Al fresco dining … Visit Boston’s most beautiful outdoor patios

Celina Colby

Celina Colby is an arts and travel reporter with a fondness for Russian novels.... VIEW BIO

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As September nears, threatening the return of school, traffic and Q4 quotas, make the most of the last few weeks of August at these scenic outdoor patios around Boston. Nothing transports you away from deadlines quite like an Aperol spritz on an Amalfi coast-themed rooftop or a dozen oysters overlooking the Boston Harbor.

Mida

65 Lewis St., East Boston
This waterfront restaurant in East Boston, one of four in chef Douglass Williams’ Italian empire, offers stunning views of the Boston skyline along with heaping plates of house-made pasta and crispy pizzas.

Porto — a perfect setting for al fresco dining.
PHOTO: CELINA COLBY

Porto

Ring Road, Boston
Transport yourself to the Amalfi Coast at this lemon-lined, Italian-inspired patio in Back Bay by A Street Hospitality. There are plenty of authentic pastas and crudos and Porto is debuting a new menu item, the D. O. T. Tower for Two, featuring two dirty martinis, a dozen oysters and truffle fries. It’s like an upgraded girl dinner under the stars.

ZaziBar

60 Seaport Blvd. Atrium, Boston
This vibrant Seaport spot from the team behind ZaZ Restaurant in Hyde Park boasts an expansive outdoor patio in the heart of Boston’s newest neighborhood. Sip innovative tropical cocktails and order from the Caribbean-inspired menu just a block away from the ocean.

dbar

1236 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester
This Dorchester hotspot has and does it all. Restaurant by day and club by night, dBar has a creative outdoor patio where you can sit in a graffitied industrial container. Enjoy the inventive chandelier and cool breeze outside with comfort food and cocktails.

Petit Robert

480 Columbus Ave., Boston
This bistro’s front patio looks like it was plucked straight from the streets of Paris. Part of the South End for nearly 20 years, Petit Robert is a place you can have a romantic meal or people watch with great cocktails and authentic French cuisine.

Mare Oyster Bar

3 Mechanic St., Boston
True patios, which don’t involve bulky traffic barriers and honking horns, are rare in the North End and Mare Oyster Bar has one of the best. Tucked off the beaten path of Hanover Street, this intimate patio has couches and fire pits that allow the outdoor dining season to extend into the fall.

Oleana

134 Hampshire St., Cambridge
The dreamy back patio at this Mediterranean restaurant feels removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. Surrounded by greenery, sip a good wine for a perfect date night or catch up with friends.