U.S. city with outdoor cafe culture
 

Hi,<BR><BR>I love outdoor cafes. There's something romantic about them. I don't like the ones that are located by the heavy traffic area (I want to eat the food, not the pollution from all the cars driving by), but love the ones that are by the pedestrian area where you can people-watch from your table, listen to the street musicians, etc. Montreal had lots of them and I absolutely loved it. I want to know if any U.S. city has a similar outdoor cafe culture. It could be my next vacation destination! Looking for some tips from fellow travellers. Thanks!

Santa Monica, Ca. comes to mind. <BR><BR>Also the market area of Savannah. <BR><BR>Along the riverwalk in San Antonio. <BR><BR>Lincoln Road area of South Beach, Miami.<BR><BR>

Asheville, NC has what you're looking for... lots of great cafes with great views of wonderful landmarks. There are several on Pack Square, at the very heart of downtown, plus there are lots of other restaurants, ranging from fun to elegant, offering outdoor seating, including the best pizza place in town, The Mellow Mushroom. <BR><BR>Definitely worth a look!

Santa Barbara, CA<BR>

If the weather permits,NewYork City is great for sitting on a sidewalk cafe/restaurant and watch the world go by.Check the West Village or Lincoln Center(upper west side) areas.Also some restaurants with outdoor seats/tables in SoHo are great.

During the summer (when it hardly ever rains), Portland, OR, has lots of outdoor cafes along NW 21st and NW 23rd. Both streets are tree-lined and great for relaxing and people-watching. <BR><BR>In Philadelphia, Rittenhouse Square has a few cafes, plus you can get great coffee from La Colombe (19th and Walnut) and take it to the Square itself.

In Texas, virtually every restaurant has an outdoor section. Dallas-Ft Worth, Houston, Austin... you can't avoid them.<BR><BR>Even in the summer, when it's hot? Especially in the summer. <BR><BR>In the hot months of July and August, you'll see people eating outside up to noon or 12:30. Then when the sun goes down, the outdoor tables start to fill up again... the evenings trigger a rise of outdoor cafe culture in a pleasant setting.

Specific locations in Dallas for outdoor dining and people-watching...<BR><BR>Anyplace in the West End, you'll see tons of street life when eating outside...<BR><BR>Along McKinney Avenue, there are many outdoor restaurants, especially around Hall Street.<BR><BR>The West Village is also great for people-watching... as is Mockingbird Station area.<BR><BR>The neighborhoods of Lower Greenville seems to be packed on Sunday afternoons with cafes and street life... I like to watch the bikers roar up and down... guys that spend their days in lawyer's offices and accounting shops doing something macho on the weekends...

I recently visited Miami for the first time, and I was surprised and amazed at the abundance and variety of <BR>outdoor cafe life. It is probably the closest thing to a European/French Riviera scene that i have seen here in the U.S. <BR>South Beach alone has several very distinct and different cafe areas. Ocean Drive is right across the street from the beach and it must have been at least least ten blocks of just outdoor cafes and bars. There was tons of pedestrian &amp; street traffic and the people watching was especially entertaining. Really fun and relaxed beach vibe. There was music and dancing. Lots of gorgeous people in varying stages of dress or undress. Walked over to the beach side of the street and saw all the action against that colorful backdrop of art deco architecture. Amazing. Ate at a place called The Front Porch... great food not expensive and it seemed popular with the locals.<BR><BR>I had a wonderful time on Lincoln Road, just a few blocks away. The feeling here was more European. It's a pedestrian only street about 7 blocks long with a mix of shops and tons of outdoor cafes. It's kind of like the Ramblas in Barcelona, but more intimate. Terrific mix of people from different nationalities, social classes, and sexual orientations. Saw everything ....baby strollers, people walking beautiful dogs, men holding hands, bhuddist monks, &amp; supermodels! <BR>

When I think of U.S. cities with outdoor cafe culture, my mind immediately turns to Guthrie, Oklahoma.

I figured I would throw out Pearl Street, in Boulder, CO. It's a great place in the summer to sit back, enjoy a drink (or two, or three), and watch the variety of street performers. Not exactly romantic, but enjoyable, nevertheless.

So many great tips! Thanks, guys! By the way, what about San Diego? With the weather being consistently pleasant all year round and with the abundance of great water views, I would think it might also have a great outdoor cafe culture? I don't know since I've never been.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston<BR>Coconut Grove in Miami<BR>Riverwalk in San Antonio

cafedreamer: San Diego does have a sort of &quot;outdoor cafe culture&quot; in the trendy/touristy Gaslamp Quarter. But this area is full of exotic, some expensive, restaurants - would those qualify as &quot;cafes&quot;? Not exactly places where you would go to get a cup of coffee and people-watch. Many of the restaurants do have outdoor seating though. The whole area is usually mobbed with people at night.<BR><BR>Andrew<BR>

Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.<BR><BR>Old Market District in Omaha.<BR><BR> Keith

Newport RI has some nice spots along the water to sit outside and dine/drink.

Another vote for the riverwalk of San Antonio, TX.

Key West had a lot of outdoor dining with people watching. <BR><BR>New Orleans had some outdoor cafes. It also had plenty of places to sit and eat your takeout and people-watch.

In Atlanta alot of the rests have outdoor seating along P'tree Street in Buckhead/heading into midtown and downtown and a more than half of the ones in the Virginia Highlands area along N. Highland.

Ft Lauderdale-- LAS OLAS BLVD- tons of <BR> outdoor cafes and people<BR> walking around at nite<BR> <BR> Also the area on the New<BR> River- off Las Olas-Lots<BR> of restaurants and <BR> outside music<BR>NYC- esp in Columbus Ave area<BR><BR>Miami- SOUTH BEACH/Collins Ave/Ocean Ave<BR><BR>