Sidewalk dining is here to stay, and some spots along King Street have the perfect combination of location, menu options and sidewalk flair to make a very public meal very memorable.
On lower King Street, Landini Brothers, 115 King Street, spreads the white tablecloths beneath plates brimming with Italian flavor. Eating outdoors on lower King Street is the most public place in town to grab a bite, and tourists, bikers and locals alike mingle on the photograph-ready block.
Steps away from the shiny, glamorous formality of the sidewalks of lower King is Chadwicks. With only four outside tables, the Old Town classic has limited sidewalk seating, but on a sunny day with a classic club sandwich and a giant iced tea, Chadwicks setting feels neighborly and comfortable. Located at 203 The Strand, the view from the table is of bits of water cars and seagulls, but the feel is old-school public house.
Bittersweet Caf, 823 King Street, offers easy, expansive out door seating for breakfast and lunch. The friendly folks at Bittersweet were early pioneers in casual sidewalk dining, and the west-facing side of the restaurant is a great place to catch up with friends and have the best BLT on King Street- a Turkey BLT with avocado.
Le Gaulois, 1106 King Street, and Taverna Cretekou, 818 King Street, have outdoor dining that flirts with the street but shies away from the overtly public. Both have shady and beautiful courtyards one an see from the street, but which have to be entered with purpose rather than just sallied into from the sidewalk. The French Country cuisine of Le Gaulois and the lively Greek of Taverna Cretekou balance beautifully in the play of glimpsed visibility each dining area shares with the street.
The deck at Chart House, One Cameron Street, and the porch off the second floor of Daniel OConnells, 112 King Street, lift themselves from the street altogether. For a draft cider or a glass of wine, these two vantage points offer a lift and a taste. They are always packed; they have advantage of vantage.
The street or the river flows by, and the fish and chips or grilled cheese
