restaurant near Chicago Art Institute
 

What restaurant would you suggest for lunch within walking distance of the Art Institute of Chicago? We'll be coming from out of state for the day and are looking for something that is Chicago. We like anything except chain fastfood. Thanks!

lohr,

If the weather is nice enough to eat outside, are you in for a treat! The Art Institute has an upper-scale restaurant in an outdoor courtyard - enclosed on four sides by the outer walls of the museum, but open to the sky. Each table is shaded with an umbrella and is situated around a center fountain.

It's a lovely place for lunch. I only ate there once about 12 years ago, so as for the quality of the food I can only remember that I had no complaints!

Is The Berghof still up and running for lunch? I love the Art Inst.'s cafe, but if you are lookingi for something uniquely Chicago, this German restaurant with one of the nation's first microbrewery is it.

Atwood Cafe on the corner of state and washington is one of my favorites. It is located in a historic landmark, the Hotel Burnham. They do have alfresco dining too. PJ

All the above ideas are good ones. If you are pressed for time, look for the Corner Bakery across the street from the AI. Good variety for lunch, and it's fast. The new Park Cafe, on the east side of Michigan Avenue about 2 blocks north of Monroe, has an interesting park setting, but I haven't tried the foof.

If you are looking for something nicer, Rhapsody is one block directly west on Adams. I'd advise making reservations.

If you want something "Chicago," there is a Giordanos pizza in the 200 block of S. Wabash -- one block west and a block or two south.

There are plenty of dining options within a few blocks. I would probably pick the restaurant at the Art Institute as a first choice. On a nice day, an alternative is to get take out from something close by (patg's suggestion of Corner Bakery, or a salad from MacKelly's deli on Madison) and eat in the gardens on the south side of the Art Institute. I used to work a few blocks away, and that's what I did on many nice summer days.

I'd second the choices of the Art Institute Garden Cafe and Atwood Cafe.