There are a hundred million dining options in the great Chi city, but for some stupid reason I wind up at the same places time after time again. I frequent Japonais and Tavern, and Hugo’s and RL. I go to The Roof (at Hotel Wit) and to Nomi, Duchamp, Market, Sunda, a handful of others, REPEAT. Argh. It has become entirely too monotonous. And just looking at the list above it dawned on me!! Every single one of my faves has one commonality– an outdoor patio. Being that we have had like 3 nice days all summer (fml) I choose my dining spaces very wisely when it’s not raining and/or freezing. I want excellent food and service, but one other thing is equally important–I want an outdoor patio now, daddy (in the voice of Veruca Salt, of course).
I was pleasantly surprised to find Trattoria Isabella, a cute little Italian restaurant hidden in the Fulton River District. Despite the fact that its 100-seat outdoor patio is basically on top of a parking lot* its ambiance is quite nice. The trees are adorned with soft white lights to set the mood, and there is a full bar with flat screen TV’s (super important to the bf during baseball season) outside as well. Trattoria Isabella’s extensive menu caters to many tastes and consists of a number of classic Italian appetizers, salads and entrées. The expansive wine list includes several wines by the glass in addition to a collection of more than 80 wines by the bottle imported from across the globe. “We provide our guests with high-quality, homemade ingredients in a welcoming setting to ensure their experience at Trattoria Isabella is superior.” said executive chef Michael Serratore.
Good food? Check. Good service? Check. Patio? Check. So check out Trattoria Isabella next time you’re looking for a dining alternative. You won’t be disappointed.
217 N Jefferson St | www.trattoriaisabellachicago.com | (312) 207-1900
*there is complimentary parking. so who cares that you have to sit by the lot, right?
