The Resy Guide to Outdoor Dining in Los Angeles

For an only-in-L.A. experience complete with skyline views and pitch-perfect Peruvian fare, check out this downtown rooftop destination. From Stephanie Izard, the chef behind Chicago transplant Girl & the Goat, this restaurant and bar atop the Hoxton Hotel is ideal for a first date, festive birthday dinner, or just a casual weeknight meal. Go for plates of smoky, wood-fired lomo saltado (a Peruvian steak specialty), creamy queso dip, and bright salmon ceviche amid the sunset views. Wash it all down with plentiful Pisco Sours or signatures like the L.A. Dreamin’ (tequila, pomegranate, and ginger) as you plan your next international getaway.

The award-winning cocktail bar that helped popularize Italian aperitivo culture in New York made the jump to California last year, bringing its Amalfi-inspired vibes all the way to a chic landing pad in Beverly Hills. The indoor-outdoor setup atop the Maybourne Beverly Hills hotel specialized in spritzes, among other aperitivo drinks, plus a martini happy hour every day between 3-5 p.m. Enjoy wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, and Mediterranean-leaning starters like sugar snap pea and halloumi salad as you relax on their swanky rooftop patio.

This new Highland Park spinoff off the perpetually packed West Adams all-day cafe expands with a full dinner menu and cocktails, to boot. The lush and spacious backyard patio is worth a trip alone, but luckily, the food is equally delightful. The dinner menu boasts everything from pappardelle Bolognese to steak au poivre to veggie-friendly butternut lumache; while daytime hits include the maitake tahini toast, a cheekly-named Bodega Sando, and chilaquiles. Time your visit to a sunny day and pair it with a frozen piña colada, and you just might stay through dinner. 

If you can’t swing a trip to Mykonos or St. Tropez, head to this Santa Monica gem for a taste of the good life without the 13-hour flight. With a sun-soaked patio complete with string lighting, comfy sofas, and vintage-inspired umbrellas straight out of a Sardinian cafe, you’ll want to linger over shared mezze like Calabrian chili prawns, baba ganoush, and nas-o-musir (Persian yogurt dip). Cocktails with names like the Amalfi Spritz (sparkling wine, cucumber-basil cordial, and Italicus Bergamotto) or the Formentera (tequila reposado, roasted coconut, espresso liqueur) drive the theme all the way home. 

Treat this vibey downtown spot as your new Arts District living room: the 4000-square-foot indoor-outdoor space is big enough for your whole crew, but also perfect for a leisurely afternoon sipping wine and eating oysters with just two or three friends as well. The menu changes seasonally but features classics like a burger and fries, French onion short rib, escargot, and a country pâté. The wine list is the main event, though, featuring some 80 rotating bottles, largely biodynamic, as well as many wines by the glass. Come for a casual hang and linger a while; there’s plenty of room to sprawl. 

For an easy, breezy outdoor dining experience in Los Feliz, brush past the usual line outside of All Time and head to Nossa, just down the street on Hillhurst Ave. For 15 years, John Borghetti has operated some version of a Brazilian restaurant in this space, but in 2022, he and son Xandre partnered with the hitmakers behind spots like Found Oyster and Queen Street, and turned the menu over to chef Rory Cameron. Bright, fresh, plates of crudo and ceviche, a superlative rendition of pão de queijo (aka Brazilian cheese bread), and expertly made steaks are the delicious result. Open for dinner only, their outdoor sidewalk patio is complete with umbrellas for sunny days and heat lamps for sipping caipirinhas on chilly nights.

This festive spot from Boston sails into the Sunset Strip in 2023, bringing shellfish towers, smoked fish, and its famed fried lobster with waffles and spicy maple syrup. There’s an impressive list of tinned fish and wine to pair, plus desserts from cult bakery Sweet Boy. While the interior has a sleek nautical theme, a spacious screened patio out front is the perfect place to people watch along a prime piece of Strip real estate.

A paved tunnel opens into an olive tree-lined courtyard at this romantic Fairfax hideaway. Marble staircases overlooking the patio below, private gazebos, and a fireplace lounge set the mood, while the wide-ranging, crowd-pleasing menu drives it home further. Expect bright salads, hand-cut pastas, seafood and a half-dozen or so specialty steaks; along with an extensive craft cocktail list and brunch on weekends. 

This West side charmer, located in one of the oldest buildings in Venice, serves a refreshing mix of Italian-leaning small plates and fresh pasta, plus a few heavy hitters like chicken parm with burrata and boquerones. The spacious patio in front, adorned with heat lamps for chilly Venice evenings, is the ideal place to enjoy a glass of wine (broken into categories like “textured whites” and “natty and playful”), cocktail, or one of the extensive amari options.

With influences from its owners’ combined French, Italian, and Argentinian roots, Bianca, a combined bakery and restaurant in Culver City’s Platform complex, boasts a breezy plant and citrus tree-filled patio. During the day, pick up a chocolate croissant, alfajores, or a sandwich to nibble on outside, and at night, settle in for rigatoni alla Bolognese and wood-fired seafood and meat. Keep an eye out for seasonal specials and a rotating dessert menu with treats like apple crêpes flambéed in armagnac.

In the bustling heart of Hollywood, this latest iteration of the beloved bakery and chain (with locations in Venice, Pasadena, and North Hollywood) is set back from the hectic rush of Sunset Boulevard in the iconic former Cat and Fiddle Space. Enter through a fruit tree-lined archway and make your way to a lush private courtyard (rumored to have been used as a location for Casablanca), the ideal space to settle in with an expansive crowd-pleasing menu. Don’t miss their signature artisan breads with creamy dips such as charred eggplant with saba and pine nuts, fresh cheese drizzled with honey and salsa macha, or smoked trout spread with pickled onion and roe. 

Momofuku chef and personality David Chang has a knack for creating menus that are as bold and enjoyable as his on-screen presence. His flagship L.A. restaurant in an industrial stretch near Chinatown has a large enclosed courtyard patio made cozy with string lights and ample shade. It’s an airy space to enjoy Korean and Chinese-inflected dishes that are fun, festive, and fit for a group looking for a big night out. Start with the bing — round flatbreads served with cave-aged butter and caviar — before moving onto mains like a smoked pork shoulder bo ssam with rice and Bibb lettuce to make dinner feel like a party.

This pandemic-pivot-turned-permanent-fixture in a strip mall in Silver Lake (formerly Freedman’s) serves some of the city’s juiciest souvlaki along with fresh pitas, hummus, and pickled vegetables. The food and cocktails can be enjoyed in the parking lot-turned tented patio in front of the building. Diners are completely closed off from the chaos of Sunset Blvd, while the blue-and-white palette is nearly as transportive as Mykonos in the summertime.

Nearly eight years in, Zach Pollock’s Silver Lake spot continues to please, thanks to the James Beard Award-nominated chef’s dexterity with Italian flavors. His signature chicken liver crostone with housemade bread and seasonal mostarda, which comes smeared on rustic earthenware, is both art and food. The restaurant’s patio stretches out along the wide sidewalk of Silver Lake Boulevard, giving it a buzzy, convivial vibe perfect for the neighborhood.

Husband and wife team Chris Lucchese and Christy Lindgren Lucchese own and operate this Glassell Park wine shop and bar, where the enclosed tree-lined patio is as transportive as the European-leaning wine list. In addition to a selection of cheeses and charcuterie, seasonal plates like heirloom tomatoes and burrata, homemade pasta Bolognese, and duck breast with German potato salad are also available.

This pandemic pop-up planted roots in Downtown L.A.’s Arts District and is now a destination for its crisp-edged pan pizzas. The space has charm to spare, decorated in the style of a chic Italian grandma, and the sprawling, tree-lined backyard patio is as welcoming as the service. The white pizza, with Japanese sweet potato, fennel, pesto, and mozzarella is a must-order, and the beverage list features Italian-influenced cocktails, zero-proof offerings, and an extensive selection of naturally-minded, organic, and biodynamic wines.

When in Echo Park, grab a seat on the sidewalk patio at this Roman-inspired trattoria, where chef Joel Stovall (Orsa and Winston) dishes out elegantly thin arugula and speck pizza, sunchokes tossed with dates, sunflower seeds, and za’atar, and perfectly al dente rigatoni all’amatriciana rich with guanciale. Despite constructing their covered outdoor dining area in a former parking zone on busy Echo Park Avenue, Bacetti succeeds in creating an intimate experience in the heart of a bustling neighborhood.

Sustainability is the word at farm-to-table legend Alice Waters’ restaurant in Westwood’s Hammer Museum. That means a daily-changing prix fixe menu from Chez Panisse alum David Tanis, served on reclaimed and reused wood tables, beneath a vibrant installation from artist Jorge Pardo. Come for a leisurely lunch —  nothing beats relaxing into a set menu on a sun-drenched afternoon while surrounded by priceless works of modern art.

The 11,000-square-foot rooftop above the restaurant/bar/nightclub juggernaut that is Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood boasts one of the most glittery views in town. The focus up here is on drinks — and cocktails on tap, such as the Midnight Vultures, with mezcal, Ancho Reyes Verde, Campari, prickly pear, cilantro, and lime juice — make the rooftop a place you’ll want to camp out. A limited, playfully modern menu of Italian snacks from chef Monty Koludrovic is available for those feeling peckish, but take note that the full dinner menu is available inside only.

This Aussie cafe has a something-for-everyone approach and an easygoing all-day menu. With locations in Venice and Larchmont Village, the bright space offers cheerful patio dining, with a sprawling menu featuring everything from cashew milk lattes to salads, poke bowls, fried chicken sandwiches, burgers, wood-fired pizzas, and more.

The Fashion District’s most, well, fashionable restaurant sits perched in the middle of City Market South, a large commercial complex and pedestrian thoroughfare, allowing for ample sidewalk and patio seating. The lush tropical-themed decor and a broad Latin-inspired menu pair perfectly with the festive ambiance. Try the seafood tostadas, crispy pork shank, and a mezcal cocktail (or two) to enhance the vacation-like vibe.

A restaurant that also refers to itself as a “cheesery” is reason enough to visit this Pasadena spot. In the front, Agnes is, in fact, a cute storefront to shop for cheese and other gourmet goods. But continue walking through the vibrant dining room, alongside the open kitchen, and through the back. There, a lovely, quiet, private patio awaits, along with an extensive menu of playful regional American dishes like “lamburger helper” (lamb Bolognese on housemade pasta) and brisket pot roast.

The 5,000-square-foot tropical plant-filled patio at chef Wes Avila’s new Hollywood eatery is a perfectly transportive haven in which to enjoy a menu that focuses on flavors from the Yucatan Peninsula. Passion fruit, guava, or mango-infused margaritas accompany vibrant fresh ceviche, Baja-style fish tacos, and a smoky lamb neck barbacoa. The ingredients are all locally sourced, but the ambiance will have you thinking you’re traveling the Mayan Riviera in no time flat.

A West Adams favorite for chef Keith Corbin’s all-day comfort food menu, Alta Adams is also a destination for its perpetually welcoming vibe, which extends to the large back patio. The space is private and enclosed, with heat lamps for year-round coziness, which matches the mood on the menu, thanks to black-eyed pea fritters, house-smoked brisket with apple barbecue sauce, and braised oxtails and rice.

Prolific Mexican chef Enrique Olvera (Pujol in Mexico City; Cosme and Alta in New York) brings his sophisticated perspective to Downtown L.A. The menu is filled with innovative Mexican fare, such as duck al pastor and octopus huaraches, made, of course, with fresh California ingredients. The chic, minimalist design makes its way into the stunning enclosed patio in the back, which feels a world apart from the restaurant’s industrial surroundings.

A verdant outdoor oasis tucked in the middle of Silver Lake, De Buena Planta offers the same organic margaritas and even more of the plant-forward Mexican flavors that made the original in Venice so popular. Chile oil-topped guacamole, mushroom pastor tacos and a platter of nachos covered in pecan-based chorizo are some of the meat-free favorites. Weekend brunch includes live music, spicy bloody Marys, and Mexican fruit bowls with coconut dulce de leche, while a speakeasy-style bar in the back pours mezcal and tequila-heavy cocktails.

Stephanie Izard’s buzzy L.A. outpost of her Chicago flagship is a hit thanks to Izard’s bright, produce-driven dishes, served in a bright, lofty industrial Arts District space.  The restaurant’s verdant patio, bedecked with hanging lights and zippy green chairs, has an allure all its own. With brunch and a full vegan menu available, this is a crowd-pleaser for diners of all stripes.

This old-world Neapolitan pizzeria, which originally opened in Naples, Italy 152 years ago, is situated in a 3,000-square foot space in Hollywood with two separate patios, as well as a sprawling garden dining area. The soupy-centered pies come in both traditional (Margherita) and more newfangeld (burrata with eggplant) forms, and a full cocktail menu complements the carbs. The space is the perfect blend of Italy-meets-California, with stone ovens to boot. More info here.

This earthy Silver Lake favorite celebrated six years in business earlier this year. It has thrived thanks to its groovy naturalist vibe and private, enclosed back patio. With new chef Alex Barkley in tow, the menu brings Mt. Lassen trout gravlax, chicken Marbella brimming with capers and olives, and charred baby fava beans to the table. The tented patio also got extended along the side of the building, providing an abundance of comfortable outdoor seating.

Not only is the patio at Frogtown’s Sonoran-style Mexican restaurant large, it is in essence the entire restaurant — and that’s what makes a meal at Salazar so great. Aside from the kitchen and a small indoor bar area, the seating sprawls out over a lovely gravel-lined dining area. Even better, the restaurant recently brought on chef Esteban Lluis, who previously worked with Gabriela Camara at Cala in San Francisco. Here, he shares his talent with dishes like grilled oysters with guajillo chile butter and pork belly tacos on house-made flour tortillas with green pipian and cactus salad.

Behind an unassuming doorway on 3rd Street, an outdoor staircase leads guests up to a rooftop that feels like a tropical vacation in the heart of the Arts District. A spinoff of the original Terraza Cha Cha Chá in Mexico City, this plant-filled, 11,600-square foot space is almost entirely outdoors. The scenic patio centers around a cocktail bar where bartenders shake bright, fruity drinks to upbeat music. Snack on tuna tostadas, shrimp ceviche, and carnitas and soak up the party-time vibes. More info here.

The Pine and Crane team has opened a third location Downtown, following their original in Silver Lake and spinoff Joy in Highland Park. In addition to longtime favorites like the thousand layer pancakes, dan dan noodles, beef rolls, and dumplings, the newest location serves Taiwanese breakfast (think purple rice fan tuan and savory soy milk soup with pork floss), lunch, and dinner. Reservations are available for large groups; everyone else can order at the counter and grab a seat on the sprawling patio.