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A shady walled space with yellow umbrella and many of the table occupied.
There’s few better places to slurp noodles than the backyard at Cafe Spaghetti.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

13 Places to Dine Outside in Brooklyn Right Now

The best restaurants for making the most of the borough’s brief but beautiful outdoor dining season

by Eater Staff Updated
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There’s few better places to slurp noodles than the backyard at Cafe Spaghetti.
| Robert Sietsema/Eater NY
by Eater Staff Updated

The few sweet months when New Yorkers can dine outdoors by choice, and actually enjoy it, are almost upon us; in Brooklyn, the borough’s selection of patios, backyards, and roadside structures has never been better. The number of restaurants offering outdoor dining exploded during the pandemic, aided by a temporary measure allowing businesses to serve customers from sidewalks and streetside setups. The permanent future of outdoor dining still hangs in the balance, but restaurants and bars are continuing to invest in outdoor spaces. Here are a handful of our favorites in Brooklyn.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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McCarren Park House

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Greenpoint’s McCarren Park got the concessions stand it has always deserved last year, a clubhouse of sorts with an open-air bar and lots of shaded picnic tables outdoors. Club Club, a counter-service operation with burgers, beer-battered cauliflower, and chicken salad sandwiches, is the best option for food, whether dining at the club or in the park nearby.

855 Lorimer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
A customer stands at the counter of a clubhouse whose menu advertises draft and can beers.
The open-air bar at the McCarren Park House.
Luke Fortney/Eater NY

Laser Wolf Brooklyn

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Perched atop the Hoxton Hotel is Laser Wolf, the second location of a beloved Philadelphia restaurant that’s known for its Israeli-style grilled meats. Roughly a year after opening, weekend reservations here can still require some advance planning, as much for the beef kebabs and free dessert as the open-air dining room with unobstructed views of Manhattan.

97 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(718) 215-7150
(718) 215-7150
A rooftop, open-air dining room with light wooden tables and wicker chairs and a long bar against the back wall, with purple stools lining it.
The rooftop at Laser Wolf, with views of developing Williamsburg.
Alex Staniloff/Eater NY

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Santa Fe BK

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“Lots of plants” seems to be the theme in the backyard of this Brooklyn restaurant, known for its smothered burritos, combination plates, and other Southwestern fare. A true neighborhood restaurant, tables aren’t hard to come by most nights of the week, and the backyard can feel like a universe of its own, canopied by trees and overflowing with potted plants.

178 N 8th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
(347) 304-1759
(347) 304-1759

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Aldama

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The merits of this Mexican restaurant’s menu and mezcal list have been well documented, but the vibes in its backyard on a summer night? Underrated. Lights suspended by outdoor rafters and earthenware imported from Mexico make this outdoor setup an easy pick for a celebratory meal, with local riffs on regional Mexican dishes like carne cecina and pulpo zarandeado.

91 S 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(929) 298-0233
(929) 298-0233
Patrons sit for dinner under hanging lights in Aldama’s garden area
A fall night in the Aldama backyard.
Gary He/Eater NY

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Falansai

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It’s no secret that some of Brooklyn’s best outdoor setups are in Bushwick, and Falansai is leading the pack. The Vietnamese Mexican restaurant is a favorite among food critics at Eater and the New York Times for its affordable tasting menu that rotates often. It’s located on an industrial corner of the neighborhood, but you wouldn’t know it from its covered backyard outfitted with plants and a koi pond. Time your visit right, and chef Eric Tran’s dog Tako might make an appearance.

112 Harrison Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11237
(718) 381-0980
(718) 381-0980
Plants and a mural decorate the outdoor dining area.
Head out back at Falansai for a koi pond and lots of seating.
Alex Staniloff/Eater NY

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Otis

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Otis is one of Bushwick’s best-kept secrets, a low-key hangout that manages to fill its dining room each night while staying mostly under the radar to folks who live outside of the neighborhood. The vibe indoors is perfect for an intimate night out, but for more space with a larger group, head to the covered outdoor garden on the side of the restaurant, where customers can order the same pomegranate-glazed chicken thighs and bowls of pesto burrata.

18 Harrison Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11206
(646) 886-0601
(646) 886-0601

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For All Things Good

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Mexican cafe For All Things Good only has a handful of tables indoors, and in the spring and summer months, this Bed-Stuy restaurant really comes to life. Customers hang around outside at all hours, sipping horchatas, or mezcal, and cutting into gordita breakfast sandwiches. Expect to find a packed restaurant on arrival, but the wait for a table is never long at this fast-moving, first-come-first-serve cafe.

343 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(929) 204-4154
(929) 204-4154
Three patrons sit at a corner outdoor table at For All Things Good; one checks his phone while another sips at aqua fresca
Outside For All Things Good, prior to the restaurant constructing an outdoor dining structure.
Gary He/Eater NY

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Cafe Spaghetti

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Seated in the bucolic backyard at Cafe Spaghetti, you wouldn’t know you’re less than a block from the Brooklyn Queens Expressway: There are umbrellas to shield you from the elements, children wolfing down plates of spaghetti, and lots of potted plants for a secluded garden patio sort of vibe. All that’s needed to complete the scene is a Spaghetti Spritz, done up with a skewer of olives, and a plate of the restaurant’s popular spaghetti pomodoro.

126 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Awnings, vines, diners at tables, and the setting sun.
The backyard at Cafe Spaghetti.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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Threes Brewing

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The backyard at Threes Brewing makes for top-tier outdoor eating and drinking in warmer months and is even outfitted with its own bar. The year-round outdoor space is covered with a heated tent in the winter and populated by young, IPA-loving parents and their children in the summer. In addition to beer, there’s a full food menu from Williamsburg butcher shop the Meat Hook with burgers, veggie melts, chicken wings, and cheese curds.

333 Douglass St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 568-9673
(718) 568-9673

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Hometown Bar-B-Que

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The purveyor of the city’s best barbecue is also home to one of its best outdoor seating areas. Stand in the line inside to order as usual, then grab a number and park out front. Picnic tables that are big enough for large groups or a communal dinner line both sides of Reed Street in warmer months. Sitting in the sun — and more importantly, out of earshot of the overbearing musical acts this venue loves to hire — is ideal for scarfing down trays of fatty brisket and jerk rib tips.

454 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
(347) 294-4644
(347) 294-4644

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Chilo's

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Chilo’s in Bed-Stuy is popular for its spacious outdoor setup and backyard taco truck that’s better than you’d expect from a neighborhood bar. It original is still great, but during the pandemic, the team followed up with this second location in Greenwood across from the cemetery, where there’s a massive outdoor patio perfect for eating duck carnitas and fried catfish tacos.

740 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232
(347) 916-1165
(347) 916-1165

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L&B Spumoni Gardens

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Find a sprawling outdoor dining area dotted with red picnic tables and tourists licking spumoni at L&B Spumoni Gardens, an institution within the city’s pizza scene. Order a spread of the restaurant’s iconic, square Sicilian slices, and cap off the meal with icy scoops of L&B’s namesake spumoni.

2725 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11223
(718) 449-1230
(718) 449-1230
An outdoor seating area with picnic tables and umbrellas at L&B Spumoni Gardens in Gravesend, Brooklyn.
The outdoor seating area at L&B Spumoni Gardens.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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Randazzo's Clam Bar

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The dining room at Randazzo’s is perfect for big, loud families who don’t think twice before swiping the last meatball. It’s loud in there, but for a cooler vibe and the same food, head to the covered side patio out front, where orders of clam chowder (red and white) and calamari are taken at a window and then delivered to picnic tables with views of Sheepshead Bay.

2017 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 615-0010
(718) 615-0010
A neon sign in the shape of a lobster with the words “Randazzo’s Clam Bar” gleams above a restaurant at night
Randazzo’s Clam Bar boasts views of Sheepshead Bay.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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McCarren Park House

855 Lorimer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Greenpoint’s McCarren Park got the concessions stand it has always deserved last year, a clubhouse of sorts with an open-air bar and lots of shaded picnic tables outdoors. Club Club, a counter-service operation with burgers, beer-battered cauliflower, and chicken salad sandwiches, is the best option for food, whether dining at the club or in the park nearby.

855 Lorimer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
A customer stands at the counter of a clubhouse whose menu advertises draft and can beers.
The open-air bar at the McCarren Park House.
Luke Fortney/Eater NY

Laser Wolf Brooklyn

97 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Perched atop the Hoxton Hotel is Laser Wolf, the second location of a beloved Philadelphia restaurant that’s known for its Israeli-style grilled meats. Roughly a year after opening, weekend reservations here can still require some advance planning, as much for the beef kebabs and free dessert as the open-air dining room with unobstructed views of Manhattan.

97 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(718) 215-7150
(718) 215-7150
A rooftop, open-air dining room with light wooden tables and wicker chairs and a long bar against the back wall, with purple stools lining it.
The rooftop at Laser Wolf, with views of developing Williamsburg.
Alex Staniloff/Eater NY

Santa Fe BK

178 N 8th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

“Lots of plants” seems to be the theme in the backyard of this Brooklyn restaurant, known for its smothered burritos, combination plates, and other Southwestern fare. A true neighborhood restaurant, tables aren’t hard to come by most nights of the week, and the backyard can feel like a universe of its own, canopied by trees and overflowing with potted plants.

178 N 8th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
(347) 304-1759
(347) 304-1759

Aldama

91 S 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249

The merits of this Mexican restaurant’s menu and mezcal list have been well documented, but the vibes in its backyard on a summer night? Underrated. Lights suspended by outdoor rafters and earthenware imported from Mexico make this outdoor setup an easy pick for a celebratory meal, with local riffs on regional Mexican dishes like carne cecina and pulpo zarandeado.

91 S 6th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(929) 298-0233
(929) 298-0233
Patrons sit for dinner under hanging lights in Aldama’s garden area
A fall night in the Aldama backyard.
Gary He/Eater NY

Falansai

112 Harrison Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11237

It’s no secret that some of Brooklyn’s best outdoor setups are in Bushwick, and Falansai is leading the pack. The Vietnamese Mexican restaurant is a favorite among food critics at Eater and the New York Times for its affordable tasting menu that rotates often. It’s located on an industrial corner of the neighborhood, but you wouldn’t know it from its covered backyard outfitted with plants and a koi pond. Time your visit right, and chef Eric Tran’s dog Tako might make an appearance.

112 Harrison Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11237
(718) 381-0980
(718) 381-0980
Plants and a mural decorate the outdoor dining area.
Head out back at Falansai for a koi pond and lots of seating.
Alex Staniloff/Eater NY

Otis

18 Harrison Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11206

Otis is one of Bushwick’s best-kept secrets, a low-key hangout that manages to fill its dining room each night while staying mostly under the radar to folks who live outside of the neighborhood. The vibe indoors is perfect for an intimate night out, but for more space with a larger group, head to the covered outdoor garden on the side of the restaurant, where customers can order the same pomegranate-glazed chicken thighs and bowls of pesto burrata.

18 Harrison Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11206
(646) 886-0601
(646) 886-0601

For All Things Good

343 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Mexican cafe For All Things Good only has a handful of tables indoors, and in the spring and summer months, this Bed-Stuy restaurant really comes to life. Customers hang around outside at all hours, sipping horchatas, or mezcal, and cutting into gordita breakfast sandwiches. Expect to find a packed restaurant on arrival, but the wait for a table is never long at this fast-moving, first-come-first-serve cafe.

343 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(929) 204-4154
(929) 204-4154
Three patrons sit at a corner outdoor table at For All Things Good; one checks his phone while another sips at aqua fresca
Outside For All Things Good, prior to the restaurant constructing an outdoor dining structure.
Gary He/Eater NY

Cafe Spaghetti

126 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Seated in the bucolic backyard at Cafe Spaghetti, you wouldn’t know you’re less than a block from the Brooklyn Queens Expressway: There are umbrellas to shield you from the elements, children wolfing down plates of spaghetti, and lots of potted plants for a secluded garden patio sort of vibe. All that’s needed to complete the scene is a Spaghetti Spritz, done up with a skewer of olives, and a plate of the restaurant’s popular spaghetti pomodoro.

126 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Awnings, vines, diners at tables, and the setting sun.
The backyard at Cafe Spaghetti.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Threes Brewing

333 Douglass St, Brooklyn, NY 11217

The backyard at Threes Brewing makes for top-tier outdoor eating and drinking in warmer months and is even outfitted with its own bar. The year-round outdoor space is covered with a heated tent in the winter and populated by young, IPA-loving parents and their children in the summer. In addition to beer, there’s a full food menu from Williamsburg butcher shop the Meat Hook with burgers, veggie melts, chicken wings, and cheese curds.

333 Douglass St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 568-9673
(718) 568-9673

Hometown Bar-B-Que

454 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

The purveyor of the city’s best barbecue is also home to one of its best outdoor seating areas. Stand in the line inside to order as usual, then grab a number and park out front. Picnic tables that are big enough for large groups or a communal dinner line both sides of Reed Street in warmer months. Sitting in the sun — and more importantly, out of earshot of the overbearing musical acts this venue loves to hire — is ideal for scarfing down trays of fatty brisket and jerk rib tips.

454 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
(347) 294-4644
(347) 294-4644

Chilo's

740 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232

Chilo’s in Bed-Stuy is popular for its spacious outdoor setup and backyard taco truck that’s better than you’d expect from a neighborhood bar. It original is still great, but during the pandemic, the team followed up with this second location in Greenwood across from the cemetery, where there’s a massive outdoor patio perfect for eating duck carnitas and fried catfish tacos.

740 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232
(347) 916-1165
(347) 916-1165

L&B Spumoni Gardens

2725 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11223

Find a sprawling outdoor dining area dotted with red picnic tables and tourists licking spumoni at L&B Spumoni Gardens, an institution within the city’s pizza scene. Order a spread of the restaurant’s iconic, square Sicilian slices, and cap off the meal with icy scoops of L&B’s namesake spumoni.

2725 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11223
(718) 449-1230
(718) 449-1230
An outdoor seating area with picnic tables and umbrellas at L&B Spumoni Gardens in Gravesend, Brooklyn.
The outdoor seating area at L&B Spumoni Gardens.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Randazzo's Clam Bar

2017 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235

The dining room at Randazzo’s is perfect for big, loud families who don’t think twice before swiping the last meatball. It’s loud in there, but for a cooler vibe and the same food, head to the covered side patio out front, where orders of clam chowder (red and white) and calamari are taken at a window and then delivered to picnic tables with views of Sheepshead Bay.

2017 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 615-0010
(718) 615-0010
A neon sign in the shape of a lobster with the words “Randazzo’s Clam Bar” gleams above a restaurant at night
Randazzo’s Clam Bar boasts views of Sheepshead Bay.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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