• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Wellesley Square
  • Deland, Gibson Insurance Athlete of the Week
  • Camp
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Business index
  • Contribute
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Embracing diversity
  • Kids
  • About us
  • Events
  • Natick Report
  • Seniors
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Live government meetings
  • Raiders sports schedules & results
  • Fire & police scanner
  • 2023 Town Election
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Where to dine al fresco in Wellesley

July 3, 2017 by Deborah Brown 1 Comment

It’s summertime and the outdoor dining is easy at Wellesley restaurants. Whether you’re looking for a fancy dinner or just a place to take the kids in a setting where dropped food on the floor just seems like less of a big deal outside than in, there’s a spot for you in town. The first two are places we’ve visited recently. From there, in no particular order, are some of our other favorites:

Bocado Tapas Bar, 45 Church St.

Bocado outdoors wellesley

Bocado hit instant popularity since its 2014 opening, and with the recent closing of Blue Ginger, we’re told business there is better than ever. On our recent summertime lunch visit to the tapas spot’s 12-table outdoor seating area overlooking both Abbott and Church Street, we settled into a small cafe table protected from the sun with a red umbrella. It’s a busy spot and we amused ourselves by counting how many panicked drivers realized that Abbott Street is one-way and they are trying to go the wrong way. Our server told us it’s something of a staff hobby as well, and that no one there is surprised by the occasional fender bender that results from confusion at that tough intersection.

He then casually suggested the sangria, a house specialty that we’ve enjoyed before, but we’d been scared straight by the missteps of the (presumably) sober drivers we’d been watching, so a refreshing lemonade it was. Along with our drinks order, we put in a request for a favorite of ours, the mozzarella stuffed crispy rice balls with basil aioli ($7). They arrived piping hot, and the lightly fried exterior gave way to a creamy rice and cheese interior. The six served were just enough for two to share as an appetizer.

For the main part of my meal, I ordered the seared rare Ahi Tuna salad, served with cucumber, onion, tomato, carrot, spicy quadilla peppers, and smoky roasted garlic dressing ($16). The tuna had a beautiful salty crunch to it, courtesy of the sea salt crystals sprinkled on each of the gorgeous, heartbreakingly fresh four pieces. The tomatoes, however, should have been flat-out refused entry to the kitchen, evoking the unripe, tasteless drear of winter rather than the sweet, sun-kissed warmth of summer. If it means keeping such substandard tomatoes the heck off the Ahi tuna salad until August, then that’s what the chef should do. Just please, don’t torture anyone else with that “taste” of January until it actually is January. And even then…

My companion had the iberio ham and manchego cheese grilled flatbread with pimenton (an essential ingredient in Spanish cooking, similar to paprika), white sauce, arugula, olive oil, and sea salt ($15). He commented that the cheese to ham ration was perfect, and that the open-face way of serving it gave it big-time style points for presentation. It was definitely multiple steps up from the grilled ham and cheese that comes his way at home.

All in all, a Bocado is one of Wellesley’s best places to sit outside and enjoy a great meal.

Bruegger’s Bagels, 97 Central St.

Brueggers, Wellesley

Everybody knows Brueggers as a tried-and-true standby for bagels, sandwiches, soups. It’s got a nice outdoor seating area of four tables, which overlook Washington St. and the very picturesque Wellesley Square fire station. Emergency vehicles pull in and out and the street life is generally very active with dog walkers, parents pushing their kids in strollers, and shoppers swinging their prestige bags from one (or more) of Wellesley Square’s swank shops.

Inside, the casual breakfast and lunch place has a busy and welcoming atmosphere. There’s most likely at least one local teen working the counter, and if you order the Sweet Georgia turkey sandwich, one of the chain’s limited-run options, and she hasn’t ever made it, well she’s willing to try (and nail it). Made with an unusual pairing of spicy peach preserves on tomato basil bread, the next time I’ll order the bread toasted. A. Luz was on the register, moving the transaction along with speed and accuracy. As Coach Broe once said, “Someday this guy will sell you something.” That day has come.

My companion ordered his usual, a BLT on a toasted plain bagel. If he even tasted it, I’m not sure how, that’s how quickly it disappeared. No matter, we’d also ordered twelve bagels to go, so he had plenty to nibble on while I ate my lunch. Excruciatingly. Slowly. So I’m told.

Upper Crust Pizzaria, 99 Central St.

Upper Crust Pizzaria, Wellesley

Upper Crust is right next door to Brueggers, making this the closest thing Wellesley has to a restaurant row. We come here to sit at one of the spot’s four outdoor tables when we want thin crust New Haven-style pizza without the two-hour drive. I’m also partial to their Greek salad, which includes plenty of feta and nice crisp greens.

b.good, 102 Central St.

b. good, Wellesley

The recently re-imagined outdoor seating area of this counter-serve chain that features health-conscious versions of fast-food favorites such as baked fries makes the dining experience feel more relaxed, less gulp-and-go.

In the past, I’ve enjoyed their Power Bowl, a bed of kale with organic quinoa, sesame carrots, brussels sprouts, crunchy chick peas, pepitas, tomato vinaigrette, topped with a (local, of course) easy-over egg. The egg was just so lovely, a crowning achievement of protein, its yolk nice and runny when I broke into it and mixed it in with the rest of the ingredients. When kale cravings hit, I now go to b.good and let then do the work. Yes, you read me correctly. Kale cravings. Thanks to b.good, they’re officially a thing in Wellesley.

Baskin Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts

Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins, Wellesley

Wellesley boasts four Dunkin’ Donuts, and this one has a comfortable, 2-table outdoor seating area. Come here in the morning for your coffee and donut, then enjoy a Baskin Robbins cone later on. Located adjacent to b.good.

Juniper, 13 Central St.

Juniper has served Greek Mediterranean cuisine and libations from their full bar in Wellesley since 2014. The owners also run Needham’s Sweet Basil restaurant. Their outdoor area is just adorable, with white lights and flower boxes. We’ve tried out the eggplant baba ghanoush served with pita bread. Its creamy texture and smoky flavor, along with the homemade pita, made it a winner.  Also tasty is the souvlaki, marinated and grilled chicken and pork skewers served on a bed of greens.

The seafood couscous, made with mussels, swordfish, and the most briny-tasting, fork-tender octopus ever, is generously portioned.  The grilled swordfish was fresh and delicious.

 Bertuccis, 380 Washington St. 

Bertucci's, alfresco dining, Wellesley
Bertucci’s, al fresco dining. Photo credit: Valerie Collins

 

 

 

The menu offers pizza, salad, pasta and more at this popular location, known as Playhouse Square, that once housed a movie theater. The outdoor area seats about 20, and if the weather is on the dicey side, the staff just pulls down the shades so that diners don’t get rained on.

It’s a great option if a couple in your group feels pizza while others want more of a meal experience. Your server will bring over rolls right away, homemade, hot, and served with an olive oil dip, and they’re a challenge to resist, knowing the main meal is coming. The thin-crust pizza comes with plenty of cheese and your choice of toppings, and the tomato sauce has enough chunks of tomato for textural interest, but not too much to make the pizza look like a salad hybrid.

Also good: the grilled salmon, and the crab cake appetizer, which is generously sized portioned and well-seasoned with Old Bay, but not overly so, and served with a spicy roasted red pepper aioli. Some greens on the side round things out.

Singh’s Cafe, 312 Washington St.

Singh's, Wellesley

Embarrassingly enough, we’ve never eaten at this fine Indian eatery, even though it has a lovely outdoor seating area with the most spectacular red-striped table umbrellas. We’ve heard rave reviews from others, though. Singh’s offers over a dozen vegetarian entrees including Dal Makhni (a combination of dark lentils simmered overnight in cream and lightly fired in butter). The classics — Tikki Masala, Vindaloo, and more — are also popular, of course.

Mark’s Pizza and Subs, 12C Washington St.

Mark's Pizza & Subs, Wellesley
Mark’s Pizza & Subs, al fresco dining. Photo credit: Valerie Collins

 

We’ve enjoyed Mark’s standard pizza and subs fare many times for an on-the-go meal. The food is satisfying and portion sizes are plentiful. The interior decor is nothing exciting to speak of, but their outdoor space is really very lovely. Tucked at the rear, diners are protected from both the bustle of Washington St., and the uninspiring parking lot. It’s a quiet space to chill out for a casual lunch or dinner, and the brick patio area is surprisingly soul soothing.

Caffe Nero, 339 Washington St.

Caffe Nero, alfresco dining, Wellesley
Caffe Nero, alfresco dining. Photo credit, Valerie Collins.

Caffe Nero, the coffee shop-and-more that’s nestled into the old Wellesley Hills railroad station, opened its doors in September 2016 to a warm Wellesley welcome. It’s popular with commuters satisfying their caffeine fix as well as those who like to use the spot as an office, soaking in the business’ European vibe while convincing themselves that, thanks to the free wi-fi, they really are getting quite a bit done.

Starbucks, Linden Square and 68A Central St.

Linden Square, Wellesley
Linden Square, Wellesley.

The Linden Square location, one of two in Wellesley, boasts an outdoor area with even more seating than it has inside, a welcome plus as anyone who’s tried to sit dow and enjoy a mid-afternoon beverage there can tell you. The location on Central St. has a couple of small outdoor tables where you can watch the world go by.

Pinkberry, Linden Square

Pinkberry, alfresco dining, Linden Square
Pinkberry, alfresco dining, Linden Square.

Just across from Starbucks in Linden Square, Pinkberry customers make use of the welcoming courtyard area to enjoy their frozen treats outdoors. The courtyard doesn’t “belong” to Pinkberry — pretty much anybody can hang out in the outdoor seating area designed to be a place where people can relax, eat, drink, or meet up with friends.

The Linden Store, Linden Square

The Linden Store, alfresco dining, Wellesley
The Linden Store, alfresco dining. Photo credit, Valerie Collins

The fun, family-owned deli that seats over 30 outside (and 31 inside, including 2 handicapped-accessible spots), has a ton of variety on the menu (from sandwiches — the cheesesteak is yummy — to smoothies to soup) and can be a real madhouse at lunch, though the staff does a great job juggling it all.

Menu items we’ve tried and loved: toasted meatball sub with cheese; BLT sub; all their breakfast sandwiches; buttermilk pancakes. And that’s not even scratching the surface of the extensive menu.

Alta Strada, 92 Central St., Wellesley Square

Alta Strada al fresco wellesley square

There are a few tables with umbrellas behind this Italian restaurant on the edge of the parking lot.

 

Other spots with a few outdoor seats (if we’ve missed any, drop us an email at theswellesleyreport@gmail.com and let us know):

The Cottage, 190 Linden St.

CrepeBerry, 352 Washington St.

JP Licks, 63 Central St.

Peets Coffee & Tea, 9 Central St.

Truly Yogurt, 35 Grove St.

Coconut Thai Cafe, 257 Washington St.

Pizza Peddler, 263 Washington St.

Comella’s, 288 Washington St.

MORE: Check out our Where to Eat in Wellesley page

print

Filed Under: Business, Food, Outdoors, Restaurants

Comments

  1. Gretchen Moore Benedetto says

    July 3, 2017 at 8:23 pm

    Amazing how my home town has changed I have not been there in years. I wonder how many are still there? I left in late 1963.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

 

Advertisements

Wellesley Square, Wellesley Merchants
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Beacon Hill Athletic Club, Wellesley
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Volvo
Cheesy Street Grill
Mature Caregivers
Admit Fit, Wellesley
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Never miss a post with our free daily Swellesley Report email
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide

You can subscribe for free, though we appreciate any contribution that supports our independent journalism.

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Most Read Posts

  • Letters-to-the-editor day in Wellesley—important election-time updates
  • Wellesley business buzz: Board business liaison phased out; Help ID top business leaders of color; Hospital taps new president
  • Business buzz: Nantucket wine bar to boast Wasik's cheeses; Needham Bank has new Wellesley branch manager; Thanks to new sponsor Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs
  • Wellesley Veterans Parade will be one big wonderful Tea Party
  • Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions

Upcoming Events

Jan 31
9:00 am - 11:00 am Recurring

Coffee and Conversation with the Wetlands Administrator and Staff

Jan 31
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Families Eat Together online presentation

Feb 1
11:59 pm

Deadline for Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club grants application

Feb 3
10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

Feb 4
10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Sara Campbell winter warehouse sale

View Calendar

Popular pages

  • Wellesley’s 7 official scenic roads

Recent Comments

  • David B on Does Wellesley need a new traffic light? Slow down before you drive to any conclusions
  • LADY WELLESLEY on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Peggy Heffernan on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Beth Dublin on Wellesley police officer injured in crash at intersection of Grove and Benvenue
  • Erika on Where to buy the Wellesleyest stuff in Wellesley

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group

Categories

  • 2021 Town Election (24)
  • 2023 Town Election (2)
  • Animals (428)
  • Antiques (49)
  • Art (592)
  • Beyond Wellesley (52)
  • Books (376)
  • Business (1,557)
  • Camp (10)
  • Careers/jobs (53)
  • Churches (82)
  • Clubs (236)
  • Construction (300)
  • Dump (130)
  • Education (3,189)
    • Babson College (252)
    • Bates Elementary School (18)
    • Dana Hall School (36)
    • Fiske Elementary School (11)
    • Hardy Elementary School (47)
    • Hunnewell Elementary School (46)
    • MassBay (57)
    • Schofield Elementary School (26)
    • Sprague Elementary School (19)
    • St. John School (2)
    • Tenacre Country Day School (11)
    • Upham Elementary School (35)
    • Wellesley College (613)
    • Wellesley High School (996)
    • Wellesley Middle School (204)
  • Embracing diversity (84)
  • Entertainment (814)
  • Environment (772)
  • Fashion (144)
  • Finance (15)
  • Fire (173)
  • Food (358)
  • Fundraising (641)
  • Gardens (164)
  • Government (604)
    • 2020 Town Election (47)
    • 2022 Town Election (15)
  • Health (866)
    • COVID-19 (203)
  • Hikes (6)
  • History (400)
  • Holidays (440)
  • Houses (162)
  • Humor (47)
  • Kids (867)
  • Law (8)
  • Legal notices (10)
  • Letters to the Editor (71)
  • Media (72)
  • METCO (4)
  • Military (13)
  • Morses Pond (109)
  • Music (580)
  • Natick Report (30)
  • Neighbors (280)
  • Obituaries & remembrances (86)
  • Outdoors (655)
  • Parenting (63)
  • Police (778)
    • Crime (395)
  • Politics (554)
  • POPS Senior Profile (10)
  • RDF (6)
  • Real estate (344)
  • Religion (138)
  • Restaurants (340)
  • Safety (155)
  • Scouts (2)
  • Seniors (127)
  • Shopping (163)
  • Sponsored (6)
  • Sports (1,012)
    • Athlete of the Week (12)
  • STEM (108)
  • Technology (165)
  • Theatre (397)
  • Town Meeting (23)
  • Transportation (240)
  • Travel (17)
  • Uncategorized (1,244)
  • Volunteering (350)
  • Weather (179)
  • Wellesley Election 2019 (21)
  • Wellesley Free Library (280)
  • Wellesley Holiday Gift Guide (2)
  • Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend (20)

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login