Outdoor Dining: Beyond the Sidewalk
These alfresco options offer more than just a seat on the street
When the weather is nice, there’s nothing better than enjoying a great meal or a drink with friends outside. But while Bergen offers plenty of great choices for outdoor dining (see next page), sometimes you want to avoid the sidewalk scene and find a nice patio, terrace or courtyard that is removed from the hustle and bustle. These four gems fill the bill.
Le Jardin
1257 River Rd.
Edgewater
201.224.9898
lejardinnj.com
Bergenites won’t find a much better view than this. Sit outside on the terrace at Le Jardin in Edgewater, and you’ll be overlooking the Hudson River with views of the George Washington Bridge and the Manhattan skyline. The restaurant serves fine French and Continental cuisine in an upscale, whitetablecloth atmosphere. For appetizers, try the jumbo shrimp cocktail (they’re not kidding when they say jumbo) or the escargots sautéed with wild mushrooms in garlic and white wine. Dinner entrees range from roasted eggplant ravioli to a pan-seared duck breast in a dry cherry port wine reduction with poached pears. The view also makes Le Jardin a great place to grab a drink—and live music adds a classy touch.
The Porter House
125 Kinderkamack Rd.
Montvale
201.307.6300
porterhouseusa.com
When the weather’s warm, the casual stone patio behind The Porter House in Montvale is packed with diners eager to soak up the sun. There’s an impressive- looking stone fireplace in one corner and gas-fired space heaters for chilly evenings. Traditional Irish pub food like shepherd’s pie and fish and chips makes for a great lunch, as does the grilled angus burger— half a pound of chopped sirloin served with steak fries. Lighter fare includes a wide variety of salads and wraps. Dinner at The Porter House is a more upscale affair, with several prime steaks available plus fish dishes, rack of lamb, stuffed pork chops and more. If you do venture inside, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover the recently updated modern dining room.
Varka
30 N. Spruce St.
Ramsey
201.995.9333
varkarestaurant.com
The large patio in front of Varka in Ramsey is the place to be in summer, so make your reservations now. Big white umbrellas float over the tables, lending an airy, Mediterranean feel. The outdoor space includes a lounge area with couches where you can have a drink or enjoy dessert. It’s a scene, yes, but one that Bergen’s many former Manhattanites clearly crave. The restaurant is a seafood lover’s paradise, featuring fresh fish by the pound, plus Greek specialties and steak dishes. Executive chef George Georgiades is a first-generation Greek-American who lets the food speak for itself, preparing whole fish with lemon, herbs and just a touch of butter. For dessert, don’t miss the Greek-style donuts served with honey and cinnamon.
Portobello Feasts
175 Ramapo Valley Rd.
Oakland
201.337.8990
portobellonj.com
Dining outside on the patio at Portobello, surrounded by flowers, a waterfall and a koi pond, transports you to an Italian garden. Make that a garden party—on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, there’s a DJ spinning tunes. The outdoor patio space is lovely, but so is the interior of the gorgeous $10-million-plus building, so dining here requires a tough decision. Luckily, no matter where you sit, you can partake of multiple menus: bar fare; the Italian cuisine of the downstairs restaurant, Cucina Rustica; and the contemporary steak-andseafood offerings of Sala Da Pranzo, the space upstairs. Favorites include the osso buco and the blackened rib eye, served with three-cheese mac and cheese.
Go to the next page for a large list of outdoor dining restaurants in Bergen County.
More Alfresco Options in Bergen, Including Sidewalk Dining
Andiamo
23 Hardenburgh Ave.
Haworth
201.384.1551
andiamorestaurant.net
Assembly Steak House
495 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs
201.568.2616
Axia
18 Piermont Rd.
Tenafly
201.569.5999
axiataverna.com
Banchetto Feast
301 Center Ave.
Westwood
201.497.6330
banchettofeast.com
Baumgart’s Caf e
multiple locations
baumgartscafe.com
Bennies
54 E. Palisade Ave.
Englewood
201.894.5700
benniesofenglewood.com
Th e Bicycle Club
487 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs
201.894.0880
thebicycleclub.com
Blue Moon
Mexican Caf é
multiple locations
bluemoonmexicancafe.com
Cactus Sushi
4½ W. Railroad Ave.
Tenafly
201.567.0200
Café Amici
4 Sycamore Ave.
Ho-Ho-Kus
201.389.6376
amicicafe.net
Café Angelique
1 Piermont Rd.
Tenafly
201.541.1010
cafeangelique.com
Café Italiano
14 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs
201.461.5041
cafeitaliano.net
Café Matisse
167 Park Ave.
Rutherford
201.935.2995
cafematisse.com
Ca prizza
2 N. Van Brunt St.
Englewood
201.871.8413
caprizza.com
Classic Quiche Cafe
330 Queen Anne Rd.
Teaneck
201.692.0150
classicquiche.com
Cliffs Steakhouse
18 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs
201.944.0233
cliffssteakhouse.com
Davey’s Irish Pub & Restaurant
5 Park St.
Montvale
201.391.9356
daveyspub.com
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
90 The Promenade
Edgewater
201.313.9463
flemingssteakhouse.com
Grand Cru Wine Bar
36 N. Van Brunt St.
Englewood
201.568.3939
grandcruenglewood.com
Harvest Bistro & Bar
252 Schraalenburgh Rd.
Closter
201.750.9966
harvestbistro.com
Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern
1 E. Franklin Tpk.
Ho-Ho-Kus
201.445.4115
hohokusinn.com
It’s Greek To Me
multiple locations
itsgreektome.com
Kevin’s Thyme
614 N. Maple Ave.
Ho-Ho-Kus
201.445.6400
kevinsthyme.com
La Lanterna
29 W. Ridgewood Ave.
Ridgewood
201.444.5520
lalanternaofridgewood.com
La Piazza
29 Chestnut St.
Ridgewood
201.447.5111
lapiazzabistro.com
The Pizza Club
725 River Rd.
Edgewater
201.945.1111
La Vecchia Napoli
2 Hilliard Ave.
Edgewater
201.941.6799
lavecchianapoli.com
Legends Steakhouse
118 Godwin Ave.
Midland Park
201.445.2881
legends-steakhouse.com
MacMurphy’s
8 Godwin Ave.
Ridgewood
201.444.0500
Mediterraneo
23 N. Broad St.
Ridgewood
201.447.0022
Natalie’s
16–18 South Broad St.
Ridgewood
201.444.7887
Nisi Estiatorio
90 Grand Ave.
Englewood
201.567.4700
nisirestaurant.com
Oceanos
2–27 Saddle River Rd.
Fair Lawn
201.796.0546
oceanosrestaurant.com
Rebecca’s Cuban & Caribbean Cusine
236 River Rd.
Edgewater
201.943.8808
rebeccascuban
restaurant.com
Restaurant L
9 Franklin Tpk.
Allendale
201.785.1112
restaurantlnj.com
Smith Brothers Steak & Chophouse
51 N. Broad St.
Ridgewood
201.444.8111
smithbrothers
ridgewood.com
Solaia
22 N. Van Brunt St.
Englewood
201.871.7155
solaiarestaurant.com
The Stable
20 E. Ridgewood Ave.
Ridgewood
201.444.1199
thestablerestaurant.com
Taos Wok & Restaurant
356 Paterson Ave.
East Rutherford
201.460.8988
villagerestaurantgroup.com
Tina Louise
403 Hackensack St.
Carlstadt
201.933.7133
villagerestaurantgroup.com
The Village Gourmet
75 Park Ave.
Rutherford
201.438.9404
villagerestaurantgroup.com
Wild Nigiri
6 E. Palisade Ave.
Englewood
201.567.2660
wildnigiri.com
