![Guests enjoy a meal on the outdoor patio space at Le Great Outdoor.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7c5ddab/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6720x4480+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4c%2F1a%2Fe514b3e24efea4ef48c2713d51fb%2F1462880-fo-outdoor-dining-poi-le-great-outdoor-016.jpg)
20 of the most picturesque restaurant patios in Los Angeles
A certain magic sweeps over Los Angeles during the summer. With the days long, sunny and warm, we’re beckoned to bask outside, whether that’s on a sandy shore, a hilly park or by meandering through our local farmers markets.
For a few months, our usually brisk evenings turn balmy and breezy. Restaurant patios serve as scenic gathering spots with string lights, flickering tea candles and abundant greenery. Menus shift to showcase seasonal stone fruits, buttery corn on the cob and a rainbow of tomato varieties.
Alfresco dining emerged as a necessity during the pandemic, and many of the sidewalk and parking lot patios that debuted during that time are now permanent fixtures. As new restaurants open around the city, some are betting hard on our trademark sunshine by being entirely outdoors. You can sip on global wines paired with Spanish tapas as you watch the sunset over the Arts District from a backyard bistro or duck away from a bustling Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake into a cozy covered nook serving home-style Persian cuisine. In Santa Monica, a verdant shrine to open-fire cooking appears like a mirage in an industrial art complex.
Mild weather makes outdoor dining a popular year-round activity in Southern California, but there’s something about summer patio dining that feels like a seasonal rite of passage. From hidden, vine-wrapped enclaves to sprawling spaces engulfed in shade, here are 20 of the most stunning outdoor restaurant spaces across L.A., Malibu, Orange County and as far as Santa Clarita.
![The back patio at Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery in Old Pasadena.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6a7332f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2688+0+168/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fac%2Fa7%2Fc07eddb34007bdac82b3b637fbdb%2Fimg-6890.jpg)
Agnes Restaurant & Cheesery
![Back patio at Alta Adams](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e5f751e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2000+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F35%2Fcf%2Fc61d0e294661a0253020805da78f%2Fla-photos-freelance-contract-646003-fo-101-alta-adams-sr1053.jpg)
Alta Adams
![A group of diners on the patio at Azizam](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3941654/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6720x4480+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F70%2F32%2F6cf3113849538f66bfb53b7cebcb%2F1459972-fo-azizam-review32-eb.jpg)
Azizam
![The view of the patio at the Beachcomber Cafe](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cc909f7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4923x3282+41+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F58%2Fa1%2F6bdd44d4469790757ace7b661817%2F610299-la-tr-day-trips-laguna-beach-15-1.AJS.jpg)
Beachcomber Cafe at Crystal Cove
Tip: Try to time your dinner for early evening to witness the regalia of the servers suddenly coming full stop at sunset to salute a flag with a martini glass motif while a military bugle blares “Le Réveil” — a longstanding tradition at the Beachcomber.
![Patio at Benchmark.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3fc2a7c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6720x4480+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc2%2Fc0%2F747bd8c249cbbaa4b6f6a9005ed9%2Fdave-marano-photo-4-1.jpg)
Benchmark
![People work at tables on a patio overlooking a canyon.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/330e364/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2066x2583+0+0/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbf%2F4d%2Fa66ba0c54227aca7b408ced6fc4d%2Fwk-this-must-be-topanga-cafe-on-27-001a.jpg)
Cafe on 27
![The patio area at Cento.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/95a28d0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/7784x5189+0+1/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2Fc6%2F0c27169e41ab8c0a0f9c8e760a87%2Fpatio-1.jpg)
Cento
![Patio at Damian](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ec98c6b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3096x2064+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F35%2F43%2F6f2d36f9417a994ca3128552e65c%2F1189417-fo-damian-review-sm-022.jpg)
Damian
![A table of diners laughing at Everson Royce Bar](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a25d35a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8192x5461+0+1/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F90%2F1c%2F1f272b2f4d5f8167ca5b2c70967d%2F1403173-wk-arts-district-neighborhood-guide-119.jpg)
Everson Royce Bar
![The sign for Jackson Market hangs among trees and plants.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d15aedc/2147483647/strip/true/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3d%2F1f%2F10e856d9473ab7141ad36dbdb3f0%2F1-jackson-market-hero-a.jpg)
Jackson Market & Deli
![The patio at Julienne Fine Foods in San Marino.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5b74e2e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2688+0+168/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc8%2F11%2F2bb7d01e42b5b872423abdf68de4%2Fimg-6876.jpg)
Julienne Fine Foods and Celebrations
![A plate with pan con tomate and the string-lighted patio at Le Champ.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d55520c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3024x3780+0+126/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd5%2Fa5%2Ffcf023754ee9a16361b6324a289b%2Fimg-4953.jpg)
Le Champ
![Guests enjoy dinner on the outdoor patio space at Le Great Outdoor.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b02d854/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6720x4480+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F12%2F78%2F6af9e9e7420cbcf4ea59273673eb%2F1462880-fo-outdoor-dining-poi-le-great-outdoor-013.jpg)
Le Great Outdoor
![The shady patio at Za Za Zá and Loreto](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/39ce293/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6533x4355+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F26%2Fcf%2Fa3177bb7425593e69a0e7e937370%2F1317762-fo-review-loreto-za-za-za-rrd-542.jpg)
Loreto
![The patio area at Madre Oaxacan Restaurant and Mezcaleria](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b2e99b5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8192x5461+0+1/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F44%2Ff5%2F7e4273624bc2af37b55efb8c8fe5%2Fpatio.jpg)
Madre Oaxacan Restaurant & Mezcaleria
![A vertical photo of umbrellas and bulb lights on the patio of Malibu Seafood overlooking PCH and the ocean.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c05edc4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3020x3775+2+0/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0c%2F2c%2F842fa1f34693b99f71f8ba0acba1%2Fmalibu-seafood-by-stephanie-breijo-3.jpg)
Malibu Seafood
Manuela
![Patio at Mírate restaurant in Los Feliz.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e5f38d2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4226x5283+1847+0/resize/376x470!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1d%2F4d%2F516d68b94876a1400f34ab88792f%2Fcredit-matt-egan.jpg)
Mírate
The open-air tree house is popular during brunch and dinner, with the former bringing Mexican-inflected takes on the usual specials, such as eggs Benedict topped with cochinita pibil and a croque señora with lamb barbacoa and quesillo on telera bread. Dinner offers shareable dips, salads and seasonal veggie dishes, plus a pair of tacos and large-format plates such as bone-in short rib birria and whole-fried snapper. The beverage menu that exclusively features spirits and wines sourced from Mexico — including sake, gin and rum — is not to be missed and represents one of two L.A. programs to be recognized on the 2024 World’s 50 Best Bars list. Ask for a recommendation or get an education in agave with a curated flight. Newly installed misters help stave off the heat.
![A feta cheese plate on the patio at Olive & Grill in Studio City.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/86bfd5a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2688+0+168/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb9%2Fce%2F43d5b4ff41c7834601e26e180d77%2Fimg-6886.jpg)
Olive & Grill
![Diners sitting on patio at Saltie Girl](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/364fafa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1050x700+0+0/resize/1200x800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbe%2F33%2F94903195426284424d9cd20cfca8%2F1257670-fo-saltie-girl-restaurant-review-bill-addison-055.jpg)
Saltie Girl
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