We're pretty proud of the Garden State's varied landscape and its eclectic alfresco dining options.
Lakeside, riverside, oceanside, mountainside — New Jersey dining has it all.
Want to dine with the Manhattan skyline glittering from across the Hudson? Along a massive lake? Among hills and mountains? In a quaint downtown? We've got you covered.
Here are some of our favorite restaurants with outdoor dining for when those spring days finally come. Call ahead to make sure their outdoor areas are open that day.
Dine with a view
Expect cocktails made with fresh garden herbs and homemade syrups, dishes that are elevated but still familiar, and a view of the Manhattan skyline.
Guests can nosh and sip beer, wine or a cocktail from within the patio area, livened up with planter boxes full of greenery and an awning for shade.
Go: 500 Ave. at Port Imperial, Weehawken; 201-520-4554, highwoodnj.com.
This Southeast Asian restaurant sits right by the Hudson. Gaze at the mighty river or the skyscrapers on the other side. And for eats: Vietnamese-style spring rolls, fresh papaya salad, tom yum shrimp noodle soup and the bestselling Banh mi frites.
Go: 725 River Road, Unit #30, Edgewater; 201-402-3400, seaknj.com.
Waterfront dining
You can view the Hudson river all year-round from this waterfront American restaurant. During the cold months, the wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows in Haven's modern dining room gives you stunning water views. Come warm weather, sit on the large modern patio that is a mere 20 feet from the river and dine on steak, seafood and other fine American fare.
Go: 2 Main St., Edgewater; 201-943-1900, havenedgewater.com.
A 4,000-square-foot terrace with a skyline view provides plenty of room for outdoor seating at Hudson & Co.
The menu is eclectic and spans dishes such as sushi rolls, artisanal wood-fired pizzas, prime beef burgers, 40-day dry-aged New York strip and seafood.
Go: 3 Second St., Jersey City; 201-685-7330, hudsonandconj.com.
Downtown dining
Chef and owner Leia Gaccione calls her down-to-earth spot an "American eatery," and who are we to argue? We might however add the word "delicious" before that description. Just try her award-winning fully-loaded burger with a fried egg and house-smoked cheddar or her perfectly grilled salmon or her moist lamb meatballs with Greek yogurt.
In front of the restaurant, you'll find outdoor tables and seats. Bring along a bottle of wine (this is a BYOB), and save room for South + Pine's luscious desserts.
Go: 90 South St., Morristown; 862-260-9700, southandpine.com.
The dining room of this old-world French restaurant may be formal with starched pink tablecloths and matching folded napkins, fresh-cut flowers, upholstered chairs and a well-trained staff, but the gorgeous patio is more relaxed with a winning location: right near the Morristown Green. Dine on classic French food such as foie gras, steak tartare and sauteed wild mushroom crepes.
Go: 42 Washington St., Morristown; 973-540-9444; thegrandcafe.com.
Outdoor areas
The Barrow House has put its big parking lot to good use by installing sprawling, spacious tents. Warm lights are strung throughout, and rustic wooden dividers block off the area and give it a farm-chic aesthetic similar to the reclaimed barn decor inside.
From March 15 through June 6, the tent will feature a "Through the Looking Glass" theme with decor and dining specials inspired by "Alice in Wonderland." Think mushrooms, white hares, playing cards and more.
Go: 1296 Van Houten Ave., Clifton; 551-223-6609, thebarrowhouse.com.
The outdoor dining area of Corto is small, fitting about 35 people, but lovely. A big tent covers the area, and a propane heater and fire pit add some warmth (and the latter, some ambiance). Shadowboxes of flowers hang on a rustic wood fence, which blocks off the area. Potted vegetables, herbs and flowers also run throughout the space, and string lights hang above. And when the weather is nice, Moschella’s team sometimes grill outside, too.
The menu at Corto is hyper-seasonal and changes every day, though some items like the stewed angry chicken with tomato, garlic, chili and guanciale ($16) and rigatoni with pancetta ($14/$21 for family-style) are too good to take off, said Moschella. The plates at Corto are meant to be shared, so head there with your quarantine crew and dig in.
Go: 507 Palisade Ave., Jersey City; 201-420-6290, cortojc.com.
Dine on pizza, pasta, seafood and other Italian fare at one of the four outdoor spaces at Il Vecchio at Calandra’s Italian Village. There are a few tables along in the enchanting garden that winds up to the massive, 70-foot lighted tent (complete with heaters). In the back bar, under the wood beam ceiling, you’ll find a few more tables. Plus, a section of the parking lot has been converted into seating, shaded by cantilever umbrellas that light up. The area is also dotted with pyramid and mushroom top propane heaters.
Go: 234 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell; 973-226-8889, calandrasitalianvillage.com.
A gorgeous outdoor space would have sufficed. But leave it to the gracious Panteleakis family to offer two lovely spots for their guests. To keep everyone cozy, there's radiant heat in both. To keep everyone feeling pampered, there are crisp white tablecloths and cloth napkins, heavy silverware and polished wine glasses. To keep surroundings uplifting, there's a waterfall cascading over giant rocks and lush green shrubs, plants and trees in one outdoor area; in the other there are large green plants and billowing white curtains. To keep everyone sated, there's spectacularly fresh seafood, fresh homemade bread and well-made cocktails.
Go: 2-27 Saddle River Road, Fair Lawn; 201-796-0546, oceanosrestaurant.com.
Come for the spectacular views of the Pyramid Mountains afforded at one of two terraces at this heralded steakhouse with its own dry-aging room. Or come for the soothing sounds of a waterfall at the other terrace.
Stay for the steaks and cocktails.
Go: 10 Whitehall Road, Towaco; 973-335-0006, railssteakhouse.com.
Patios
Ventanas has a beautifully designed outdoor patio that’s getting quite a bit of use these days. Heaters and two sleek, modern fireplaces warm guests, who can take in the view of the sloping park below. There are enough tables and comfortable woven chairs to seat 100. And at night, Edison bulbs strung over the patio illuminate the area.
Ventanas is under the direction of acclaimed chef David Burke, who has devised a menu of American, Asian and Latin dishes for the restaurant. You can’t go wrong with the lobster dumplings ($16) or clothesline bacon ($22). And for dessert: a chocolate replica of the nearby George Washington Bridge ($22).
Go: 200 Park Ave., Fort Lee; 201-583-4777, ventanasatthemodern.com.
Eddy Sujak, owner of Sofia, a popular Italian steakhouse, had a garden with a few Adirondack chairs, a few picnic tables, and a fireplace in the back of his spacious Engle Street restaurant. Today that space has been replaced by a state-of-the-art pergola imported from Italy with a fully retractable roof and thick acrylic windows that roll up and down like movie screens.
Named the Piazza, the pergola can seat around 55 patrons. Diners, enjoying dry-aged steaks and homemade pasta, are kept warm by both traditional heaters and overhead infrared heaters.
Go: 36 Engle St., Englewood; 201-541-8530, sofiaenglewood.com.
"Let's just say, it's very, very popular," said Laurie Hamm, co-owner of the storied Ho-Ho-Kus Inn about alfresco eating at the two-century-old landmark. One look at the Inn's bluestone patio and you know why.
It's gorgeous — and secluded. Tables are shaded with sizable green umbrellas. A big sandstone fireplace provides a mesmerizing fire "all the time." Window boxes spill with seasonal flowers. And great big oak trees supply more shade — and more natural beauty. Get the hefty beef burger or the wonderfully light salmon burger (the bun is made of rice).
Go: 1 E. Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus; 201-445-4115, hohokusinn.com.
This rollicking all-day restaurant that looks, kind of, like a farmhouse (lots of wood, lots of beams) is known for its outstanding soups (the tomato bisque is a standout) and gigantic salads.
Enjoy it in the Cresskill location sitting on the patio decorated with big wooden barrels, or in the patio room, a sort of greenhouse that's open on three sides. If it's nippy outside, four high-powered gas and electric heaters will ensure that you won't feel any chill.
In Westwood, there are lovely raised garden beds filled with herbs that line the driveway as well as big hanging baskets of flowers
Go: 15 E. Madison, Cresskill; 201-266-8931. 301 Center Ave., Westwood, 201-664-8424, farmhousecafenj.com.
Craft beers, barrel-aged cocktails, and crafted comfort food and a big and lively patio. Pretty darn fantastic. Enjoy a nice cocktail then dig into some farm-fresh food. If you want the party to continue at your place, take a growler home or a craft beer to-go.
Go: 125 N. Kinderkamack Road, Montvale; 201-307-6300, hearthandtap.com.
Rebecca King is a food writer for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up for our North Jersey Eats newsletter.
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