For this edition of Guide to Greenwich, we ventured through Greenwich Avenue to find the best outdoor dining spots in Greenwich, Connecticut.  Due to COVID-19, many restaurants on Greenwich Avenue have had to come up with creative ways to utilize their outdoor space.  Over the summer, the town closed off a part of Greenwich Avenue, a one-way street, to make more room to dine outdoors.

Méli-Mélo

Our first location for outdoor dining was Méli-Mélo, located towards the bottom of Greenwich Avenue.  After our arrival at the restaurant, our waiter took us to our seats outside and we ordered right away.  Instead of having paper menus for customers to share, Méli-Mélo has a QR code that customers are able to scan to access the menu from their phones.  Covered by umbrellas and spaced six feet apart, the tables at Méli-Mélo maintain social distancing protocols.  While the majority of seating is outside, there is also limited seating indoors at 50 percent capacity. 

We ordered a Classic Grilled Cheese for $7.00 and a Vacation Smoothie for $7.00.  Made with mozzarella cheese on toasted ciabatta bread, the Classic Grilled Cheese was a perfect meal for the fall.  The Vacation Smoothie was a blend of oranges, pineapples, bananas, and kiwis, and it was very refreshing.  

Le Pain Quotidien

Our second outdoor dining destination was Le Pain Quotidien, located at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue.  Le Pain Quotidien is an international restaurant chain, with more than 250 locations worldwide.  The restaurant has outdoor seating placed on the blocked-off portion of Greenwich Avenue, allowing it to accommodate customers throughout this time of social distancing.  

We ordered a Toasted Paris Ham & Cheese Croissant for $6.97 and a small iced coffee for $4.50.  Different from our first destination, Méli-Mélo, we ordered our meal inside at the cash register, and then sat outside to dine.  The service was noticeably fast, as our waiter brought out our food to us soon after we ordered it.  The prices at Le Pain Quotidien were fair, and the food was delicious and of great quality.

Steam

Our third and final restaurant was Steam, which is also at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue.  We sat outdoors, but there is also indoor seating.  The outdoor seating has limited options for bigger parties, with a maximum of five people to a table.  The tables were amply distanced, and the atmosphere was calm, and not too loud.

Our waiter brought us to a table outside and promptly took our orders.  We ordered the Chicken Lettuce Cups for $10.00, and the Pork Dumplings for $6.50.  The dumplings came out first, then soon after the Chicken Lettuce Cups arrived.  The prices were reasonable in proportion to the serving size and quality of our food.  Overall, the food at Steam was very flavorful and delicious.

Winner

After dining at three restaurants with outdoor seating on Greenwich Avenue, the winner of this edition of Guide to Greenwich is Le Pain Quotidien.  The food was great, along with the service.  We found that ordering our food before taking our seats was quick and efficient.  It is a perfect place to go enjoy a meal this fall while following COVID-19 guidelines. 

Featured Image by Dylan Drury ’22