Angelenos know the best season for al fresco dining is the one they’re in, but there’s nothing quite like sharing a bottle of crisp Muscadet and bowl of moules frites under the stars in the summertime. Whether you’ve got a taste for fine French fare or a hankering for something a little more south of the border, we’ve rounded up our favorite L.A. restaurant patios just in time for the dog days of summer.
We can’t decide what we love more about this West Hollywood hotspot—its picturesque patio or savory sweet potato flautas. Studded with 100-year-old olive trees, the sprawling patio of this plant-based Mexican restaurant on Melrose will instantly transport you to a secret garden in Tulum, while the towering outdoor fireplace will give you a worthy excuse to come back and curl up with a margarita when the weather cools down.
Silverlake has seen an influx of new shops and restaurants over the last few years, but Cafe Stella has been serving up consistently delicious French fare in one of the city’s most charming settings long before Intelligentsia hit the scene next door. Maybe it’s the cool surf music pouring out of the restaurant’s cozy, wood-paneled wine bar, or the glowing string lights hanging overhead, but there is something quintessentially “L.A.” about the patio of this eastside mainstay, despite the obvious Left Bank vibe.
Housed in two charming, historic bungalows, the garden patio of this Los Feliz gem is a delightful amalgamation of mismatched chairs, meandering brick pathways, and creatives looking for their next caffeine fix. The menu is as diverse as the clientele, with a mix of wraps, salads, burgers, and brunch specialties. Brunch is the undisputed favorite here, but if you’re looking to beat the morning rush—and the heat—we suggest visiting for an early dinner and grabbing a seat on the restaurant’s trademark, twinkle-lit patio.
Thirty-seven years old and still going strong thanks to the recent addition of up-and-coming chef Miles Thompson, Michael’s is something of a Santa Monica institution. Having shepherded the careers of some of L.A.’s most revered chefs over the last few decades, its biggest draw—in addition to the stellar new menu, of course—is the lush outdoor patio, where a variety of plants, trees, and twinkle lights create an indisputably romantic atmosphere ideal for enjoying Thompson’s inspired, market-driven dishes.
