From patios to parking lots, everyone's serving al fresco

LOWELL -- Summer wouldn't be complete without a few warm weather staples: trips to the beach, family barbecues and al fresco dining.

Greater Lowell offers a wide variety of outdoor dining options, with venues featuring live music, scenic views and fresh summer cuisine. The outdoor spaces provide an alternative to eating inside on a warm July evening.

At the Athenian Corner on Market Street, a small paved area adjacent to the restaurant features live music every Thursday night.

Enjoying a meal in the great outdoors at Life Alive is, from left, Karen Kirsten of Lincoln, Jim Ray of Groton, Colin Dunlap of Somerville, and Susan Winship, also of Lincoln and executive director of Greater Lowell Community Foundation. (SUN/ David H. Brow)

Owner Teddy "Panos" Panagiotopoulos says that he carved the outdoor space out of the restaurant's parking lot in 2010 in order to bring in more foot traffic and combat the summer slump that restaurants often see.

"The al fresco dining has become such a trend and a fad, everybody is doing it now. People want to get outdoors because we only have so much nice weather in New England, and people, when they can, will go outdoors and eat, so we kind of had to get with the times," he said.

Panos said the patio space also gave the restaurant an opportunity to get creative, putting in an outdoor bar and hosting "Concerts on the Corner" every Thursday night in the summer.

He said he recommends the hummus, lamb kebobs and shrimp salad as lighter summer fare.

Also in downtown Lowell, hungry patrons can enjoy infused cocktails and creative meals outside Fuse Bistro, snack on pizzas in Tremonte Pizzeria's shady sidewalk seating area or listen to a serenading mariachi band in front of El Potro Mexican Bar and Grill.

"Having a patio is definitely an advantage in Lowell, especially on this street corner where things are pretty quiet," said Jacqui Brown, the front of house manager for Fuse Bistro on Palmer Street. "It makes people, especially tourists, see a different side of Lowell that the people who live here see every day. It really helps Lowell look better if people can sit outside and see what Lowell is all about."

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From patios to parking lots, everyone's serving al fresco