A few weeks ago, I found myself standing outside of Birdie’s, helmed by Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel and newly minted Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service James Beard Award-winner Arjav Ezekiel. The wine bar and restaurant is known for its pre-hours line of eagerly awaiting patrons, and I, like most Texas-born folks, braced myself for the late afternoon sun’s punishing rays. My sister and I scurried under a countable number of cedar elm leaves, sweat beads slowly building on both of our foreheads.
And then it came: the pitcher. Of water, importantly, but it was that familiar plastic pitcher (this one was a sort of magenta hue, making me feel like I’d been zapped back to the ’90s), that signaled to me that cold, liquid relief inside the container was coming. A server brought it out to those waiting in line, serving generous pours of cool water that got us through.
Cooled off and cared for, I walked into Birdie’s ready to order my patio-friendly bottle of wine, and to enjoy what was a lovely early summer dinner of beet tartare (yes, beet, and it was wonderful), penne alla vodka, and divinely luscious sweet corn soft serve. As gentle gusts of air cooled the restaurant, and my sister and I sparred over the last bite of dessert, I was reminded that great summer dining doesn’t have to be interrupted by the heat.
Dining in the heat, whether you’re doing so indoors or outdoors, takes its share of strategy. No matter where you find yourself, here’s how I would tackle it:
Opt for water-based cold treats, not milk
I get that the milkshake is part of American summer lore, and I’m not going to yuck anyone’s generationally enduring yum. But when the temperatures extend beyond 90°F (which they often do, and increasingly, earlier in the summer), I’m searching for the lightest possible sugar hit I can find. Enter, the sno-ball. Or Icee. Or snow cone! Or water ice! Or Chilly Bears!
Whatever you call them (which is likely depending on wherever in the United States you’re from), the ingredients from these icy summer treats are largely consistent: crushed, softened ice, and sugary syrup, the dye of which defies all scientific and parental guidance for food intake. It’s sweet, unhealthy, and indulgent — everything the summertime should be.
Don’t write off patios; most come with outdoor fans
Among the many things America adopted from Europe during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was its advanced approach to outdoor dining. And while some cities have passed laws infringing on their ability to exist, many restaurants have patio spaces that are perfect for large summer gatherings, or a late-night read with a glass of wine. Bonus: Many restaurants have outdoor fans or a cooling system in their outdoor spaces, ensuring comfort is accessible across the restaurants.
If eating outdoors, time strategically
The sun is typically at its hottest point around 3 p.m., but it’s safe to say that once breakfast is finished, it’s often a scorcher outside. Avoid al fresco seating dining the hours of 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and aim to do restaurant group hangs around happy hour during the evening hours. If dining during the day, try to pick a seat in a cooler part of the restaurant. Look at where the sunlight shining in from windows falls in the room, and avoid that area so as not to get overheated. Be mindful that sitting near a window will likely also make you susceptible to warmth from the sun. If the host seats you somewhere that’s too directly in the path of the sun, feel free to ask them, politely, to seat you elsewhere.
Order light — a.k.a seasonally
As much as I love a meal that sticks to your bones, summertime isn’t the time to order it. Climate change has spread in such a way that no longer is it just places like Texas seeing temps of 100°F or above, but also cities like Paris, Philadelphia, Boston, and Bareclona, Thankfully, all of these locations, and others, have plenty of regional salads, pastas, and cuisine that feels a bit better on the system when needing to walk down a hot street. Cold, flavorful gazpachos, raw bar bars filled with a host of bivalves, and cold noodle soups are the menu move here. Embrace the bounties of summer produce — peaches, watermelon, plums, tomatoes, cucumber, oh my! — and let the light energy of the season find its way to the table.
Hotter temps mean critters that are more closely associated with the tropics are out in abundance. If you’re dining outside or in a restaurant with open walls during the months of May to September, you can be assured that at some point, a bunch of gross, germ-carrying flies are going to be hopping from table to table, searching for their next meal, hoping that it’s yours.
The error folks make is thinking flies only coalesce around the remnants of a meal and leftovers waiting to be bussed. But take a few extra minutes to take another bite of a perfect dish, or try to enjoy a drink that begs for a slower sip, and they’ll find you — and your meal. Ask the server for a fly fan. The contraptions will look like ridiculous Back to the Future paraphernalia, and they’ll also protect your $40+ meal from becoming fly food.
Every AC unit or outdoor fan imaginable can’t counter an unnecessary layer of clothing or a jacket that simply doesn’t belong in summer. Dress comfortably, and utilize materials like linen, sandals, and open-toed shoes.
Enjoy your meal in the comforts of your air-conditioned home. And if possible, order via the restaurant’s website. A recent Eater profile on DoorDash’s efforts to impede policies that support delivery drivers is a timely reminder that supporting restaurants directly is always best.
