Al Fresco Dining Tips to Help You Enjoy This Fall's Festivities
· Entertainment Tips · Fall · Food and Drink · On-Deck · outdoor dining

Al Fresco Dining Tips to Help You Enjoy This Fall's Festivities

The seasons are shifting once again. It’s time to say goodbye to those fun summer barbecues and welcome a different way to enjoy dining outdoors. The cooler air of autumn makes for a more comfortable outdoor experience. At the same time, we don’t have to bundle up quite as much as when winter’s chill comes along. It’s a great season for having a meal outdoors. So, invite your friends and family to join you and use these fall al fresco dining tips to make the most out of your time. 

Hosting Thanksgiving this year or just want to spend more time outdoors this season? Dining al fresco could be the perfect way to do it. Start planning now and you could soon have an evening on the patio that the whole family enjoys. 

Family Dining Al Fresco

Set the Scene for Fall Dining in Your Backyard

Heading outdoors in the fall, you can enjoy a breathtaking view. Warm colors welcome you in the form of leaves with red, orange, and yellow hues. Earlier evenings allow a stunning sunset to provide a backdrop to your dinner. You may also see some different birds visiting your backyard as they migrate south.

Dining al fresco will put you right in the middle of this beauty. Embrace autumn’s atmosphere for your dining experience.

Decorate for the Season with a Fall Tablescape

You’ll spend most of your time during your fall dinner party around the outdoor dining table

Make it shine with seasonal decorations.

Creating a Fall Centerpiece

Decorative Items

There are lots of different decorations that are ideal for the fall aesthetic. Create your tablescape by arranging pumpkins, pine cones, colorful leaves, and more.

Fall Flower Arrangement

Flowers

Floral decor can be a great way to add an autumnal look to your tablescape.
Use a bouquet or scatter flowers along the center of the table. Fall flowers include sunflowers, chrysanthemums, and coneflowers.

Fall Table Setting Colors

Colors

Keeping to an autumnal color palette may be the easiest way to tie the whole look together.


Everything from the plates and chargers to the tablecloth and napkins can have seasonal style if they’re the right color. Try to stick with gold, copper, red, mustard yellow, and burnt orange as much as possible, or mix in some sage and deep greens for a touch of cool colors.

Outdoor Heater

Consider Autumn Weather Ahead of Time

If you’re having your al fresco dinner in the early part of fall, it may still be pretty warm out. You may even need to provide cool refreshments, just like you would during the summer. Choosing a time after sunset should help you avoid this heat since fall’s evenings are typically cooler than its days. 

Depending on where you live, autumn evenings later into the season can get pretty chilly. Before having people over to eat outside, make sure you’re prepared to keep everyone warm and comfortable. Gather up some blankets that you could bring outside if they’re needed. You can also set up some patio heaters around the dining area so that nobody will be shivering through the meal.

What to Serve at an Outdoor Dinner Party In the Fall

The cooler weather can also be a consideration when making the menu. Stews and soups are popular options for the fall and winter for good reason. A nice warm bowl of soup is an excellent way to warm yourself up from the inside out. Soups like broccoli cheddar and french onion can be served as an appetizer. You could also choose a more hearty soup dish for the main course. Some excellent fall options include chili, potato soup, and beef stew. 

If soup isn’t your style, leave it out and choose something else. Just about any type of meal can be enjoyed outdoors during the fall. Feel free to cook up fish, chicken, beef, or even a vegetarian dish. Whichever you choose, enhance the meal with side dishes fit for the season. Seasonal fall vegetables include carrots, celery, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes. Cook these up or include them fresh in a salad. Then, for dessert, go with the fall favorite and serve a pumpkin or apple pie.

Fall Food

Dine Out in Your Own Backyard This Fall

What are you waiting for? With these fall al fresco dining tips, you’ve got what you need to start planning your next outdoor dining experience. Soon, you’ll be setting the table for a fall feast and welcoming the guests.

Need to upgrade your outdoor dining space? Our dining tables and chairs are made with the highest quality materials, so they’ll last you through many seasons of al fresco dining. Choose a color that suits your style, place your order, and start setting up the patio for a dinner party you’ll never want to forget.

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