CHICAGO RIVERWALK — Visitors to the new-and-improved Chicago Riverwalk will be able to drink wine outside this weekend.
City Winery is eyeing a Friday opening for its new 107-seat patio on the south riverfront between State and Dearborn streets, General Manager Nathan Holgate said. Once open, the patio will feature six wines made by the West Loop location's onsite winery, including a new one for the Riverwalk.
"We knew that this was a big anticipated opening for the city," Holgate said. "We're expecting tourism traffic to pick up."
The patio as seen from the north. [DNAinfo/David Matthews]
The Riverwalk patio will be "more like a cafe" than the City Winery that opened three years ago at 1200 W. Randolph St., with a menu that includes salads, sandwiches, and meat and cheese plates, Chef Andres Barrera said. The new wines will include Riverwalk Red, White and Rosé, all of which will be served from a tap instead of bottles to maintain freshness.
"Once you open a bottle it's like driving a car off the lot," Holgate said.
The patio will seat more than 100, but new Riverwalk benches have been designed so that the winery can add stools overlooking the river, Holgate said. A private room seating 12 inside will also be available.
The patio will be the latest addition to the Riverwalk, which the city is developing into a Downtown attraction with a $100 million loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation. A tiki bar opened further east on the Riverwalk late last month.
Holgate said boats and kayaks will also be able to dock by the restaurant, but takeout wine will not be available.
Weather permitting, the patio will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Check out more photos of the patio before it opens.
The private room looking east. [DNAinfo/David Matthews]
New Riverwalk benches were designed so that City Winery could add stools. [DNAinfo/David Matthews]
City Winery Chef Andres Barrera, left, and other workers prepping the kitchen Monday [DNAinfo/David Matthews]
The patio as seen from the west. [DNAinfo/David Matthews]
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