The August Hit List: Black Lamb, Spoke, Bar Mezzana, Haley.Henry, and More

Bow Market’s cocktail-bar-slash-art-gallery has expanded outward, and now has a patio of its own on the compound’s second floor. Make a reservation for one of its high-tops, and enjoy a Paloma or a Smoked Rum & Cherry Coke, accompanied by snacks such as spring pea and mint hummus or tinned squid in ink. And now that the Commonwealth has joined most of the nation in offering takeout cocktails, you can bring home cocktails ike the Down’n Brown (rye whiskey, fernet, Luxardo Maraschino, and Benedictine) or Gracefully Facedown (bourbon, Cognac, peach liqueur, green tea, honey, and mint) by the bottle.

Dining status: patio dining by reservation; or order here for takeout.

The natural wine bar — which had been open for less than three months before its temporary COVID-19 closure — is back with a brand-new outdoor patio, and a new menu that matches its picnic table seating. For instance: the Gray’s Burger, made with American cheese, lettuce, pickles and special sauce; a shrimp roll on a soft potato bun; and sliced country ham with hot honey and brown butter. Complete the high-low ritual with a fizzy glass of Morphos from Maine’s Oyster River Winegrowers, or an orange wine from Tuscany. 

Dining status: patio dining by reservation.

While we miss the Table at Season to Taste, we’re happy to see their team launch a new, more casual concept based on outdoor cabana dining in the same space. In keeping with the al fresco focus, the food menu is precisely what you want on a high-summer evening: watermelon and arugula salad with rhubarb vinaigrette; house-made linguini with clams and pancetta; and a lobster roll with lemon aioli on a buttered bun.

Dining status: patio dining by reservation; call the restaurant at (617) 826-9037.

Bar Mezzana’s weekend brunch is back, via both outdoor and indoor dining as well as by takeout. But most importantly, they’ve turned the fan-favorite Chicken Parmezzana sandwich — once a Monday-only special — into a regular brunch feature. But if a fried chicken sandwich dipped in red sauce and slathered with mozzarella doesn’t fit your mood, you can also spring for swiss chard gnudi with brown butter and a fried egg or confit duck hash with pickled jalapenos. 

Dining status: patio and indoor dining by reservation; or order here for takeout or here for delivery.

Though the downtown Cuban restaurant has also reopened its palatial dining room, you can have roasted pork empanadas and Mojitos delivered or made available for takeout.

Dining status: indoor dining by reservation; call the restaurant at (617) 333-8776. Or order here for takeout and delivery. 

The neo-old-school brasserie is back with indoor and outdoor dining, but they’re also offering takeout and delivery for the very first time. In other words: there’s no place where you can’t enjoy their chopped lamb tartare or fried egg-topped veal schnitzel. But if you do opt to dine on the patio, you’ll have the opportunity to order dollar oysters from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Dining status: patio and indoor dining by reservation; or order here for takeout and delivery.

Davis Square’s natural-focused wine bar has a parklet of its own for open-air dining; reserve a spot to improve your chances of enjoying scallop mousse sliders with a glass of Cortese. Or you can stock-up on provisions via takeout, including a whole pound of heirloom tomatoes or creative bottled cocktails such as the Sun Tea (cognac, lapsang sochung, vanilla, and oat milk).

Dining status: patio dining by reservation; or order here for takeout.

You can once again nosh on tinned fish and charcuterie at the little downtown wine bar via its newly founded patio. Or by takeout, if that’s more your speed. Whatever path you take, expect it to be filled with black bass ceviche, cured meat boards, and seafood offerings that range from spicy mackerel in piri piri sauce to spider crab pâté. 

Dining Status: patio and limited indoor dining by reservation; call the restaurant at (617) 208-6000. Or order here  for takeout.

Newton’s resident ramen maker is again serving via limited seating and takeout. After such a long time away, you may be tempted to go straight for the Chef’s Ultra Ramen with chashu pork, shoyu chicken, and chile ground pork; or get a little experimental with a “Hawaiian-style” flat-patty burger topped by pineapple sambal and crispy onions. 

Dining status: patio and limited indoor dining by reservation; call the restaurant at (857) 404-0068. Or order here for takeout.

You can add Trillium’s Fenway location back into your beer-drinking rotation; simply make a reservation to claim one of its outdoor lawn tables. Snacks, American wild ales, and stout with cold-brew coffee to follow.

Dining status: patio dining by reservation.