This spacious, well-shaded patio is the perfect place to hunker down with a cocktail by barman Alex Fletcher and a snack from chef Matt Smith (the crab dip with cheddar crisps is a strong choice). To snag a patio table during prime brunch hours, it’d be wise to make a reservation.

As its name would suggest, the Porch is a great spot for enjoying outdoor dining + drinking on bustling Henderson Avenue. On top of that, the cocktail selection is strong and food is delicious as well. Try the refreshing grapefruit agave gimlet and the Porch’s hearty lunch and dinner options, or for a light meal, its selections of salads can’t be beat.

Delicious cocktails on tap, a cool-beyond-words treehouse bar, some mighty fine cheese steaks, and a variety of food trucks to choose from. Need we say more? Oh yeah: it’s dog-friendly.

Between the expansive rooftop patio and the top-notch cocktails, diners would be hard-pressed to find a better warm weather hangout than this. Try the Double Under, a mix of beet-infused tequila spiked with lime and rosemary syrup, and enjoy the sunset.

The patio is packed at this hip hangout, particularly on the weekends. Cocktails are creative and delicious, such as the Selena with Patron Silver, jalapeño, grapefruit juice, and bitters, plus most of the food items are affordable at around 6 to 10 bucks — including a BLT topped with a fried egg, a grilled cheese with three cheeses, and fried chicken on a Hawaiian roll.

This Design District spot offers a contender for Dallas’ best cocktail with its “Kickstarter” featuring mezcal, pineapple, poblano, lime, and cumin bitters. The concoction is neither too sweet nor too spicy but a well-balanced mix of complementary flavors. The food selection is strong too — find mussels in a coconut green curry sauce, grilled salmon, and braised pork with green chiles and pozole verde.

Fancy fire pits and views of Klyde Warren Park make Savor’s patio one of the swankiest in town, especially by night. Order a round of the excellent cocktails (the Smokey Oaxacan with mezcal, cilantro, ginger liqueur, Sriracha, lime, and angostura bitters comes highly recommended) and a snack of cheesy lobster puffs and enjoy the view.

Dallas doesn’t feel much like Italy, but Americano helps set an Italian mood in the middle of Downtown. All of the Joule’s eateries do cocktails and food very well, this one allows diners to sip Aperol spritzers and nosh on house-made pastas and pizza while doing plenty of people-watching from a covered patio.

The patio at Mudhen Meat & Greens is a great place to lounge after wandering through the Dallas Farmers Market. Order a few cocktails (or freshly pressed juice for those who are feeling super-healthy) along with a bowl of local and organic greens plus a protein and stretch out in this expansive space.

The Foundry and Chicken Scratch share an expansive, dog-friendly yard which means diners can the best of both worlds: tasty cocktails and killer fried chicken with sticky oregano-honey buttermilk biscuits. Visitors might even catch some live music on the stage made from old wooden shipping pallets.

This quaint Bishop Arts spot serves up some delicious cocktails from its patio including a mean vodka mint gimlet or ask for the “Ground Control” with gin, beet-infused St. Germain, and finished with lemon oils and a cherry. Diners won’t be disappointed by its American bistro eats like fried chicken & waffles, mussels, burgers, and charcuterie.

This Deep Ellum pizza haunt offers pizza flights (that’s right, try eight different types of pizza on the same pie) and tons of draft beers. The establishment has a nice dining room, but in beautiful weather head down the hall to the back garden to soak up the sun.

This Deep Ellum brewery is front-and-center on Main Street, offering a prime view of all the comings-and-goings in the bustling entertainment district. Sip on one of Braindead’s house brews and munch on chips and queso in vegan or picadillo-infused varieties. Finish that off with its famous brisket and bacon “Coma Burger” for a super indulgent meal in the great outdoors.