Special to Road Trips for Foodies

With warmer temperatures and longer days, here are a dozen outdoor dining options to maximize the summer light:

North America

The Wauwinet, Nantucket, Massachusetts
TOPPER’s, the restaurant at The Wauwinet on Nantucket is best reached from the hotel by boat. If you book brunch or dinner at the hotel, visitors can take the complimentary boat ride across the bay to reach the restaurant. Expect island favorites like the lobster roll and fresh oysters – plucked from the water 300 yards from the property. The restaurant also offers the largest wine list on island with more than 3,000 selections.

The Chatwal, New York, New York
An unexpected respite for its midtown location, The Chatwal’s signature collection of terraced suites – the highest concentration of terraced suites per square footage in Midtown Manhattan – are a must for private dining with views over the historic Theater District. The Stanford White-designed building showcases spacious terraces perfect for a romantic candle-lit dinner for two, a family meal, or small group gathering. The in-room dining menu is curated by Chef Geoffrey Zakarian of the iconic Lambs Club at The Chatwal, which offers guests everything from leisurely breakfasts to a Broadway-inspired afternoon tea and a customizable s’mores kit for camp outs this summer.

Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley, California
Tables on The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil’s wraparound patio offer panoramic views of Napa Valley, making the restaurant one of the most sought after in the region. With 12 consecutive Michelin Stars, Executive Chef Robert Curry helms the kitchen and uses ingredients sourced largely from local and regional purveyors. The Mediterranean-inspired menu is complemented by one of the most extensive wine cellars in the valley, boasting more than 15,000 bottles of domestic and international wines.

Viceroy Riviera Maya, Mexico
Set on the Caribbean coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Viceroy Riviera Maya is an adults-only, all-villa oasis surrounded by lush jungle. Modern Mexican cuisine is served at the seaside La Marea helmed by Chef Carlos Zamora. The property’s 500-bottle wine cellar is known for its selection from boutique Mexican wineries. Every Thursday at the resort is La Mesa del Chef (Chef’s Table), offering guests a uniquely local menu, paired with Mexican wines.

Caribbean

The Christopher Hotel, St. Barth
Located above the rocky shoreline of the sought-after neighborhood of Pointe Milou, The Christopher has long been a refuge for those in-the-know on St. Barth for its understated elegance. The refreshed Christo Lounge Restaurant by Chef Nicolas Tissier is situated on the cliff overlooking the Caribbean Sea with a healthy concept menu focusing on organic meats and vegetables. Its sunset lounge Mango Beach Club provides a prime spot to watch the sun go down while drinking a traditional Planteur or Ti Punch, both island favorites.

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, St. Lucia
Located on the sand, shaded by a sea grape tree and with views of the Pitons, Bayside Restaurant at Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort treats guests with a tapas menu perfect for a light lunch or afternoon snack. Meals are accompanied by cocktails such as passion fruit mojitos.

GoldenEye, Jamaica
The Gazebo features an all-day outdoor lounge and an evening-only restaurant, serving up local fare like Butter Roasted Lion Fish and Coconut Poached Mahi Mahi. The restaurant also sources produce from the hotel’s 2,500-acre farm, Pantrepant. The Gazebo is perched high on the eastern bank of the lagoon entrance, overlooking the calm lagoon waters and Low Cay beach beyond, making it the ideal setting to take in the fiery Caribbean sunsets.

Europe and Asia

La Reserve Ramatuelle, France
La Réserve Ramatuelle Hotel, Spa, and Villas has introduced a new beach club on St. Tropez’s Pampelonne Beach, first made famous by Brigitte Bardot in the 1956 film “And God Created Woman.” Designed by Philipe Starck, La Réserve à La Plage includes 75 sunbeds and a 120-seat beachfront restaurant overseen by the resort’s Michelin starred chef Eric Canino with Chef Nicolas Cantrel. The menu highlights seasonal Mediterranean ingredients, with a vast raw bar featuring both fish (tuna tartare, sea bream ceviche) and meat (veal tartare, beef carpaccio) as well as a wood-fired grill where they cook meat and fresh-caught fish.

The Bloomsbury, United Kingdom
The Bloomsbury’s al fresco all-day dining spot, Dalloway Terrace, has been transformed into a tropical paradise with the unique flora of Sri Lanka, inspired from novel ‘The Village in the Jungle,’ by Leonard Woolf (who was once a regular at this London hotel). In partnership with the National Literacy Trust, Dalloway Terrace will donate £2 from each order of Beer Battered Fish & Chips towards improving literacy skills in local London schools.

Almanac Barcelona, Spain
Almanac Barcelona’s star attraction is the rooftop terrace, with 360-degree views of the city. All of Barcelona meets for cocktails at the glass-enclosed rooftop bar, Azimuth. The cocktail list is an Instagrammer’s dream. Of note is the Meet Me on the Roof – a bourbon and rum libation that comes with a mini Belgian waffle and vanilla ice cream cone on the rim. Open for lunch and dinner, the menu is curated from the Almanac’s Mediterranean brasserie, Linia, located on the groundfloor serving Catalan dishes made for sharing.

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Maldives
July 1 marked the opening of Waldorf Astoria’s first post in the Maldives, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi. With 11 specialty-concept venues, Waldorf Astoria offers the largest culinary selection in the Maldives. The highlight is Terra: seven private dining pods on a treetop overlooking the Indian Ocean. Six can accommodate couples and one is designed for a group of four diners. The multi-course menu also features wine pairings.

(Photo courtesy of Dalloway Terrace, Bloomsbury, London)