Have you been to Doc’s? It’s just downstairs at The Park Theater, and the cozy atmosphere and great food had us there often this winter. And well, who can resist the pub mix they have at the bar?!

That said, our visits there are about to get even more frequent as their patio just opened for the season! Once we saw the umbrellas peeking out from behind the hedges on Park Street, we could barely wait to pop in to check it out.

The moment we sat down, we felt like we were in a little oasis in the heart of downtown. Surrounded by greenery and planters overflowing with flowers (with lights strung up overhead for summer nights!), we immediately knew this was going to be amongst our summer favorites.

What really sold us, though, was the food. Okay, and the drinks! While we started with our usuals - an IPA for Tom and a glass of rosé for Bri, we couldn’t resist sampling this beautiful (and delicious!) gin sour cocktail.

Back to the food! We started with calamari, which is always a win, and avocado fries. Not sure how we didn’t know that avocado fries were a thing, but after devouring them (and that delish cajun ranch dipping sauce) within minutes, it’s clear we’ll be starting with these from now on, too.

We loved the veggie cauliflower crust pizza (with chimichurri, spinach, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, etc.), and we were so psyched to hear that there are plans in the works for a rooftop garden above The Park - it doesn’t get much more local than that for fresh herbs and veggies! The pesto grilled chicken sandwich looked amazing as well, and you just can’t beat their hand cut fries. A couple other favorites? We love the Impossible Burger (fellow vegetarians, you must try it!), and the Doc’s Grilled Cheese with mushrooms, red peppers, and avocado is always high on our list.

Finally, there’s always room for dessert, and it turns out their ice cream sandwiches are a work of art. The flavor of the day was raspberry white chocolate between shortbread cookies, and it was the perfect end to a sunny afternoon.