More al fresco spots to love: OpenTable data shows 54% increase in restaurants listing outdoor dining nationwide
Outdoor dining is heating up, and this year, diners will find more patios and streeteries to love: nationwide data from OpenTable shows the number of restaurants listing outdoor dining grew 54% compared to pre-pandemic 2019.1 And it’s a good thing, because diners are eager to dine al fresco: this year, many cities coast-to-coast saw double digit increases in outdoor dining reservations from April – May, and again from May – June.2
To help diners discover a new favorite spot for outdoor dining, OpenTable released its annual list of the 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining, curated from 13.6 million verified diner reviews.3 The list identifies restaurants coast-to-coast with great views, delicious cuisine and above all, an incredible outdoor dining experience. This year, 25 states feature restaurants on the list, making seeking out one – or many – a breeze, whether at home or away. To explore other outdoor dining options, use OpenTable’s Seating Options filter, available on its website and app, and select “Outdoor.”
“Outdoor dining played a major role in buoying the restaurant industry over the last few years, and restaurants took note – whether adding, expanding or elevating their offerings,” said Susan Lee, Chief Growth Officer for OpenTable. “Offering outdoor dining is now a key part of restaurants’ business, and we’re happy to see that diners continue to embrace it.”
Restaurants and Diners Revel in Al Fresco Dining
While nationwide, the number of restaurants listing outdoor space grew significantly, at the city-level, many saw double and even triple-digit increases. Those seeing the greatest increase in the number of restaurants listing outdoor dining space compared to pre-pandemic 2019 include: New York (141%), San Francisco (126%), Las Vegas (108%), Boston (92%), Beverly Hills (83%), Brooklyn (89%), Philadelphia (74%), Pittsburgh (77%) and Nashville (70%).1
Many cooler climate cities saw diners flock to patios and streeteries as soon as the summer season hit its stride. Cities with some of the greatest increases in outdoor dining reservations from May 2022 to June 2022 include Pittsburgh (53%), Chicago (49%), Boston (37%), Portland (31%), Cincinnati (28%), Baltimore (24%), Brooklyn (21%), Seattle (19%), Denver (19%), New York City (15%), Washington DC (9%) and Philadelphia (8%).2
The 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining
This year’s list saw a greater range of cities compared to the last roster, debuted in 2019 – whether due to new nationwide culinary prowess or the pandemic-induced outdoor dining boost. New additions to this year’s list hail from Austin, Atlanta, Greensboro, Houston, Louisville, Memphis, New Mexico, Portland, San Antonio and Wilmington. This year, California saw the greatest number of restaurants on the list, featuring 37 restaurants across Los Angeles, Napa, San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Sonoma, Santa Monica, Carlsbad and more. Florida is runner up, featuring 11 restaurants from cities including Miami Beach, Naples and Key West.
The 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining 2022 are (in alphabetical order):
1906 at Longwood Gardens – Kennett Square, PA
Alma Nove – Hingham, MA
Anis Cafe and Bistro – Atlanta, GA
Anthonie’s Market Grill – Simonton, TX
AOC – 3rd Street – Los Angeles, CA
Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant – La Quinta, CA
Bacari – Silver Lake – Los Angeles, CA
Barca Wine Bar & Pier – Alexandria, VA
Beachcomber Cafe – Newport Coast, CA
Bella Siena – Benicia, CA
Bistro Don Giovanni – Napa, CA
Boat House Waterfront Dining – Tiverton, RI
Brasserie Mon Chou Cho – San Antonio, TX
Bravas Bar de Tapas – Healdsburg, CA
Buck and Rider – Phoenix, AZ
C-Level – San Diego, CA
Ca Del Sole – North Hollywood, CA
Cafe Bizou – Agoura Hills, CA
Cafe Luxembourg – New York, NY
Cafe Terracotta – Littleton, CO
Campfire – Carlsbad, CA
Canoe – Atlanta, GA
Casa Nostra Ristorante – Westlake Village, CA
Cesarina – San Diego, CA
Charlie’s Coastal Bistro (L’etoile Verte) – Hilton Head, SC
Citron Bistro – Vero Beach, FL
Coast Guard House – Narragansett, RI
Coastal Fish Company – Memphis, TN
Coastal Kitchen – Dana Point, CA
Coasterra – San Diego, CA
Continental Naples – Naples, FL
Copley’s on Palm Canyon – Palm Springs, CA
Del Vino Vineyards – Northport, NY
Dog Watch Cafe – Stonington, CT
Dry Dock Waterfront Grill – Longboat Key, FL
Duke’s Beach House Maui – Lahaina, HI
Echo & Rig Steakhouse & Butcher Shop – Las Vegas, NV
El Chorro – Paradise Valley, AZ
El Dorado Kitchen – Sonoma, CA
EPIC Steak – San Francisco, CA
FARM – Palm Springs, CA
Farmhouse at Roger’s Gardens – Corona Del Mar, CA
Fia – Santa Monica, CA
Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar – Charleston, SC
Fleetwood’s On Front St. – Lahaina, HI
Foreign Cinema – San Francisco, CA
Girl & the Goat L.A. – Los Angeles, CA
Gracias Madre – West Hollywood, CA
Green Valley Grill – Greensboro, NC
Hardware – North Aurora, IL
Istanbul Hawaii – Honolulu, HI
Izanami – Santa Fe, NM
Jeune et Jolie – Carlsbad, CA
Kyle G’s Prime Seafood – Jensen Beach, FL
L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele – Los Angeles, CA
L’Auberge Chez Francois – Great Falls, VA
La Mar Cebicheria Peruana – San Francisco, CA
Latitudes Key West – Key West, FL
Le Diplomate – Washington DC
Lon’s at The Hermosa – Paradise Valley, AZ
Los Andes Restaurant – Providence, RI
Mala Ocean Tavern – Lahaina, HI
Mariposa – Sedona, AZ
Mediterrano – Naples – Naples, FL
Mister A’s – San Diego, CA
Mitch’s on El Paseo Prime Seafood – Palm Desert, CA
Olive & Ivy Restaurant & Marketplace – Scottsdale, AZ
Ophelia’s on the Bay – Sarasota, FL
Pacific Coast Grill – Cardiff-By-The-Sea, CA
Palace – Miami Beach, FL
Piccolo Sogno – Chicago, IL
Poseidon – Del Mar, CA
Prime: An American Kitchen & Bar – Huntington, NY
Print Works Bistro – Greensboro, NC
Raintree Restaurant – St. Augustine, FL
RH Rooftop Restaurant – New York, NY
River House Restaurant & Raw Bar – Louisville, KY
Ruthie’s All-Day – Arlington, VA
Salty’s on the Columbia – Portland, OR
Spencer’s Restaurant – Palm Springs, CA
Steiner Ranch Steakhouse – Austin, TX
Sunset Terrace at Omni Grove Park Inn – Asheville, NC
Tavern on the Green – New York, NY
Terrain Cafe – Glen Mills, PA
The Black Whale – New Bedford, MA
The Boathouse – Lake Buena Vista, FL
The Front Yard – North Hollywood, CA
The Mooring Restaurant – Newport, RI
The Oyster Rock Waterfront Seafood – Calabash, NC
The Twisted Olive – Green, OH
The Village Bakery and Cafe – Woodside, CA
Tin Roof Bistro – Manhattan Beach, CA
Tisha’s – Cape May, NJ
Tom Hams Lighthouse – San Diego, CA
Ulele – Tampa, FL
Vivace Restaurant – Tucson, AZ
Waterbar – San Francisco, CA
Wildflower – Tucson, AZ
Zaytinya – Washington DC
Zinc Bistro – Scottsdale, AZ
The 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in the US can be found here.
1 OpenTable Data Methodology
OpenTable looked at the number of restaurants listing outdoor dining availability from January 1 to June 30, 2022, compared to the same date range in 2019 (January 1 to June 30, 2019).
2 OpenTable Data Methodology
OpenTable looked at total seated reservations (online, phone, walk-in) for May and June 2022.
3 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in America Methodology
OpenTable’s 100 Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in America is generated from over 13.6 million verified OpenTable diner reviews collected between May 1, 2021 and April 30, 2022. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. The overall score is made up of unique data points, such as overall diner rating, user klout, total number of reviews, and regional overall rating. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of reviews, for which “outdoor dining” was selected as a special feature.
