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BY MARGARET MORGAN

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

FIRST OF A THREE-PART SERIES

What will be the hottest restaurant trend in 2010?

In an Internet survey conducted by The National Restaurant Association of 1,854 professional chefs – members of the American Culinary Federation – 33 percent of chefs ranked restaurants with gardens (roof-top, backyard or communal) as number one.

This three part series reveals the "best of the best" garden and outdoor dining restaurants in three geographic New Jersey regions – North, Central and South.

Starting in the North, taking top honors for its beautiful gardens, as well as being nominated one of the "Top Ten Romantic Restaurants in New Jersey" by Gayot's Guide for Good Living is Café Matisse in Rutherford. Café Matisse's plush outdoor gardens are reminiscent of Barcelona, Spain with lush greenery, palms and flowers – so romantic one might expect a minstrel to serenade the table with his guitar. Zagat rates it as one of the top ten outdoor dining restaurants in Jersey.

A close tie to Café Matisse is Panevino in Livingston where the main dining area is set in an outdoor garden surrounded by flowers and herbs. Dishes are designed on traditional Napolitano and Italy's Campania region. For added fun, diners can take a break playing bocce on the outdoor courts.

Other Northern New Jersey restaurants outstanding for outdoor dining and cuisine are:

• Andre's Restaurant in Newton, a small rural community in the northwestern Skylands Region. Cuisine is modern, innovative and internationally inspired with an emphasis on locally grown organic ingredients.
• The Bernards Inn located in an historic hotel offering sophisticated comfort and excellent American cuisine.
• Chart House, Weehawkin, is perched on the waterfront in a romantic setting overlooking the majestic New York skyline. Cuisine specializes in fresh seafood.
• In Hoboken, where the cityscape is very cozy, several restaurants take to outdoor dining in various ways. City Bistro offers a rooftop bar with panoramic views of New York and American cuisine. Lua celebrates South American/Latin inspired cuisine on the waterfront with river views and the New York cityscape. The Brass Rail provides outdoor dining on American and Continental cuisine. Antony David has a wrap-around outdoor seating area and is dedicated to offering locally produced foods. Cucharamama's (wooden spoon) outdoor dining serves small plates of South American cuisine with an array of artisanal foods from eight South American countries.
• Hoboken's next door neighbor, Jersey City's Liberty House, is known as "A View with a Room." It offers spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan and Liberty State Park's waterfront. The outdoor patio has brass telescopes for patrons to get a close up view of these historic sites. A raw seafood and sushi bar, part of a seven-sided central bar, is a major dining feature.
• Highlawn Pavilion, in West Orange's Eagle Rock Reservation, showcases a 1909 Florentine-style building atop the reservation with a spectacular vista of New York's twinkling lights.
• Heading to the northwestern part of New Jersey to the Crystal Springs Resort, Restaurant Latour is set in a small intimate space with patio seating, offering contemporary American cuisine from locally grown produce, artisanal cheeses and breads.

When the weather begins to warm and you seek an adventure after a long, cold winter, plan an outing to one of these great restaurants offering spectacular outdoor scenery.

Bon Appétit!

Coming next in Part 2 are restaurants with gardens and outdoor dining in Central New Jersey and the Jersey Shore.

Margaret Morgan is a freelance writer for design publications and is the Shore Region Food Examiner and many of her articles appear on Examiner.com. Visit her website at www.TastefulLiving.net or contact her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .