LAKEVIEW — Outdoor dining is returning to the Southport Corridor this weekend as part of the city’s efforts to continue offering safe, outdoor dining options for neighbors this summer.
Dine Out on Southport will close the stretch of Southport Avenue from Waveland Avenue to Grace Street so restaurants can expand their capacity by setting up tables in the street, according to the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce. The first weekend of the program will happen this Friday through Sunday.
“We’re super excited to bring this program back after it was such a huge help to our businesses last year, especially the restaurants on the corridor,” said Carisa Marconet, events and marketing director for the chamber.
Dine Out on Southport will continue periodically throughout the summer. The full schedule:
- May 21-23
- June 4-6
- June 25-27
- July 2-4,
- July 16-18
- July 30-Aug. 1
- Aug. 13-15
- Aug. 27-29
Marconet said the program will provide a much-needed boon to restaurants in the neighborhood, which have struggled over the past year with closures and indoor capacity limits brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Being able to eat outside in such a safe environment will bring more customers to the restaurants,” Marconet said. “Expanding their capacity onto the street is huge for them and allows them to hire more staff and bounce back.”
Dine Out Southport will welcome new restaurants to the program this weekend, including Steingold’s, a modern Jewish deli that relocated to 3737 N. Southport Ave. earlier this year.
Other participating restaurants:
- Coalfire Pizza, 3707 N. Southport Ave.
- Bombastic Cafe, 3732 N. Southport Ave.
- Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.
- Dona Tola, 3751 N. Southport Ave.
- Bodega Sur, 3755 N. Southport Ave.
- Tango Sur, 3763 N. Southport Ave.
Other Outdoor Dining Options In Lakeview
Two other outdoor dining programs returned to Lakeview last weekend and will be open again this weekend for visitors to enjoy.
The Dine Out on Broadway and Dine Out on Sheffield programs are returning Friday through Sunday, closing Broadway from Belmont to Wellington avenues and Sheffield Avenue from Belmont to School Street so restaurants can serve diners in the street, according to the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce.
The street closures will be in effect 3-11 p.m. select Fridays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays.
The street closures will run throughout the summer:
- May 21-23
- June 4-6
- June 25-27
- July 16-18
- July 30-August 1
- August 13-15
- August 27-29
- September 10-12
- September 17-19
Last summer, outdoor dining programs helped restaurants, which have struggled with closures and indoor capacity limits during the coronavirus pandemic.
The outdoor dining programs will give businesses a chance to catch up on finances and provide outdoor serving space for restaurants that don’t have patios, according to the chamber.
More information on the Dine Out programs, including their participating restaurants, can be found on the Lakeview East Chamber’s website.
Jake Wittich is a Report for America corps member covering Lakeview, Lincoln Park and LGBTQ communities across the city for Block Club Chicago.
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