In a whirlwind of calendar weeks flying by, here we are in the springtime after a long, long winter. That goes double for restaurateurs who have been waiting for the chance to fling open doors, pop up sun umbrellas, set up fire pits and fairy lights, safely seating new friends and old regulars once again.
More than half of both fine dining (62%) and casual dining (56%) operators have jumped out into the fresh air solution/trend/sign of the times, according to new data from the National Restaurant Association, which also found more than four in 10 full-service operators taking advantage of city programs that allow expansion out onto sidewalks and streets.
Here’s a handful of restaurants we’ve found doing the patio thing very much in style this spring, making the outdoor dining experience a highlight rather than an afterthought, including The Garden at Manuela, Boozehounds, Lola’s Garden, Bar Marseille, Root & Bone, Gloria’s Latin Cuisine and Enrique Tomas.
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