The Resy Guide to Outdoor Dining in Philadelphia
Some people love the great outdoors; others love a great outdoor meal. For those in the latter camp (with us), dining al fresco is how we mark the return of beautiful weather. It’s a chance to enjoy the breeze over some eggs Benedict, admire the swaying trees while sharing a plate of fries, or simply slow down with a cocktail as the city speeds by on the street.
From a classic Philly sidewalk cafe to secluded leafy gardens with Middle Eastern brunch fare, here are 14 of the best spots in Philadelphia where you can dine outside. And if you want more inspiration, don’t miss our full roster of outdoor options.
Little Nonna’s Midtown Village
Secret garden vibes rule at Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s red-sauce joint right off 13th street in the Gayborhood. You’ll wind through the restaurant to access this twinkling, covered courtyard with seating for 40. In a city full of Italian BYOBs, this one has a full liquor license, so you can sip a negroni or glass of cool Vermentino with your al fresco dinner.
What to order: Reenact “Lady and the Tramp” with spaghetti and meatballs. Save room for a hazelnut cannoli with dark chocolate ganache.
Booker's Restaurant & Bar West Philadelphia
The biggest restaurant on West Philly’s busy Baltimore Avenue comes with a very cute, covered sidewalk section full of dangling paper lanterns and flower pots. A great place for groups, Booker’s is known for American comfort food with a southern flair.
What to order: At brunch, the fried fish and grits stands out, or go lighter with a nice strawberry salad. At dinner, a Creole vegan jambalaya or hot chicken sliders should set you right.
Jansen Mount Airy
Mt. Airy’s hidden gem, Jansen, is known for chef-owner David Jansen’s seasonal, French-leaning cooking. Its large, covered patio only adds to the fine dining charm. Green bistro chairs pair with the colorful plantings that dot the landscaping in this idyllic setting. An all-year destination, the patio is also heated in winter.
What to order: The menu here reflects seasonality and our tastes as the weather changes. For example, winter’s Beef Wellington special gives way to Dover sole with truffle fumé cream for two in the summer. Trust the kitchen and go with whatever is in season.
Cornerstone Bistro Wayne
One of the coolest places to eat in the suburbs, Cornerstone is a restaurant, artisanal market, and wine shop. This one-stop-shop also offers a spacious, lounge-style patio with garden-style landscaping and lots of firepits. They built it during the pandemic for outdoor dining and have kept it going ever since.
What to order: Cornerstone’s owners are all about coastal vibes, so oysters are a focus here (there’s even an oyster happy hour Tuesday to Saturday). With cheese and charcuterie boards, pasta, steaks, and lots of snacky small plates, this menu aims to please.
Vita Rittenhouse Square
Not only is Vita a secret Italian restaurant behind a red fridge door in a gelato shop, it has its own secret garden. This private, tree-covered patio seats 25 and opens up starting in spring. Book this one early; we have tips.
What to order: Get all of the pastas. We know you want to.
Rouge Rittenhouse
Back in the dark days when Philly didn’t have outdoor dining, Rouge broke the mold with an outdoor section right on Rittenhouse Square — perfect for people-watching. That was 1998 and now, our fine city is full of streetside dining. Thanks, Rouge! This American bistro is still going strong with lunch, dinner, and brunch, plus a pretty bar.
What to order: Go for the classics, like the Rouge burger, oysters with Champagne mignonette, and French onion soup.
Stina Pizzeria South Philly
Chef Bobby Saritsoglou’s South Philly BYOB may be best known for its wood-fired pizzas, but there’s so much more to the menu. At the tables in the umbrella-dotted streetery in front of his restaurant (which you can book on Resy), you can sample Mediterranean-inspired dishes like pide (Turkish flatbread) filled with a mix of braised greens, feta, and egg, plus hummus and plenty of housemade za’atar-dusted pita for dipping.
What to order: Don’t skip dessert. Saritsoglou puts his own spin on dense walnut baklava, with cardamom and orange, soaked in local honey.
Le Virtù East Passyunk
Lingering in Le Virtù’s expansive garden set back from E. Passyunk is one of Philly’s greatest experiences. You can sit under cover, in the sunshine, or under a pergola while digging into elegant handmade pasta and sipping hard-to-find Italian wine.
What to order: This restaurant specializes in food from the rugged Abruzzo region of Italy. First-timers should try the maccheroni alla mugnaia (a long, coiled, single-strand of pasta in rotating sauces). Truly, all of the pastas here are delightful, and with chef Andrew Wood at the helm, you won’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
LMNO Fishtown
LMNO feels like a place from another time, another city, maybe even a movie set. The music is just right; the lighting makes you look good. The Starr restaurant serves Baja-style Mexican food in a space with an art gallery, bookstore, listening room, and indoor/outside bar split by a garage door. You can book one of 90 outdoor seats at fun yellow tables on the patio.
What to order: Prickly pear margaritas by the pitcher. Queso fundido with mushrooms, crab guac, fish tacos, and aguachile (shellfish or vegan featuring compressed oyster mushrooms).
Southwark Queen Village
Ever the charmer, Queen Village’s Southwark is that picture perfect restaurant that every neighborhood should have — with high-quality food to boot. Grab a seat on the brick-paved, string-lit, greenery-dotted patio just off the main dining room. Look around: The restaurant grows herbs and other ingredients out there.
What to order: Owner Chris D’Ambro is one of the best chefs in town. Everything on this locally sourced menu is fab, but we always love their pastas. You must try a cocktail or a glass of carefully sourced wine from the bar here, which is one of Philly’s finest.
Bloomsday Headhouse Square
Opened in 2019, Bloomsday is many things: wine shop, prime happy hour destination, neighborhood restaurant, and sidewalk cafe. Tables spill out of the beautifully designed space onto the street in view of historic Headhouse Square. Diners can order from the diverse drink menu, with cocktails, a well-curated wine list, draft beers from some of the East Coast’s finest breweries, and Ploughman cider, made with Pennsylvania apples. The outdoor section is walk-in only, but you can book indoors on Resy to be safe, and ask to sit outside if there’s room.
What to order: For brunch, pastries, or how about a croiffle with “waffled” croissant dough, banana whipped cream, caramel, and sliced banana? At dinner, make a meal out of snacks like the array of Spanish tinned fish, all served with crostini, jammy eggs, and olives.
Harper's Garden Center City
Harper’s Garden is a delightful outdoor oasis tucked among the bustling streets of Center City. Its patio, shaded by a canopy strung with twinkly lights, is a perfect place to take a break. In the winter, the team encloses the space and heats it.
What to order: A cocktail — preferably one made with a locally distilled spirit like Bluecoat gin — paired with a burger, or a cheese board.
Laser Wolf Philadelphia Kensington
Inspired by a shipudiya, or Israeli skewer house, nearly everything on the menu at Laser Wolf is made over the open-fire grill, from the ingredients in the salatim to the impossibly tender guava-marinated chicken shishlik. Reservations are available eight weeks in advance and you can book an indoor table or cute purple table outside of the restaurant.
What to order: The fixed-price menu comes with salatim for the table — little silver bowls of salads that include delights like cauliflower tabbouleh, kale babaganoush, and hummus — plus a choice of grilled skewers of sizzling meat or vegetables, including Romanian beef kebab, eggplant, and whole dorade. Dessert is a simple and perfect soft-serve or sorbet.
Suraya Fishtown
Just steps from bustling Frankford Avenue, Suraya’s secluded backyard garden is one of the loveliest spots in the city. Luckily, you can book a garden table for dinner or a transportive weekend brunch; order a rosewater and lemon-infused spritz or apricot cardamom mimosas to complete the illusion that you’re on vacation somewhere far from Fishtown.
What to order: For a taste of classic Middle Eastern brunch, get ful mudammas. The stew of spiced fava beans comes with poached eggs and a sprinkle of cashew dukkah. And for the table, a basket full of treats from pastry chef James Matty, including a beautiful rose-scented cruller and a green-cardamom kouign-amann.
