As we approach the first official day of summer and prime season for outdoor dining, OpenTable, the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations and part of Booking Holdings, Inc., today unveiled the 100 Best Al Fresco Restaurants in America for 2018.
From the oceanside views at Leilani’s on the Beach in Hawaii and the stunning desert scenery at LON’s at The Hermosa Resort in Arizona to New York City’s Tavern on the Green, an oasis in the middle of the concrete jungle, the complete list features winning restaurants in 22 states. California comes out on top this year with 30 winning restaurants, followed by Florida with 26, and Hawaii with 10. Other notable states for outdoor dining include Arizona with eight winning restaurants and Maryland, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina each with three. Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C. are also among the winners.
“We are thrilled to once again be recognized as one of the top al fresco dining spots in the country,” said Melanie Volkers, The Hermosa Inn’s Director of Sales and Marketing. “LON’s picturesque patio is the perfect complement to Chef Pacheco’s globally inspired Arizona fare. Whether it’s a sun-kissed breakfast or lunch overlooking the spectacular garden pathways, or a romantic dinner under the bistro lights with a roaring fire to set the mood, LON’s patio continues to be a favorite for both locals and visitors.”
While most of this year’s honorees serve American fare, other cuisines proved popular for outdoor dining, particularly seafood, French, and Italian. “From picturesque restaurants with shaded terraces to vibrant rooftops and sidewalk cafés, this year’s list showcases the spots that take the al fresco experience to the next level,” said Caroline Potter, OpenTable’s Chief Dining Officer. “These restaurants offer friendly service and the ideal ambiance for diners looking to enjoy the warm weather and soak up the best sights of summer.
The 100 Best Al Fresco Restaurants in America list is generated solely from more than 12 million verified OpenTable diner reviews for more than 27,000 restaurants in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. collected between May 1, 2017 and April 30, 2018. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews for which “outdoor dining” was selected as a special feature.
Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the 100 Best Al Fresco Restaurants in America for 2018 according to OpenTable diners. The complete list may also be viewed at https://www.opentable.com/lists/us-best-outdoor-restaurants-2018.
100 Best Al Fresco Restaurants in America
1906 at Longwood Gardens – Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
BALEEN – Naples, Florida
Beachcomber Cafe – Newport Coast, California
Bistro Don Giovanni – Napa – Napa, California
Blue Moon Fish Co. – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Boat House Waterfront Dining – Tiverton, Rhode Island
The Boathouse – Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Boatyard – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
BRAVO Cucina Italiana – Naples – Mercato – Naples, Florida
Café Monarch – Scottsdale, Arizona
Campfire – Carlsbad, California
Campiello – Naples – Naples, Florida
Carrol’s Creek Cafe – Annapolis, Maryland
Catch LA – West Hollywood, California
Coasterra – San Diego, California
Columbia Restaurant – Sarasota – Sarasota, Florida
Continental Naples – Naples, Florida
Copley’s on Palm Canyon – Palm Springs, California
The Dead Fish – Crockett, California
DeRomo’s Gourmet Market & Restaurant – Bonita Springs, Florida
Duke’s Beach House Maui – Lahaina, Hawaii
Duke’s La Jolla – San Diego, California
El Chorro – Paradise Valley, Arizona
Farm & Table – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Farmer’s Table – Boca Raton, Florida
Farmhouse at Rogers Gardens – Corona Del Mar, California
Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch – St. Helena, California
Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar – Charleston, South Carolina
Fleetwood’s On Front St. – Lahaina, Hawaii
Geoffrey’s Restaurant – Malibu, California
George’s Ocean Terrace – San Diego, California
Gertrude’s – Baltimore – Baltimore, Maryland
Gertrude’s – Phoenix – Phoenix, Arizona
Gracias Madre – West Hollywood, California
Gram & Dun – Kansas City, Missouri
The Grand Marlin of Pensacola Beach – Pensacola, Florida
Hau Tree Lanai – Honolulu, Hawaii
Hula Grill – Kaanapali – Lahaina, Hawaii
Iron Gate – Washington, District of Columbia
The Ivy – West Hollywood, California
Jake’s – Palm Springs – Palm Springs, California
JB’s On The Beach – Deerfield Beach, Florida
Juvia – Miami, Florida
Kaluz Restaurant – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Keoki’s Paradise – Koloa, Hawaii
Kimo’s Restaurant Maui – Lahaina, Hawaii
The Kitchen | Shelby Farms Park – Memphis, Tennessee
L’Albatros – Cleveland, Ohio
La Mar by Gastón Acurio – Miami, Florida
The Lark – Santa Barbara – Santa Barbara, California
Latitudes on Sunset Key – Key West, Florida
Lavender Bistro – La Quinta, California
Le Vallauris – Palm Springs, California
Legal Harborside – Floor 1 Restaurant and Market – Boston, Massachusetts
Leilani’s on the Beach – Kaanapali – Lahaina, Hawaii
Lindey’s – Columbus, Ohio
Lon’s at The Hermosa – Paradise Valley, Arizona
Louie Bossi’s Ristorante Bar Pizzeria – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Mama’s Fish House – Paia, Hawaii
Mariposa – Sedona, Arizona
Meson Sabika – Naperville, Illinois
The Mill House – Waikapu, Hawaii
MiraMare – Naples, Florida
Mon Ami Gabi – Las Vegas – Main Dining Room – Las Vegas, Nevada
Monkeypod Kitchen – Ko Olina – Kapolei, Hawaii
The Mooring Restaurant – Newport, Rhode Island
Old Oyster Factory – Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Olive & Ivy Restaurant & Marketplace – Scottsdale, Arizona
Ophelia’s on the Bay – Sarasota, Florida
Pacific Coast Grill – Cardiff – Cardiff-By-The-Sea, California
Pacifica Seafood Restaurant – Palm Desert, California
Parc – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Perch LA – Los Angeles, California
Poseidon – Del Mar, California
The Prado at Balboa Park – San Diego, California
Preserved Restaurant – St. Augustine, Florida
Prime Catch on the Waterfront – Boynton, Florida
Pump – West Hollywood, California
The Pump House – Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rats Restaurant – Grounds for Sculpture – Hamilton, New Jersey
Rick’s Cafe Boatyard – Indianapolis, Indiana
River House Restaurant & Raw Bar – Louisville, Kentucky
Rusty Pelican – Miami – Key Biscayne, Florida
Sam’s Chowder House – Half Moon Bay, California
Shell and Bones Oyster Bar & Grill – New Haven, Connecticut
Shooters Waterfront – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Smith & Wollensky Steakhouse – Miami – Miami Beach, Florida
Spencer’s Restaurant – Palm Springs, California
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, California
Sunset Terrace – Omni Grove Park Inn – Asheville, North Carolina
Talula’s Garden – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tavern on the Green – New York, New York
Tom Hams Lighthouse – San Diego, California
Tonto Bar & Grill – Cave Creek, Arizona
The Tropicale – Palm Springs, California
True Food Kitchen – Pasadena – Pasadena, California
The Turtle Club – Naples – Naples, Florida
Ulele – Tampa, Florida
Wildflower – Tucson -Tucson, Arizona
Woodberry Kitchen – Baltimore, Maryland