A Beautiful Patio to Watch the Most Beautiful Games

For years, I’ve known that the food at Chimichurri is something special. In fact, a few years ago, a former priestly boss of mine, who was a bit of a foodie, used to explicitly send us out to pick up their incredible, authentic Argentine food. The great food and wonderful customer service at this place even overcomes having one of the worst days in my life getting some hard news at this place – that’s how good it is, their food and service can even overcome personal tragedy!

From those perfectly folded empanadas to the vibrant flavors they consistently serve up at 601 East Jefferson Boulevard in South Bend, just across from Howard Park, the Chimichurri stand has been one of the great food spots in our Howard Park area, and this summer, it’s gotten even better!

Over the last few weeks, as I walked through Howard Park and past the Chimichurri stand, I wondered why the owner was building a patio by hand, since he already had a hot spot and didn’t need to do any renovations. I watched the owners out front with tools in hand, working through the cold spring days and, on a few hot, humid days, building the outdoor addition; they were measuring, sawing, and hammering every single board themselves. For days, I couldn’t quite figure out exactly what the master plan was—until the very last day of construction.

That was when the massive outdoor big-screen television was secured in place.

This gorgeous new patio wasn’t just a renovation project; it was a total labor of love built entirely by hand for our community. They built it so South Bend has a vibrant, welcoming place to gather, eat incredible food, and watch the World Cup matches together this summer. And, the movie adage has been true: if you build it, they will come!

I was out there last Friday with a great crowd for the Brazil vs. Haiti game, watching Brazil best Haiti 3 – 0. Sitting there among the fans from both teams, I couldn’t help but think about how the rest of the world gets to watch the World Cup in community—sharing the highs, the lows, and the pure energy of the game together. Now, thanks to this great outdoor venue, we can finally do that right here in South Bend.

The owners shared that while they’ll be cheering loudly for both Argentina and the USA, absolutely everyone is welcome to join the crowd. Whether you are coming to dive into a plate of hot food, grab a cold ice cream, or just soak in the match-day energy, the patio is ready. Even better? For the evening games, they’ve teamed up with their neighbors at the Cat Lady Cafe, meaning beer and wine will be available for purchase right there to pair with your meal.

Visit https://www.chimichurrisb.com/ to check out the great, affordable menu (the Ice Cream menu is in the shop and changes regularly) and plan your next match-day visit.

Since the United States is co-hosting this massive tournament, you can watch this quick explainer video from Al Jazeera English to see exactly how the new 48-team expansion works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak30dLNw7zU.

To help clear up the math as you watch the bracket take shape: during the initial group stage, teams are awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. Under this year’s new format, the 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-place finishers, will advance into a brand-new 32-team knockout bracket on their way to the finals.

It’s local business at its absolute best—built by hand, fueled by passion, and ready for a massive summer of soccer.

See you on the patio for World Cup matches or just enjoying this expanded outdoor eating area in the heart of the Howard Park district.

© 2026 Brian S Collier. All opinions are those of the author. The author reserves all Rights and copyrights. To request permission to reprint any or all of this article, contact info@redresssouthbend.com.

Author’s Note: This story was partially written using AI assistance, but all reporting, local details, and interviews are real, original, and strictly fact-checked.

Note: Image is a composite rendition and not the actual addition to the patio.

Reprinted with permission of the author by Redress South Bend.

All opinions, research, and views in this piece are attributed to the author and are not necessarily the thoughts or opinions of Redress South Bend.

Brian S. Collier, Ph.D.

Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Collier is a graduate of South Bend public schools. Collier taught high school for four years before earning a Ph.D., then taught college in Arizona, Michigan, and Indiana. He is now again teaching high school locally.

Collier signed on to serve on the editorial board and as an occasional contributor to Redress, hoping to help provide a liberal perspective on issues in his hometown and the region. While local 'liberals' may not feel heard, Collier feels like both parties are so far from where they were when he was a child that they wouldn't possibly recognize their modern iterations.

Collier feels strongly that South Bend lacks actual leadership, shows cowardice, and prioritizes conveniences and business interests over citizen needs, and is a proxy for petty vendettas and a lack of real, sustainable policy. Collier fears for the future of St. Joseph County, Michiana, and America, and the very real chance that the American experiment ends during his lifetime due to partisan nonsense and the public's inability to even see other perspectives.