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Best Boston Outdoor Dining


Enjoy dining al fresco?  Let yourself be romanced by the sidewalk sounds of a big city or pampered by the peacefulness of a patio garden. Flock to the terrace, deck or boulevard table and share a bite, under the sun, an oversized patio umbrella or the stars. Be it a brunch in the breeze, sunset supper or long lunch, all of it tastes best outside. Visit a few of these top airy hot spots for the best outdoor dining in Boston.


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B&G Oysters Ltd. Seafood
13/20
550 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116
617-423-0550
Pint-sized and overpriced, yet otherwise a prize, is B&G Oysters, top toque Barbara Lynch's South End raw bar. More...

The Barking Crab Seafood
Quick Bite
Dining Room at The Barking Crab, Boston, MA 88 Sleeper St.
Boston, MA 02210
617-426-2722
The Barking Crab gives you an eyeful of the skyscraper-lined harbor and a feel for the shoreline. More...

Casa Romero Mexican
13/20
30 Gloucester St.
Boston, MA 02115
617-536-4341
Steps from Newbury Street, exuberant yet elegant Casa Romero emanates the aura of a Mexico City supper club. More...

Chillingsworth French
16/20
Dining Room at Chillingsworth, Brewster, MA Chillingsworth Foster Estate
2449 Main St.
Brewster, MA 02631
508-896-3640
Cape Cod antique charmer serving sumptuous French and Contemporary cuisine. More...

dante Mediterranean
13/20
Dining Room at dante, Cambridge, MA Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston
40 Edwin H. Land Blvd.
Cambridge, MA 02142
617-497-4200
The ambitious scope of this contemporary Med eatery goes to show Dante de Magistris has chutzpah to match his talent. More...

Eastern Standard Brasserie
14/20
Hotel Commonwealth
528 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
617-532-9100
This Kenmore Square brasserie channels jazz-age Paris via present-day Manhattan, with a menu that redefines retro cuisine for the post-millennium. More...

Gaslight, Brasserie du Coin Brasserie
13/20
Dining Room at Gaslight, Brasserie du Coin, Boston, MA 560 Harrison Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
617-422-0224
True to its name, Aquitaine’s sibling is indeed lighting up Harrison Avenue with its classic brasserie bustle. More...

Hamersley's Bistro French
15/20
Dining Room at Hamersley 533 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02116
617-423-2700
Local treasure Gordon Hamersley's famed bistro is a case study in the transformation from small wonder to major player. More...

Harvest Contemporary
14/20
Dining Room at Harvest, Cambridge, MA 44 Brattle St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-868-2255
At once stalwart and stylish, Harvest continues to mesmerize by chanting the local and seasonal mantra. More...

Oleana Mediterranean
15/20
Dining Room at Oleana, Cambridge, MA 134 Hampshire St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-661-0505
Handsomely showcased at her Cambridge eatery, the exotic flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean prove Ana Sortun's forte. More...

OM Restaurant & Lounge Fusion
13/20
92 Winthrop St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-576-2800
Even hardcore downtowners frequent this lavish yet somehow tasteful fusion nightspot in Harvard Square. More...

Orinoco: A Latin Kitchen Venezuelan
13/20
477 Shawmut Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
617-369-7075
Inspired by the Venezuelan roadside cafés called "taguaritas," this small but utterly adorable South Ender inspires us to return, and frequently. More...

Parish Café American
13/20
361 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
617-247-4777
Thanks to a menu that boasts the creations of chefs and bartenders citywide, this Back Bay café is enduringly popular. More...

POPS Contemporary
13/20
560 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02118
617-695-1250
Felino Samson’s quirky South End restaurant indeed pops---but also snaps, crackles and hops. More...

Rocca Italian
12/20
Dining Room at Rocca, Boston, MA 500 Harrison Ave.
Boston, MA 02118
617-451-5151
Blu’s sibling introduces the coastal cuisine of Liguria to the South End. More...

Stephanie's on Newbury Contemporary
12/20
Dining Room at Stephanie 190 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116
617-236-0990
Stephanie's tried-and-true formula---beautiful people eating comfort food---has yet to go wrong. More...

Taberna de Haro Spanish
14/20
999 Beacon St.
Brookline, MA 02446
617-277-8272
This intimate tapas bar would fit just as well in Madrid as it does in its current home: leafy, suburban Brookline. More...

33 Restaurant & Lounge Contemporary
12/20
Dining Room at 33 Restaurant & Lounge, Boston, MA 33 Stanhope St.
Boston, MA 02116
617-572-3311
The cuisine at 33 is passable; the atmosphere trumps the food. More...

Toro Spanish
15/20
1704 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02118
617-536-4300
Noise, attitude, and tasty food are the hallmarks of Ken Oringer's destination tapas bar. More...

Via Matta Italian
14/20
79 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
617-422-0008
Via Matta does “cucina italiana” in its own crazy way. More...

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