The Resy Guide to Boston’s Most Notable Outdoor Patios

Undoubtedly a factor in the little Greek restaurant’s wild popularity—to recap, reservations are accepted one day in advance—is its prime position on a corner of Union Park. There, amid cobblestones, leafy trees and 19th century brownstones, sits Kava’s enviable patio, which provides a front-row seat to one of the city’s most picturesque neighborhoods while you enjoy lamb meatballs and grilled octopus.

If Boston weather is anything, it’s unpredictable. Which is why it helps that Salty Pig and SRV sibling Gufo features a heated, enclosed patio with both open-air and covered seating. Either’s the kind of place where you might wish to linger over broccoli Caesar salad or a plate of squid ink bucatini with baby clams.

Barra strives to give diners the feeling of eating and drinking at a contemporary bar in Mexico City. While its intimate backyard patio is nestled between a few Somerville triple-deckers, you still may feel transported to the Mexican capital by virtue of its grasshopper-garnished mezcal margaritas, tuna tostadas, and slow-cooked cochinita pibil.

You really can’t be open on Newbury Street without a patio, and the buzziest restaurant to open up along the shopping stretch in some time is no exception to the rule. Faccia a Faccia’s outdoor dining turns its corner of Back Bay into a Mediterranean paradise with ample flora and trellised vines, not to mention such coastal Italian delights as Maine lobster spaghetti in a saffron tomato sauce or grilled octopus with black rice and guanciale.

A city street corner, steel patio furniture and an abundance of cured meats. Coppa’s patio situation sounds like a scene straight out of The Sopranos, albeit one where Tony and the crew commiserate over hamachi crudo and meatballs until the soppressata pizza and spaghetti carbonara with uni arrives (presuming they’ve made a Resy, of course).

Because beer gardens shouldn’t be limited to Oktoberfest, we humbly submit the example of Union Square’s Bronwyn. The longtime German restaurant and beer hall operates a small-but-mighty outdoor dining pavilion, ideal for sampling many pints of Weinstephaner and a plate of shredded potato pancakes with horseradish cream or red wine-braised sauerbraten with red cabbage and bacon in black cherry barbecue sauce.

It’s a fine spring or summer’s day in Boston. And you want a lobster roll. Naturally, you may find yourself drifting to Saltie Girl, whose sunken patio occupies nearly a half-block of prime Newbury Street real estate and excels in fried Ipswich clams, octopus empanadas and tuna carpaccio in addition to said crustacean sandwich.

Shy Bird’s Southie location features a generous patio spread with umbrellas, planters and strung lights aplenty. We suspect that it may become the backdrop to many a mid-summer night marked by fried chicken sandwiches slathered with pecorino ranch, hot and sour wings and half or whole rotisserie birds with chipotle barbecue or honey mustard dipping sauces on the side. Bonus: The patio is located directly beside Castle Island Brewing for a pre or post-dinner beer.

Sure, it’s right there in the name, but it’s worth repeating: the yacht-y Eastie seafood restaurant has a front-row seat to the Boston skyline, and the views are never better than on its expansive patio. Enjoy the sights across the harbor, but don’t forget to take in the equally awe-inspiring vista of a grand shellfish tower stacked with a dozen oysters, shrimp cocktail, clam ceviche, calamari salad and a one-and-a-half-pound lobster.

Located at the other end of the harbor is Woods Hill Pier 4, whose patio presides over views of the Financial District, Charlestown, and East Boston. Take it all in after your server takes an order for red wine-glazed crispy lamb ribs, followed by housemade taglioni with clams and nduja crumbs or scallop a la plancha with shaved pancetta and whipped parsnips.