The Resy Guide to the Best Outdoor Tables in Atlanta

“Laid back” and “fine dining” are terms that often feel incongruous, but at Lazy Betty it’s possible to stop by for a casual four-, seven-, or ten-course meal without any dose of stuffiness. Dry-aged duck with vadouvan-spiced carrots remains a headliner across the menus, as does the optional caviar service that comes with steamed milk buns and scallion pancakes. 

Dining Status: Indoor and patio dining are available. 

Chef Steven Satterfield continues to charm Atlanta with dishes like its farm egg baked in celery cream with grilled bread, and grilled quail with spring vegetables. A truly excellent and extensive wine list brings in oenophiles, while its cocktail menu provides refreshing options for patio sipping. 

Dining Status: Dining room and patio are open; takeout is available. 

If the patio doesn’t quite have the impeccable brasserie-and-then-some design of the interior, all the crucial elements are still very much in effect: Hawaiian rolls with butter and shrimp cocktails to start, steakhouse classics — and, yes, the raw bar, including the always-impeccable selection of oysters from both coasts that have made this a cult favorite in Decatur since its 2013 opening.

Dining status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining by reservation; takeout available.

Pretty much the only dining space is on the patio at Todd Richards’ barbecue spot, and it’s just the place to enjoy his remarkable, long smoked meats — including slab ribs and rib tips, brisket, and an excellent chopped chicken sandwich. But don’t forget the full weekend brunch menu (pro tip: cheddar-jalapeño grits are a must) and a smart selection of local beers like Creature Comforts’ Athena. No wonder it’s a fave of local chefs and barbecue-lovers alike.

Not only does Banshee have an outdoor patio with heaters, it also boasts an indoor/outdoor patio situation, in which the garage doors can roll up when the weather is nice. Its eclectic menu, which thankfully continues to include fry bread with pepperoni butter, is offered only on the patios or to-go at the moment; the crew has also added a hot dog cart called Screamin’ Weenies to the offerings, serving up locally made dogs on the patio on Thursday-Saturday at lunch. 

Dining Status: Patio dining (covered and uncovered) is open; takeout and “drive-thru” curbside pickup are also available.

South Louisiana flavors shine throughout the menu at Serpas True Food, where Scott Serpas brings his native cuisine to Atlanta. Grab a seat on the patio and order crab stack with jumbo lump crab meat and fried green tomatoes, or a pork chop with cheddar grits. 

Dining Status: Indoor and outdoor dining are open (request patio in your reservation); takeout is available.

An enclosed patio is always a boon to diners, especially during the South’s unpredictable spring. The menu of Italian American dishes don’t adhere to any particular region, but bring perfectly orchestrated flavor combinations to the table, like Southern fried chicken Parm with pasta corto and cream collards. Pasta is a required order, but don’t sleep on the antipasti section, which ranges from spicy tuna crudo with crispy rice to mussels in Thai-style brodo. 

Dining Status: Indoor and patio seating are open; takeout and delivery are available. 

OK, the General’s food isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind in spring, but now is precisely when to enjoy before the weather gets so humid that you can feel its weight. Pastrami and liver remains the stellar underdog among sandwiches, the matzoh-ball soup can throw shade at New York, and don’t forget about breakfast, where bagels are aplenty but also a Southern touch or two, with items like the pecan French toast. If you’re headed up toward Emory, here’s where to start your day — or enjoy a long patio lunch (and a nap after).

Dining status: Indoor and patio dining are available, as is takeout. The Sandy Springs location is open too, for indoor dining.

All-day dining allows diners to grab a seat on the leafy, park-like patio at this neighborhood restaurant nearly anytime it happens to be pleasant outside. Sit by a stone firepit, or explore the restaurant’s garden, with pastries and coffee at breakfast or a glass of wine at dinner (lunch is coming back soon). Chef Christopher Grossman is offering elegant dishes like English pea agnolotti and blue-crab fritters with meyer lemon aioli; there’s also a kid-friendly menu of garlic bread grilled cheese and crudite with buttermilk ranch. 

Dining Status: Open for indoor and outdoor dining at breakfast and dinner. 

Bold Monk has truly one of the best patios in town, though it’s arguably more than just a patio: It’s a lifestyle. Picnic tables, string lights, and an area for musicians to play live music are all part of the magic. Snack on pots of mussels, pizzas, or other hearty fare that pairs well with Bold Monk’s long list of beers, hot cocktails, and wine.

Dining Status: Indoor and patio are open; takeout is available.

Riccardo Ullio’s homage to the simpler beauties of northern Italy remains a mainstay for good reason, and that reason is the housemate pasta. Classics here get only the most subtle of tweaks: a bit of pancetta in the cacio e pepe; strozzapreti with a quintessential sausage ragu; and of course the tortelli based on Michelangelo’s own recipe, stuffed with chicken, pork and veal. Only thing better would be enjoying them amid the beauty of Inman Park in spring, which you can, in the courtyard.