11 new restaurant patios to add to your summer bucket list

Ten years after debuting Vialé in Central Square, chef Greg Reeves and Shauna Reyburn have something new in the neighborhood. Althea opened in May on the ground floor of Sonder 907 Main, a boutique hotel in Cambridge. With an outdoor bar (pictured at the top of this post) plus exposed brick inside the restaurant, the comfortable restaurant offers eclectic American fare and a raw bar, along with natural wines and creative cocktails. Snag a seat on the expansive patio and you may see chef Reeves manning the outdoor grill. Even if it’s not in action, smoky flavors imbue menu items like lamb ribs, corn chowder and even special smoky cocktails.

Coming back from an April refresh, Vee Vee in Jamaica Plain has reopened as Black Cat @ Vee Vee with a totally different menu from the past 16 years. While still maintaining its cozy neighborhood vibe, the popular local haunt has begun a recent collab with chef Valentine Howell, a 2023 James Beard award-nominee from his time at Krasi and 2024 Top Chef contestant. Howell is serving a totally new menu at Vee Vee, with Afro/Latin Caribbean flair—think: rotating tacos, shrimp tostada, elotes, pineapple buñuelo and more. On nice nights in JP, discover Vee Vee’s hidden back patio, which debuted a couple summers ago with an outdoor bar and partial cover.

New Italian from the team behind SRV and the Salty Pig, Gufo and its vast outdoor patio debuted in Cambridge late last summer and if you haven't been yet—it is time. A quick step through the restaurant's three-season covered patio, guests find themselves fully al fresco surrounded by twinkle lights, manicured greenery, and an eight-foot wooden fence that creates a sense of intimacy despite its size. The backyard is speckled with sunlight throughout the day alongside plenty of shady spots courtesy of sails and umbrellas. Did we mention the full-on bocce lane? 

With a waterfront patio overlooking the ICA and the Seaport commuter ferry, Hook + Line serves modern New England seafood from one of Boston’s biggest names in hospitality. Alcove owner Tom Schlesigner-Guidelli brings us this new seafood destination, which also has an onsite fish, prepared food and wine market to-go. (Located just across the harbor in the Seaport from its sister spot, you can even take the Seaport commuter ferry between the two.) TSG got his start in restaurants on the bar at bygone Boston fish houses like East Coast Grill and Island Creek Oyster Bar, so you can bet there’s a deep, seafood-friendly wine list and refreshing cocktails to pair with the waterfront views.

A second taproom and production facility for Braintree’s Widowmaker Brewing Co., this Brighton spot debuted on Halloween with "neo-goth" interior design. This summer, Widowmaker’s private patio has been given a serious upgrade, from level flooring to the string lights, greenery and psychedelic mural by artist Johnny Garlin. Order a Blue Comet IPA or one of the more-lager-focused brewery’s fresh offerings and seat yourself outside. Total bonus: You can order hangover-helping food from the in-house kitchen operators, Bone and Bread, such as lobster rolls, burgers and more, directly from your patio perch. 

The roof deck at East Boston’s Cunard Tavern looks a little different these days, now that it’s been transformed into a vacation-ready tropical rooftop patio. Known as the Layover, this seasonal pop-up boasts harbor views, a living wall and a walk-up window offering craft beer, wine by the glass and rum-soaked specialty cocktails. The food menu features pan-Asian bites such as crab rangoon, duck spring rolls, Korean bulgogi, succulent hoisin ribs and crispy tempura vegetables.

Welcoming visitors for the first time this summer to a second-floor patio, Moxies is a stunning spot to soak up the sun with beautiful waterfront views. The summer menu at the new-to-Boston restaurant, which opened in the Seaport in October 2023, features a seafood and raw bar, shareable apps, plant-based bowls, hearty handhelds and pastas, along with standout beverages, including the rich and decadent Ketel One espresso martini and the classic, refreshing Moscow mule.

The latest from the restaurateur behind Mistral, Mooo and Serafina, Seth Greenberg's new restaurant is located in the Royal Sonesta hotel in Cambridge with an enviable Charles River-side patio (it was formerly Restaurant Dante). Monteverdi offers both traditional and contemporary Italian dishes with elegant cocktails and a robust wine list. The menu is overseen by executive chef Christian Ellis with plates pretty to look at and satisfying to savor, including huge antipasto platters, insalata, grilled pizzas and fresh pastas.

Snag a high-top seat at the outdoor bar or grab a table under the twinkle lights on the patio at this Allston hotspot. Opened at the end of last summer by Stillwater chef-owner and Chopped champion Sarah Wade, it’s named after her daughter and serves up nostalgic comfort food and brunch every day. Creative cocktails feature spirits from local distillers, and 12 draft beers hail mainly from New England, too. Weekly specials add a bit of surprise, and the first Monday of the month is entirely gluten-free. 

What started as a post-covid pop-up by two-time Food Network Chopped champion Tatiana Rosana is now a full-on, indoor-outdoor restaurant where you can enjoy the chef’s Latin-inspired dishes. Think peekytoe crab tostada, croquetas de jamon and ora king salmon with decadent coconut rice. Retractable walls at Para Maria open up the huge dining space and lead seamlessly into a large outdoor patio. Find this one at the Envoy Hotel in the Seaport District, just steps from another iconic patio serving up decades of big deck energy, the Barking Crab.

The natural light-filled interior courtyard at Publico Street Bistro has made the spot a patio staple in Southie. This summer, Publico's new and expansive street-facing patio is the perfect outdoor dining destination for your dog. The Puplico Patio, as its endearingly called, is outfitted with dining tables, high tops and communal seating, where dogs (and their owners) can enjoy the occasional pup party. The Puplico menu offers their own special treats, like the Pup-lico Cup, filled with whipped cream; Very Good Dog, which brings one slice of crispy bacon to their bowl; and the Wanna Cookie dog biscuit.