Patio season: Where to enjoy outdoor dining in Atlanta

It’s nearly springtime in Georgia, when the birds are singing, daylight saving time arrives and sitting inside to eat feels like a crime.

But how long will that feeling last? It’s vital to take advantage of patio season before dining outdoors in the sweltering heat and pollen becomes uncomfortable. Here are 14 metro Atlanta patios that offer an equal balance of good food, drinks and ambiance — plus, they won’t drain the wallet.

Credit: Katie McDonald

Credit: Katie McDonald

Bona Fide Deluxe

Spring is the time for picnicking with sandwiches wrapped in butcher paper and jars of homemade cocktails. But if that sounds like too much work, consider going to Bona Fide Deluxe instead and grabbing one of the picnic tables on the patio — it’s basically the same thing. The menu offers a variety of sandwiches and sides, like the Hot Italian with porchetta, sopressata, pepperoni, provolone and pepperoni mayo. The cocktails and slushies are picnic-worthy, too.

1454 La France St. NE, Atlanta. 404-228-2391, bonafide-atl.com

Credit: Handout

Breaker Breaker

A must-stop along the Eastside Beltline, this restaurant offers ample outdoor seating that feels equally as appropriate for the Florida coast as it does Atlanta. Grab a margarita, a platter of fried seafood or a mushroom chopped cheese and stake out one of the copious patio seats. For a rooftop vibe, head upstairs to the more intimate Floridaman for tropical cocktails.

921 Wylie St. SE, Atlanta. 404-558-7112, breakerbreakeratl.com

Credit: Courtesy of Chai Pani

Chai Pani

Decatur’s Chai Pani offers a colorful outdoor retreat and an excellent Indian street food-focused menu to pair with it. The covered patio is decked out in colorful decorations ideal for a family-friendly spring meal. Those with the time for a long lunch can browse the buffet and dine to their heart’s desire, while dinner sees a larger a la carte menu with a full bar and non-alcoholic drinks.

406 W Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 404-378-4032, chaipani.com

Credit: Handout

Communidad Taqueria

Chow down on tacos while sitting next to Communidad’s garden. This Tex-Mex outpost comes from the team behind Poco Loco, and it offers a charming patio in the midst of the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. In the morning, enjoy breakfast tacos, burritos and lattes and matcha from coffee residency Enid Coffee. In the afternoon, enjoy margaritas, beer, tacos, burritos and enchiladas.

655 Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta. 510-426-7841, communidadatl.com

Credit: Handout

El Tesoro

Al fresco dining in Atlanta doesn’t get much better than El Tesoro. Tacos, burritos and tamales pair nicely with containers of margaritas. El Tesoro’s Edgewood location is primarily outdoors with some tents and shady options to escape the sun. Be sure to check the forecast before heading over because getting caught in the rain here does not make for a pleasant experience. El Tesoro is also set to open an 8,600-square-foot location in the West End’s Lee + White development as well as a third location in the South Downtown development.

1374 Arkwright Place SE, Atlanta. 470-440-5502, eltesoroatl.com

Fellows Cafe

Roswell’s eclectic brunch restaurant Fellows Cafe already has an impressive breakfast and brunch menu featuring banana hotcakes, huevos rancheros, a decadent cinnamon roll and seasonal lattes. But the experience is only improved when dining on its charming front porch or eating beneath the towering, shady oak tree. If you ignore the crowds of people eating alongside you, it almost feels like taking breakfast in your personal garden.

1088 Green St., Roswell. 678-833-1088, fellowscafe.com

Credit: Ligaya Figueras

Gene’s

Something about chowing down on barbecue screams summer, and Gene’s in East Lake is delectable all year round. While the restaurant is often slammed, a modestly sized patio in the back offers extra seating and views of the hot-pink smoker. Just about anything on the menu goes down easily, especially the frozen cocktails, but make sure to finish with banana pudding.

2371 Hosea L Williams Drive SE, Atlanta. 404-975-3495, genesgenesgenes.com

Credit: Courtesy of Hunter Peacock

Larakin

For casual day-drinking in Midtown, head to Larakin, a wine and coffee bar tucked away off Juniper Street. The space is entirely outdoors with plenty of tables and benches for reading or yapping with friends over glasses of wine and a tinned fish board. On Sunday and Monday evenings in the spring, check out a sushi pop-up from Barkada Hospitality that takes over Larakin’s bar.

208 12th St. NE, Atlanta. larakinwineandcoffee.com

Credit: Courtesy of Wendell Weithers Photography

The Grove at Monday Night Brewing

Monday Night Brewing’s renovated west Midtown location, dubbed the Grove, overlooks the Atlanta Beltline’s Northwest Trail and is a stellar day and nighttime option. Gather around one of the fire pits with friends or snag a seat in front of the outdoor screen to watch whatever sport is playing. When hunger strikes, order a pizza and wings for the table.

670 Trabert Ave. NW, Atlanta. 404-352-7703, mondaynightbrewing.com/location/atlanta-the-grove

Credit: Courtesy of Red's Beer Garden

Red’s Beer Garden

Warm spring and summer days call for lounging in a beer garden with cold glasses in hand. Grab a table at this neighborhood haunt in Benteen Park. String lights and umbrellas complete the outdoor experience, and a menu with hot dogs, sandwiches and chicken tenders literally screams summer.

1328 Boulevard SE, Atlanta. 770-637-2299, redsbeergarden.com

Credit: Wendell Brock

Pollo Primo

East Atlanta is home to Pollo Primo, a restaurant that specializes in California-style pollo asado. It features a partially covered patio great for casual meals and drinks. The menu is simple and keeps decision fatigue to a minimum — just order the quarter, half or whole chicken paired with fresh tortillas, rice, beans and salsa. Make the dining experience even better with an agua fresca, horchata or margarita.

792 Moreland Ave. SE, Atlanta. 404-748-9082, polloprimoatl.com

Credit: Courtesy of Rebecca Carmen

Side Saddle Wine Saloon

The team behind Finca to Filter debuted this wine bar and restaurant in Atlanta’s Boulevard Heights neighborhood near the forthcoming stretch of the Southside Beltline. It offers a huge patio on which to enjoy natural wines and a delightful cocktail menu (featuring plenty of thoughtfully crafted non-alcoholic options). A modest food program includes small plates, a selection of dips, salads and sandwiches.

680 Hamilton Ave. SE, Atlanta. 770-790-7886, instagram.com/sidesaddlewine

Credit: Henri Hollis

Staplehouse

This Old Fourth Ward restaurant excels at outdoor dining, where high-quality food is paired with thoughtful cocktails and a comfortable, partially covered outdoor space that feels more like someone’s backyard. It’s hard to go wrong with an order here, but you’ll never regret a pizza, a hefty sandwich and a salad to brighten the meal.

541 Edgewood Ave. SE, Atlanta. 404-524-5005, staplehouse.com

Credit: Courtesy of Velvet Hippo

The Little Hippo

This sandwich shop in Avondale Estates only offers outdoor seating, which makes it an obvious choice for al fresco dining. Find a rotating selection of sandwiches and soups like a Vietnamese-style fried fish sandwich, a Moroccan lamb burger and curried carrot soup. Top it off with an affordably-priced cocktail.

27 N. Avondale Road, Avondale Estates. 404-941-9763, thelittlehippoavondale.com

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This April in metro Atlanta, check out a spring festival in Grant Park, attend a sushi and sake pairing, and get free ice cream scoops at Ben & Jerry’s.