More Top Fresh Air Eateries

I discovered fresh air lunching shortly after starting my first job in broadcasting. It was 1956 in Bermuda and like all first jobs, it involved living paycheck to paycheck. On this sunny day, lunchtime had arrived, payday was four hours later. My pocket yielded a single shilling. Life is like that. So, at the market I bought a six penny roll and spent another 6 pence on a bit of rat cheese - the stuff used to bait traps. Left with 2 pennies, I wandered to a park alongside the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, the most exclusive piece of geography on the island. Under the palms and amid fine yachts, I found the meaning of dining al fresco. It's not what you eat, but where you do it. So, where have I been hanging out here lately. C'mon along. – Jay Lloyd

THE WHIP TAVERN

1383 N. Chatham Rd.
Coatesville, PA 19320
thewhiptavern.com/

British tradition is alive and well in Chester County hunt country. Horses graze in nearby pastures, well kept barns create a landscape worthy of Wyeth and a small hunt themed tavern serves up the region's most impressive selection of imported British beer and ale. You'll find malt vinegar to go with your fish and chips, Branston Pickle relish, even mushy peas. The busy outdoor patio is flush with locals, some even in riding britches. Inside, a rustic tavern appearance is enhanced with hunt club images and a stone fireside for winter days. The Whip is closed on Tuesdays. Why? Well, that's the day, traditionally set aside for riding to the hounds.

CHADWICKS

2750 Egypt Rd.
Audubon, PA 19403
mychadwicks.com/index.php

I've always enjoyed golf course eateries for outdoor sipping and supping. They offer green panoramas combined with the thrill of 18th hole birdies, before a 19th hole toddy. Chadwicks on the rim of the Shannondell Golf Course includes a horizon that contains a decorative distant fountain, manicured fairways and a ringside view of the approach and green on the final hole. The service is crisp and menu varied. It ranges from a commendable crab cake sandwich at lunch to a variety of steak, fowl and seafood at dinner. Happy hour apps can be a meal. It's a relaxing spot, largely populated at lunch by the khaki clad crowd working at nearby office and industrial campuses.

MOLLY MAGUIRE'S

197 Bridge Street
Phoenixville, PA 19460
mollymaguiresphoenixville.com/

Looking for the feel and flavor of home, a pair of transplanted construction managers from Ireland decided to open their own pub. The heart of reborn Phoenixville was the place. And since summertime here is often pleasant, the second floor of Molly Maguire's became an al fresco terrace with an Irish lilt. All the usual suspects are on draft and the handles are pulled by tenders who know how to tap a Guinness to produce that cream-like head crowned with the traditional shamrock imprint. On the plate are fine renditions of home style bangers and mash, shepherds pie, fish and chips and Mary's favorite, the Madras curried chicken. Check the music schedule, then show up for an evening that might make the nearby Schuylkill river feel like the banks of the Liffey, flowing through the heart of Dublin.

MARGARITA'S

350 Water Loop Lane
Collegeville, PA 19426
margs.com/

Would I really go to an upscale suburban "Town Center" for Mexican food? No. But Mary and I go because it's fun, colorful, a fine outdoor terrace with a youthful vibe and a staff that beams with personality. Tio Juan's Margaritas is all of that and a happy hour that draws the younger crowd from the nearby Pharmaceutical campuses - so nearby, they could walk. There's a good selection of beers, both Mexican and Yanqui and the menu is crammed with reasonably priced tacos, enchiladas, burritos and fajitas. You get the idea - easy to handle finger food. And yes, their Margaritas are a big draw. Try it. You'll like it.

TRAPPE TAVERN

416 W. Main Street
Trappe, PA 19426
trappetavern2.com/

New flavors, people and sights are stimulating, but there's nothing like an old favorite. It's something like that well worn pair of jeans - comfortable and predictable. The Trappe Tavern outdoor deck bar is where Mary and I most often stop for lunch and where I meet friends for happy hour. They even have a fantasy beach complete with Adirondack chairs and a lifeguard roost. Dinner specials include a nightly prime rib, crab nights and a whole lobster on Wednesday. Expect a crowd on game days. Happy hours migrate around the clock from traditional to whatever time the sport schedule might suggest. Depending on the time of day, you'll find tables of ladies-who-lunch, guys lunch gatherings, Happy-Hour buddy meet-ups, families for dinner and a late night youthful crowd, drawn by live bands and D.J.'s. And, on the hottest days, there's always a breeze on the covered portion of the deck and a chance to get your toes in the sand.

Enjoy!