Best Outdoor Dining Oasis Restaurants in Fairfax
20 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Ronan
Wood-fired pizzas and share plates executed with high culinary technique.
Notable Picks
#1
Ronan
8.7
Ronan is a chef-driven Italian restaurant on Melrose known for wood-fired pizzas and seasonal share plates in a lively, design-forward space. It blends high-level technique with an energetic dining room ideal for date nights. The kitchen delivers consistent execution validated by professional recognition.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Sweet Cheeks pizza, Seasonal arancini
What Makes it Special: Wood-fired pizzas and share plates executed with high culinary technique.
8.7
The Little Door is a long-running French-Mediterranean restaurant tucked behind a famous blue door, known for its garden patio and candlelit dining rooms. Guests book it for anniversaries and celebrations where rack of lamb, seasonal seafood, and mezze-style starters pair with a strong wine list and slow-paced service.
Must-Try Dishes:
Herb-crusted rack of lamb, Seasonal Mediterranean seafood entrée, House mezze platter
What Makes it Special: Romantic French-Mediterranean patio restaurant favored for anniversaries and special nights.
8.6
At The Grove, Alma Cocina de Mexico brings a polished, Mexico City–leaning menu of tacos, moles, and seafood to a patio overlooking the fountain. Guests come for shareable plates, serious cocktails, and an atmosphere that feels more like a modern dining room than a mall restaurant.
Must-Try Dishes:
Coliflor al Pastor, Quesabirria Tacos, Enchiladas de Mole
What Makes it Special: Upscale Mexico City–style cooking with cocktails and fountain-front patio seating.
#4
OSTE
8.6
OSTE is a Beverly Grove standout specializing in Roman-style pinsa with a light, long-fermented crust and carefully sourced toppings. With over a thousand reviews praising both the pizzas and handmade pastas, it functions as both a date-night spot and a serious destination for Italian-leaning pizza obsessives. The lively bar and patio keep it in steady rotation for locals and visitors alike.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita Pinsa, XXtra Pepperoni Lovers Pinsa, Carbonara Pinsa
What Makes it Special: Roman-style pinsa with a long-fermented crust and serious Italian cooking.
#5
Open Sesame
8.5
Open Sesame’s Beverly Grove location brings the long-running Lebanese brand’s generous plates, halal grilled meats, and mezze-heavy menus to a colorful indoor–outdoor space. With over a thousand reviews and steady 4.0+ ratings across platforms, it’s the reliable choice for shareable shawarma, chicken tawook, and salads before or after a night on Beverly.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Tawook plate with spicy garlic potatoes, Open Sesame combo with fattoush salad and hummus, Fried cauliflower with tahini and lemon
What Makes it Special: High-volume Lebanese spot with halal grills, big portions, and a long track record of steady crowds.
8.5
The Sycamore Kitchen is a daytime bakery-café where serious pastries share the menu with composed sandwiches, salads, and breakfast plates. Patio seating, good coffee, and chef-driven fillings—like roasted meats, seasonal vegetables, and house condiments—make it one of the more polished sandwich experiences in the 90036 corridor.
Must-Try Dishes:
BLT on rustic bread, Roasted turkey sandwich with avocado, Braised short rib sandwich
What Makes it Special: Chef-driven daytime café pairing pastries with refined sandwiches and salads.
Vibes:
Brewery & Beer Garden Republic
Group Dining Gatherings
Happy Hour Hotspots
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Wirtshaus is a German beer hall and patio where curry fries and loaded Kiez Fries are almost as central as the sausages and steins. Regulars pair crisp, skin-on potatoes with house curry ketchup or bratwurst, turning the fries into a full meal between Bundesliga matches and long beer flights.
Must-Try Dishes:
Curry fries with house curry ketchup, Kiez Fries with bratwurst and toppings, Sausage platter with fries
What Makes it Special: German-style curry and loaded fries served in a true La Brea beer garden.
8.4
Della Terra is a neighborhood trattoria pairing wood-fired pizzas, house pastas, and a broad wine list with a sidewalk-facing patio that feels tailor-made for Beverly/Fairfax. It’s a reliable choice for weeknight dates and group dinners where everyone can find a classic—from rigatoni alla vodka to grilled salmon and tiramisu.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rigatoni alla Vodka, Margherita Pizza, Grilled Salmon with Vegetables
What Makes it Special: Casual-yet-polished trattoria with a busy patio, wood-fired pies, and a menu that balances pizza, pasta, and grilled mains.
Inside Short Stories Hotel, this terracotta-toned courtyard bar serves a stylish brunch on select days, pairing cocktails with egg dishes, burgers, and pastry. The tree-shaded patio and fountain make it feel more like a resort escape than a Fairfax side street.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal Egg Dish, Brunch Burger, Shared Pastry Plate
What Makes it Special: Hotel bar brunch in a lush courtyard steps from The Grove.
8.1
Sogno Toscano’s Grove outpost brings a full-service Tuscan dining room and patio to the heart of the shopping center, pairing antipasti boards, pinsa-style pizzas, and house pastas with a deep lineup of imported products. It feels part Italian market, part wine bar, and part all-day restaurant where visitors linger between shopping runs.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fichi Burrata e Crudo, Pinsa Margherita, Beef Meatballs with San Marzano Sauce
What Makes it Special: Tuscan import shop turned full-service restaurant where antipasti, pinsa, and pastas share space with retail shelves and a central Grove patio.
8
Ludo Lefebvre's 12-seat counter delivers bistro technique that punches above its strip mall setting—the boursin-stuffed omelette sets a citywide standard, and the Big Mec burger with bordelaise has drawn dedicated fans since 2014. Walk-in energy means occasional waits and counter-only seating, but the kitchen's execution on French fundamentals rewards the patient and the Francophile alike.
Must-Try Dishes:
French Onion Soup, Omelette, Escargot
What Makes it Special: Ludo Lefebvre's 12-seat French counter serves bistro classics with no-reservations walk-in energy
Worthy Picks
7.9
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Outdoor Dining Oasis
A walk-up offshoot of Venice’s Win~Dow serving thin, crispy-edged cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches, and fries to mall-goers at The Grove. Diners grab food from the counter and eat on nearby outdoor seating, making it a quick, budget-friendly burger stop during shopping runs or movies.
Must-Try Dishes:
Double Cheeseburger, Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Shoestring Fries
What Makes it Special: Mall-side burger window with crisp smash patties and low prices.
#13
Pink's Hot Dogs
7.9
An 85-year-old sidewalk institution that built its reputation on loaded specialty dogs—the Pastrami Burrito Dog and celebrity-named creations draw both tourists and Angelenos who know the drill. Expect a line, cash in hand, and the particular satisfaction of eating a chili dog standing up on La Brea at midnight.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pastrami Burrito Dog, Chili Burger, Turkey Burger
What Makes it Special: LA landmark since 1939 where celebrity-named dogs draw locals and tourists to a permanent sidewalk party
7.8
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Brunch Bliss Spots
Business Lunch Power Players
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Family-owned since 1993 by Stephane and Katy Strouk, this European-style bistro inside the Original Farmers Market serves traditional French classics like beef bourguignon and quiche lorraine. The casual white-tablecloth setting with market energy provides an accessible French dining experience, complemented by their adjacent gourmet market and seafood counter.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Bourguignon, Quiche Lorraine, Steak Frites
What Makes it Special: Thirty-two year LA institution bringing authentic French bistro fare to the Farmers Market since 1993
Inside the Original Farmers Market, Roxy & Jo's focuses on boat-to-table seafood platters, lobster rolls, and chowders served from a polished stall with counter and patio seating. Diners build meals around oysters, fish and chips, and grilled salmon before or after wandering the market.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster roll, Fish and chips, Seafood platter with oysters and shrimp
What Makes it Special: Farmers Market seafood counter doing chowders, platters, and lobster rolls.
#16
Tartine Sycamore
7.8
The LA outpost of Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt's SF bakery institution, built around the signature Morning Bun and naturally-leavened Country Loaf that made them famous. The spacious Hollywood space with fireplaces and outdoor seating works for patient brunch-goers who understand the line is part of the ritual. Expect bakery-forward plates rather than full breakfast service—this is a pastry program with savory supporting cast.
Must-Try Dishes:
Morning Bun, Breakfast Sandwich, Avocado Toast
What Makes it Special: Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson's legendary San Francisco bakery brings its acclaimed pastry program to Hollywood
#17
Mauro Cafe
7.7
Mauro Cafe is a casual Italian cafe on Melrose serving pastas, salads, and all-day plates in a high-traffic indoor–outdoor setting. It functions as both a social meeting point and an approachable Italian lunch option. The menu emphasizes familiar comfort over technique.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti pomodoro, Chicken Milanese, Market chopped salad
What Makes it Special: A fashion-adjacent Italian cafe ideal for casual meals and meetings.
#18
ATTITUDE CAFE
7.7
ATTITUDE CAFE is a poolside-adjacent New American brunch and cocktail spot just off 3rd Street, balancing buttermilk pancakes, Benedicts, and vegan-leaning plates. Guests use it as a casual hangout for mimosas, kimchi fried rice, and California Benedicts in a bright room with indoor and patio seating.
Must-Try Dishes:
California Benedict, Kimchi Fried Rice with Fried Chicken, Buttermilk Pancakes
What Makes it Special: Easygoing brunch cafe with vegan options and pool-adjacent patio.
#19
Chill Since 93
7.6
This London-based Roman pizza shop tucked in The Grove's quiet alley serves semi-thick rectangular slices with gooey cheese absorbed into the crust. The patate pizza with charred potato peaks stands out, while the outdoor patio provides rare breathing room at the tourist-heavy shopping center.
Must-Try Dishes:
Patate Pizza, Spicy Soppressata, Prosciutto Pizza
What Makes it Special: Roman-style pizza oasis hidden in The Grove shopping complex
7.5
Inside the Original Farmers Market, El Granjero Cantina offers sit-down tacos, bowls, and margaritas overlooking the marketplace stalls. It’s a convenient option for shoppers who want a proper table, tequila, and elevated fillings instead of purely grab-and-go Mexican.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crispy Avocado Tacos, Crispy Fish Tacos, Carnitas Tacos
What Makes it Special: Full-service cantina at the Farmers Market with cocktails and patio seating.