Outdoor dining became a necessity during the beginning stages of Covid. Now with summer here, it’s just something we want to do. Here are some local restaurants that provide outdoor seating. Pull up a chair and stay a while…that’s what summer is meant for.
LAKEVIEW VILLAGE
ST. HONORE’ BOULANGERIE. Grab a seat on the outdoor patio and enjoy some people watching (especially during the Saturday Farmer’s Market) along with your food. The French baking tradition lives on here with offerings like the croque monsieur and salade nicoise as well as puff pastries filled with all sorts of temptations: custard, mousse and fruit fillings. Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily. 315 First Street, Lake Oswego. 503.445.1379.
PIZZERIA SUL LAGO. This spot stays true to Neapolitan-style pizza roots while also honoring the Pacific Northwest bounty. It’s a great people-watching spot looking out on Millennium Plaza Park. 315 1st Street, 503.482.2280.
MANZANNA ROTISSERIE GRILL. Enjoy Northwest specialties served up with fresh ingredients along with a touch of the Southwest with choices like the Santa Fe Chicken Enchilada Stack or the Grilled Chili Rubbed Tri-Tip. Outdoor seating is available on the patio overlooking Lakewood Bay. 305 First Street. 503. 675.3322.
HOLY TACO. Enjoy creative renditions of Latin American dishes and agave focused craft cocktails either indoors or on the large outdoor patio overlooking A Avenue in downtown Lake Oswego. 345 1st Street, 503.675.2726.
CHUCKIE PIES. PDX Eater named this pizza spot one of the 11 restaurants that define Lake Oswego. The wood-fired pizza oven and house-made dough might have something to do with it too. Indoor and outdoor seating. 430 5th Street, 503.342.6207.
BAMBOO SUSHI. Claimed to be the most sustainable seafood restaurant in the world, this restaurant introduced my wife and I to sushi (we highly recommend The Green Machine) and made us repeat customers. Both indoor and outdoor seating. 380 1st Street, 503.387.6565.
DOMAINE SERENE WINE LOUNGE. Designed to be a neighborhood gathering place, you’ll find some outdoor patio seating as well as counter seating at windows that open up to Evergreen in addition to indoor options. The menu includes flights and bites featuring French American cuisine. 300 1st Street, 503.664.7030.
DOWNTOWN LAKE OSWEGO
LAKE OSWEGO ICE CREAMERY. The casual fare here is sure to be popular with the younger crowd. Everything tastes better when accompanied by a milkshake made with local Tillamook ice cream or finished off by a scoop of your favorite flavor. Outdoor seating sits right on busy A Avenue but the kids don’t seem to mind. 37 A Avenue. 503.636.4933.
TUCCI. Regional freshness highlights the Italian cuisine with such favorites as Veal Milanese, Ciopinno and Chocolate Polenta Cake. Patio seating feels tucked in and the lighting at night creates just the right ambiance. 220 A Avenue. 503.697.3383.
THE DULLAHAN IRISH PUB. This is your stop for traditional Irish fare like Guinness Irish Stew, Corned Beef and Cabbage and Fish N’ Chips. Oh, and did I mention the beer? Picnic tables strewn across the front and side yards invite casual summer dining (and did I mention the beer?) 352 B Avenue. 503.305.8087.
BAIRD’S ON B. If you’re lucky, you can snag a spot on their porch for either happy hour or dinner featuring a variety of contemporary, northwest American fare with an emphasis on local and seasonal products. 485 Second Street, 503.303.4771.
LOLA’S CAFÉ BAR. This place is usually hopping with quite a bit of covered outdoor patio seating (heated when needed) where you can enjoy their menu options, many of which cater towards vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free eaters. 525 3rd Street, 503.780.8279.
DUKE’S PUBLIC HOUSE. This family friendly sports bar offers regioinal American cuisine with a side order of entertainment (as in big screen TV’s for game-watching) and games like corn hole and life size Jenga. Enjoy outdoor seating in a heated covered patio with fire pit. 560 A Avenue, 503.387.5771.
BESO BAR AND BOTTLE. Enjoy wine by the glass and/or food from a European-inspired kitchen indoors or on the heated patio. 148 B Avenue, Suite 200, 503.342.6282.
NICOLETTA’S TABLE. This Italian trattoria has spacious indoor as well as outdoor patio seating where you can relax and enjoy some of the best Italian dishes Lake Oswego has to offer. 333 State Street, Suite M, 503.699.2927.
WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS. Enjoy sustainable wine and Pacific Northwest inspired cuisine at Lake Oswego’s newest spot for oenophiles. While the focus is on what’s happening inside, there is also patio seating and an outdoor fire pit . 55 S. State Street, Suite 3105, 503.387.5182.
LAKEFRONT
STICKMEN’S LAKESIDE SMOKEHOUSE AND BREWERY. This restaurant and brew house features an outdoor patio deck overlooking Oswego Lake where you can enjoy house-smoked barbecue and in-house brewed craft beer. 40 N. State Street. 503.344.4449.
LAKE THEATER AND CAFÉ. Although you’ll find movies heralded on their marquee, this place also takes its food seriously. You can eat it while watching a movie or just chill in their indoor café seating or on their outdoor deck overlooking Lakewood Bay. 106 N. State Street, 503.387.3236.
LAKE GROVE
RICCARDO’S RISTORANTE. Riccardo and Georgette Spaccarelli have been dishing up Italian favorites like Saltimbocca di Vitello and Spaghetti con Vongole since 1980. Local wine connoisseurs swear by their Italian wine selection. All of it tastes better when served al fresco on the terra cotta tiled patio. 16035 Boones Ferry Rd. 503.636.4104.
JEFE. Enjoy authentic Mexican style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner from huevos rancheros to enchiladas and tamales. Covered patio seating in the breezeway alongside the restaurant is a great spot to nurse a margarita while practicing your Spanish. 16360 Boones Ferry Rd. 503.635.1900.
LA PROVENCE. This place has been hopping since it opened in its new location in the recently renovated shopping center on the corner of Bryant Road and Boones Ferry. Both bakery and bistro seem popular with locals lining up to order croissants, omelets, potato tartiflettes, and pork medaillons. Petite entrees start at $6.50 and are designed to be shared. Gluten free options are available too. Weather permitting, patio seating is always a coveted spot. 16350 Boones Ferry Rd. 503.635.4533
BABICA HEN. Check out this breakfast and lunch spot featuring fresh baked goods (including gluten-free cupcakes and muffins) and waffles served all day long (gluten-free options available). 15964 Boones Ferry Rd. 503.636.4012.
GUBANC’S. With the Boones Ferry renovation, this 40-year restaurant was able to add outdoor seating to guests who regularly visit to enjoy their from-scratch meals using local, fresh, organic ingredients. 16008 Boones Ferry Road, 503.635.2102.
GIANT BURGER. I’ve written about Giant Burger’s appeal here before. Check it out for reasons why you might want to sit on one of the outdoor picnic tables and enjoy the burgers that seem to make the local Top Burgers list by food-lovers in the know. 15840 Boones Ferry Rd. 503.636.0255.
PINE SHED RIBS AND BARBECUE. Christened “best barbecue in PDX” by Portland Monthly magazine, Pine Shed Ribs offers outdoor picnic tables for savoring their popular meat-lovers fare including ribs, pulled pork, brisket, bacon, pastrami, sausage, and chicken. Sauces are gluten free.17730 Pilkington Rd. 503.635.7427.
AJI TRAM. This Lake Grove neighborhood spot features a mix of flavors from various Asian cuisines resulting in a contemporary Asian fusion menu with a new-age American twist. There is indoor dining and wall panels that open up on really nice days as well as a few outdoor tables. 44776 SW Lakeview Blvd., 503.342.6249.
DENO’S PIZZERIA. There are a few outdoor tables in front of this popular Lake Grove pizzeria that’s been run by the Valentine family for three generations. Good things bear repeating. 4475 Lakeview Blvd., 503.635.6219
MERCATO GROVE. 4055 Mercantile Drive
TASTY. An all-day eatery with an eclectic menu, inspired by world-travels, celebrating the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Both indoor and outdoor seating. 503.305.5298.
OVEN AND SHAKER. This pizza joint features wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza with hand tossed dough made with a 70-year-old sourdough starter, cooked off in an imported Milanese wood-burning oven for the perfect crust. Indoor and outdoor seating. 503.305.6212.
LARDO. This place specializes in sandwiches with a menu that features pork-drenched double burgers, fried mortadella, Italian tuna melt, and porchetta to name a few. Most sandwiches can double as a “salad” if carbs are not your thing. Both indoor and outdoor seating. 503.303.9277.
LAC ST. JACK. Features French faire, fresh seafood, delicious cocktails, excellent wine and a lively atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating. 503.387.3038.
FILLS. Well known for berliner-style donuts—filled and topped with fruit, chocolate or custard—plus breakfast sandwiches, burgers and fries. Lots of seating on the outdoor patio. 503.305.8347.
KRUSE VILLAGE
TAVERN ON KRUSE. Enjoy live jazz along with farm-to-table fare seven nights a week during the summer on two large patios here that seat 100. Open for lunch and happy hour as well. 4835 Meadows Rd., #133, 503.303.5280.
Lake Oswego has lots to offer not just in outdoor dining but also in recreation, schools, and housing. If you’d like to explore Lake Oswego and consider moving here, please give me a call at 503.939.9801 or email me at kevin.costello@cascadehassonsir.com. I’ve been a Realtor in Lake Oswego for over 30 years and would love to put my experience to work for you!
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