul cheese. Super seasonal veg dishes make it easy to get more greens and chefs incorporate local peas, asparagus and ramps into their modern Indian dishes. Who wouldn’t want to try a Bombay Sandwich described as a “Mumbai psychedelic grilled cheese…with many, many things.”

What could imply spring more than a place called Flora Fauna? Husband-and-wife team of mixologist Liz Pearce and chef Jonathan Meyer offer a global-rustic restaurant in River North inspired by their visits across Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Get your greens and antioxidants under the “flora” side of the menu: crispy fried mushrooms with pineapple rum mustard and jackfruit DanDan with chilled green papaya noodles. Stuff lettuce wraps around an array of choices from fried tofu to roasted halibut and various fried rice option range from roasted cauliflower to butter poached King crab. Try one of the Stone Bowls brimming with seafood, meats or garden items. Fruity cocktails and small batch sakes transport you to exotic locales. The tropical-themed, open loft design and large windows coax natural light year-round so it’s sensory overload in spring. Happy hour specials and weekend brunch. too.

Surely West Town can’t be mistaken for the seaside of Galicia, Spain or Portugal, however, your senses can fully enjoy the Atlantic coast at Porto. Fresh, wild caught fish is imported weekly from Portugal and Galicia and dances on Porto’s grills and woodburning ovens in three open kitchens. There may not be other spots in the Midwest to try Galician uni and razor clams, house cured sardines with Basque pepper sauce, citrus-cured Spanish mackerel, Portugeuse dumplings and the unique use of fresh seaweed for natural salinity in various dishes. The Porto atrium, complete with a a wood-burning fire grill and a dry ager, opens in spring and a Sunday Family Supper rolls out, too. There’s a retractable roof that opens when weather permits. The roster of sherries, Ports and Madeiras is the largest in Chicago and the music serenades with sounds from the African coast to Rio and the Algarve.

When The Patio at Cafe Brauer opens, it’s officially spring. Opening date for 2020 is May 1st. A few steps south of the main grounds of Lincoln Park Zoo, Café Brauer is a historic Prairie School-style edifice that overlooks a pond at the park’s Nature Boardwalk. You’ll witness stunning views of the prairie ecosystem as well as the Chicago skyline. Chef Daniel Kelly from Levy Restaurants shops the nearby Green City Market for fresh produce and other ingredients to make burgers, sandwiches and salads that sing the praises of spring. Options appeal to all ages: pita stuffed with, falafel and hummus; housemade guac and salsa; juicy burgers; and an array of tacos and sandwiches. There’s a decent roster of craft beer and frozen cocktails are definitely a few bucks less than what you’ll pay at downtown spots. The lack of car traffic is another pastoral plus.

If ramp and green asparagus pizza doesn’t get you in the spring mood, check your pulse. You’ll savor that and more at etta in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. Award-winning chef/partner, Danny Grant, fashions a seasonally inspired menu that utilizes its wood-fired hearth in unique ways. The kitchen team starts hand-rolling pasta every day before dawn so your bucatini cacio e pepe may be the best you’ve tasted. Rack roasted oysters or ricotta pillows are stunning ways to launch then choose from more than a half dozen salad and veggie items to get your greens. Larger format “for the table” items include fire-roasted whole Branzino sprinkled with capers and parsley and wood-fired chicken redolent of lemon, garlic and thyme. Desserts, cocktails and the wine roster are equally inspired. The Green with Envy cocktail (Hendricks, Chareau, pea tendril, basil, matcha, lime) is herbaceous refreshment. Definitely dine on the lovely rooftop terrace.

April in Paris? Mais oui! Or just take a ride to Roscoe Village’s Le Sud. The popular French-Mediterranean spot offers a rooftop patio that transports you to a garden in the south of France. Flowers and herbs scent the air, wine barrel fire pits warm you if there’s a sudden Chicago chill and proprietor Sandy Chen shows how a trip to the villages of Provence inspired her decor. A retractable patio roof has been added so guests can dine outside no matter the weather. New events include a French movie night, monthly themed wine tastings, midweek prix fixe menu ($36) and kids eat free Sundays. New executive chef Michael Woodhall’s Provencal-influenced food includes roasted beet Napoleon; Salade Nicoise; rabbit stew; steak frites; bouillabaisse; a fabulous burger; and Fettuccine Parisienne. Don’t miss Basque cake and house-made ice creams and you’ll say, “merci.”