Date published: July 25, 2011

GOING OUT TO EAT
Panorama’s guide to the area’s best al fresco dining
by Josh B. Wardrop

HIT THE TRAIL :
Tens of thousands of people walk The FreedomTrail each year, visiting the sites where America was born. Things may have changed since the days of famed patriots like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams, but one thing certainly hasn’t: walking 2.5 miles works up an appetite. If you’re strolling The Freedom Trail, there’s plenty of great spots along the way where you can stop for a meal, and eat out on a patio amidst the historic sites where liberty was born. Just across from the Old State House, the stylish hotspot Woodward Park (Ames Hotel, 1 Court St., 617-979-8200) serves delicious fare and cocktails. A few stops further down the Trail, Faneuil Hall Marketplace is home to numerous outdoor restaurants, including Dick’s Last Resort, where diners can enjoy buckets of delicious, no-frills grub and the antics of Dick’s rambunctious waitstaff. The FreedomTrail also passes through the North End, where lovers of fine pastries and strong Italian coffee can sample the authentic European vibe of Caffe Graffiti (64 Cross St., 617-367-3016).

A LITTLE ROMANCE:
We may think of a romantic dinner as being one that’s secluded—just you and your special someone nestled in a dark corner. But why can’t a lovely meal out in the warmth of a summer night be just as romantic? B&G Oysters (550 Tremont St., 617-423-0550), with its private sunken stone garden patio, is a perfect place to dine on that mollusk renowned as an aphrodisiac. Casa Romero (30 Gloucester St., 617-536-4341) is tucked away off of Newbury Street and boasts a charming outdoor, brick-floored courtyard that’s a perfect place to steal away and enjoy authentic, classic Mexican cuisine while soaking up the night air. On Beacon Hill, The Hungry I has long been known for its exquisite French country cuisine and its romantic vibe, best enjoyed in the eatery’s secluded, open-air rear patio. Lastly, Om (92Winthrop St., Cambridge, 617-576-2800) is a sleek and sexy nightspot with creative cocktails and cuisine with a multitude of Asian influences, which also boasts a patio overlooking the action in Harvard Square, as well as a smaller, more secluded open-air spot hidden behind a set of exotic, handcarved doors.

THE LIVING END:
Few neighborhoods in Boston demonstrate the commitment to outside dining that the vibrant, culturally diverse South End does. Renowned as a top restaurant destination in its own right, the South End is seemingly bursting with streetside cafés and bistros that boast picturesque patios fit for enjoying a meal and soaking in the sights of this exciting locale.The Boston Center for the Arts on Tremont Street is the neighborhood’s cultural epicenter, and it’s surrounded by top eateries with outdoor seating like the continually creative Sibling Rivalry (525 Tremont St., 617-338-5338), French favorite Hamersley’s Bistro and the jazzy, Bohemian Beehive (541 Tremont St., 617-423-0069),while on nearbyWashington Street, the Italian cuisine of Stella (1525Washington St., 617- 247-7747) can be enjoyed on its outdoor terrazino morning, noon and night.

BEFORE THE CURTAIN GOES UP:
You don’t want to see a show on an empty stomach—nothing is more likely to agitate the theater patron in the seat next to you than hearing your stomach rumble during a dramatic moment. Avoid embarrassment by enjoying an upscale Italian meal at BiNA Osteria (581Washington St., 617-956-0888) on its sleek and comfortableWashington Street patio—steps away from the Paramount Theatre and Boston Opera House—or opt for Mediterranean fare with more casual vibe while ensconced in a comfy couch on the patio at Vapiano (191 Stuart St., 857-445-0236) just around the corner from the Charles Playhouse. And for seafood fans, Skipjack’s serves only the freshest and most delicious fried and grilled fish, shellfish and surf and turf combos on its pleasant patio right up the street from the Hub’s popular Lyric Stage Company.

A TOAST TO OUTDOOR DINING:
Considering the winter months that Bostonians spent cooped up in darkened barrooms, nursing their beers against the chill outside, it’s a great relief when summer comes around and Hub denizens can delight in getting together with friends to enjoy a favorite libation outside on a warm night. Sports fans looking to soak in the pre-game atmosphere around Fenway Park can watch the throngs of people from their vantage point outside Game On!, the ballpark’s in-house restaurant/bar. A few blocks down the way, in the heart of Kenmore Square, wine-drinkers and cocktail fans sit under the covered patio at Eastern Standard and enjoy French fare, while students at Boston University, rock fans attending a show at Agganis Arena or the Paradise Rock Club and tequila enthusiasts all agree that Sunset Cantina (916 Commonwealth Ave., 617-731-8646) is a perfect patio for enjoying tasty pub cuisine and a vast assortment of beers. Finally, there’s no rule saying that enjoying an Irish pub requires sequestering yourself in a room darker than a pint of Guinness—patrons of The Asgard in Cambridge can enjoy a lovely, sunny patio while they feast on authentic Celtic cuisine and drink their brew of choice.