'Top Chef' Patio Openings In Chicago

The Windy City has upped its food street cred thanks to the many Top Chef contestants who've hailed from Chicago. In fact, the popular Bravo TV show has spawned several new restaurants helmed by former contestants. As many locals and visitors know, it can be hard to get a table at one of these restaurants. However, when these spots open up their patios during the warmer months, the extra seating makes it easier to snag a reservation. Plus, who doesn't love to eat outside on a blissfully warm Chicago evening?

Check out these patios at Chicago's favorite Top Chef restaurants:

Sable Kitchen & Bar
Executive chef Heather Terhune is one of the more recent Top Chef vets, having competed in season nine. Sable just opened two new patios — one in back of the restaurant and one out front — and has plans to open a third sometime this June. The restaurant offers gastro-lounge cuisine and artfully crafted cocktails. Take a peek at the open kitchen while you're there — you may catch a glimpse of Terhune whipping up some of her satisfying creations.

Girl & The Goat
Perhaps Chicago's most well-known Top Chef restaurant, Girl & The Goat is headed up by executive chef Stephanie Izard, winner of season four (which, coincidentally, was located in Chicago). The menu here has three categories from which to choose: meat, fish, and vegetable, all of which typically receive rave reviews from diners. Plus, their delightful outdoor patio is first come, first serve, so you may be lucky enough to snag a last-minute table here.

Siena Tavern
Run by executive chef Fabio Viviani, Top Chef season five "Fan Favorite," Siena Tavern just opened earlier this year. The Italian food can obviously be traced to Viviani's roots, while the upscale, hip atmosphere comes from Lucas Stoioff and David Rekhson, the masterminds behind hot spots like Bull & Bear and Public House. Make a reservation for their 100-seat wraparound patio, which is sure to be a hit this summer.