Outdoor dining spots

Claro
3 out of 5 stars
Restaurants
Mexican
Gowanus
price 3 of 4
Claro is one of the best Mexican restaurants in NYC, and its secluded patio really makes it shine. Its braised short rib chilaquiles is one of a top few in town, and the dish presently appears on a $45, three-course brunch prix fixe that also comes with a starter and a dessert. Spring for the curated mezcal pairing, too: At $38 it’s about as much as you’d spend on drinks at a similarly hot brunch spot, but here, they’ll do the choosing for you.

Olmsted
4 out of 5 stars
Restaurants
Contemporary American
Prospect Heights
price 2 of 4
Tables at Olmsted have always been hard to come by, but sometimes space in the backyard, where they grow some menu ingredients, is a little easier to snag. Prepare your patience, hope for the best and eventually you’ll be sitting down to its frequently refreshed selections.

Oxomoco
4 out of 5 stars
Restaurants
Mexican
Greenpoint
price 2 of 4
This Michelin-starred modern Mexican restaurant from the Speedy Romeo team spotlights wood-fired dishes like lamb barbacoa tacos, market fish and the best bavette you’ll find in town. They bring the outside in with plenty of greenery in the dining room, but it’s especially intoxicating to sip wine, beer, cocktails and frozen drinks on Oxomoco’s inviting patio.

Brooklyn Crab
Restaurants
Seafood
Red Hook
price 2 of 4
Red Hook is one of NYC’s best waterside neighborhoods and Brooklyn Crab towers above its smattering of restaurants. Literally, it spans three stories with outdoor areas throughout. Choose your altitude and dive into tasty crustaceans, bivalves and other creatures from the sea.