Chicago Connected | Local Picnic Guide
What better way to soak in the sun and celebrate the summer solstice than with a delicious afternoon picnic? The city has everything you need for the perfect day out with a plethora of local sources for wine, cheese, charcuterie, and more, as well as endless gorgeous parks and lakefront locations to spend a relaxing few hours outdoors. Whether you’re planning a fun and tasty family outing, a charcuterie-focused get-together with friends, or a day date complete with a bottle of local wine, Chicago has you covered!
PICNIC SUPPLIES
Beautiful Rind
2211 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Logan Square, Chicago
Part cheese shop, part restaurant, part classroom, Beautiful Rind is the perfect place to stop if you’re looking for variety. Build your own charcutier board or choose from one of their expertly crafted boards, including meats and cheeses from local Midwestern producers.
Submitted by Chris Gomes (@Chris.Gomes)
All Together Now
2119 W Chicago Ave, Ukranian Village, Chicago
This all-day counter-service spot offers take-away boards and natural wine, serving as your one-stop picnic shop. All Together Now’s most popular board features three artisan cheeses, two meats, preserves, cornichons and raw honey plated on a sturdy, table-ready, reusable wood board.
Publican Quality Meats
825 W Fulton Market, West Loop, Chicago
Aptly located in Chicago’s meatpacking district, Publican Quality Meats offers a board including a chef’s selection of their house-cured salumi, pates, terrines, and rillettes served alongside small-batch artisan cheeses, seasonal accouterments, and James Beard Award-Winning Publican Quality Bread.
The Butcher & Larder
1427 W Willow Street, Bucktown, Chicago
Located inside Local Foods, The Butcher & Larder is a whole-animal butcher shop specializing in quality cuts. Their offerings change seasonally but you can count on one of their friendly cheesemongers to guide you in your selection.
Foxtrot
Multiple Locations
Part physical store and part delivery app, Foxtrot draws from a variety of sources including local vendors, women-owned businesses, and sustainable growers to give Chicagoans an impressive variety of food and wine options in one of its many locations or through convenient 24/7 delivery.
Submitted by Katie Wells (@thekatiewells)
Dom’s Kitchen & Market
Lincoln Park — 2730 N Halsted St, Chicago
Old Town — 1233 N Wells St, Chicago
Pulling from both local and global sources, Dom’s Kitchen & Market is dedicated to providing the freshest variety of ingredients. Of note is its cheese and charcuterie section, where customers can build custom boards with both aged and fresh cheese varieties, as well as expert wine pairing recommendations from the store’s extensive wine library.
Submitted by Laura Mitchell (@lauramitchell)
Gene’s Sausage Shop
4750 N Lincoln Avenue, Lincoln Square, Chicago
Known for their fine European gourmet foods and homemade smoked meat, Gene’s is a must when it comes to building a unique board. From salami, to beef jerky, to alpine sausages, there is no shortage of picnic snacks to be found here.
Danke
125 S Clark Street, Downtown, Chicago
Danke, a ‘charcuterie-focused’ sandwich shop offers a daily rotation of meats and cheese boards served with house baguette, olives, marcona almonds, cherry spread, and whole grain mustard.
Red & White Wines
1861 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
For the best selection of quality natural wines and spirits, and the best service in selecting the perfect bottle, look no further than Red & White Wines in Bucktown. This boutique wine shop and bar is a neighborhood favorite for sourcing natural wines, sparkling varieties, and more.
Submitted by Chris Gomes (@Chris.Gomes)
PICNIC SPOTS
Ping Tom Memorial Park
Chinatown
Submitted by Chris Gomes (@Chris.Gomes)
Promontory Point
Burnham Park
Alfred Caldwell Lilly Pool
Lincoln Park
Winnemac Park
Lincoln Square
South Garden at the Art Institute of Chicago
Grant Park
The Great Lawn at Millennium Park
Loop
Washington Park
Woodlawn
Humboldt Park
Humboldt Park
Lurie Garden
Millennium Park
Jackson Park
Woodlawn
This guide is part of our Chicago Connected: Summer Edition series. Stay tuned for more ways to enjoy Chicago this season!