Summer in Chicago
I promised a summer trip, it just took me a year and some change to get there. And while I still stand by all of the reqs from the previous post, this time around, I checked out more seasonal stops. The more I visit this town, the more I fall in love. So clean, so pretty and such a good food scene! Below my guide to summer in the windy city.
Happy Hour at Expat
A summer pop-up from the two restaurants it’s situated between Nellcôte and RM Champagne, Expat offers oysters, crudo, small plates and sandwiches but the main stars are the boozy snow cones and freeze pops.
I got the rosé snow cone, Zach got the Old Fashioned and we shared tequila and piña colada freeze pops. We’re not normally colada peeps but this was delicious. Like dessert in a tube. Doesn’t hurt that they’re made by a pastry chef.
Just walking around colorful Chicago (in much cooler temps than we were having!) made me happy.
We went to the diner last time which was 🙌🏻 and this time we finally got into the main restaurant, a difficult reservation to get. But we showed up early and nabbed a spot at the outdoor open table which was perfect this time of year. I actually preferred it to indoors. The food is worth the hype. The Bucatini was some of the best pasta we’ve ever had, which is saying a lot because we live in New York and have been to Italy several times.
The gramable neon sign is reason enough to go but you’ll want to stay for the open air, cozy couches and endless, well, rosé.
For a truly unique experience, this furniture and decor “store” is a must. The only RH in the country to have a cafe inside, go for a late lunch, stay for happy hour (or 3pm cocktails!), float through the floors and dream.
Five floors of perfection that you’re allowed to wander around, wine in hand and explore. It’s like a museum, only (somewhat) affordable! It was one of the more fun dates we’ve had.
They actually encourage you to comfy up on any of their furniture and hang. This couch was like a cloud. Add to that the relaxing waterfall, amazing smells and soothing music… I didn’t want to leave. I was so zen. The wine helped. It’s probably good the one in NYC doesn’t have a bar yet, I’d move in.
What’s summer without a summer house? Serving seasonal fare and creative cocktails, this was a natural stop on my tour. The cookie bar was the standout.
Perhaps my favorite find, one which no one else who lives there knew about yet- love when I can discover a gem and share it with others! This Hawaiian themed space is stunning. If I were designing a bar and restaurant, I would do everything they did. The wallpaper, the tile, floors, ceiling, light fixtures… I obsessed so much that I’ll be doing a full style spotlight post on it soon. The food? Top notch too. Oh and then there’s the Big Kahuna, a sharable drink served out of a whole pineapple and piña colada shots! We went for lunch but it’d be a great happy hour spot.
A necessary stop after Mahalo (or anywhere for that matter), which is right next door. The hottest name in ice cream has a store front in Chicago (and other locations)! With seasonal, inventive flavors like Riesling Poached Pear, Pink Grapefruit Buttermilk, Sun-Popped Corn and Churro, you’ll never look at standard sweet cream the same way again.
I got a lemon concoction with cookie bits that was divine- and perfect for summer.
It’s safe to say, we love this city and will be back again!
Let us know if you check out any of these reqs by emailing hello@natsnextadventure.com or tagging us in your photos @natsnextadventure.
[…] of it since we’re all New Yorkers and there isn’t a store there; I discovered it in Chicago.) and provide a variety of flavors- and colors. I ordered Pink Grapefruit, Wild Berry Lavender, […]