Millennium Park, picnic ideas needed

I ventured to Millennium Park again on Saturday after a trip to the Chicago Botanical Garden. Once again, I was unprepared and hungry. The wait was too long at the Park Grill/Restaurant. Next time I want to be prepared, however we often end up downtown without a planned itinerary. If we were leaving in the afternoon from Naperville, we could pack a picnic. But what do you suggest if we are downtown and decide to go to the park for a concert? We usually are there with a car, so we could stop and get picnic foods somewhere. My plea for help is mostly where to go, but I'd love to hear your picnic favorites too.

Depending on the time of day you decide to go, you could try hitting the Marshall Fields' food court on the lower level. Have them pack everything up in plastic and show up at Millenium Park with a Fields' shopping bag in hand. Pick up a couple of Frango Mints for an after-picnic mint.

If you are driving around downtown, how about the Gold Coast Whole Foods? You can get fruit, cheese, cold cuts, bread, desserts, drinks... And there is free parking on the lower level.

Whole Foods
30 W. Huron

http://www.wholefoods.com/stores/goldcoast/

Can you take wine to picnic in Millenium Park?

Hi Spa Girl--

I think you can bring wine, based on what I have observed (and done) in the weeks since it opened. They sell beer and wine for consumption on the Great Lawn, and signs specify that you may not bring alcohol out of that area. There are no signs explicitly forbidding people to bring their own wine and I have seen plenty of people do it and have done it myself once. Whether all this means it is officially permitted, I cannot say.

--Patrick

I also saw the sign saying alcohol could not go out of the park, but nothing saying the reverse. I saw bottles of wine in every direction. If you park in the Millenium Park garage, make sure you write down where you parked. Easy to get lost, especially if imbibing.(passengers only)

janeyb wrote:I also saw the sign saying alcohol could not go out of the park, but nothing saying the reverse. I saw bottles of wine in every direction. If you park in the Millenium Park garage, make sure you write down where you parked. Easy to get lost, especially if imbibing.(passengers only)

LOL! Good point! Thanks to you all for the wine info!

Consider also the Berghoff Cafe, at 17 W. Adams. It's open until 9pm monday through saturday. Call ahead to make sure they do carryout, but i'm fairly certain they do. Especially since there aren't any tables or chairs.

-ed

L'Appetito, 30 E. Huron St. Wonderful sandwiches with emphasis on the quality of the ingredients. You can also get side dishes--desserts, cheeses, salads.

Especially since you are driving, I would suggest Fox and Obel on Illinois as they offer free parking in the pay lot across the street. They have a wonderful gourmet deli selection with lots of things you won't readily see in other stores. Also, lots of prepared foods, sandwiches and salad items and their baguettes have been written up both here and on Chowhound as being some of the better ones in Chicago. Very nice bakery selection as well - we had a really nice slice of tres leches the other night. They are located at 401 N. Illinois.

spa_girl wrote:Can you take wine to picnic in Millenium Park?

I'd be very careful, as technically it's illegal and can get you a $20-$75 ticket. (Or if you're lucky, they'll make you throw the booze away and warn you.) It's a bit hypocritical, as you're absolutely allowed to buy and consume the booze offerings they sell - you just aren't allowed to bring in your own. (Millenium Park doesn't operate any differently than any other park in the city. The same laws that forbid you from walking down the street with a drink in your hand, apply there as well. Unless of course, you bought the drink at the park.)

Generally as long as you're careful and aren't obvious about it, you shouldn't have any problems. I've been seeing people ticketed for having open containers at other events going on in that area lately - events that sell their own beer & wine. (Mainly the Wednesday night Summerdance events, but also the Millenium Park opening night concert/party.) But those people hadn't even made the slightest attempts to conceal their liquor.

I'd just make every effort to be inconspicuous about it, and you should be ok.

Wow! Talk about a rule that's enforced in the breach, if at all. At the opening weekend at Millenium Park the scene at the Grant Park Symphony concert was like Ravinia. Lots of fancy picnic hampers and tiny tables or other ingenious drink holders. And lots and lots of wine.

Ann Fisher wrote:Wow! Talk about a rule that's enforced in the breach, if at all. At the opening weekend at Millenium Park the scene at the Grant Park Symphony concert was like Ravinia. Lots of fancy picnic hampers and tiny tables or other ingenious drink holders. And lots and lots of wine.

I'd also assume it's sort of like the Southside Irish Parade, in that case. With that many people to be worrying about, you let minor infractions slide to be able to prevent larger ones from taking place. The people drinking were so numerous and the crowds so vast that the police just let it slide.