If you’re looking for a nice spot to enjoy lunch or dinner in an outdoor setting, you’ll find several of the best restaurants in Wellesley that offer this kind of ambiance. Here’s a list of some of the top restaurants for outdoor dining in Wellesley, MA.
Linden Store
A Wellesley staple, Linden Store is known for its diverse and inclusive menu options that feature mostly “fast food” or quick bites with many items catering to vegetarian and vegan diets. This American-style deli has a host of sandwich options from the beloved Pilgrim to the Isabella with fresh basil, mozzarella, prosciutto, and tomatoes. Linden Store is a great spot for families or busy people who need a place to stop for a quick bite to eat. With indoor and outdoor dining options, it’s also one of the best takeout restaurants in Wellesley if eating at home is more your style. If choosing to eat outdoors, the covered picnic bench-style seating provides a casual atmosphere that pairs nicely with the friendly staff and delicious food. With a five-star rating on Trip Advisor, Linden Store has also earned a number two overall ranking for best restaurants in Wellesley with outdoor dining—meaning that you’ll hardly go wrong visiting this gem.
Juniper
Consistently a top-reviewed restaurant in Wellesley, Juniper offers both indoor and outdoor seating that offers an upscale take on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-style dishes. With plenty of options for meat lovers, vegetarians, and vegans alike, Juniper offers something for everyone. Some of the highlights from the menu are Lebanese fried rice, braised beef ribs, charred octopus and pear salad, chicken tagine, quinoa falafel with aioli, and saffron seafood entree. With a plethora of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-influenced dips and salads to start from, you can easily find yourself ordering several items on the menu at once at Juniper from dips and appetizers to full entrees and sides—with each item being tastier than the last. The welcoming staff at Juniper also makes this one of the most friendly spots to grab a meal in Wellesley.
The Cottage Wellesley
If a fusion of culinary influences and dining styles is what you’re looking for, The Cottage Wellesley is sure to offer you an unforgettable time. The Cottage’s menu features Southern Californian cuisine that is served up in a relaxed atmosphere that more accurately resembles the kind of dining rooms you would find in Cape Cod. With outdoor and indoor seating, takeout and delivery options, and a private dining room perfect for parties and large groups, The Cottage Wellesley can offer you any dining experience you need. Celebrating its fifteenth year in 2022, The Cottage is a place where you can enjoy fresh meals with locally-sourced ingredients for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Some of the brunch specialties include lemon ricotta pancakes, lobster benedict, and brioche french toast, while the “Pantry” or chef’s selection includes burgers, craft salads, tacos, and soups.
Bocado Tapas Wine Bar
This tapas and wine bar offers up a Spanish-inspired menu in a lounge setting and weather-permitting outdoor seating—along with traditional indoor seating options including bar seating as well as private dining areas. The menu of Bocado Tapas Wine Bar not only offers an international culinary experience, but it also does a great job of making their meals fit an American palette, such as pairing the tapas frias y calientes with buffalo sauce which is something more familiar to North American patrons. With additional options for service, Bocado Tapas Wine Bar is easily one of the best takeout restaurants in Wellesley with an easy-to-access online menu and mobile ordering app. In addition to its menu full of vibrant flavors with over forty different tapas, Bocado Tapas Wine Bar also offers its patrons an exclusive Spanish wine list and selection of imported meats, cheeses, signature paella, and fan-favorite sangrias.
Smith & Wollensky
Located near Wellesley’s popular shopping and dining destination, Wellesley Square, Smith & Wollensky is a steakhouse chain that offers its signature prime, de-aged steaks along with a menu of seafood and other items. One of the most high-priced and upscale restaurants in Wellesley, Smith & Wollensky focuses on creating a fine dining experience in what they call a “power dining” setting with many seating options that can accommodate large groups. With an outside patio, the outdoor seating at Smith & Wollensky is weather-permitting since the seating does not provide umbrellas. For this reason, you may want to reserve a meal at Smith & Wollensky for a night out under a clear sky. If the ambiance of the busy shopping district and intimate seating isn’t enough to convince you to try out this spot, their classy menu and wide variety of options will. Some of the menu highlights include a tuna tartare appetizer, the lobster roll sandwich, shellfish, soups and salads, fresh catches such as their seared yellowfin tuna, and their filets, mignons, tips, and strips. Smith & Wollensky also offers meal kits so you can cook their dishes at home as well as in-house events and a loyalty program.
This list of our favorite restaurants with outdoor dining in Wellesley just scratches the surface of what you can find in this exciting Boston suburb. As you visit some of the recommended spots, don’t forget to keep exploring all that Wellesley has to offer and uncover hidden gems—and new flavors for your taste buds. You may also want to check out some of the Best Shops in Wellesley.
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