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The 2019 guide to Boston beer gardens

A rendering of the City Winery on the Greenway.Handout via City Winery Boston

As temperatures climb in the Boston area, it’s easy to begin yearning for the days where it’s warm enough to grab a cold drink and soak in the sunshine. Several breweries have announced plans to launch open-air beer gardens — and, in one case, even a wine garden. Here’s a roundup of what’s coming to Boston during the spring and summer.

Trillium Garden on the Greenway

Trillium Garden on the Greenway.Handout via Trillium

After two successful years, craft brewery darling Trillium announced that it would be back for yet another year at its beer garden location on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, situated across from Rowes Wharf.

“Excited to announce that we’ll be returning for our third season on the Rose Kennedy Greenway!” an April 4 e-mail from the company said. “We’re still ironing out the exact opening date, but follow our newly relaunched @TrilliumGrnwy accounts on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook to hear updates on when we’ll be hitting the corner of Atlantic and High.”

The beer garden, which is part of a partnership with the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, is dog-friendly, allows in outside food, and has portable toilets available. (Food trucks are also known to flock to the area.)

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This season’s highlights will include new signature lagers, as well as rotating “Fresh Press” selections, which will feature Trillium Wild Ale combined with fresh-pressed juices, like cucumber and pear, strawberry and watermelon, and watermelon and mint. Wine will also be on the menu courtesy of Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery.

Wildly popular, with near-cult status among local beer lovers, Trillium sells nearly all of its beer directly to consumers, rather than through stores or bars.

The company also recently announced a big expansion plan that will take it to new locations in Canton and the Fenway.

The hours of operation this summer will be: Wednesday through Friday, 2 to 10 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.

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Opening date: Thursday, May 16

Brewer’s Alley at Rowes Wharf

The Boston Harbor Hotel. GLOBE STAFF/FILE

Starting in late May, the Boston Harbor Hotel is hosting pop-up beer gardens featuring a revolving cast of local breweries. Those include Devil’s Purse (May 23 through June 19), Jack’s Abbey (June 20 through July 17), Night Shift (July 18 through Aug. 21), and Lord Hobo (Aug. 22 through Sept. 25).

The final pop-up, Sept. 25 through Oct. 26, will be Oktoberfest-themed, and will feature autumnal brews from eight different New England breweries.

Brewer’s Alley will be open seven days a week, weather permitting, from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 12 to 10 p.m. on Saturdays; and 12 to 8 p.m. on Sundays. It will have seating for about 100 people, organizers said.

The beer garden will be located outside of Rowes Wharf Bar (which is inside the hotel), in the alley connecting Atlantic Avenue and Boston Harbor. (Helpful navigational hint: If you’re looking at the arch from Atlantic Avenue, that’ll be the first alleyway on the right.)

Opening date: May 23

City Winery on the Greenway

For those who aren’t into lagers and IPAs, fear not: There’s a place for wine lovers, too.

City Winery Boston announced Wednesday that they are opening the city’s first outdoor “wine garden” in May through October, in partnership with the Greenway Conservancy.

Dubbed the City Winery on the Greenway, the wine garden will be located across from South Station on Dewey Square, and will offer a variety of reds, whites, and rosés on tap.

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The winery is also partnering with Harpoon to offer craft beer and cider, and there will be a Mediterranean-inspired menu of charcuterie, cheeses, olives, and nuts.

The wine garden will be open Wednesday and Fridays from 3:30 to 10 p.m.; Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m.; and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., organizers said.

“City Winery on The Greenway will evoke the romance of being in wine country with a warm and inviting décor, using wood and actual wine barrels, and creating an ambiance for everyone to enjoy during the warmer months in Boston,” organizers said in a statement.

City Winery Boston opened a fully functioning winery, restaurant/bar, music venue, and private event space at 80 Beverly St., steps from TD Garden.

Opening date: May 3

The Patios on Boston City Hall Plaza

Boston Garden Development Corp.

After debuting The Patios in 2018, the city of Boston is bringing back the beer garden scene this spring, reopening the outdoor space on May 2.

Wachusett Brewing Company will return to the plaza with an Airstream trailer to offer pints on The Patios, pouring Monday through Thursday beginning at 4 p.m., Friday through Sunday at noon, according to a statement from the city. Wachusett will have eight beers on draft — including the popular blueberry-flavored beer and the Wally New England IPA series — as well as Nauti hard seltzers and locally-based Archer Roose wines.

Plus, new this year: Wachusett will be serving a margarita, and will also debut a hard cider.

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In addition to the drinks, The Patios will offer locally sourced food options and a late-night food truck program; grills on a first-come, first-served basis on Sundays; multiple power outlets and Wi-Fi; and, of course, the return of the puppies on “Wag Wednesdays.”

Opening date: May 2 at 5 p.m.

Night Shift’s Owl’s Nests

Courtesy photo

Last year, Everett-based Night Shift Brewing opened two beer gardens along the Charles River: One on the Esplanade (between the Hatch Shell and Storrow Lagoon), and one in Brighton at Herter Park.

A representative for the brewery confirmed to the Globe Wednesday that Night Shift plans to reopen both locations this summer, and said that both locations are expected to open on May 4.

The beer gardens offer both craft beer and wine, some outdoor seating options, bathroom stations, and killer views of the Charles River. They are also dog-friendly, and outdoor food is allowed — plus, food trucks are known to regularly swing by.

Opening date: May 4

Cisco’s Island Vibes in the Seaport

Handout via Cisco

Nantucket’s Cisco Brewers are bringing their pop-up beer garden back to the Seaport in mid-May, according to a statement sent to the Globe’s Kara Baskin.

Located at 65 Northern Avenue next to District Hall, the space will be larger this year, with two additional bars that will feature several Cisco beers and Nantucket Vineyard wine-based cocktails inspired by Triple Eight Distillery.

There will also be seafood and tacos from South Boston’s popular Loco Taqueria & Oyster Bar, lobster, crab, and shrimp rolls from Luke’s Lobster, and pizza from Flatbread Brighton.

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Kids and dogs are also welcome.

“Our experience on Nantucket is all about decompressing, letting your guard down and enjoying the island lifestyle with music, friends, food, family, dogs and drinks. We are excited to bring it back to Boston Seaport for a second season,” said Jay Harman, CEO of Cisco Brewers, in the statement.

The Cisco pop-up will be open six days a week, Tuesday through Sunday: 4-11 p.m. on weekdays, and 12-11 p.m. on weekends. (It will also be open on holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day.) It opens in mid-May, and will run through mid-October.

Opening date: May 15, 4 p.m.

The Anchor Boston in Charlestown’s Navy Yard

The Anchor Boston the Charlestown Navy Yard.THE ANTHEM GROUP

The Anchor Boston, situated in the Charlestown Navy Yard, is a bit different from its beer garden brethren: It uses a portion of its proceeds to fund free educational and entertainment programs in the surrounding community.

The BPDA granted The Anthem Group a six-month permit to operate the Anchor, which sits in an old park between the MGH Institute of Health Professions and the Flagship Wharf luxury residential complex, reports the Globe’s Larry Edelman. (Boston-based Anthem’s proposal was one of three plans picked by the authority for its effort to open up the Navy Yard and waterfront during the summer.)

“The Anchor is Boston’s only two-story public gathering space and open-air wine and beer garden, nestled just 20 feet from the oceanfront inside of beautiful Shipyard Park,” organizers wrote on its Facebook page.

The Anchor offers a “finely curated collection of local and international brews” (basically meaning it doesn’t feature the beers of one craft brewer, but instead rotates its selection), as well as wines, sangria, and bubbly beverages. Espresso, coffees, teas, lemonades, and other drinks are also available.

Opening date: mid-May


Know of a beer garden opening in Boston this spring or summer? E-mail tips to jaclyn.reiss@globe.com.