Strung with plants and glimmering lights, the skinny brick-walled terrace at Russell House Tavern manages to feel like a secret, though it’s just steps from Harvard Square’s hustle. 14 JFK Street, Cambridge, 617-500-3055, russellhousecambridge.com
Water views of the Boston skyline and a steady stream of 747s overhead make Belle Isle Seafood a perfect spot to take visitors for generous lobster rolls and pints of crisp fried clams. It’s like a Cape escape minus the traffic. 1 Main Street, Winthrop, 617-567-1619, belleisleseafood.com
The patio at Brass Union, overlooking Union Square, hums with mellow pleasure, and the people-watching is prime. Comfort food (grilled cheese and tomato soup, mushroom toast) amplifies the Zen. 70 Union Square, Somerville, 617-623-9211, brassunion.com
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The recently opened replacement for Hamersley’s, Banyan Bar & Refuge in the South End keeps its predecessor’s convivial (and expansive) patio. The Asian gastropub plates come courtesy of Phillip Tang, known for his inventive work at East by Northeast. 553 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-556-4211, banyanboston.com
Locals love Redd’s in Rozzie for its friendly neighborhood atmosphere, its Southern-inflected menu — hush puppies, pulled pork — and its charming patio beneath twinkling lights. 4257 Washington Street, Roslindale, 617-325-1000, reddsinrozzie.com
It’s hard to make a retail complex feel exotic, but the patio at Assembly Row’s River Bar succeeds, with cozy couches, fire pits, unusual dishes like ramen bisque, and even absinthe frappes. 661 Assembly Row, Somerville, 617-616-5561, river-bar.com
Preen away a summer’s day beneath the cherry-red umbrellas on the patio at Cinquecento, a Roman trattoria with an outdoor bar and a suitably buzzy South End scene. 500 Harrison Avenue, Boston, 617-338-9500, cinquecentoboston.com
All of Central Square — from college kids to MIT professors to amiable eccentrics — washes ashore on Naco Taco’s big light-strung patio, reminiscent of those you’d find in Austin. 297 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, 617-945-1548, nacocentral.com
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The convivial deck at KO at the Shipyard in Eastie offers more than just tasty meat pies and sausage rolls. From shrimp on the barbie to Anzac biscuits, it serves an array of treats from down under. 256 Marginal Street #16, East Boston, 617-418-5234, kocateringandpies.com
The handsome sunken patio at B&G Oysters is a swanky South End staple. Bring a date or a best friend to celebrate the season by downing briny East and West Coast oysters by the dozen and sharing a bottle of something dry and bubbly. 550 Tremont Street, Boston, 617-423-0550, bandgoysters.com
Trade’s sidewalk patio has two major assets: A covetable Greenway location within strolling distance of the Seaport and the Financial District, plus Jody Adams’s exceptional global cuisine. 540 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 617-451-1234, trade-boston.com
For more than 50 years, Tony’s Clam Shop on Wollaston Beach has served up a vast array of fried seafood, sandwiches, salads, and Mediterranean specialties like tabbouleh. For a grown-up treat at this family-friendly spot, try one of the frozen specialty cocktails. 861 Quincy Shore Drive, Quincy, 617-773-5090, tonysclamshop.com
On Eastern Standard’s covered front patio, the mood is bouncy, the service chummy, the drinks strong, and the hours late. And unlike at nearby Fenway Park, everyone always wins. 528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, 617-532-9100, easternstandardboston.com
Dante, an Italian jewel wedged inside the quiet Royal Sonesta hotel near Kendall Square, offers a pleasant surprise: alfresco tables overlooking the Charles River and the Boston skyline. 40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard, Cambridge, 617-497-4200, restaurantdante.com
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When relaxing on Oleana’s herb-filled secret garden-like patio, everyone appears bathed in a hazy, glamorous glow, and Cambridge seems galaxies away. Ana Sortun’s spinach falafel ain’t bad, either. 134 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, 617-661-0505, oleanarestaurant.com
The urban oasis of Ashmont Grill’s patio in Peabody Square is the place to indulge in carnivorous cravings like juicy pasture-raised burgers and smoky ribs. Top it off with a slice of frozen Key lime pie and you might just think you’re on vacation. 555 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester, 617- 825-4300, ashmontgrill.com
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