MAP Al Fresco! Outdoor Dining in the Pioneer Valley

Even back in January, customers at the Munich Haus restaurant in Chicopee were asking owner Patrick Gottschlicht when the biergarten would re-open.

“I kept telling them it was too cold, that they’d have to wait. But they’ve really been putting the pressure on me,” Gottschlicht says.

New England, of course, is full of diehard outdoorsy types, and if the water pipes at Munich Haus weren’t at risk of freezing, Gottschlicht could probably keep that popular outdoor patio space full of customers year-round.

As it is, though, Gottschlicht says he likely won’t open the biergarten until later this week or next. All it will take, he says, is a few 50-degree days in a row.

Eateries all over the Valley are waiting for a similar sign from the spirits of spring that it’s time to swing open the windows, set the outdoor tables, and welcome in the warmer weather. That will be a blessing for Munich Haus, where the biergarten — which can hold 200 people, and has a stage large enough for a 10-piece band — draws summer crowds and hosts a wide range of weekly events, including weekly concerts and an all-you-can-eat sausage Tuesday nights.

Outdoor dining is now a tradition at Munich Haus. But up in Williamsburg, restaurateur Jeff Igneri is still planning for day one. His newest endeavor, Local Burgy — an extension of his Northampton late-night joint Local Burger — is set to open May 1. The menu will be similar, but the ambiance could hardly be more different: Local Burgy will consist of a few outdoor tables, a walk-in freezer shed, and a 25-foot food truck while the Northampton location is indoors and full of seating.

The truck’s kitchen will fit three or four people, Igneri says. That’s in addition to the charbroiler, the six-burner stove, the flat-top grill, and the pizza prep table. “It’ll be tight in there,” he says. “We’ll have to get used to moving around each other to get it done.”

Igneri has been wanting to open an outdoor mini-restaurant, on the stretch of Route 9 between downtown Williamsburg and the Brassworks building, since he heard last year that the 10-year-old Williamsburg Snack Bar was moving from its roadside location into an interior restaurant space down the road.

Now come the challenges. Local Burgy will offer table service, which means Igneri’s servers will have to communicate with the kitchen staff through the back door of a truck. Shooing away flies, battling bugs, and making room for trash storage will be an issue. So will bears.

Did I hear that right?

“Well, sure.” Igneri says. Apparently, the owners of the Village Green garden shop next door have seen bears walk right into their greenhouse in the middle of the day. “And we’ll have a meat smoker sitting outside, right behind our truck. We’ll just have to deal with it.” For some eaters, that may just be too much wildlife; barbecue brisket be damned. If so, consider those cozy wintertime spaces that never closed in the first place — like the deck at Esselon Cafe in Hadley.

“We keep it nice and toasty out there,” says Esselon owner Mark Krause, referring to the deck’s roll-down fabric walls and large heat lamps. Even though the snow-piled seating area in the cafe’s outer garden is closed for the season, Krause says business has been good at Esselon this winter. Once staff transition the deck into an outdoor space again, he says, “there’s no going back.” Now that the sun is out, and getting warmer, Krause says he’s eagerly watching the sky for several nice warm days in a row. Also, he’s watching the ground. “We have a thousand tulips and crocuses in the garden, and we’re waiting anxiously for them to pop through,” he says. “That will be Mother Nature’s way of saying to us: Go ahead and open it all up.”

Here’s some other great options for dining al fresco:

The Alvah Stone

440 Greenfield Road, Montague

The only thing that would make this setting more majestic is if a bald eagle swooped down into the whitewater of the Sawmill River, snatched a flopping fish, and delivered it directly onto your plate. Until that day comes, enjoy a meal on the deck here, down behind the Montague Book Mill, with your eyes and ears tickled by the waters of the old grist mill falls rushing past.

30Boltwood

30 Boltwood Ave., Amherst

Fine dining is fine, but take it out into the fresh air and you’ve got yourself a downright classy evening. Architecturally, the restaurant, which is part of the Lord Jeffrey Inn complex, is just lovely. And the white-tablecloth patio area is the perfect place for a dressed-up date night.

Scotti’s Snack Bar

90 Haydenville Road, Leeds

At first glance this quiet roadside picnic stop looks like nothing more than a small golf range. But the food shack harbors a few tasty secrets, mainly: one of the best lobster rolls in the Valley. The steak and cheese, loaded with toppings and served on a hot roll, also hits the spot.

Northampton Brewery

11 Brewster Court, Northampton

Last spring’s extensive renovations to the brewery’s seasonal rooftop beer garden made space for more seats and more bar. In warm weather, any time of day is a good time to climb up to the roof and lounge around with a plate of hearty pub fare and a cold pint brewed downstairs.

Captain Jack’s Roadside Shack

232 Northampton St., Easthampton

It’s a small enterprise — no indoor seating, and only a handful of order options — but this rustic Northampton Street establishment does big portions well. Pull up a picnic table (well, as best you can) and enjoy that sun on your face while you dig into a crispy fish sandwich or a platter of whole belly clams.

Tavern on the Hill

100 Mountain Road, Easthampton

Nothing punches up a long, lazy outdoor meal like a great sunset, and that’s what keeps people coming back to this dinner spot, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in July. Perched on the cliff-side edge of Route 141 atop the Holyoke Range, the restaurant offers high-up views are just stunning.

Slainte

80 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke

The food is Irish — the restaurant’s name, after all (pronounced “SLAWN-chuh”) is Gaelic for “cheers” — but the appeal of watching the stars come out while gathered in comfy chairs around an outdoor fire … that’s a pretty international pleasure.

Max’s Tavern

1000 West Columbus Ave., Springfield

It’s easy to forget, thank goodness, how close Max’s Tavern sits to I-91 when night falls and the outside patio is humming with friendly chatter and, occasionally, live music. The cluster of restaurants here, all offshoots from the Basketball Hall of Fame, are an island cut off from the rest of downtown by the highway, but that doesn’t stymie Springfield dinner crowds in search of a good outdoor option.

Max Burger

684 Bliss Road, Longmeadow

Does anything pair better with burgers and beer than a warm spring breeze? If so, drop us a line. In the meantime, we’ll be out on the patio at Max Burger, snacking on their truffle spuds (yum!) and raising a glass to the warm days on the horizon.

350 Grill Steakhouse

350 Worthington St., Springfield

There must be something about chomping steak outside that reminds us of how our ancestors lived. This Worthington Street stop lets you indulge in that atavistic urge, whether you’re biting into beef steak, a pork porterhouse, or a rack of lamb. It’s not the prettiest vista — the building is a renovated commercial space, with a thick brick barrier separating outdoor diners from the street — but you’re outside with good food and drink service, so that’s a win.