On the riverfront

By WANDA WAYFARER

The mighty Delaware River spans a length of 360 miles and runs through four states: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. It is perhaps this area’s greatest natural amenity.

Recreation on the Delaware is one of the biggest moneymakers for the local tourist economy. Canoers, kayakers, rafters and tubers head down the river in droves each summer. The river also provides this area with peace and serenity, with spectacular, largely unspoiled views of sparkling water, riparian vegetation and wildlife.

With all the beauty and joy that the Delaware River brings us, it’s no wonder that everybody enjoys dining along the side of the river. Many local eateries in New York and Pennsylvania have become hip to the fact that the river is a major attraction for diners.

The Inn at Lackawaxen, located in Lackawaxen, PA, has a deck that allows people to dine outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of the river. The vantage point of the deck also allows an amazing view of the Roebeling Bridge, a historic point of interest (it was designed by the same man who designed the Brooklyn Bridge) that connects Pennsylvania and New York. Diners can eat lunch or dinner on the deck outside and watch for the magnificent sight of bald eagles while they eat. The views are spectacular.

The Flo Jean, located on the banks of the Delaware River, has been a landmark in Port Jervis, NY since the 1950s. It is so close to the Delaware that it shares one of its outside walls with the retaining wall of the river.

The deck of the Flo Jean provides views of the Delaware River before it meets with the Neversink River. The restaurant has a complete menu for deck diners including a “bucket of trash,” featuring such vittles as clams and corn on the cob. The Flo Jean also provides live entertainment on the deck, including dancing when weather permits.

The Carriage House Restaurant, located in Barryville, NY, also offers outdoor dining. The river is not visible from the Carriage House when one is dining outdoors, but the Delaware streams mightily behind the building and makes for a beautiful and romantic stroll after dinner is over. The Carriage House offers a selection of Continental cuisine that is freshly prepared per order. There are rooms available to overnight guests that also afford a view of the water.

La Salette, an Italian/Continental restaurant located in Hancock, NY, provides seasonal views of the Delaware. La Salette’s high elevation creates awesome panoramas of Hancock’s landscape and the river when there is no tree cover. An older Italian couple runs the restaurant, and they prepare their strictly European fine dining cuisine only on Friday and Saturday nights.

The magnificence of the Delaware River and the wildlife that it attracts makes it an irresistible and important facet of the many towns and counties through which it runs. An ideal date can be had at any of these fine restaurants—or the others that there is not enough space to mention—that incorporate the river into their ambiance. It provides the perfect backdrop for excitement and romance.