A summer pleasure: 10 places to dine outside in Brooklyn

BY MARIA ELENA PEREZ & MICHELLE ZAUROV
editorial@brooklynreporter.com

Summer is quickly approaching, and with the nice weather upon us, there are numerous outdoor dining restaurants across the borough to choose from. Here are some places where you can enjoy the cool summer breeze and chow down on some delicious cuisine:

Fort Greene/Clinton Hill
Graziella’s (232 Vanderbilt Avenue; 718-789-5663; graziellasmenu.com) Dive into some coal-fired pizza and all of your favorite Italian dishes at this family-owned restaurant. The once-empty garage space serves up 11 different types of pizza, along with traditional Italian favorites like eggplant rollatini and Mediterranean grilled octopus. The charming rooftop patio overlooks the city and is a great spot to be on a cool, summer night.

Sheepshead Bay
Liman Restaurant (2710 Emmons Avenue; 718-769-3322; limanrestaurantny.com) What could be better than dining right by the water this summer? Liman’s Restaurant in Sheepshead Bay is the perfect spot to enjoy homemade Mediterranean cuisine. While it’s best known for its seafood specialties, like the imported, Mediterranean sea bass, other items on the menu include shish kebab and ribeye steaks.

Park Slope
Backyard (388 Fifth Avenue; 347-227-8018; backyardbarbrooklyn.com) is the perfect place to escape the hustle of the city and relax amongst the nature and greenery of a backyard oasis on a warm summer day. Brunch or dinner, you can enjoy savory comfort food like lobster sliders or a bourbon pulled pork sandwich, accompanied by refreshing cocktails from the extensive cocktail menu devised by “playful mixologists.” If you like whiskey, don’t hesitate to order from Backyard’s cultivated and rotating collection of over 50 American and Scottish whiskeys.

Albero Dei Gelati (341 Fifth Avenue; 718-788-2288; alberodeigelati.com) helps our hungry stomachs and also our planet! Using the most local ingredients, this delicious restaurant creates authentic Italian dishes that you can enjoy outside at a beautiful, communal garden table. While basking in the natural ambiance and admiring the flowers and plants around you, you can satisfy not only your sweet, but also your savory tooth with the eccentric variety of farm fresh gelato. Albero serves sweet scoops like rich chocolate or peach gelato, and also a savory saffron gelato to pair with risotto or a scoop of olive oil gelato to serve with sourdough bread. Any food you crave, this place has a gelato to pair with it!

Bay Ridge/Dyker Heights
Blue Agave (7215 Third Avenue; 718-439-0808; blueagaveny.com) is heaven for lovers of Mexican cuisine! This Bay Ridge gem has the perfect mix of fine dining and a fun atmosphere, where you can brunch or dine outside on the patio and soak in the summer sun while enjoying classic or contemporary Mexican dishes like burritos, sizzling fajitas, specialty tacos and more. If the summer rays make you thirsty, you can order a specialty cocktail or one of Blue Agave’s 40 amazing tequilas to refresh you.

Spartan Souvlaki II (8303 Third Avenue; 718-833-3902; spartansouvlaki2.com) If you’re looking for a fabulous gyro, look no further than this satisfying Greek restaurant on Third Avenue. The large portions of food can curb any big appetite. If you’re not in the mood for a gyro, the wide variety of pita sandwiches will surely catch your eye. With outdoor seating that transforms busy Bay Ridge into a tranquil, backyard scene, this is a great go-to summer spot.

HoM Bay Ridge (8100 Third Avenue; 718-238-4466; thehomstore.com) is the ideal place to shop for your home, and for your hungry stomach! In a calming atmosphere, you can browse for unique home decor and gifts for family and friends, and when you feel like you’ve shopped enough, you can descend the spiral steps to a peaceful and homey backyard and brunch on lemon ricotta pancakes or dine on Mediterranean pizza, all American cheeseburger or Baja chicken tacos. You can also sip on refreshing sangria while basking in the warm, summer air.

Snow & Cream (6116 Seventh Avenue; 347-671-4116) is a new and fun addition to Dyker Heights that takes enjoying some good ol’ ice cream to a new level with unique flavors like earl grey and taro in the form of shaved ice and ice cream rolls. You can enjoy these fun desserts in the cute, summer outdoor space where you can sit next to a flowery garden under hanging, twinkly lights. It’s a great place to impress a date on a summer day/night and to have fun with friends in the warm air while savoring every bite of the yummy ice cream under the stars.

Bushwick
Montana’s Trail House (445 Troutman Street; 917-966-1666; montanastrailhouse.com) serves up southern comfort food that diners can feast on while taking in the rustic vibes of this great restaurant. Choose from favorites like fried chicken, or try a twist on a classic with Montana’s brisket dinner made with root beer as a main course. The outdoor seating gives customers a cozy space to enjoy their meal and the summer weather.

Tomo Asian Fusion (1077 Flushing Avenue; 718-456-3695; tomoasianfusion.com)’s quaint outdoor seating is only one of the many great aspects of this summer dining destination, which offers a twist on traditional Asian cuisine. With a variety of different of Asian dishes like pad thai and sushi, the pizza and sushi sandwich appetizers are what really stand out. Adding this eatery to your “must try” list is an absolute must.