Cucci opens Linger’s rooftop space in mid-March, and it
remains open until mid-November. “We try not to jump on the
temptation to open the rooftop on a nice day, as the space has to
be un-winterized. We have to turn the gas and water back on,
hook up beer and soda lines, and put the POS system back in
place. It’s almost another restaurant up there.”
The rooftop does offer its own menu, as it has a separate bar
and kitchen. The rooftop menu features favorites pulled from the
standard menu, such as braised short rib tacos and steamed buns
such as Asian, Mongolian duck and pork belly.
PHOTO CREDITS Opposite left, Pleasant House Bakery; opposite right, Root Down; left, Linger; right, Quartino
“It’s more of an appetizer, happy-hour type of vibe,” says Cucci.
“Shareable items are popular, and items you can order individually
or up to six of. People likely won’t want to order a composed
entree on the rooftop. Those diners tend to sit downstairs.”
The pros and cons of working the rooftop is a double-edged
sword for servers, says Cucci. “Some days, it’s a lot of running
when you need something from the bar or kitchen downstairs.
However, servers tend to make more money on the rooftop, so
it’s a trade-off. I try to put aces in places. The ones who prefer a
calmer, steadier pace, I leave downstairs.”
Because of the success of Quartino’s first-floor patio areas,
the restaurant added a second-floor terrace overlooking State
Street last summer, with seating for 40 additional guests.
“The additional dining spaces on the terrace have allowed
us to cut our wait time down to 30 minutes at peak times,” says
Coletta. “Demand for more seating is really what drove us to add
this terrace. Chicagoans want to be outside in warm weather.”
Coletta adds that guests can request outside seating when
making a reservation, but it’s not guaranteed. “In nice weather,
people linger longer. Our second-floor veranda is unusual, so it’s
in high demand.”
OUTDOOR ACCOUTREMENTS
WEATHERPROOF FURNITURE, heat
lamps, awnings and landscaping
are some of the key elements to
consider when planning outdoor
dining spaces.
A number of special features
to make outdoor dining more
comfortable for guests are built in
at Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar
in Chicago. Retractable awnings
and heat lamps are built in to the
exterior of the restaurant on the
first- and second-floor terraces.
Carrella adds that the restaurant
brings out standalone heat lamps
when needed, as there is not a lot of
space to have them out permanently.
The patio has weatherproof furniture,
with wicker chairs without metal
so they do not rust and tables with
marble tops that are easy to clean.
Justin Cucci, chef/owner of Root
Down in Denver, says built-in
radiant heaters on the patio blend
in with the modern design. “They
fit with the raw-steel columns. We
believe less is more on design.”
“Since our outdoor spaces are
covered, we do not have to have
weatherproof furniture,” says
John Coletta, executive chef/
managing partner. “We have
typical cafe-style seating with
woven wicker chairs.”
Cucci’s other Denver restaurant,
Linger, has a large rooftop space
half covered and half open to the
elements. “Half of the rooftop has
awnings and heaters, while half does
not. We also can’t have any plants
and landscaping up there because of
adding too much weight on the roof.”
Art Jackson, co-chef/owner with
wife Chelsea of Pleasant House
Bakery in Chicago, creates a nice
atmosphere on the restaurant’s
garden patio with a variety of
plants and foliage.
Left: A large steel sign from a previous business dominates Linger’s rooftop, along
with and old RV used as a bar and a food truck retrofitted as a kitchen.
Right: At Quartino, planters are used as borders along the sidewalk seating area to
separate tables from the street.
Landscaping is a key element in
creating ambiance on the patio at
Mason Street Grill in Milwaukee, says
Edward Carrella, general manager.
A landscaping company visits
about five times a year to maintain
a number of potted plants. “In
the spring, summer and fall, they
change out the flowers to update
them for the season.”
