Whether you’re hungry for American classics or exotic cuisines, the state capital of Pennsylvania is a diverse place for food. The restaurants here provide a variety of dining options and tend to value sustainable, local agriculture and brewing. You can enjoy the river city life at several restaurants with outdoor seating arrangements from sports bars to wineries, brunch, and quick bites.
A few key districts stand out as dining hotspots, but depending on what you’re looking for, you’re always close to a great restaurant. If you’re new to Harrisburg or just looking to branch out more, these local places are where you can enjoy your favorites outdoors:
Located in restaurant row, Café Fresco’s aesthetic is a cozy urban setting with a Feng-Shui twist. The Asian-inspired meals and American fare are prepared by an expert culinary team.
You can come to this restaurant for an urban café experience at any time of your day. Stop for a hearty breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., soup and a sandwich for lunch, an entree dinner after work and a specialty cocktail until closing at 12 a.m.
Ad Lib at the Hilton Harrisburg puts a unique twist on the tavern-style American restaurant. The company value on display is spontaneity, and the food and layout allow you to be just that. This is a good place to go when you want to mingle and meet new people.
The food is brimming with local produce, and the presentation is kept deliciously simple. Much of the beer is also locally brewed, available in craft and barrel-aged varieties. Enjoy creative spins on your favorite American cuisines in the casual, laid-back atmosphere. Additionally, the small plate options make it easy to sample a few options at once.
This American steakhouse in Central Pennsylvania has a variety of premium beef to taste. You can find everything from Midwestern prime rib to certified Angus, and if you’re in the mood for seafood, 1700 Degrees Steakhouse also serves some of the finest.
The wine and beer menu provides a great selection of popular options. If you want to get involved in the community, the restaurant sometimes has special events where patrons learn to cook with wine in a chef-led activity, followed by a delicious dinner.
This stylish eatery serves American comfort foods, emphasizing local, farm-fresh ingredients. Home 231 is a comfortable place to go for Sunday brunch or cocktails at the end of your workweek. The outdoor café area is intimate and relaxed.
The drink menu includes beers of quality and a full selection of wines. You can book a private event here for a formal gathering, and special corporate events are held here.
Rubicon advocates for locally sourced ingredients and brews. This restaurant prides itself on serving decadent, epicurean food. The contemporary interior and elegant decor complement the French cuisine. Meals are available for pick-up, including house-made desserts.
A sister restaurant to Rubicon with artfully prepared Italian cuisine, Mangia Qui also uses local ingredients, and you are encouraged to sit in the small outdoor dining space. If you want to explore the inside, you will find a tapas bar upstairs.
The third restaurant in this trio, Suba, serves beautifully plated Spanish cuisine. Since the restaurant is located in an upstairs loft, your options for outdoor dining are limited, but we just had to include Suba in a discussion of its two next-door sisters.
If you’re in the mood for pizza, this Italian restaurant in Downtown Harrisburg makes a variety. You can also get pasta, sandwiches and dessert made with locally sourced ingredients. Cork and Fork has a good amount of outdoor seating at small café tables, and inside, they have a wine bar.
Outdoor tables are protected by snowglobes and warmed with space heaters in the colder months. Enjoy your drinks out on the patio with a hearty meal.
Located in Midtown Harrisburg, the Millworks is another restaurant that advocates for clean, homegrown food and supports the local art scene. The building was once used as the Stokes Millwork and contains beautifully reclaimed lumber from the historic original.
The outdoor dining patio has a vertical garden, making it the perfect atmosphere for a peaceful break or a lazy afternoon, and you can also eat in the outdoor loft under the string lights. Enjoy your choice of drinks from the house brewery and try the wood-fired pizza or another light meal.
This Italian food restaurant serves colorful wine and cocktails along with familiar pasta and seafood dishes. Gabriella’s outdoor balcony is open for seating, so you can enjoy the fresh air while you feast on your immaculately plated meal.
You have plenty to pick from with vegetarian and vegan-friendly meal options and several choice desserts.
Located in Best Western Premier The Central Hotel, this restaurant is open to patrons and casual diners. With tavern-style Irish food served with craft brews on the tap, O’Reilly’s is a lively place to hang out. You can sit in the outdoor courtyard while you share plates of hearty and healthy options.
If you’re a beer connoisseur, O’Reilly’s is a good place to go, and you can also order take-out. The pub atmosphere and the amazing food make this a good place to go if you’re looking to strike up a conversation.
Harvest Seasonal Grill prides itself on providing farm-to-table meals with eco-friendly, locally sourced ingredients. The atmosphere is a casual dine-in, and the food is upscale, with several low-calorie items. Part of this restaurant’s inspiration is that the menu gets seasonal updates every three months, so you can always order a meal befitting of eating outdoors.
The menu has a wide variety of international cuisines prepared using homegrown ingredients. The wines by the glass and local beers are also popular features. Space for outdoor seating includes café tables for groups of four.
Restaurants with outdoor seating in Harrisburg are commonly appreciated and easy to find. While you’re immersing yourself in the local food culture, you might also be looking for a place to live near your preferred hangouts.
If it’s time to search for a stable community where you can enjoy the outdoor dining in Harrisburg on a daily basis, Triple Crown Corporation can help. We have a variety of rental communities in Harrisburg. Contact us online to find a community near you, or call 1-877-TCC-HOME to speak with a friendly representative.
