Prime patios for enjoying National Eat Outside Day
National Eat Outside Day (Aug. 31) is upon us. It’s not a holiday Floridians pay much attention to, I’d imagine. We get to eat outside all year long. Summer’s end isn’t even our optimal time for such activities. And so normally, I might give this holiday a pass.
But there is nothing normal about 2020.
Right now, al fresco dining is everything to some folks, since it’s the only way they feel safe doing so. For others, it’s a soft entry back into societal participation. And really, pandemic or not, who doesn’t love a place with a chill patio?
Submitted below, a handful of places you might want to check out or revisit as we begin to emerge from our hidey holes and begin the slow slog back to — dare I say it? — normalcy.
Boca
It’s the quieter end of Park Avenue, where parking is better, foot traffic’s a tad lower and so, too, is your blood pressure — once you’re ensconced on Boca’s patio, comely cocktail in hand. Everchanging seasonal lunch, brunch, dinner and drink menus are a delight for the senses, as is the people watching. Boca’s a solid venue for venturing out into the happy hour game again, whether seasonal spritzer, Bloody Mary or the serene, new Blue Lagoon.
If you go: 358 N. Park Ave. in Winter Park; 407-636-7022; bocawp.com
Teak Neighborhood Grill — Maitland
“I’ve dined outside at Teak Neighborhood Grill in Maitland,” Lisa Wilk of Taste Cook Sip wrote in the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group. “Nice, big covered patio with fans, outdoor ‘AC’ and a QR code to scan the menu — nice!” And really, if you’re in the mood for a massive burger, you could definitely do worse.
If you go: 901 S. Orlando Ave. in Maitland; 407-335-4835; teakorlando.com
When another LEO member mentioned this Oviedo go-to, I chided myself for not thinking of it. After this beloved diner expanded, moving just a stone’s throw from its original downtown location, they added an expansive outdoor dining area with a serene and verdant view of the Cross Seminole Trail. In fact, The Town House would be a great place to stop for an award-winning breakfast (they were my pick for the Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards’ Best Diner; gyro and eggs is my go-to) before a nice, long walk. Or, you know, you could just walk to Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream right next door.
If you go: 139 N. Central Ave. in Oviedo; 407-365-5151; oviedotownhouse.com
Cress
Hello, downtown DeLand — which, in case you didn’t know, recently began allowing open containers to spark business and vibrancy during this unprecedented downturn for local establishments.
“If patrons and guests and the community are responsible about public behavior during COVID-19, it’s a good compromise for communities and businesses to try and regain some of their losses,” says Cress founder and coowner Hari Pulapaka.
Cress would make a lovely place to sup post wine walkabout, in part because of its lovely outdoor dining area. Another 2020 Foodie Awards alum, Cress took the top spot among readers this year.
If you go: 103 W. Indiana Ave. in DeLand; 386-734-3740; cressrestaurant.com
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill
One LEO member touted not only Firebirds’ patio, but also took note of the staff’s attention to cleanliness. “Even indoors, they are wiping everything down constantly and spacing well,” she observed. I haven’t been in some time, but in the past, I have enjoyed the grilled salmon and chopped Cobb salads — they are absolutely, 100 percent shareable.
If you go: 1562 N. Mills Ave. in Orlando; 407-581-9861; orlando.firebirdsrestaurants.com
Boston’s Fish House
Hey, it might be a parking lot view, but when you settle in with that gloriously overflowing fried fish basket or piled-high lobster roll, you won’t mind a bit. ( Toto, we’re not on the couch, anymore.) This one’s a Facebook forum pick that I and several others se
conded, best known for the coastal New England seafood experience, but without any of that pesky New England winter weather. Come January, when the Cape’s favorites are shuttered, Orlandoans can dig in at Boston’s — no jacket required.
If you go: 6860 Aloma Ave. in Winter Park; 407-678-2107; bostonsfishhouse.com
The Waterfront
Well before the pandemic, this SoDo stronghold on Lake Jennie Jewel offered up some of the most splendid and serene views in town. Now, it’s prime real estate for those eager to dine out but cautious enough to keep it al fresco. Pop in for a brunch cocktail and a bite and see if you don’t agree with its OS Foodie Award 2020 nod for Best Patio.
Maxine’s on Shine
Fans of Maxine’s have long loved it for predictably
good times in the form of food and drink, music and laughs. And man, do we need more of the latter amid the current goings-on. As such, owners Kirt and Maxine Earhart have worked hard to expand its outdoor space.
“We have always had visions for the parking lot to be much more of a community experience than just parking … ” says Kirt Earhart. “We are getting to paint that canvas, and safely distance a neighborhood gathering that is a smart and sexy [example] of usin’ what we got.”
If you go: 337 N. Shine Ave. in Orlando; 407-674-6841; maxinesonshine.com
Want to reach out? Find me on Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. Join the conversation at the Orlando Sentinel’s new Facebook Forum, Let’s Eat, Orlando.