Bethel Outdoor Dining - Spring 2022

I think we can all agree that Bethel is having quite a moment when it comes to restaurants.  We are lucky to have so many great choices and pretty much any conceivable type of food you could imagine!  Now that the weather is finally warming up, we wanted to highlight some of the places that have great outdoor dining spaces. Several will also be offering live music a few days a week and on Sundays during brunch.

A positive outcome from the pandemic was that restaurants had to adapt and get creative to provide more outdoor space.  In an effort to ease restrictions on such outdoor space, CT’s Governor recently renewed Special Act 21-3 which had bi-partisan support and was renewed until April 30, 2023.  

“Relaxing the rules on outdoor dining has enabled many restaurants across Connecticut to safely serve their customers and support their continued efforts during the pandemic,” Governor Lamont said.  “So many restaurants are locally owned small businesses, and this is one way we can help in their economic recovery.”

Here are some of the restaurants offering outdoor dining and music where applicable.  Please check their websites for the most up-to-date information on special events and live music. It’s all happening right here in Bethel and there is truly something for everyone.

‍Edison Kitchen has adapted a great outdoor space on the sidewalk facing the library and Greenwood Ave in the heart of downtown Bethel. They will be offering live music (weather permitting) on the patio every Thursday & Sunday evolving into most nights once the summer starts. As most people know, Edison has taken over the former J. Lawrence space and renovated it, serving unique, fresh, and creative American cuisine, a full raw bar, and craft cocktails.

Broken Symmetry Gastro Brewery  is Bethel’s own craft brewpub serving up an array of small plates and entrees with a Mexicali flare. They have live music in the summer months and host an array of events including a comedy night, a beer dinner, and Oktoberfest. Check their website events page for dates and tickets.

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Notch 8 Wood Fired Bar & Grill offers wood fired wings and pizza as well as tasty burgers and an assortment of sandwiches and entrees. It’s a great place to catch a game or hang out on the large patio and enjoy live music just about every night as well as during Sunday brunch.

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Note Kitchen & Bar has been an award-winning restaurant since opening in 2016, winning best Restaurant in Bethel in 2017. They serve modern American food fused with many international influences. It was one of the first in the area to offer live music almost every night.  Their patio is spacious and very inviting. They have an Open Mic Night every Monday and music most nights and during Sunday brunch.

Vesta Rooftop Kitchen, located upstairs from La Zingara, offers an open-air retractable ceiling featuring woodfired pizzas, savory & sweet crepes, burgers, paninis, and salads. Wednesday is pizza and a brew night for $17, Thursday is burger and brew for $18 (both from 4-9pm). Sangria Saturdays feature brunch and a sangria bar from 12-4, and Sunday brunch is from 11-3.

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La Zingara features contemporary regional Italian cuisine with a seasonally rotating menu sourcing locally-grown produce and an extensive wine list and craft cocktails. They offer live jazz every Wednesday (and some Thursdays) with Bethel Jazz. Info and tickets on the website or on Facebook.

Centrico Taqueria & Tequila Bar focuses on locally-sourced and seasonally inspired Latin cuisine. They offer a spacious garden and patio with a full service outdoor bar and fire pit. Their food is creative and made from scratch, served with craft cocktails featuring house made bar syrups and mixers.

The Putnam House offers one of the largest patios in Bethel and includes a fire pit. The restaurant serves a continental menu with options ranging from soups, soft pretzels, sandwiches, burgers, fish, pork chops, and seasonal fare. They are hosting a cornhole tournament on June 11th at noon that benefits the Special Olympics. See website for registration for this event.

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Portofino Restaurant and Wine Bar offers homestyle Italian food from specialty pizza and calzones to amazing pasta and seafood dishes. They have ladies night every Thursday with buy one get free for ladies at the bar, or a great deal with a group of ladies in the dining room with buy one get one bottle of wine! They also serve specialty drinks like the “Lou-tini” named after the owner.

Michael's Taproom offers something for everyone including wings, wraps, specialty burgers, pizza, tacos and salads as well as an assortment of entrees, They have a large outdoor patio featuring live music every Friday night starting this month and a DJ every Saturday night and acoustic guitar during Sunday brunch. They host outdoor events such as baby showers and were the host of the Danbury Animal Welfare "Yappy Hour".

From this sampling of our restaurants in Bethel, you can see that we have a diverse selection of varying cuisines and atmospheres. For a small town, I think we are pretty fortunate to have so many choices! There are all kinds of upcoming events and live music to enjoy over the coming warmer months. Please check the websites above for the most up to date information. Enjoy!