Best Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Old Lyme

We had a lovely brunch on a rainy winter day. Everything was top notch.

We came for the Valentines special tasting menu. Normally I am not a fan of the bloated vdaypreset menu, however at $165 per person this over delivered and was truly special! 9 courses of excitement, attentive service, wonderful wine and an unpretentious atmosphere. The food, I mean this was the best meal we have ever had! The surprise winner of the night? “The Beet”. No words can even do justice to a simple roasted beet with a magical ride of adventure! And the best part? As they said, this is not a one off for the holiday, this is just like any other night at the restaurant with their tasting menu!

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed an early VD dinner trying the halibut and beef Wellington. Both were excellent. He would have preferred the fish to be cooked a little longer, but that’s the only critique. We shared the hazelnut ice cream sundae named after the Ferraro Rocher candy. It came in a bowl that looked like a small bathtub! Too much deliciousness, but we succeeded in conquering the challenge!

We had an absolutely fantastic experience at Halyard. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm, friendly, and incredibly attentive, making us feel truly welcomed. The food was just as impressive—each dish was thoughtfully prepared and bursting with flavor. We started with the tuna tartare and the calamari, which came with a delightful surprise—perfectly blistered shishito peppers that added just the right amount of heat. For our main course, the halibut was cooked to perfection, and the Brussels sprouts were crispy and full of flavor. The cheese-laced mashed potatoes were an indulgent, creamy dream. Dessert was an espresso-infused crème brûlée that was both unexpected and absolutely delicious. Halyard exceeded our expectations in every way.

We thoroughly enjoyed evening out. We were lucky enough to book our reservation for the Tuesday candlelight night experience. The ambience was really quite relaxing and beautiful. The illumination of all the candles against the windows overlooking the ocean was just divine. There were many wonderful choices for entrees on the menu, however, my husband and I each had the evening's dinner specials which were excellent. I had the pasta dinner special (linguine with lobster, shrimp and scallops in a light ginger cream sauce) and my husband had the short rib dinner with mashed potatoes and haricot verts (french green beans). The server was pleasant, friendly and informative. We will definitely return again.