Spring Whets The Appetite For Outdoor Dining

By Nancy K. Crevier

As soon as the daytime temperatures hover in the low 60s and the sun is shining, dining al fresco becomes a popular option with Newtown diners, according to the area restaurateurs who offer outdoor dining.

“People like to eat outside. It’s like a European feel to dining,” said Vito Kala, owner of The Villa Restaurant in Sandy Hook Center. Beneath an awning that provides shelter from rays and rain, The Villa offers seating for 40 diners on a 600-square-foot patio adjacent to the main dining room. Surrounded by mature trees and plantings, diners can enjoy a full lunch or dinner, or an afternoon light snack and glass of wine or drink as light breezes ruffle the napkins and birds sing from the nearby treetops. The patio is also available for small private parties, or for children’s birthday pizza parties. Outdoor dining at the Villa is from late April to October, during regular restaurant hours, 11 am to 10 pm, seven days of the week.

The small brick patio out front of Katherine’s Kitchen, also in Sandy Hook Center, is a popular spot from April to October, said owner Katherine Pineau, especially for lunchtime. “People who are in an office all day want to take advantage of the good weather and fresh air,” she said. The two tables, shaded by umbrellas, provide seating for eight customers and seasonal flowers planted in brick planters at the sides of the space add to the ambiance. Anything on the breakfast and lunch menu can be taken out to the patio, but Ms Pineau has noticed that lighter fare and salads seem to go hand-in-hand with outdoor dining. The patio seating is available from first thing in the morning, at 6 am, until the restaurant closes at 4 pm.

My Place Restaurant introduced outdoor dining in the fall of 2009, said co-owner John Tambascio, and the concept was well received. The new patio wraps around two sides of the Queen Street building, with ornate brick stanchions and wrought iron fencing surrounding the area. Umbrellas provide shade from the sun on bright summer days for up to 40 outdoor diners, and the patio is handicapped accessible. Weather permitting, the patio at My Place will be open from April to October, said Mr Tambascio. “There’s something about eating in the fresh air,” he said. “It feels like you’re on vacation and it’s a change of pace.” Full service and a full menu is served outdoors, three meals a day, with special drinks featured in the summertime. The outdoor dining area is available for private cocktail parties, as well.

A rail fence and seasonal plantings provide a peaceful environment for dining al fresco at Sal e Pepe Contemporary Italian Bistro on South Main Street, said owner Angelo Marini. The deck offers seating for 32 diners at eight tables, from April through October, and is accessible through the main dining area. “We like to open as soon as the weather warms up,” said Mr Marini. “People love the breeze and the sunshine while they are eating,” he added.

The regular seasonal menu is available to diners on the deck from 11:30 am to 9  pm Monday through Thursday, from 11:30 am to 10 pm Friday, 4 to 10 pm on Saturday, and 4 to 8 pm on Sunday. Special summer drinks are extra special when sipped in the sun or by the light of the moon, and Sal e Pepe will be offering several. The Bellini is a blend of prosecco and peach nectar; the Fragolini uses prosecco with a special strawberry-infused liqueur; the X-Rated Martini is a combination of passion fruit and mango fusion liquors, French vodka, and Sicilian blood orange juice; and the Raspberry Mochatini combines raspberry vodka and espresso, with Godiva chocolate liqueur and Chambord.

Five Guys Burgers at Waterfall Plaza on South Main Street has a vast, 1,000-square- foot outside dining area available from April through October, said manager Cliff McCarty. The area is partially sheltered from the elements by an overhang, so even a soft summer rain still allows customers to dig into the juicy burgers and crisp french fries outside, or take refuge from the summer sun and still feel the fresh air. “People just like the wind blowing and hearing the birds cheeping while they eat,” said Mr McCarty. The patio area is open the same hours as the restaurant, from 11 am to 10 pm, every day.

Back in the center of town, Burgerittoville customers can take their shakes and creative wraps outside to picnic tables near the front door. The tables are there all year around, so an oddball warm day in February is just as likely to find someone chowing down a cheese steakaritto or a chickeritto outdoors, as is a balmy summery day. Enjoy lunch, a midafternoon snack, or dinner outside from 11 am to 7 pm, seven days of the week.

Warm days and sultry evenings mean al fresco dining at the Inn at Newtown on Main Street. Pots of colorful flowers and greenery decorate the wooden deck that flanks the rear dining rooms of the Inn, and a tall wooden fence softens the sounds of street level noises below. Diners can enjoy the extensive lunch or dinner selections, or sip a cool summer drink seated at tables protected by wide umbrellas. The staff provides full service and the pleasant surroundings invite lingering.

But why wait for summer? The hardiest of outdoor diners can take advantage of the patio dining at Newtown Deli and Catering on South Main Street, where owner Artie Praino keeps the four tables and dozen chairs outside year around. “I’m surprised. As soon as the weather is at all nice, people are out there,” he said. From 6 am to 5 pm, anything off of the Newtown Deli menu can be enjoyed in the natural daylight, turning casual dining into something quite fine. “People love to be outside in the sun. There’s just something about eating outside,” Mr Praino said.