Finding the right spot where you can sit outside and take in the town

Sarah Cook, reno.com
July 20, 2007

After some serious searching for restaurants in town that offer sufficient outdoor seating during these beautiful summer months, I’ve come up with five restaurants that seem to be the most accommodating, comfortable, and fun places to hang for an extended period of time, with whomever you enjoy spending that time.

Reno restaurants cater more to indoor conditions since, as locals know, the weather here is extremely unpredictable and ever-changing. But no worries – Reno has some amazing restaurants that have decided folks in our city can have it all, and have provided us with some quality seating conditions located in the great outdoors of the high desert.
Here they are:

No. 5. Bertha Miranda’s
Great deck, great food, good drinks; no view

Located at 336 Mill St., Bertha Miranda’s is a place I noted in a food review as having one of the best margaritas in town. On top of that, they have the ideal outside seating situation. The reason Bertha’s is my number five on the list and not higher is because when sitting outside, you see nothing but the restaurant. No street views, mountain views, or anything else is in sight, just the private deck area where everyone can watch each other chow down on a fabulous Mexican feast.

No. 4. Skyline Café
Amazing food but outdoor space is at a premium, arrive early to get a seat

Skyline Café is one of Reno’s older restaurants. It’s been around as long as I can remember, and never gets close to losing its business. Located at 3005 Skyline Boulevard, this upscale restaurant literally has it all; amazing food, plenty of seating, an outside lounge area and a truly enchanting view of the entire cityscape of Reno and the surrounding areas. The only problem is, the perfect viewing deck space is at a premium, and its seating is bench-like, so arrive early to grab a spot, or just make it a point to hang out and smoke an after-dinner cigar in all its glory.

No 3. Rapscallion
Made in the shade, traffic noise no problem and easy breezes

Located in a busier area of town, at 1555 S. Wells Ave., Rapscallion is one of those fancier places to take a date. They have great food, a classy staff and a very nice décor to go with the essence of the establishment. Another plus is the outside seating is killer. It’s on a busy street, but the sound of traffic is well-blocked by the stone surroundings of the restaurant. There are umbrellas above all the tables, so even if it’s 100 degrees and sweltering, you’ll have shade over your head and a nice breeze flowing through to bring you back down to Earth. Plus, there are numerous tables to choose from. You can almost be sure you’ll find one outside at any time during these long, summer nights. Also, be sure to order some escargot!

No. 2. Stonehouse Café
Cozy cottage feel, cream of the crop outdoor dining

Stonehouse Café, located at 1907 S. Arlington Ave., is located right on the cross-section of Plumb and Arlington. Locals know that Plumb is one of the nicer, busier areas of our city. The Stonehouse is a "newer" establishment, but is one that’s picked up incredibly quickly, and has drawn more customers than the parking lot can handle. However, the outside seating at this restaurant is cream of the crop. Not only do you get to people-watch, but you get the umbrella benefit (you don’t have to go home with a sunburn), plus, you get to cozily rest on top of cool, green grass in a nice, summery chair. Stonehouse has quite the cottage-like feel, and if you haven’t been there before, you should most definitely give it a try.

No. 1. Silver Peak (old)
Upper deck perfection, shade, views and upstairs bar

The "old" Silver Peak (located at 124 Wonder St.) is my favorite for outdoor seating, as it’s been this way since I was a teenager. The upper deck is perfection. It has an endless amount of seating, plus a bunch of awnings hanging overhead that keep you somewhat shaded and out of the way of direct sunlight. There’s an upstairs bar, so drinks don’t take long to arrive at your table, and the same menu is available upstairs and downstairs.

It really is the best place to dine outside, as it’s open late in the evening, has occasional live music, is great for the whole family or just for a romantic date, and is completely fair in price. Plus, you get a great view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as well as various views of Reno and the surrounding areas. It’s definitely a prime spot to be on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

• Honorable mention
A couple of other great places in Reno that offer comfy outside restaurant seating are most of the Bully’s and Sparky’s locations, as well as the new Silver Peak, 135 North Sierra St. Although the same as the old Silver Peak in regards to what it has to offer, the new Silver Peak is always packed, and doesn’t usually have enough outside seating to accommodate all of its visitors, unless during the more quiet hours of the day.