Temperatures are rising in Oshkosh as summer gets nearer, and restaurants are embracing it as they open their outdoor dining areas to customers once again.

Throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have certainly had their reasons for avoiding indoor dining and defaulting to takeout.

However, the transition to outdoor dining, while still presenting risks, provides individuals with a slightly safer approach to eating out at their favorite restaurants.

With the proper safety precautions, outdoor dining can be a great way to enjoy a meal with your friends, family or significant other.

Some of the best spots to dine are often those with a view. Beckets and Fox River Brewing Company are two great restaurants, both with a stunning view of the Fox River but different types of cuisine.

While Beckets on Jackson Street offers more exquisite dishes at a slightly higher price, Fox River Brewing Company on Arboretum Drive specializes in more inexpensive bar food like sandwiches and pizza.

Both restaurants have plenty of outdoor seating available with umbrellas on each table to block the sun.

Both restaurants have extensive taplists, but Fox River Brewing Company offers specialty drinks, wine, margaritas, martinis and old-fashioneds in addition to their beer selection.

Fox River Brewing Company also has “River Domes,” which seat up to eight people for 90 minutes, in addition to traditional outdoor seating.

You can find more information about reserving the private seating option and food and beverage minimums on Fox River Brewing Company’s website.

Beckets also has information available on its website including its menu, taplist, live music, specials and more.

If you’re in search of another riverside option, Ground Round at River’s Edge on Main Street is for you.

Ground Round, located just a walk away from Beckets, offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options as well as a gluten-free menu.

The menu offers everything from burgers to seafood, chicken, steak, pasta, salads and flatbreads at a comparable price point to Beckets, all of which can be enjoyed while looking upon the Fox River.

However, sometimes, a view isn’t always necessary to have a good time. Although Beckets, Fox River Brewing Co and Ground Round each have a lot to offer, Mahoney’s and Chalice have unique environments that are worth checking out too.

Mahoney’s, located just across the street from campus along Wisconsin Street, has a cozy outdoor fire pit, perfect for cooler nights out with friends.

With two out of three dollar signs on Google, Mahoney’s offers a variety of dishes including wings and tenders, tacos, flatbreads, sliders, salads, sandwiches, burgers and more.

Fletch’s Local Taphouse in downtown Oshkosh is also a great spot for live music, pool matches and wings.

Food is available at the Varsity Club, which is connected to Fletch’s outdoor patio and side yard.

TJ’s Harbor Restaurant, a rotisserie-inspired restaurant, uses meat slow roasted in a rotisserie oven for all of their sandwiches, pastas and salads.

The restaurant has beautiful views of Lake Winnebago from its outdoor patio and has a variety of beer and wine.

Another great restaurant option is Chalice, located on North Main Street.

Chalice has a charming interior, but it also has a lovely, refreshing fenced-in outdoor seating area adorned with flowers and other botany.

Chalice offers a simple selection of fish, poultry, sandwiches, burgers and even vegetarian-friendly dishes.

Like all of the other restaurants mentioned above, you can find more information about what they have to offer on their site.

There are lots of restaurants to explore in Oshkosh, but not all of them can provide you with the unique outdoor experience that Beckets, FRBC, Ground Round, Mahoney’s, Fletch’s and Chalice can.

If you can only go to one, Fox River Brewing Company is probably your best bet, with a solid 4.3 out of 5 overall rating out of 1,260 total reviews and only one out of three dollar signs on Google.

Happy dining, and remember to stay safe!