There is a restaurant in my town where the food is pretty good, and the service is above average. The parking is barely adequate and the ambiance is downright okay. Though this restaurant is one of the most expensive in town, reservations are required. Why would this be? Are the people in my town incapable of choosing an excellent restaurant? Are there no fine dining establishments here? No, and no. There are many excellent choices for dinner and/or nutritional foods to eat in this metro area of over 300,000. So, what is it about this one place that draws crowds. It is the view over the water and to the mountains beyond. Great food eaten while staring at a wall is meh. Good food with a soaring and majestic view out of the picture windows is bank, baby! Today, Gildshire shares some of our favorite restaurants that are dining with a view.
In The Greatest Road Trip Ever Taken, we found extraordinary beauty all across this great land. Each region fairly burst with lovely places to stop and stay. So it is when dining with a view is the objective. No one city corners the market, and no one state has all the goods. We found what we like to call “Vista restaurants” everywhere we took the time to look. Here are just some of our favorites, scattered across the U.S. of A.
The Sun Dial Restaurant Bar and View, 210 Peachtree St, NW, Atlanta, Georgia: Perched in three levels atop the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, the Sun Dial offers views unrivaled anywhere else in Georgia. Dining 710 feet above the city (That’s 50 feet higher than atop Seattle’s Space Needle) is breathtaking! Do you want more than one view? Wait a moment, because the restaurant rotates one circle every hour. Try the Balsamic Braised Short Rib for dinner.
The Landing, 30 Bowens Wharf, Newport Rhode Island: When you ask people what they know about Rhode Island, they say “small.” That’s true, as far as it goes, but there is so much more to the Ocean State besides its diminutive footprint on the map. The Landing is not to be missed for its food, or its view of historic Bowen’s Wharf. Squint a little and you will see a craggy ship’s Captain guiding his craft into the harbor after a long journey across the Atlantic. It’s probably just a fishing vessel, but you have an imagination! You should also have the Baked Stuffed Lobster.
Bar 32, 100 Lakeside Ave. East, Cleveland, Ohio: Another “Top ‘o the Hotel” dining experience, Bar 32 sits atop the Cleveland Hilton. But, high off the ground is only special if it offers a memorable view. Bar 32, offers a look over the city and up or down Lake Erie. Did you know that you can’t see across the Great Lakes? They are like oceans without waves. Pretty good stuff. What else is good about Bar 32? Their Filet Au Poivre is memorable.
The Summit, 15 West 10th St, Tulsa, Oklahoma: The Osage Hills to the north and the Arkansas River to the west meet your eyes as you dine 30 stories above downtown Tulsa. “As far as the eye can see is pretty darned far” from this height in this state. Enjoy your evening with a club member…because you aren’t welcome unless a club member is with you. That’s okay because the club members are a hoot and half with a little bourbon on board. Try the lunch buffet from the Summit Grill.
Dining with a view, Southwestern style.
Terra, 198 State Road 592, Santa Fe, New Mexico: The Land of Enchantment offers up over 300 sunny days a year. Pick one of those days to enjoy terrace dining at this little spot of vista dining heaven. That’s where you will find magnificent views of the surrounding New Mexico mountains and valleys. What goes well with a New Mexican sunset view? What doesn’t, actually? That said, our choice for you would be the Buffalo Bistro Steak. That is, unless its Friday. Then it is melt in your mouth Prime Rib.
Mountain View Restaurant, 3225 Broadmoor Valley Rd, Colorado Springs, Colorado: When they say “Mountain View” in this state, prepare for a visual treat. So it is at this trendy restaurant in the place the locals call “The Springs.” Mountain View Restaurant features high wood-beamed ceilings, soothing natural light and an outdoor terrace with sweeping views of the Front Range. With a view like this, dinner seems almost an afterthought. Don’t let that be the case! Try the Elk Bolognese, or just take a trip through the buffet, which is uniquely-themed each night of the week. Thursday and the “Smoky Night’s Barbecue” is our favorite.
Riverside, 1108 East Marina Way, Hood River, Oregon: The Columbia River cuts between Oregon and Washington, its edges forming the mighty Columbia Gorge. That’s where you will find windsurfers gliding the whitecaps. It is also where you will find one of the best restaurants in the Pacific Northwest. Diners never tire of the view of the mighty Columbia. They also never tire of the Smoked Salmon Penne.
Are you hungry for both dinner and a road trip? Sounds good to us. What is the dealy? We’re already packed.
