You 'Can't Miss' With These 25 Spots for Casual Outdoor Dining in Connecticut

Written by Alfred Branch (Patch Staff)

Picture this: It's another lazy summer afternoon, not too hot, gentle breeze... and you're looking for a place to go for a casual outdoor dining experience.

Well, look no further than the list below, Connecticut Magazine's 25 Can't-Miss Spots For Casual Outdoor Dining and Drinking.

The list includes some of the same spots as this earlier story about some of the state's best outdoor dining, but as the authors describe, the new grouping emphasizes a more mellow vibe.

"From rooftop retreats to waterside hangouts, the list includes some of our favorite outdoor spots, places where the sun is warm,the breeze is cool and the living is easy," writes authors Albert Yuravich, Erik Ofgang and Kate Hartman.

The list is below. Visit the Connecticut Magazine website for the full write-ups of each place.

• The Place, Guilford
• Jessica Tuesday’s, Putnam
• Down the Hatch, Brookfield
• Stony Creek Brewery, Branford
• The Beer Garden at Shippan Landing, Stamford (seasonal May through mid-September, check Facebook or Instagram, @TheBeerGardenSL)
• Elm City Social, New Haven
• Geronimo, New Haven
• The Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood
• Bartaco, West Hartford and Westport
• Rooftop 120, Glastonbury
• The White Horse Country Pub, New Preston
• Pizza Surf Club at Fortina, Stamford
• The Bar & Restaurant at Captain’s Cove, Bridgeport
• Pond House Café, West Hartford
• Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, Noank
• Eli Cannon’s Tap Room, Middletown
• Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale, New Haven
• S&P Oyster Co., Mystic
• The Hops Company, Derby
• Da Capo Ristorante Italiano, Litchfield
• Breakwater, Stonington
• Lucky Lou’s Bar and Grill, Wethersfield
• Smokin’ With Chris, Southington
• The Crab Shell Restaurant, Stamford
• Blue Oar, Haddam

Photo: The new outdoor garden at The Hops Company in Derby. Photo credit: The Hops Company Facebook page