Golden Road, the LA-bred, Budweiser-owned brewery in Atwater Village, has reopened their large front patio and side yard for dine-in. They’ve got an eclectic menu full of pub food, like carnitas poutine, BBQ short rib sandwiches, and fish & chips. First-come, first-served.

Mediterranean spot Momed is back open in Atwater Village. They’ve got a big patio where you’ll eat lamb and beef meatballs with pine nuts, feta, pomegranate seeds, and tomato ragu, and excellent chicken skewers with chickpea aioli and tzatziki.

The spot formerly known as The Griffin - A.K.A. the bar in New Girl - The Moon Room is newly opened in Atwater with bar food staples like fried pickles and chicken wings.

A Los Feliz Blvd. dive bar in Atwater, The Roost is back open, with a patio where you’ll eat Thai chicken wings and pad see ew, and drink PBR.

Comfort food spot Dulan’s on Crenshaw has an outdoor space where you can eat their fantastic fried chicken, mac and cheese, and oxtails smothered in gravy. Don’t even think about skipping the peach cobbler.

Crenshaw institution Earle’s Grille specializes in hot dogs and chili dogs, and has a huge menu of vegan options, too. They also have chili cheese fries, which you should obviously order, because you should always order chili cheese fries when you see them on a menu.

One of the best new restaurants of the year, Hotville is a South LA spot serving hot chicken, mac & cheese, and pecan pie you absolutely need to try. They’ve got outdoor seating outside their storefront in their Baldwin Hills shopping center.

Coffee shop/market South LA Cafe has patio seating for you to sit each morning with your coffee and banana pecan muffin or butter croissant.

This upscale French restaurant in Beverly Grove has one of LA’s most iconic patios, so our guess is you won’t be the only one excited about its return. The Spanish fried chicken is the most famous dish here and still a must-order, but everybody’s really here to drink a lot of wine and pretend they’re someone deep in Provence. Reservations here.

Bacari has an excellent outdoor dining room, covered with massive trees and hanging lamps. It’s tucked far enough back from busy West 3rd St. that it doubles as an impressive oasis, and the wine list - impressively large and just as full of affordable options - only helps. The menu of Mediterranean-ish small plates compliments both the surroundings and the wine very well.

West Third St. restaurant/tiny magical castle The Little Door reopens for outdoor dining on July 31st, with a new menu and a new chef. This romantic spot will continue to serve French and Mediterranean food, like herb-crusted lamb with fava bean pesto, and chicken breast with lovage and nectarines, alongside a serious French wine list. Reservations only.

Theía is a brand-new Greek restaurant on West Third St, serving entrees like lamb burgers with pita buns, littlenecks with capers and white wine, or whole-roasted loup de mer. They also serve weekend brunch, featuring a live jazz band.

Old-school Italian spot Il Cielo is open in Beverly Hills, with a big patio involving a lot of trees and Roman columns. They’ve got everything you’d expect at a spot like this: Bucatini all’Amatriciana, whole branzino, and lots of focaccia. Reservations recommended.

If your agent is insisting on meeting for the first time in months, chances are your lunch will be at Madeo, the high-end Italian spot in Beverly Hills. They opened up their patio on Camden for all the prosciutto e melone, fagioli e aragosta, and veal ravioli your wallet can handle.

A new restaurant in Beverly Hills, Mírame serves inventive Mexican cuisine in the Beverly Hills-iest part of Canon Dr. You can expect options like albacore tuna asada, lamb barbacoa quesadillas, and corn-stuffed whole hens. Reservations here.

Coastal Italian spot Nerano in Beverly Hills has a redesigned back patio, where you can eat tons of fresh seafood like calamari and branzino, as well as pasta and Neapolitan pizza.

Upscale chain Ocean Prime has reopened their huge Beverly Hills patio with all kinds of steakhouse classics, plus some stuff you might not expect (like sushi rolls). Make a reservation online.

Beverly Hills all-day spot Prospect Gourmand has sidewalk seating open on Robertson Blvd. near Wilshire. They’re open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch, all with the same menu, which involves options like handmade fettuccine, tri-tip sandwiches, and steak frites. Reservations recommended - call (424) 777-0481.

Unless you count that time in April when you tried to scare a raccoon away from your chimney, you probably haven’t spent much time on rooftops lately. If you want to change that, The Rooftop By JG is back open at the Waldorf Astoria. Focus on the cocktails - we like the ginger margarita - which are ideal for drinking next to a pool and pretending the world isn’t on fire.

The iconic fine-dining spot in Beverly Hills recently added some outdoor seating on their Canon Dr. sidewalk, where you can eat smoked salmon pizza and spicy tuna tartare cones. Reservations here.

Upscale watering hole Double Barrel is open with a massive selection of whiskey to drink on one of their two quiet patios. They’ve also got a wide range of barrel-aged whiskey cocktails, too. For food, they have shareable options like flatbreads and cheese boards, along with large plates of grilled meat. Call (310) 657-5040 for reservations.

A great place for afternoon tea, (take that, Infatuation London), the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills has five seatings throughout the weekend for this extremely British meal. It’ll involve scones, and cucumber sandwiches, and a whole lot of champagne. Reservations here

Baltaire is a Brentwood steakhouse with a surprisingly good weekday Happy Hour, offering $1 oysters, $12 cocktails, and 30% off wine bottles. And whether you’re there for Happy Hour or not, you should definitely get a gin martini, involving house-stuffed blue cheese olives. Reservations here.

Eataly’s rooftop bar and restaurant Terra is open for patio dining on top of the Westfield Century City. They’re serving a huge menu that has handmade pastas and wood-grilled Italian classics, like branzino, slow-grilled eggplant, and prime beef with parmesan. Reservations required.

The unfortunately named Crack Shack is back open in the Westfield Century City Mall. They’re serving a pared-down menu with fried chicken platters and sandwiches, plus salads and schmaltz fries.

Downtown Culver City spot Akasha has reopened with three small dining patios. They’re serving their wide-ranging comfort food menu, which includes everything from cacio e pepe to chicken cauliflower fried rice, and one extremely tasty burger. Reservations online.

One of the newest additions to the Platform in Culver City, Bianca Bakery serves French pastries alongside housemade breads and pastas. Stop by for whichever of the tarts look good (our favorites are the pistachio or the chocolate ganache), some tomato and basil focaccia, and the gnocchi pomodoro. Any of them pair well with a glass of sauvignon blanc.

Culver City breakfast and lunch spot Destroyer has recently expanded their outdoor seating, where, in addition to classics like avocado confit and beef tartare, they’ve also added new options like crispy chicken schnitzel with shaved kale.

Is Jackson Market actually too good to be true? Located on a hidden residential street, Jackson Market serves as deli, apothecary, wine shop, snack bar, and probably a few other things we don’t even know about. Consider it one of Culver’s best-kept secrets, and that’s before we even mention their incredible back patio, the perfect place to grab some breakfast or a quick lunch.

Le Jardin is the open-air restaurant at the Culver Hotel, serving up Happy Hour cocktails, and a dinner menu involving options like fresh-made tagliatelle olio, foie gras torchon, and beet tartare. They’ve also got weekend bottomless brunch.

The side patio at Culver City’s local BBQ spot Maple Block reopened last week for lunch, dinner, and brunch. It’s the best place to sit, because you can practically taste the scent of the peach wood burning in the restaurant’s smoker. If you’re there for lunch, get the smoked pork shoulder sandwich - topped with creamy coleslaw and sweet BBQ sauce. Otherwise, try the pork spare ribs for dinner.

We know you’ve been wondering where to go this summer to drink gin and tonics while you watch trains go by, but fear not: Margot has returned. This Culver City rooftop spot on top of the Platform is back open for dinner. Reserve here.

This handmade pasta spot at the Helms Bakery complex in Culver City has a huge patio that’s ideal for physical distancing. Along with our favorites like tagliatelle Bolognese and spaghetti and clams, Pasta Sisters has also brought back their excellent (and seasonal) eggplant parmesan. They’re enforcing plenty of rules, like a new separate ordering system for dine-in and takeout, customer temperature checks, and an employee dedicated to finding appropriately-distanced seating.

There’s a whole lot of everything going on inside their Culver City corner space - an airy dining room, a buzzing bar, a plant-filled front porch, and a menu crammed with dishes that pull from all over Asia and the American South. So naturally, Piccalilli was able to call a quick audible during the pandemic, expanding their patio onto Main St. and adding new items like smoked wings with mustard/Carolina BBQ sauce and ghost pepper. Hey, you’ve got a little extra space to sweat. Reservations available online.

Public School 310 in Culver City just expanded their outdoor seating. They’ve also got an impressive beer list to-go, plus wine, cocktails, and pub food like wings and pizza. Reservations available here.

This Brooklyn transplant actually reopened before their East Coast cousins, though they’re currently only accepting reservations for patio seating. That patio, however, is pretty nice - it spreads through the courtyard of Culver City’s Platform complex - and Roberta’s roster of pizzas (including the sweet-and-spicy Bee Sting and their savory, mega-cheesy Famous Original) is deep. They’ll also be debuting several new menu items as they ramp up to full dine-in service.

An Italian spot in Culver City, Ugo serves Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta on a newly expanded sidewalk patio. If you’re dining in right now, they’re running a 50% off special, which means pizzas under $10. Call for a reservation - (310) 204-1222.

Arts District spot Bavel has reopened their patio for socially distanced dining, serving a fantastic Mediterranean menu with options like oyster mushroom kebabs, spicy lamb and pork sausage flatbread, and grilled jumbo prawns. Reservations available online.

Bavel’s sibling restaurant, Bestia, is another great spot - and they’ve got another great patio, too. There’s a lot to like on their inventive Italian menu , but our focus is always on the handmade pastas. Reservations available online.

Downtown LA spot Dama is back, with a massive patio in the Fashion District and some excellent Latin-inspired food. We especially like the large format meat plates here - including the crispy pork shank with hot pickled vegetables and lettuce cups, and a great roast chicken with tomatillo salsa and fries. Don’t leave without getting the buttered banana soft-serve sundae.

All-day spot Eat Drink Americano has set up a patio in their Arts District parking lot, and even installed overhead cloth tarps for shade. They’ve got salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads, plus a great cocktail selection.

Everson Royce Bar is home to our favorite burger in LA. But they’ve also got a remarkable list of whiskey, wine, and beer, along with the Mateo Street Margarita, one of the best in town. Reservations here.

Highland Park Brewery in Chinatown has reopened with a newly updated food menu, along with some of the best local beer you’ll find in LA. Their Oktoberfest-style Festbier is an ideal option for fall, and you can’t go wrong with any of their West Coast IPAs. Friday-Sunday, 12-8pm.

Taco spot Loqui is back, with their excellent handmade flour tortillas, Mexican craft beer, and a great patio tucked away from the street in the Arts District.

Manuela, the all-purpose Downtown LA spot, will reopen on Thursday 7/9 for dine-in on their outdoor terrace and patio. They have some of our old favorites like country ham and biscuits and soft shell crab with jalapeño relish, alongside new options like a particularly interesting-looking barbecued king prawn dish. They’re open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch - reservations required.

Chinatown’s Oriel is an excellent place to go on a date. (If dates are still happening. We’re not entirely sure.) Regardless, when you’re at this French spot, you’ll find crispy, gooey French onion soup, endless bottles of great European wine, and cheese and charcuterie boards the size of your table. Call for reservations - (213) 253-9419.

Pez Cantina is a Mexican seafood spot right in the center of Downtown LA. You’ll be happy with their cocteles and ceviches, but their excellent (and notably strong) cocktails are probably the real reason you’re here.

Pilot is the rooftop restaurant at Downtown LA’s Hoxton hotel. They’ve got an open air dining room where they serve Mediterranean food, cocktails, and wine. Reserve here.

Downtown LA’s all-purpose spot Red Herring is back, offering weekend brunch and BBQ takeout (10am-2pm) and a socially-distanced patio to eat it on. In addition to their food options - hot links, brisket, pulled pork, and all the BBQ fixings - they also have some great cocktails and a solid beer and wine selection.

Redbird, the DTLA restaurant in the rectory of an old cathedral, has three outdoor dining areas - a courtyard with a retractable roof, a secret garden in the middle of the building, and a patio overlooking the old church’s bell tower. It’s an upscale spot where you’ll eat green gazpacho with soft shell crab, bucatini with uni and lobster butter, and pork shank with rice grits. Reserve online.

Spire 73 claims to be the “tallest open-air bar in the Western Hemisphere” - which sounds a bit terrifying, but also pretty cool. They’re on top of the Intercontinental Downtown, and they open for drinks, along with food like steak frites and kale and mushroom ravioli, on 9/18.

A new spot in Downtown LA near Staples Center, Strada is an all-purpose restaurant with sidewalk seating on W. 9th St. They serve an eclectic menu involving ceviche, lobster ravioli, and an ahi tuna steak burger, and have a full bar. Reservations recommended.

The Ace Hotel in DTLA has one of our favorite rooftops in the city - and they’re back open with an all-day menu including tacos, charcuterie, and other small plates that are ideal to go along with their great cocktails. Reservation only.

The poolside restaurant at Hotel Figueroa, Veranda Al Fresco serves house-made boozy paletas, Ensenada-style fish tacos, and ceviche amidst the succulents at this Downtown LA spot.

Lolo in East Hollywood has one of the most underrated patios on the Eastside, thanks to its quiet setting and massive fig trees. The menu is keeping a tight focus to start, serving snacks and focaccia sandwiches at lunchtime, and at night, they’re doing housemade pastas - spaghetti with sungold tomatoes and eggplant, tagliatelle with mushrooms, and ricotta cavatelli with pepper ragu and pork meatballs. They’ve got an excellent wine selection, too, and are offering all bottles from their shop at retail price for dine-in (plus a $10 corkage).

Virgil Village’s natural wine bar Melody converted into a wine shop for much of the pandemic, and now, they’ve reopened their patio, too. Alongside their long wine and beer list, they’ve got weekly pop-ups from spots like Metztli Taqueria and Bun Buds. First come, first served.

The newest location of the quickly expanding Teddy’s Red Tacos, Teddy’s East LA is serving their signature red beef birria in quesadillas, tacos, and vampiros. Get the Deluxe Plate, if you know what’s good for you.

Guisados has reopened all of their locations - Burbank, Pasadena, Boyle Heights, Beverly Hills, DTLA, and Weho - for takeout. Their Echo Park outpost, with its back patio in the hills of Chavez Ravine, is also open for dine-in. All the tacos are $3.50 or less, so you can really go crazy here and try a bunch of different stuff. Our favorites are the chicharrón - pork skin simmered in salsa verde - and the super-spicy chiles toreados, with four kinds of hot peppers.

One of our favorite bars in Echo Park has been doing limited seatings for a while now, but if you’re a little nervous about grabbing a burger and a beer inside, fear not: They’ve also got a small enclosed patio on the sidewalk, and they’re cocktails are just as delicious (and deadly strong) outside.

Craft beer hall/vegan pizza specialist Mohawk Bend is back open. They’ve got their regular patio underneath their large marquee in Echo Park, plus some expanded sidewalk seating on Sunset.

Tacos 1986’s La Brea outpost opened in April, right at the start of the pandemic. So we’d forgive you for not knowing about this Beverly Blvd. spot. But, like their DTLA, Westwood, and Burbank locations, they serve great abodaba tacos and mulitas, and unlike those other spots, this one has a patio out front to eat them on.

Highland Park vegan biergarten Hinterhof is back, with a huge patio and a bunch of plant-based versions of German pub food like sausages, pretzels, and schnitzel. They also have one of the best selections of German craft beers on tap in town. Plus, you should never turn down the opportunity to drink beer out of a glass boot.

Johnny’s is a Highland Park locals bar with a big back patio that just reopened, if you’re looking for a spot to eat tacos and drink beer. Nato’s Tacos is there Thursday through Sunday, and their potato tacos will go great with something from Johnny’s excellent tap list. They’ve got a full bar, too, if you’d prefer a cocktail.

Little Beast is a Highland Park restaurant in a bungalow with a big back patio. All their cocktails are $10, and the menu has lots of small plates like mac & cheese, Brussels sprouts, and marinated olives, so it’s an ideal place for your first date night in six months. Reservations here.

Monte 52 is an inventive sandwich spot in the back of La Tropicana Market in Highland Park, and they’ve reopened their sidewalk seating for diners. Nothing on the menu is over $11, and it’s hard to go wrong here. But if you really can’t decide, get the Cubano - it’s among the best versions of the sandwich in town.

Hollywood sports bar 3rd Base is back open, with a patio on Selma Ave. They’ve been running a bunch of alliterative promos (always the best kind) since reopening, like Taco & Tequila Tuesdays, and Wine, Whiskey, and Wing Wednesdays. Which is quite a combination. Reservations through their website.

Fairfax’s local Italian cafe, Angelini Alimentari, reopens their courtyard patio on June 12. Our order is always the prosciutto panini and some chocolate gelato, but they’ve got all kinds of sandwiches, salads, and pastas available. Next door, they’re also reopening the more formal Angelini Osteria.

Hollywood spot Boardner’s has been around since 1942, so it’s safe to say they know how to weather a storm. They’ve reopened their patio for outdoor dining and cocktails, and even have a two-for-one drinks deal on Tuesday nights.

Hollywood pizza spot L’Antica reopened their big patio in early June, with limited seating. If you’re headed there, we recommend sticking to the pizzas - our favorites are the Bianca and the Margherita. The original location in Naples is the pizza spot in Eat Pray Love, which are three things you’re probably trying to do a lot of right now.

A quiet spot in an extremely busy part of Hollywood, Off Vine runs out of a Craftsman-style house on Leland (off Vine). Expect pastas, salads, and plenty of Italian and Californian wines. Reservations here.

The Cat and Fiddle has one of the biggest patios in Hollywood, and they’re back open for socially distanced dining, serving British pub classics like fish & chips, bangers and mash, and Sunday Roast specials. Reservations here.

La Brea’s biergarten is back open with their German comfort food and imported craft beer. It’s an ideal place to spend a Saturday, drink some doppelbocks, order a wurstplatte (sausage platter) and watch the recently resumed Bundesliga.

Yamashiro, the massive Japanese restaurant in the Hollywood Hills, feels as much like a public garden as it does a restaurant, with their meticulously manicured courtyard patio. They’re reopening on June 19, and should be able to take care of your sake and spicy albacore-related needs.

Coni’Seafood isn’t just one of our favorite restaurants in Inglewood - it’s one of our favorite restaurants in LA, period. This Mexican seafood spot serves a tremendous whole snook, if you’re there with a small group. Otherwise, make sure you order the marlin tacos for yourself.

The Century Blvd. outpost of Southern comfort food spot Dulan’s has outdoor dining - not to mention killer fried chicken, mac and cheese, and oxtails in gravy.

Rusty Pot is a downtown Inglewood spot serving excellent Southern diner classics, like catfish sandwiches and chicken and waffles. They’ve got a small amount of patio seating out front.

Hollywood Italian spot Stella Barra is open again next to the Arclight for pizzas, pastas, and wine on a socially distanced patio.

One of LA’s most iconic restaurants, Harold & Belle’s has now opened a new patio for outdoor dining, plus a “to-geaux window” if you’re more comfortable picking up your Creole feast and eating it at home. The patio is open daily from 11:30am-9pm and their food truck is also on the premises serving their famous beignets.

Korean BBQ spot Chosun Galbee is open for dine-in on their patio. They’ve even still got grills at tables outdoors, so you can cook your own gui, galbee, and bulgogi. And don’t skip the bibim nengmyun, excellent spicy cold noodles.

If you’re looking to cut loose, drink a dozen beers, rip a few cigs, and power through a seafood pancake or six, then Ddong Ggo is your spot. This no-frills Ktown party pavilion is open for business, and even though the patio can (and will) get smoky, if that’s your kind of scene, then this is exactly what you’ve been dreaming of after 475 days in quarantine.

Escala is a Koreatown spot serving a menu full of Colombian-Korean mash-ups, with options like spicy slow-cooked beef ribs with guava BBQ sauce, kimchi rice empanadas, and beer-braised oxtails over coconut rice. They’ve got a big front patio set up in Chapman Plaza.

Korean BBQ spot Quarters might not be able to cook at your tables outside, but they’re still serving up some high-quality grilled meats on their recently built patio. The Combo 2 is our favorite here - it serves three easily, and includes their excellent beef jowl and seasoned boneless short rib.

Sake House has long been a good place to spend a night drinking and eating Korean and Japanese bar snacks - and it still is, with their new parking lot patio. Expect yakitori, fried chicken, and lots of sushi rolls, along with copious amounts of beer, sake, and soju.

Silverlake Ramen’s Koreatown, Santa Monica, and Silver Lake locations are all open for outdoor dining - they’ve got top notch ramen (get The Blaze - spicy tonkatsu), pork buns, and karaage.

It’s midnight, and you want to go eat bar food and get drunk. Where do you go? The answer (both before and during quarantine) has always been Toe Bang. This Koreatown party spot is a great place to load up on soju, and eat kimchi pancakes and spicy rice cakes on their popular front patio.

Japanese spot Tokyo Hamburg reopened with outdoor seating in their parking lot in the heart of Koreatown. In addition to the hot-stone grill-your-own burgers we love, they’ve got an all-day Happy Hour that involves $4 beers and $1 oysters.

Mexican spot El Huarachito serves up some of our favorite breakfast on the Eastside, serving savory mole chilaquiles and heaping portions of huevos divorciados. Their tables outside on the sidewalk are a great place for breakfast and a cup of cafe de olla.

Gamboge is a Cambodian deli/cafe/marketplace with excellent food that’s perfect for a quick lunch involving num pang sandwiches (get the spicy pork shoulder one). They’ve got one of our favorite new patios in town.

Lincoln Heights Mexican spot La Morenita is back open, with plenty of tables on their patio for you and your burritos, hot skillet plates with steak picado and pollo ranchero, and their great, Thursday-only albondigas.

Lincoln Kitchen & Tap is a craft beer bar in Lincoln Heights that you definitely need to know about. They’ve reopened their patio with TVs for sports, and tons of incredible, hard-to-find beer from spots like Toppling Goliath and Lucky Luke.

San Antonio Winery’s on-site restaurant is back open for drinking and dining, with a sprawling outdoor dining room, and an Italian-American menu with pastas, grilled meats, and sandwiches.

The Airliner had the unfortunate luck of opening in February, just weeks before the pandemic shut down dining. But this Lincoln Heights bar is back with a revamped patio and food menu, and all the great drinks they had before the shutdown.

Located in two converted houses on Hillhurst, this is one of the best outdoor spaces out there — perfect for penning the next King Lear, or sweating through every fiber of your clothes. Plus, they have a really good eggs Benedict.

A Los Feliz staple, Bar Covell has converted into a sidewalk wine bar, serving a tremendous list of wines by the bottle or glass (although they’ve had to pause their generous sample-before-you-commit policy). You can also expect cheese and charcuterie plates, tuna melts, and croque monsieurs - in other words, ideal snacks to go with a bottle of something light and French.

Los Feliz sidewalk spot Figaro Bistrot reopened in late May, with their French cafe food, and all kinds of European wines. Things can get expensive, but when you’re drinking a glass of pinot on an empty Vermont Avenue, you can’t be too mad about it.

In “normal” times, Fred 62 was a 24-hour diner on Vermont across from the Los Feliz 3. Since reopening, they’re a 15-hour diner (9am-midnight), which is still pretty useful. They’ve got plenty of sidewalk seating for eating diner classics like all-day omelettes, mac & cheese balls, and Juicy Lucys, along with some recently added pan pizzas.

In a neighborhood that knows good patios, Home is one of our favorites. The leafy space on Hillhurst doesn’t exactly feel like a home, but it is a great place to hang with a few friends and burn an entire Thursday afternoon drinking mimosas and people-watching.

Los Feliz locals’ spot Little Dom’s has reopened their patio seating for nightly dinner and weekend brunch, both of which will involve wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, and, hopefully, martinis. Reservations required.

Another French cafe in Los Feliz, Loupiotte is the ideal place for a 2pm glass of wine when “work from home” isn’t going as well as you might have hoped. Pair it with some creamy polenta with mushrooms and a fried egg, or their excellent burger - made with gruyere and confit d’oignons (jammy onions) - and you’ll be very happy. They’ve got a partially-covered patio with a few tables off Vermont.

Los Feliz’s summer camp-themed Messhall has reopened for patio dining. Their all-day menu includes a fish fry, smoked ribs, and crab cakes, along with some really great cocktails and a few kinds of oysters. They’ve got an all-day menu weekday lunch and nightly dinner, and a weekend brunch menu. Reserve on their website.

You probably know Rockwell more for their burlesque shows than their food, but that shouldn’t stop you from going by for Happy Hour or brunch on the patio. They’ve got two levels of outdoor seating for you and your quarantine buddies to grab a table, order some cocktails, and split a BBQ chicken flatbread.

Sogo is a sushi hand roll spot from the same chef as Sushi Note, the excellent Valley omakase. Sogo is much more affordable, though - three-roll sets start at $17, and the most expensive six-roll sets (with toro, lobster, and brandy-soaked albacore) are $33.

A massive, two-level party spot on the marina in Long Beach, Ballast Point is among the best patios in the city, if you can handle the post-grads also taking up space here. You’ll watch boats on the harbor while you drink from the massive, all-Ballast Point beer list and eat wings and nachos.

Noble Bird is a Long Beach spot specializing in - you guessed it - rotisserie chicken. Their patio is huge and bright, and they have a long list of California beers and wines to drink with your roast chicken.

Buried deep in the Malibu mountains at Topanga State Park is Inn Of The Seventh Ray, which has reopened for all-day dining. The leafy patio is an extremely pleasant place to spend a Saturday afternoon, especially with a cheese plate, some crispy shrimp cakes, and a glass of wine. Or three.

Home to one of the best views in LA, Malibu Farm has reopened their restaurant - or at least the patio portion of it - on the Malibu Pier, if you want to stop in for a brunch cocktail and those excellent berry-topped pancakes after a trip up PCH. Malibu Cafe (their sibling restaurant at the end of the Pier) is still closed.

The closest you came to dining by the water during quarantine was parking your car on the side of Silver Lake Reservoir and eating a snack pack of hummus and pretzel chips. If you’re looking to come back with a bang, Nobu Malibu is a great place to do it. They’ve got some of the best views of the Pacific in town, and - this is a scientific fact - no one has ever been mad about eating their yellowtail with jalapeño.

If you’ve driven on PCH before, then you’ve seen Reel Inn’s giant neon sign. This retro spot is full of red checkered picnic tables that you’ll fill up with seafood classics like fish and chips, fried calamari, and steamed mussels. No one has ever been mad about eating fish and chips with a pitcher of beer while looking at the ocean, so this is a great place to spend an afternoon.

In the rolling hills of the Santa Monica Mountains is Saddle Peak Lodge, a beautiful spot with lots of space on the patio to eat elk steaks, 16 oz. ribeyes, and bison short rib. Reservations here.

My Lai is a family-run Vietnamese spot in Mar Vista that had the unfortunate luck of opening a few weeks before the shutdown began. But they’re back open, with a patio behind the restaurant and some tables out front, too, where you can eat bun vermicelli noodle salads, banh mis, and chicken and garlic rice. They’ve also got a build-your-own-bowl situation, if you prefer.

The Mar Vista cafe and wine bar has expanded their heated patio to maximize social distancing. Open from 10am-9pm daily, it’s a great place to grab a quick meal or a snack and - of course - a couple glasses of wine. Call ahead for a table - (310) 390-1500.

MDR’s premier destination for turtle racing recently underwent a renovation, which includes their large back patio - and an even larger, astroturfed outdoor space.

Open since 1974, this neighborhood staple just added full-service patio dining for the first time. What hasn’t changed are their fantastic breakfasts, like pulled pork and pancakes, chicken chilaquiles, and smoked salmon and egg toast. Make a reservation on their website.

This iconic Marina deli recently reopened, with a focus on the original’s menu of comfort classics, and a brand-new outdoor space. It’s a great place to try their pastrami breakfast burrito - one of LA’s best.

This small, very solid Italian spot on Lincoln Blvd. just opened a patio, with a new al fresco dining menu, too. Oh, and they post pics like this.

This reliable local fave recently added sidewalk seating. We like just about everything on the menu, but if you’re looking to simplify things, go for one of their reasonably priced “Complete Dinner” packages, all of which cost less than $20.

Nueva took the place of beloved bottomless brunch destination Sunny Spot on Washington in Marina del Rey during the pandemic, but didn’t miss a beat. Their huge outdoor dining room is almost always full, with people looking for tacos, ceviches, and mezcal-based cocktails. Don’t worry, they’re doing brunch, too.

One of our favorite bars in The Valley is back open, although, according to their Instagram, “space is extremely limited.” Make sure to email nick@1933group.com for a table before you head over. Social-distancing rules remain in effect, though it’s not clear if you have to remain six feet away from the giant bulldog statue on the patio.

North Hollywood’s Pitfire Pizza opened a beer garden-style patio last fall, setting them up well for outdoor-only pandemic dining. Their wood-fired pizzas are where to focus your attention, particularly the Field Mushrooms, with enoki and cremini mushrooms and fontina cheese.

North Hollywood’s Fat Dog has reopened their huge patio. This is usually a place that’s packed with studio folks getting after-work drinks, but with most studios still working from home, things should be pretty calm here. Get the crab and Hollandaise-topped potato skins, and the short rib French dip with your beer or glass of wine.

North Hollywood hotel restaurant The Front Yard has one of the best patios in The Valley, and they’re back open with plenty of room for drink wine, which should be your number one priority here (along with a cocktail or two).

Northridge spot Pho 22 has reopened their patio for all kinds of Vietnamese food, like pho, bun, and banh mis.

Hank’s is an American spot in the Palisades with a menu involving a lot of burgers, sandwiches, and salads. Reservations available online.

We can’t all live in the Palisades, but we can at least have dinner there every once in a while. And The Draycott is a great place to do that, especially on the patio full of wicker chairs and white tablecloths. The English pea dip with sourdough is a good place to start, and we also like the hanger steak frites with Bearnaise sauce. Things can get expensive quickly, so just keep that in mind.

The Raymond is an upscale American spot in an extremely impressive, nearly 150-year-old hotel in Pasadena. The food isn’t going to blow you away, but you’re really here to sit outside and drink a glass of wine on a beautiful patio for the first time in what feels like three years.

A good spot to grab a glass of wine and get some work done in Pasadena, Bodega’s patio is back open with pizzas, wine-drinking snacks like bacon-wrapped dates and cheese boards, and (of course) a huge wine list.

Bone Kettle is a great Indonesian spot in Old Town Pasadena with some excellent nasi goreng (fried rice heavy with fish sauce), bone broth with top sirloin, and massive beef ribs. Reserve a table on their sidewalk here.

Another great Mexican spot, Maestro is an upscale Pasadena restaurant with a quiet patio in a busy part of Old Pas. Whether you’re there for brunch or dinner, it’s a great place to eat inventive spins on classic dishes like arrachera with chorizo chimichurri and chile poblano chickpea rice, or the seared dayboat scallops with huitlacoche rice. Get a barrel-aged mezcal cocktail or a watermelon margarita while you’re there.

Superba’s Pasadena outpost has their patio back up and running, where you can eat house-baked pastries, breads, and sandwiches. Their coffee game is also on point.

Another Pasadena spot, Luggage Room Pizzeria is a good place to go with a group and split some pies. They’ve got a bunch of options, all with inventive topping combinations, but our favorite is the Fallen Angel - house-made Italian sausage, basil, shaved fennel, and roasted peppers. As a bonus, Stone Pasadena is next door, and while they’re still closed for dine-in, you can order beers there and bring them over to drink with your meal at Luggage Room.

An excellent Southern comfort food spot on Pico, My Two Cents has reopened their patio seating. Don’t think too hard about your order here - it’s going to involve the shrimp and grits, an incredible pork chop, and some excellent iced tea.

Santa Monica neighborhood spot Art’s Table has always had a great patio, and they’ve just reopened it with a wide-ranging menu that includes fish tacos, burgers, and salads.

Santa Monica spot Ashland Hill doesn’t look like much from Main St., but once you head to the patio, you’ll find a huge outdoor dining area with socially distanced crowds eating burgers and salads, and drinking from the bar’s very good local beer list. Reservations here.

Clubby steakhouse BOA is on the corner of Ocean and Santa Monica in one of the busiest parts of the Westside. They’ve got sidewalk seating for you to eat all the lobster tails and ribeyes you can afford. So, like, one of each, maybe. Reservations recommended.

Bergamot Cafe is an ideal place for a quick, affordable weekday lunch. This daytime spot off Olympic in Santa Monica not only serves an excellent veggie burger - a black bean and corn patty topped with chipotle aioli and cheddar - and a killer roast beef and avocado sandwich, but nearly everything on the menu is $10 or less. And, if you’ve got the time, It’s also a fun, low-key place to drink outside for an extended lunch, thanks to their beer and wine list.

The classic Santa Monica hangout - located steps from the beach and basically, like, kinda behind the Pier? - reopens both their front and back patios on June 11, with the usual precautions in place (face masks required, no more than six per table, etc). You also have to order food, a rather clever way to skirt the state’s “bars must remain closed” mandate, though you would’ve anyway - Big Dean’s double cheeseburger is one of the best in the city.

Birdie G’s, the comfort food spot in Santa Monica, has expanded their patio for reopened dine-in. They’ve got a pared-down menu with options like wood-grilled morcilla sausage, matzo brei with duck and porcini mushrooms, and sliced beef tongue with potato waffles. Reservations highly recommended.

Formerly known as Bondi Harvest, Bluey’s is an Australian cafe in Santa Monica that’s open for patio dining 7am-9pm (8am-9pm on weekends). They’ve got a great breakfast plate involving eggs, bacon, Tabasco kale, roasted tomatoes, and avocado, along with a bunch of sandwiches (like coconut-marinated chicken) you’ll want to order, and a new dinner menu. Plus, the coffee is phenomenal. First-come, first-served.

Open since 1983, Wolfgang Puck’s Santa Monica staple Chinois On Main serves what they call Chinese-French fusion cuisine. They’ve got limited outdoor seating available - reserve here.

Upscale spot Citrin - and the tasting counter in the back, Melisse - have reopened with an all-new, crossover restaurant in their recently-astroturfed parking lot. In addition to a four-course, $145 tasting menu, they’ll also have a la carte offerings like lobster Bolognese, lamb sugo, and truffle risotto. Reservations available online.

They took over the old Wilshire spot in Santa Monica last year, and remain one of the city’s best-kept secrets, thanks in no small part to their fantastic, tree-filled back patio. Now’s your chance to see it for yourself. While the Coastal Mediterranean menu’s not the most inventive (plenty of burrata, handmade pastas, and a raw bar), Fia makes the kind of crowd-pleasing food that absolutely anyone will enjoy. And, again, the patio…

Gilbert’s El Indio has been serving Mexican classics on Pico in Santa Monica for almost 50 years - and the pandemic hasn’t slowed them down. Their patio is open for combo platters, margaritas, and more.

Santa Monica Canyon’s Golden Bull is an iconic spot that’s been around (almost) since the real Will Rogers lived next door. They’ve got steakhouse classics like crab cakes, French onion soup, and a burger, along with, of course, a bunch of different steaks.

Blue Streak, the outdoor lounge at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica, is back open for dining with ocean views and firepits, serving cocktails, light bites like tacos and sliders, and brunch on the weekends. Reserve here.

Lunetta All Day is an (all day) spot in Santa Monica with three separate patios open for quarantine dining. Their breakfast and lunch menu includes sandwiches, salads, and bigger plates like steak frites, and at dinner they add options like house-made pasta. Make a reservation online.

All-day Santa Monica spot Margo’s has reopened their patio - it’s dog-friendly, too - serving a wide range of comfort food like smoked bacon mac & cheese and medjool date BBQ ribs on their Montana Ave. patio.

On Fourth St. in Santa Monica, Massilia has a covered patio where they serve a mix of French, Moroccan, and Italian food. This means options like tagliatelle with morel mushroom cream sauce, couscous with merguez sausage and lamb, and pizza with prosciutto. No matter what, don’t skip the white Negroni, made with Aviation gin and Lillet.

Makai Lounge is a clubby spot on the corner of Ocean and Broadway in Santa Monica. They’ve reopened their patio for dine-in, with wide-ranging options like sushi rolls, shrimp skewers, and cheeseburgers.

Santa Monica’s excellent French spot Pasjoli is back open, with a newly redesigned back patio and a pared-down menu that still includes many of our favorites. That means house-baked brioche with chicken liver mousse and shaved truffle, a caramelized onion tart with gruyere, and crispy duck breast with duck leg bread pudding. Walk-in only for lunch, reservations recommended for dinner.

Silverlake Ramen’s Koreatown, Santa Monica, and Silver Lake locations are all open for outdoor dining - they’ve got top notch ramen (get The Blaze - spicy tonkatsu), pork buns, and karaage.

Santa Monica Cal-Mex spot Socalo reopened (and expanded) their outdoor dining area. They’ve also got margaritas and some Mexican craft beer available all day, as well. Reservations are recommended for dinner, but it’s first-come, first-served at lunch.

Santa Monica Polish spot Solidarity has a secret back patio that’s a great place to eat pierogies and drink a few too many Warsaw Mules (made with Zubrowka). If you’re looking for something a bit bigger, the golabki (stuffed cabbage, beef, and jasmine rice) is one of our go-tos, but with comfort classics like schnitzel, stroganoff, and handmade gnocchi in mushroom cream sauce on the menu, you can’t go wrong.

This massive spot on the dining deck of the Santa Monica Place mall has been doing outdoor dining for more than a decade, and they’re open for weekend brunch and nightly dinner, with an updated menu that includes pizzas, pastas, oysters, and burgers.

Spumoni is an Italian spot in Santa Monica with an absolutely massive menu, which includes handmade pastas, pizzas, and a gnocchi bar (yes, you read that right). Reserve here.

One of the best places to eat on the Third Street Promenade, The Misfit is open daily for lunch, Happy Hour, and dinner. They’ve got burgers, sandwiches, salads, and stellar cocktails. Happy Hour until 6pm daily.

Santa Monica’s Tiato is a restaurant and event space with a huge patio, where they host “Garden Nights” Wednesday-Friday. The menu involves ginger-glazed salmon, shaken beef, and other Vietnamese-inspired dishes. They’ve also got weekday lunch and weekend brunch, with plenty of mimosas (and, uh, yoga).

Uovo’s locations in Santa Monica and Mid-Wilshire are both open for sidewalk seating with a pasta-heavy menu, and a new $32/person tasting menu that includes an appetizer, three pastas, and a dessert.

If you’re looking for a very fancy night out on a very nice patio in Santa Monica, Via Veneto is a great bet. This upscale spot has been a local staple since 2001, serving handmade pastas, risottos, and grilled meats on Main St.

Hermanito was unlucky enough to open just before quarantine began. But this Mexican spot on Sawtelle has a great patio where you can drink mezcal cocktails, and eat some solid antojitos like aguachile, birria tacos, and salsa macha wings.

This longstanding Sawtelle cafe is open daily from 8am-3pm, serving a breakfast and lunch menu that features sandwiches, salads, juices, and more in their garden patio.

Japantown noodle shop Marugame is back, opening their small patio on Sawtelle for anyone looking for fresh, handmade udon. Follow your heart when you order, but our favorite is the Mentai Kamatama - a briny bowl of noodles with spicy cod roe, onsen tamago (hot spring egg), and shredded nori. Follow it up with some Honeymee soft-serve, just down the street.

Silver Lake sports bar 33 Taps has always had some sidewalk seating, but they’ve recently expanded their footprint along Sunset Blvd. Most importantly, they put a bunch of TVs in their windows so you watch sports while you’re eating outside. Any beer drinker will find something they like from the - you guessed it! - 33 taps, and their food menu has all the nachos and burgers you’ll need to make it through an entire Sunday of games.

Alimento is an intimate Italian spot with a small front patio in a quiet part of Silver Lake. They’re back open with their tremendous handmade pastas and other inventive Italian food. Their braised pork sugo radiatori is a new LA classic, but don’t be afraid to branch out if something else catches your eye. Reservations here.

After going daytime-only for a while during the summer, All Day Baby has reopened for dinner - served across the street, in an all-new patio they built on the opposite side of Sunset. It’s called Helluva Time, and it promises to be a… fun place for dinner, with a menu of innovative options like headcheese with watermelon, burrata with chicharrón, and beef tartare au poivre.

Blair’s is a Silver Lake locals’ spot that recently expanded their patio seating along Hyperion, and it’s a great place for a low-key cocktail or glass of wine and some house-made pasta.

This quiet spot is tucked in a, you guessed it, converted bungalow off of Santa Monica in Silver Lake. Their selection of Middle Eastern cuisine includes slow-cooked lamb with freekeh, steamed mussels with chickpeas, and an incredible seasonal fruit and vegetable couscous.

If you’ve missed Casita’s atmosphere and lethally strong margaritas as much as we have, good news - the iconic Mexican restaurant in Silver Lake is back open with not one, but three new outdoor patios. All the tables are six-feet apart, there are string lights hanging everywhere, and tons of umbrellas for shade. In other words, this is the ideal atmosphere for one too many margaritas.

If you’ve only ever been to Edendale to drink too much during Happy Hour, you may not have noticed how great their front patio is. It’s an ideal place for a night out underneath Edison bulbs and a bunch of trees. They’ve also recently brought back weekend brunch.

A classic spot on Sunset Blvd., this music and dance venue in Silver Lake has reopened their back patio for drinking and dining. The menu is all bar food - chicken wings, nachos, and an Impossible burger - which is ideal for eating alongside their super-strong margaritas. They’re requiring patrons to wear masks at all times when not dining, and highly recommend making reservations. For more information, check out their Instagram.

Innovative Silver Lake spot Eszett has reopened with a patio in their parking lot on Sunset Blvd. They have an excellent wine list, which is full of hard-to-find Austrian and French options, and lots of food cooked over charcoal, like grilled wings with salsa macha, grilled merguez sausage with fries, and more.

Silver Lake’s Gingergrass has been a neighborhood staple for 16 years, and they recently opened up an all-new dining tent outside their space on Glendale Blvd. In addition to the Vietnamese food they’ve always served, they’ve also dedicated their entire beer and wine list to Black-owned breweries and wineries, like Crowns & Hops, Maison Noir, and Aslina Wines.

Located on the edge of Silver Lake and Frogtown, Ivanhoe’s huge outdoor dining room is a super-popular brunch destination and a low-key dinner spot serving burgers, sandwiches, salads, and pasta.

Silver Lake’s great oyster spot L&E is open for patio dining on their quiet corner of Silver Lake Blvd. They have a new, abbreviated menu that includes oyster po’boys, crab cakes sandwiches, and mussels and fries, along with their usual selection of excellent cocktails and wine.

Before the pandemic hit, Marco Polo was one of the most interesting new spots in town, serving coastal Italian food and some seriously good handmade pastas on a lush pool deck. They’re back open with poolside dining in Silver Lake. Reserve here.

Salazar is an innovative Mexican restaurant in Frogtown with some of the best margaritas in town. They’ve opened back up with daily lunch and dinner on their sprawling patio covered with desert foliage (the whole place feels a bit like a peyote trip, and we’re here for it). Reservations here for the first time ever.

Silverlake Ramen’s Koreatown, Santa Monica, and Silver Lake locations are all open for outdoor dining - they’ve got top notch ramen (get The Blaze - spicy tonkatsu), pork buns, and karaage.

Spoke Cafe is a great Frogtown spot on the LA River Bike Path, serving sandwiches, coffee, beer, and wine. They’ve got a big, open patio, the best vegetarian burger in the city (house-made with smoked mushrooms and beets), and waffle fries that will take you directly back to middle school in the best way possible..

Tartine’s newest LA location is in Silver Lake on a super-busy part of Sunset. Like the other locations in Santa Monica and Hollywood, you’ll get fresh-baked breads and pastries here, along with some newly added wood-fired pizzas.

A Silver Lake locals’ spot that’s been around since 2000 (approximately 100 years in Silver Lake time), The Kitchen reopened their sidewalk seating for dining. The menu is mostly comfort food, which we all need a bit of right now - mac & cheese, meat loaf, and chicken pot pie, among many others. They’ve also got a small but very affordable beer and wine list.

AC Lounge is a restaurant at a new(ish) hotel in El Segundo. They’ve got cocktails, beer, wine by the glass and bottle, and a bunch of small plates like Greek meatballs and charcuterie.

Jame might be the best place to eat pasta outside in the South Bay. This El Segundo strip mall spot has a covered patio where you can socially distance to drink some California reds alongside Caesar salads flavored with Calabrian chilies, crispy braised pork shank in lambrusco-mustard sauce, and some truly excellent pasta. Our favorite changes by the day, but you can’t go wrong with the beef cheek scarpinocc or spicy rigatoni alla vodka.

One of our favorite Oaxacan spots in town, South Bay’s Madre has opened back up, and that includes their sidewalk patio. Narrowing down your options isn’t easy, but the barbacoa de chivo (heavily spiced BBQ goat), costillas en salsa verde (spicy fried pork ribs), and estofado mole are our favorites here. Get as involved in the mezcal selection as you can - it’s the best we’ve seen in all of LA. Madre’s Palms location is open, too, with a small sidewalk patio.

Playa Provisions, the sprawling spot by the beach in Playa del Rey, has a couple small patios for you to socially distance on, and they’ve just turned their parking lot into an even bigger space for dining. We go straight for the patty melt when we’re here - it’s made with dry-aged beef and some really tremendous BBQ sauce. Their cocktails are good, too, and if you’re into whiskey, they’ve got one of the best selections in town.

Sausal is a modern Mexican spot in El Segundo with a front patio that’s great for kicking back, drinking a few margaritas, and snacking on some tacos. Food can get a bit pricey here, so we’re hoping their excellent Happy Hour returns as well.

New South Bay spot The Source is open for patio dining in Manhattan Beach, with an eclectic, vegan-friendly menu of salads, sandwiches, and pasta, to go with a great list of natural wines.

This standout Studio City bar is serving lunch and dinner on their expanded patio space, complete with string lights, plants, and socially distant tables.

Verse is a restaurant in Toluca Lake reopening Tuesday, 9/8. They’ve recently opened a patio, and will offer a pared-down menu with some serious entrees like a tomahawk steak for two, salmon belly, and roast duck pasta, alongside classic cocktails. Reservations recommended.

The patio at Barrique feels like the backyard of the Venice bungalow you’ll probably never be able to afford. The candles, low light, and extensive Italian wine list make this a great place for your first date night in months (especially with the added privacy of socially distanced tables). Share some housemade pastas, like beef ravioli or Dungeness crab spaghetti, and some smoked duck, and you’ll walk out happy.

The exclusively plant-based Cafe Gratitude has reopened all of their LA locations (Arts District, Larchmont, and Venice) for patio dining. They’re open daily 11am-8pm, and weekends for brunch 9am-1pm, offering tacos, pizzas, sandwiches, and more.

We love Chez Tex simply for being the kind of casual, easy-to-get-into neighborhood bistro that’s often hard to find in Venice. Their excellent, snack-filled menu doesn’t hurt either. And though the space is small, they’ve reconfigured the tables inside and have added sidewalk seating out front. Ocean breeze, good wine, and a charcuterie plate? See you there. Reserve online.

A bright, sunny spot in Venice, Chulita has a patio and open-air dining room along Rose Ave. They serve Mexican-inspired plates like cauliflower al pastor tacos and esquites, and have a long, tequila- and mezcal-heavy cocktail list.

Not only does Dudley Market serve some of our favorite seafood in Los Angeles, this neighborhood spot also has a fantastic location one block off the Venice boardwalk - which is exactly why we’re so excited about their new outdoor patio. If eating fresh-caught seafood while staring at the ocean isn’t on your “Things I Enjoy In Life” list, perhaps you need to reconsider some things.

From the same team as Jame Enoteca, Ospi is a new spot by the beach in Venice serving pizzas, pastas, and fett’unta. You can’t go wrong with the cauliflower doused in Calabrian chili, or the cannelloni stuffed with braised lamb neck. Don’t leave without a cannoli - they’re buttery, flaky, and tremendous. They’ve got sidewalk seating - reservations here.

Plant Food And Wine’s back patio is unlike most in LA - the enormous space is great for weekend brunch, but the real magic happens when the sun goes down and the twinkling tree lights turn it all into the meatless garden of your dreams. Make a reservation online.

The popular Italian restaurant in Venice has taken over their side parking lot to create a brand new outdoor dining space that includes socially distant tables, astroturf, umbrellas, and plenty of foliage. Make a reservation here.

Venice’s Superba Food + Bread has expanded their patio into the parking lot. If the excellent coffee and pastries here aren’t enough to get you in, the full raw bar and huge wine list should. They’re open all day, every day, for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.

The Anchor in Venice is a neighborhood hangout on Main St., with a large, recently expanded, patio. The best things here involve lobster (as is often the case) - the lobster roll with black truffle, lobster mac & cheese, and brunch lobster Benedict are all good bets. Call (310) 664-9696 for reservations.

Venice’s Butcher’s Daughter is open 8am-10pm daily, serving vegetarian and vegan-friendly food on their Abbot Kinney patio. The all-day menu includes breakfast options, pizzas, and some larger plates - cliched as it is, though, our favorite thing here is the avocado toast, no matter what the time of day. They’re requiring masks while you’re not eating, have touchless payment, and hand sanitizing stations.

This giant, all-day spot is a full-service restaurant, a coffee shop, and a bar, all on one big patio on Rose in Venice. They’ve got a huge menu, so focus on the pastas - especially the francobollo ravioli, with mint pesto, pine nuts, sungold tomatoes, and pickled lemons, and the sweet corn agnolotti. Make a reservation here.

Venice’s The Tasting Kitchen will reopen on 8/19 with a newly-renovated patio, serving a crowd-pleasing menu that includes options like handmade rigatoni with chorizo and mussels, eggplant a la plancha, and grilled prawns. Reservations available online.

The sprawling beachfront compound has plenty of patio space for dining and drinking - go ahead and order their Frozé, with watermelon, coconut water, lime, lavender, and Lillet - plus several large-size picnic meals that can be ordered in-house or taken to-go. Stop in, or make a reservation online.

Venice’s natural foods market, juice bar, and restaurant Urban Remedy is opening back up on Wednesday, 9/9. They’ve got plant-based macro bowls, wraps, and salads.

Replacing the old MTN space on Abbot Kinney in Venice, Valle is an upscale Oaxacan restaurant with a new side patio for ideal al fresco dining. The menu has everything from lamb barbacoa tacos to ceviche to vegetarian tlayuda. Make a reservation here.

Zinque has several locations around town and they’re all open. That means the days of drinking too much rosé on their patio, snacking on tartines and their famous “Le Bowl,” and stumbling home on a Saturday night have returned. Hooray.

West Adams’ excellent Southern spot Alta has a huge patio that’s tucked back from the busy street into a quiet residential neighborhood. They’re open for brunch and dinner outside, offering a whole bunch of our favorites: Pimento dip, black-eyed pea fritters, and perfectly crispy fried chicken. There’s also some sidewalk seating in the front for smaller groups.

Closed since 2015, Johnny’s Pastrami reopened in mid-June in West Adams, with new ownership from the Mizlala team and a new-ish name: Johnny’s West Adams. They’ve got a brick patio behind the restaurant with long wooden tables, where you can drink cocktails with house-made soda and eat all kinds of Jewish deli staples on the menu like matzo ball soup, potato knish, and, of course, pastrami sandwiches on rye. First-come, first-served.

Casual Middle Eastern spot Mizlala is a great place to grab an easy lunch in West Adams. They serve things like kefta, pargiyot chicken, and chicken shawarma as pita wraps, salads, or plates. There’s also an enclosed patio on West Adams Blvd.

40 Love is a sports bar on LA Cienega in Weho with plenty of outdoor space, bar food, beer, wine, and cocktails. All of this will be of particular interest to you now that sports are actually happening.

If you’re looking to hang out on a beautiful rooftop with a giant tree growing out of the middle of it, Catch is the spot for you. They’ve got everything from sushi rolls and filet mignon skewers, along with lots of vegan options. Reservations available on their website.

New England seafood spot Connie & Ted’s has reopened, and their huge patio on Santa Monica in Weho is a perfect spot to eat all the shellfish you couldn’t figure out how to shuck at home. The seafood is fresh and tremendous, so just trust your instincts here - especially if your instincts are telling you to get the New England seafood boil, with mussels, steamers, lobster, linguica, and corn on the cob.

Survey any ten celebrities at random about their favorite restaurant, and there’s a good chance you’ll hear Craig’s more than once. This Weho spot has sausage pizzas we’re very into, and some of our favorite free table bread around. Call (310) 276-1900 for reservations.

The rooftop at Weho spot EP & LP is back open with plexiglass barriers, cashless transactions, and “sanitation hosts” (which are not, contrary to what we thought, Westworld characters). They also have an all-new menu, a Southeast Asian-inspired selection of small plates that are all $8-$15, like three-pepper squid, fried crab curry, and twice-cooked BBQ pork belly.

After a long hiatus, this train station-themed bar in Weho is back for dine-in and takeout service. And the best part? They’ve made their 4/20 Happy Hour menu available all-day long. Which means you no longer have to wait for the late afternoon to get discounted prices on smashburgers, French bread pizza, and mimosas. Or to get high, for that matter.

This upscale cocktail bar in West Hollywood has recently transformed their parking lot into a new patio filled with benches and umbrellas - and it’s called Summer Social Club. The cocktails are extremely well-made, and on Thursdays, they have a tiki night. There’s even a mobile barber and outdoor yoga classes there, too.

Formosa Cafe, the recently-revived Old Hollywood haunt in Weho, has reopened for excellent cocktails and dim sum from the same chef as Little Fatty. Get some chile wontons and XO Fatty (chow fun) to go with whatever tropical cocktails you’re chugging. Their upstairs outdoor space is small, so we highly recommend making a reservation through their website.

Weho’s largely outdoor spot Gracias Madre has reopened their patio for dine-in, serving vegan Mexican cuisine and some excellent cocktails. They’ve got Happy Hour - with $7 house margaritas (get it spicy and with mezcal) and $8 nachos you should absolutely order - Monday-Friday, 4-6pm, dinner 4-10pm daily, weekend brunch Saturday & Sunday 11am-3pm. Reservations recommended.

Pre-COVID, Harlowe was our favorite place to drink too many draft cocktails on a Saturday night. But they’ve brought in a new chef (formerly of The Little Door) to open as a full restaurant, with Mediterranean food like pappardelle with tomato Pernod sauce and pesto, and Moroccan lamb stew with couscous and harissa. Reservations here.

Rooftop spot Harriet’s has reopened on the Sunset Strip. The food and cocktails are decent, but what you’re really there for are some incredible views of the city from the Hollywood Hills. Call for reservations - (424) 281-1860.

Japanese-inspired spot Katana is in the heart of the Sunset Strip, and has a large patio in the middle of the restaurant. They’ve got robata, steaks, and lots of things involving truffle oil. Reservations recommended.

Argentine spot Lala’s is back open on Melrose in Weho, with a covered patio where they’re serving all kinds of grilled meats like pollo a la brasa, ribeyes, and NY strip steaks.

Even though we suspect no one is going to be riding any mechanical bulls anytime soon, you can still go to Saddle Ranch Chop House, the massive bar/restaurant in Weho. They’ve got multiple patios on the Sunset Strip, where they serve burgers, steaks, and strong, sweet margaritas. Reservations on their website.

Spartina is an Italian restaurant open for dining on their large patio in Weho, with handmade pastas and crunchy pizzas. They’ve got dinner every night, plus weekday lunch, and a weekend brunch that involves an excellent guanciale bacon and egg pizza. Reserve on their website.

Strings Of Life in Weho is a new all-day spot inspired by Australian cafes. This Melrose restaurant has a massive menu with all kinds of sandwiches, salads, and even Fairy Bread. First-come, first served.

Tacos Tu Madre has a few locations across the city, but the one in Weho is special for two reasons: They’ve got a big patio, and, more importantly, they’ve got a shiny new license to serve alcohol. That means you can suck down margaritas while you eat crispy shrimp tacos.

Zinque has several locations around town and they’re all open. That means the days of drinking too much rosé on their expanded patio - which now takes up most of the parking lot - snacking on tartines and their famous “Le Bowl,” and stumbling home on a Saturday night have returned. Hooray.

The restaurant at the Four Seasons in Westlake, Coin and Candor is an upscale spot deep amongst the Santa Monica Mountains. They mill their own flour for bread, and offer lots of produce from the great farms in the surrounding area. The menu is largely wood-fired options, including a bone-in Kobe short rib, branzino with pistachio mole, and a Kurobuta pork chop.

This Westwood Italian restaurant has a newly updated patio on their sidewalk, and a quiet back patio that’s ideal for a glass of wine and some pasta. They’ve got great deals throughout the week, including $10 lunches, $8 glasses of wine and 30% off bottles on Wednesdays, and daily Happy Hour specials.

Westwood’s huge steakhouse STK reopened in the outdoor dining space (known as The Hideout) at the W. They’re doing lunch from 11am-3pm, and dinner from 3-10pm, with Happy Hour (including half-off cocktails, $10 wine glasses, and $2 oysters) 3-6:30pm. Make a reservation online.

Violet is a new French spot in Westwood with a charming covered patio off Glendon. In addition to French classics like steak frites and rotisserie chicken, you’ll also find an extensive craft cocktail list. Call for reservations - (310) 208-1121.