10 hot new Bay Area alfresco restaurants to try this summer

It’s the sweet spot of summer, when the nights are the warmest. What better way to savor it than having a meal outside? With its Mediterranean climate, the Bay has plenty of options, whether it be a patio garden, rooftop or duck-filled lakefront. Here are 10 new restaurants where you can enjoy fantastic open-air dining.

Choza Tacos y Cantina, Danville

La Choza roughly translates to “cabana,” signaling the beachy vibe you’ll get at this eatery in Danville’s Blackhawk Plaza. To get there, you walk through a mall that’s exposed to the elements and styled like a Mediterranean garden, with streaming sunlight and sparrows flitting by high-end shops. The restaurant itself, opened by a chef who has a sister operation in Oregon, specializes in cuisine with a Gulf of Mexico touch – think crab enchiladas and Veracruz-style market fish.

The patio: La Choza’s outdoor area bellies up to a manmade lagoon absolutely packed with quacking ducks. Not so alive are lake sculptures of children riding swans and replicas of giraffes and an elephant at the nearby Blackhawk Museum – also home to a renowned classic-car museum, for any dads or Jay Leno-channeling folks. The sound of waterfalls gives the impression of being on vacation, a feeling many photo-snapping birthday and bridal parties capitalize on.

The dish: The cheese-stuffed chile relleno is fried to perfection with a deeply smoky red sauce made from roasted tomatoes and guajillo peppers ($19). Homemade flan is a classic way to end, if you’re still peckish, being the size of a small hubcap ($9). La Choza prides itself on a small-batch tequila selection and a carefully designed house margarita, mixed with lemon and lime, agave, blood orange and decaf citrus tea ($11).

Details: Open from 3 p.m. Monday – Wednesday and from 11:30 a.m. Thursday – Sunday at 3421 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville; chozablackhawk.com

Pilot Light Cafe, Half Moon Bay

When restaurateur Shoshana Wolff and her husband, chef Sachin Chopra, drove down Cabrillo Highway one day and saw that the Half Moon Bay Airport cafe was in need of a new owner, they couldn’t resist taking it over. “It’s such a charming space in the middle of the farm lands, with ocean views off in the distance,” Wolff says.

The couple, owners of the acclaimed All Spice restaurant in San Mateo, transformed the homey space into the Pilot Light Cafe and opened in January, welcoming pilots, locals and visitors.

The patio: A dozen bright-yellow picnic tables sit a safe distance from the tarmac, offering prime viewing spots when there are small planes taking off and landing. The “when” depends on the weather. On foggy or overcast days with no aviation action, this is a chill spot for inland residents enjoying a day trip to the coast. (The day’s made even better with a fresh Watermelon Lemonade, $5.) On sunny days, expect to see some private pilots doing their thing.

The dish: The approachable all-day menu means you can order a Hot Pastrami Reuben ($17) at 9 a.m. or the super-popular Dutch Baby ($20) with berry compote at 1:30 p.m. Creative new dishes include a Sweet and Savory Waffle ($16) and the North African Shakshuka ($18). As for the “$100 Cheeseburger,” the name refers to a joke in aviator circles about destination meals. “Pilots have to spend money on fuel and landing fees to come in to have their $16 burger,” Wolff says, laughing.

Details: Open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday at 9850 Cabrillo Highway, Half Moon Bay; www.pilotlightcafe.com

High 5ive Rooftop Bar, Oakland

This stylish, indoor-outdoor bar — it’s more bar than restaurant, although they do offer evening bites and a small brunch menu — is perched atop the swanky Kissel Uptown Oakland hotel. High 5ive’s beverage program includes 10 craft cocktails, 14 wines by the glass and bottle and nine local draft beers. Among those dinner-time bites are spreads, salads, flatbreads, a poke bowl and chicken skewers. And the Sunday brunch menu features a breakfast sandwich and eggs Benedict with smoked turkey.

The patio: High 5ive is beautiful, but not easy to find. Enter on 25th Street — there’s no hotel access — and take the elevator up to the second floor. From there, you’ll step into an elegant bar with high-backed cognac leather booths, hunter green velvet chairs and globe-like lanterns. It spills into a posh patio where twinkly lights, city views, patio sofas and a fire pit make for the perfect romantic roost. It’s definitely the kind of place you linger — and work up a hefty tab of Blossoming Bubbles, a sparkling wine cocktail made with locally-made, organic flower wine.

The dish: High 5ive’s kitchen is not set up for heavy cooking and the short, four-hour brunch window can make for slow service. So stick to cold or light, veg-centric fare, like the Kissel Chop Chop salad ($19) or the Trio of Spreads (roasted carrot hummus, Napa olive tapenade and zuchini baba ghanoush with blistered pita bread, $14) at night. Heartier fare, including fried chicken and waffles and wagyu beef sliders, is served in the Kissel’s lobby cafe, Otto’s Coffee + Donuts + Beer.

 Details: 21 and over at night. Open 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday and until midnight Friday-Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 437 25th St., Oakland; www.high5ive.bar

Roger at the Ameswell Hotel, Mountain View

This hotel, inspired by the historic NASA Ames / Moffett airfield nearby, sports a restaurant with a name drawn from the military phonetic alphabet, as in Roger for message received. Cool art and architectural touches abound. Before or after your meal, you’ll want to wander from the lobby into the Ames Library, where a test pilot’s helmet, aeronautical instruments and models of dirigibles share shelf space with framed photos of Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Sit down and steep yourself in aviation history.

The patio: Massive roll-up garage doors give the whole restaurant, which seats 135, the feel of a spacious airplane hangar. The outdoors space, with seating for 125 more people, is designed with family fun in mind. You’ll find cornhole boards and hula hoops — and glow-in-the-dark bocce! Want to be just a spectator? Snag a spot near one of the fire pits.

The dish: Executive chef Christian McCallion offers a Cal-Mediterranean menu that focuses on dishes for the table. Begin perhaps with the Colossal Prawns with caper-lemon salsa and garlic aioli ($32) and Moroccan Street Corn with feta and sumac ($9). The star entree is a 32-ounce Coffee-and-Pepper-Rubbed Bone-In Ribeye, sliced to share, and served with bone-marrow butter and salt-roasted fries ($81). At weekend brunch, check out the puffy Dutch Baby pancake ($17) and the Eggs Benedict jazzed up with Kurobuta ham and onion jam ($18).

Details: Open Tuesday-Sunday, with dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. (bar till midnight) and weekend brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 800 Moffett Blvd., Mountain View. www.rogerbarandrestaurant.com

Monica’s Riverview, Antioch

What a gem. From the co-owner behind the always-packed Livermore brunch spot, Monica’s, this waterfront restaurant has been serving up bennies and mimosas on the Antioch Marina since its November opening. Located on the south side of the San Joaquin River, just opposite the sailboat launch, Monica’s Riverview specializes in egg dishes, half-pound burgers and sandwiches and also offers a full dinner menu. The restaurant is enormous, with a ship-themed dining room, swanky bar and separate bakery churning out the moistest coffee cakes around.

The patio: Wind surfers provide the backdrop to this three-part wooden patio, which features bar stool seating and a modern fire pit on the waterfront upper deck. Given Monica’s popular bubbly program, you could spend hours here or on the two lower decks sipping guava mimosas or a Mexican 75 — with agave and lime, natch — while watching the wind-whipped waves or catching live music on Friday and Saturday nights. The dining room closes around 2 p.m. but the patio remains open and offers a small menu of bar bites until last call.

The dish: The Lemon Ricotta Pancakes ($22)– with housemade lemon curd — deserve your attention, as does the maple syrup-doused Bacon Waffle ($18). For lunch, dig into one of eight grass-fed beef burgers ($21-$30), or if you’re going light, the BBQ Chicken Chop Salad ($24) is a good candidate; heat from roasted chopped poblanos is a nice match for the barbecue ranch dressing. Everything is big and shareable.

Details: Monica’s is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays for brunch (8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekends) and 5 to 9 p.m. daily for dinner at 1 I St., Antioch. Check website for bar and patio hours; www.visitmonicas.com

Terra at Eataly, Santa Clara

Combine the Italian culinary extravaganza that is Eataly with the lure of a rooftop perch and what do you get? Terra, the hottest ticket in town. Yep, online reservations for lunch and dinner are filled up for the foreseeable future, and the restaurant is not taking walk-ins — unless you score a table because of a cancellation.

The patio: Big, breezy — and buzzy, the sound of anticipation. Between outdoors, the covered terrace, the lounge and the bar, Terra seats 212 patrons. Tables are well spaced, though close enough for you to overhear the wait staff’s tantalizing menu descriptions for nearby diners and salivate over the dishes as they arrive. When it comes to views, Bloomingdale’s is in sharp focus, but you’ll probably need to stand up and crane your neck to get a peek of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The dish: Terra’s specialty is flame-grilling meat, seafood and vegetables. Start with the Arrosticini d’Agnello starter, little skewers of lamb (six for $12) or the more adventurous Bombette ($18), thin slices of Pugliese-style pork shoulder stuffed with a mortadella-mozzarella mixture. Mains from the grill include Spiedo di Pollo ($29,) a long skewer of marinated chicken with salsa verde; Pesce Spada, grilled swordfish ($32); and an array of steaks and chops. As for the gelato cart, good news: The decadent $12 sundae can be served in two or three individual portions.

Details: Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner (9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday). Eataly at Westfield Valley Fair, 2855 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara. Reservations: www.eataly.com/us_en/stores/silicon-valley/

Study Hall Rooftop Lounge, Berkeley

There are no books or microfiche readers at Study Hall, cheekily named for its proximity to UC Berkeley. What there is, is a view. Plopped on the 12th floor of the new Residence Inn in Berkeley, the lounge offers panoramic bay views to enjoy with cocktails, 12 tap beers and Oceana-inspired cuisine. You’ll pay a bit more as it’s a hotel operation, but it’s worth it to soak in the (literal) atmosphere and watch seagulls glide below.

The patio: Study Hall’s interior is minimalist with white walls and comfy furniture that sure looks like Berkeley Blue (Pantone 282). But a breeze through the open doors will lure most folks to the open-air patio, where the Berkeley hills rise in the west, San Francisco gleams in the east and Cal’s stadium lies right below – much more interesting than watching football on a hotel TV. There are fire pits to keep warm when the clouds roll in, and to enhance the chill ambiance, every evening features live bands or DJs.

The dish: Consider climbing the 12 stories to account for the Sriracha mayo-slathered fried-chicken sandwich ($21) and a side of tater tots ($8). A healthier but no-less-filling option is the kimchi bowl with kalbi short ribs, local veggies and a fried egg ($26). You can get it with a plant-based patty to join the menu’s many vegetarian-friendly dishes, such as crispy Fresno-chile Brussels and sesame-glazed cauliflower nuggets.

Details: Open from 4:30 – 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 4:30 to midnight on Friday and Saturday in the Residence Inn at 2121 Center St., Berkeley; studyhallrooftoplounge.com

Shepherd & Sims, Los Gatos

Longtime South Bay restaurateurs Jim Stump and Angelique Shepherd — owners of The Table, Forthright, Vesper, Lamella Tavern — added this large, contemporary space to their culinary portfolio last fall. It was actually a return to Los Gatos for Stump, who had been executive chef of the Los Gatos Brewing Co. back in 1992. This time he’s on the east side of town, in the Cornerstone center.  (Hello, ample parking.) The couple launched with dinner, added lunch and then in April, started serving weekend brunch.

The patio: Whimsical artwork by Cameron Michael Moberg elevates the alfresco ambience. A cat surveys the whole scene, while stone fruit branches climb the pillars. The covered patio can accommodate 50 diners on comfy lounge seating and at tables, and a covered parklet can handle 40 more.

The dish: Expect creativity and high-quality ingredients. Among the seasonal stars from chef de cuisine Robert de la Mora are the Smoked Heirloom Tomatoes ($15) with Thai basil and compressed watermelon; Gnocchi with Summer Squash ($24); and Smoked Duck Breast ($34) with stone fruit, baby carrots and yuzu. Brunch brings benedicts (steak or ham), omelets, pancakes, pasta and more. No matter the time of day, you’ll always find the signature housemade Chicken Liver Mousse ($15), with sweet and savory accompaniments, on the menu. Always a good choice.

Details: Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (10 p.m. Friday-Saturday), with weekend brunch service starting at 10 a.m. at 15970 Los Gatos Blvd., Los Gatos; www.sandslosgatos.com

Lovely Day, Oakland

Run by Grace Street Catering, the same people behind the temporarily shuttered Cafe Zellerbach in Berkeley, this slightly hidden restaurant offers elevated dining in a North Oakland neighborhood not typically known for it. Chef Eric Cross prepares globe-trotting comfort food that diners can enjoy in front of a streetcar barn from the old Key System (a precursor to AC Transit).

The patio: Lovely Day is next to an elevated BART track and a highway on-ramp but somehow still manages to convey a chill mood. An ancient-looking tree overshadows a courtyard with classy sofas and dining tables with heat lamps. It’s more than an eat-and-go place: People hang out here for hours, having a drink, snacking on shucked oysters and grooving to local bands.

The dish: Pupusas stuffed with parmesan and topped with trumpet mushrooms and lamb chopper – not the livestock serial killer that sounds like, but a creamy sheep’s cheese – are a nice twist on the classic dish ($18). The halibut ceviche is fresh and bracing ($13) and for a heartier meal, there’s the rib eye, rubbed in funky koji and topped with melted blue cheese ($40). Seasonal fruit appears all over the menu, so if you see a dessert with nectarines or plums, definitely order it.

Details: Open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday at 4629 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland; lovelydayoakland.com

Lita, Walnut Creek

This Miami-themed restaurant, from the family behind neighboring Broderick Roadhouse, opened in January and has been a showstopper ever since. A highly-curated, farm-to-glass tropical cocktail program is the backdrop to a menu of Caribbean-leaning tacos, empanadas, ceviches and entrees, like mojo verde skirt steak and jerk salmon. The only thing more Miami than the food and drinks is the restaurant’s interior, a sultry oasis filled with lush plants, gold accents and marble galore.