Is there anything better than dining al fresco after enduring the cold, winter months? This week’s horrendous air quality and dystopian outdoor scenes aside, of course.

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Outdoor dining ratcheted up to a whole new level amid the pandemic the last few years, what with parklets and pavilions constructed to add space for restaurants. Even Rahway expanded the sidewalk cafe season this spring, allowing eateries to start outdoor dining a month earlier, in April.

Since it’s not yet the summer season — when the heat and humidity might send diners scurrying into the air conditioning — here’s the June reader poll, sponsored by RahwayIsHappening.com (the Rahway Special Improvement District):

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Talk about variety. East Cherry Street alone offers three diverse options, from La Chula, the Tex Mex newcomer, and the old reliable Waiting Room, to Sunday brunch at The Coffee Box. And there’s another coffee spot, Copacabana. Around either corner of East Cherry Street, there are two options that have patio spaces: The Irving Social on Irving Street and Flynn’s on Main Street.

There’s also a few contenders who’ve fared well in previous polls. Hugo’s eked out the title in last year’s Favorite Latin Restaurant  poll past the likes of Sabor Peruano, Cubanu, and Gigi’s, among others. Il Forno a Legna has always had a strong showing in the Favorite Pizza poll. Then on the one end of downtown, you have The Lounge at Watt. Of course, not all the participants in this month’s poll are located downtown. There’s also Stewart’s Drive-In on Jaques Avenue.

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As always, the poll is completely unscientific and will be up for the month of June. Results will be posted before the end of the month, likely around June 30. You can elaborate on your choices in the comments below. Remember: Only one vote per IP address.

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For RahwayRising.com’s 15th anniversary, consider a $15 contribution via PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee – or support local news all year round by becoming a monthly Patron.