The Jane Hotel

Located in a gallery-like space in the LES, Maryam Nassir Zadeh is more like a gallery than a boutique. You’ll find really stunning jewelry that you don’t know if you should wear, or just display, and plenty of up-and-coming labels. MNZ has put designers like Dieppa Restrepo, Bernhard Willhelm, and Rafael Indiana on the map.

Because it started as the jewelry extension of the East Village tattoo parlor, New York Adorned, you might expect that the jewelry here would be of the skull and crossbones variety. But it's actually gorgeous, and for the most part, dainty. They also have an excellent—and unexpected—range of home goods and gifts.

If we were to name the most loved bookstore in the city, this would be it (after all, it's been operating out of the same location since the '20s). The staff picks and recommended reading tables are always on point, and, along with fiction and non-fiction titles, their photography and fine art section upstairs is wonderfully comprehensive, as is their dimly-lit rare books floor.

Owner and buyer Jen Mankins has built a bit of an empire out in Brooklyn, drawing Manhattanites out to shop in the process. Her eye is both quirky and cool, meaning that you’ll find a pretty irreverent (and bright) mix here, along with picks Alexander Wang, Zero + Maria Cornejo, and Tsumori Chisato. The racks for men are just as on point.

For years, this teeny tiny shop on Williamsburg's main drag has been one of the best resources in Brooklyn for jewelry. Stackable rings, sweet little pendants, and more precious offerings from designers like Elisa Solomon fill the cases. Weirdly, because space is tight, we actually like shopping their website more.

While the selection here is small, it's exquisite enough to draw a Manhattan crowd to Red Hook, one of Brooklyn's more far-flung neighborhoods. Owner Russell Whitmore has an unerring eye for the types of estate and auction pieces you won't see elsewhere: You'll find diamond cluster rings from the late 19th century and Etruscan revival bracelets inset with tiny drops of pearl and turquoise.

You'll only find Caitlin Mociun's eponymous jewelry collection on her site—but should you go to her new, Williamsburg store, you'll see the work of her friends, too, including hexagonal brass necklaces by Iacoli & Macallister, and Chen Chen and Kai William's marble bangles. You'll also get to shop Mociun's full line, from her signature eensy, triangular turquoise pendants to her custom rings, which feature a mismatched—and stunning—combination of stones.

There aren't many better jewelry boutiques in the country: Offering a mix of new and estate pieces, the curation here is stunning, but also cool (sometimes a hard-to-accomplish feat). The original is in the Brentwood Country Mart in Los Angeles.

San Francisco based sneaker start-up Allbirds recently opened their first NYC concept store in Soho, complete with—wait for it—a human sized hamster wheel to test shoe durability. In honor of the opening, they've designed custom laces inspired by New York City’s subway lines alongside a new, limited-edition, midnight blue colorway. We love the sustainable ethos behind each pair of shoes-they're largely engineered from temperature-regulating, odor-minimizing merino wool that's inspired by co-founder Tim Brown's Kiwi upbringing. (They're also ideal for anyone who doesn't like wearing socks.) Grab a perch at their shoe bar to be fitted if you need extra attention.

This Italian spot on Thompson Street boasts Vito Schnabel's artwork on the walls, Zac Posen designed uniforms, a floor inspired by The Godfather, and a slightly more upscale version of the Italian-American fare you'll find at their other restaurants. And like the good old days, the food is rich and luscious from lobster ravioli to sides like artichoke hearts and corn tartufato.

Apart from the tasty Italo-American dishes—homemade spaghetti (kids go nuts for it) and the perfect roast chicken—the music is what really sets this restaurant apart. Colorful old-school boombox prints decorate the walls, and Snoop Dogg, Jay Z, and Dre boom from the speakers, making the meal a good one for a big group (they actually have a private dining room if you're inviting more than ten people), rather than an intimate gathering.

For years, this little restaurant has attracted lines around the block for its unwaveringly delicious brunch. If you can go on a weekday, you'll have better luck sampling their spectacularly soft, eggy french toast, or their famous Eggs Rothko basically, the best egg in a hole ever.

Chef Elmdad Shem Tov’s heritage influences Glasserie's menu. It's Mediterranean and Middle Eastern through and through, with plates of heirloom cauliflower and tahini, grilled flatbread with labneh, and lots of falafel.

Arguably one of Brooklyn’s best pizza joints, you’ll find rustic, wooden tables surrounding a brick oven here, which is the perfect stage for the pie-throwing theatrics of chef Mark Iacono. Lucali doesn’t take reservations, so get there at around six to snag a table—the thin-crust pizzas and calzones are absolutely worth the wait.

Hearty, meaty sandwiches and Montreal-style deli food (house-smoked meats, poutine, brisket, and more) are served here, deluxe. Make sure to get a pickle on the side and wash it all down with a good glass of wine. There's also a location in Brooklyn.

For years, the Lower East Side has played host to the New York dumpling craze, of which we were avid participants from the start. We loved when Mimi Cheng’s came along and began serving up delectable Taiwanese-style dumplings made with antibiotic-free, local meat and fresh veggies. And, their hole in the wall is beautiful, whitewashed and dotted with bright yellow stools.

You can go to this tiny, charmingly spare Williamsburg storefront for ramen in the evenings, but the best thing is their Japanese breakfast: Incredible fish and vegetables, beautifully prepared and presented. Make a reservation or get there extra early—waiting outside on the tree-lined street is actually its own lovely experience.

Great fried chicken, end of story. Owned and run by three women who met while working at Diner, this is a super casual spot that offers an authentic spin on Southern food. The wonderful savouries are matched only by their sweet, down-home American pies. There's a new location on the Lower East Side.

Andrew Tarlow and team have a tight grip on the Williamsburg dining scene, and so they've finally made their first foray deeper into Brooklyn. At Roman’s, the short menu of simple Italian dishes changes daily, making it the kind of neighborhood joint you can hit on repeat. As the food is delicious, there’s always a crowd—if you’re looking for a quiet meal, opt for earlier on in the week.

Hip, but not overrated or overrun, this all-day cafe from the guys behind The Jane Hotel is a great place to meet up for a coffee or casual lunch/dinner. They sell artisan goods up front.

This is the best new-wave steakhouse in the neighborhood, as evidenced by the fact that it's usually at capacity by 6pm. It's worth the sometimes two hour wait (we leave our number and head next door for a drink) for an insane aged steak for two or four, not to mention a perfectly-dressed bibb lettuce salad, lush truffle oil mashed potatoes, and delicious, seasonal options from the grill.

The hand-rolled, wood-fired bagel sandwiches at Black Seed are actually easy to eat (they’re much smaller than their brethren), and for the most part, they’re great—particularly for those times when the only thing that will satisfy is a bagel sandwich. Favorites include: beet-cured gravlax, a basic tuna salad, Tobiko spread, and the egg salad (though it’s heavy on the dill). There’s now a location in the Financial District and East Village, in addition to the Nolita original.

This restaurant/bar feels like an old-school New Orleans club that’s been recently rediscovered. Distressed walls, gas lamps, a deco bar, and Thonet bentwood chairs just add to the effect. With a raw bar and a menu of seafood classics, it’s a solid choice for a weekend brunch or dinner, but we prefer it later in the evening for an old-fashioned drink at a dimly lit table. There’s also a long list of absinthes to choose from, which is fitting for the epoch this spot evokes.

Operating out of a renovated 1920s train car, this quirky little spot from Andrew Tarlow has served Williamsburg since the late 90s. In the past few decades, it’s lost none of its appeal—thanks to a menu of American classics, from one of the best burgers in Brooklyn to a solid roast chicken. The atmosphere gets downright rowdy the later it gets; people roll up for late-night dinner to a soundtrack of old-school hip-hop. Come with some time before your reservation to drop by Marlow & Sons—it's just next door–for a glass of wine.

This is definitely one of the best soba joints in the city: We like the Nolita location the best, but this one on the LES is very cozy. Go for the Mera Mera Dip Soba, with minced chicken and a fiery broth: The noodles are packed with flavor, chewy, and perfectly al-dente. Don’t miss the homemade silky tofu, sprinkled with grated ginger, scallions, nori and bonito flakes, which is as creamy and delicious as a hunk of fresh burrata.

Whether you head to the Carroll Gardens original or the West Village outpost, you can expect a home-style Italian meal in a casual, neighborhood setting from Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo. We love their vegetable-centric offerings, house-made pasta, and hearty meatball parmigiana, which is pretty great for lunch.

Cafe Erzulie—named after the Haitian Voodoo goddess of love, beauty, and dance—is a lush indoor-outdoor tropical event space and cocktail bar. They're currently open for public and private events: There's often live jazz under strings of lights in their outdoor space, and on the weekends, the dance floor opens up for some of Brooklyn's up-and-coming DJ’s.

Housed in a renovated public school, PS1 has been a beacon for contemporary art lovers since the 60s, though it officially only became part of MoMA in 2000. With the unerringly avant-garde Klaus Biesenbach as its director, PS1 has presented many groundbreaking shows including Francis Alÿs, Ari Marcopoulos, and Confetti System, a timely Mike Kelley retrospective shortly after his death, and the “Greater New York” series. In the summer, the Warm Up series—where great DJs play in the museum’s courtyard—draws a fun crowd. There's also an on-site cafeteria, M. Wells Dinette.

Tucked away in South Williamsburg, this is one of the best places to see up-and-coming indie bands. It's always a fun night out, particularly because there’s food (including lots of vegan and vegetarian options) by way of Bouley and Acme vet, chef Ronald Murray. Much to the joy of locals, they've recently introduced weekend brunch.

This gritty Williamsburg concert hall has debuted many an indie and new wave band. It's one of our favorite venues in the city, second only to the Bowery Ballroom (it's from the same family), as the sound is great and it's nice and intimate. You can stand and watch on the ground floor, but there's more low-key, tiered standing areas upstairs for those inclined to claustrophobia.

This adults-only bowling alley turned concert venue provides an entertainment trifecta, guaranteeing a pretty great night out, especially in a group. You can bowl to great music, dine on Blue Ribbon’s fried chicken and spiked milkshakes, and see the occasional big-name group.

Designed by the visionary Roman + Williams team, The Ace has some of the most memorable interiors in the city. The lobby has become something of an all-day hangout even for those who aren't guests, with its Stumptown coffee bar, cool concept shops—both a mini Opening Ceremony and No. 8—and unlimited free-wifi. Meanwhile, April Bloomfield's two restaurants, The John Dory and the cozy pub-like Breslin, serve up top-notch food. It was and continues to be a hot spot in a once totally boring and dilapidated part of town. Photo: Douglas Lyle Thompson

This quaint spot looks like just another family brownstone on a lovely street. The beautifully-designed guestrooms make the boutique hotel feel like the kind of place you could easily move into. You’ll sleep in Frette linens and take strolls around Gramercy Park. The Inn has the sweetest tea room in town, too, Lady Mendl’s.

At the Wythe Hotel, owned by the masterminds behind Marlow & Sons, you’ll find an outpost of Le Crocodile, a French bar, and views of both the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines. The building has a plethora of spaces to rent for parties, including a full-fledged screening room. Oh, and if you're traveling in a band, as one does in Williamsburg, you can book their "Band Room," complete with bunk beds.

We dare to say this hole-in-the-wall (literally), Israeli place makes the best falafel sandwiches in the city. In fact, they make three varieties of the best falafel in the city. Get a sandwich to go and wash it down with their perfect, equal parts sweet and tart lemonade. There is also a location in Nolita.

New York is no stranger to coffee shops and teahouses, but Chalait is the first one to feature such a matcha-heavy menu. For the uninitiated, our favorite matcha latte—creamy and not too bitter—is a good intro to this potent, antioxidant-rich green tea. For nonbelievers, there’s Counter Culture coffee and a variety of loose-leaf teas. While there is no Wi-Fi, it's a good spot to get some work done.

With cafés in four major cities, La Colombe is looking to build a little empire—which makes total sense. The in-house beans are some of New York City's best, and the café itself is serene and beautiful. Locations vary in size (some have tables where you could totally pull out a laptop), and you can usually find a place to at least perch for a bit. This outpost is the most spacious; it's good for writing or reading but doesn't offer Wi-Fi.

Here's the thing: Happy Bones is actually tiny, but because most people come for to-go drinks, the tables are almost always empty. The two guys who run this place keep the menu and the décor blessedly simple, so you're guaranteed both a great cup of coffee and a peaceful atmosphere every time.

This tiny little café on Lexington serves great coffee, alongside a small-but-mighty food menu. While there's no denying how good the schnitzel and breaded chicken sandwiches are, this is an especially great choice for vegetarians. The avocado smash (which is drenched in pumpkin seeds) is fresh-tasting yet totally filling. The tiny space can get a little bit crowded during the lunch hour, so it's best to take your brown bag to go.

The newly renamed Cé La Vie, which occupies the top floor of the luxurious Marina Bay Sands Hotel, is just as impressive from the outside as it is from the inside. One of the most notable structures of Singapore's skyline, the hotel's three towers are connected at the top by an enormous canoe-shaped topper—and a giant infinity pool which stretches across the expanse. There are different areas for pool-time, eating dinner, or drinking at their club, which draws a big crowd.

Located right in the middle of Beijing, Capital M is really all about the unrivaled view, including Tiananmen Square. You'll see brightly colored structures in the daytime, and buildings that are lit up on every tier at night. The menu is primarily European—on the weekends they offer tea and champagne.

The décor at Two Rooms Bar & Grill was put together by 8 Inc., a San Francisco-based design firm that only works on cool projects. Case in point, this rooftop Tokyo bar and restaurant, where you'll find a sleek bar and lounge area that can only be accessed by crossing a bridge over a water terrace (which is basically an infinity-pool extension of their patio space). It pulls from from Tokyo's fashion world in the evenings for cocktails overlooking the city, but the brunch menu is pretty great, too.

Gracing the rooftop of one of the Peninsula hotels, L'Oiseau Blanc (the White Bird) is named for a French plane that crashed over the Atlantic in 1927 during a transatlantic flight attempt. The restaurant's décor pays homage to the pilots, complete with a small-scale replica of the biplane that looks like it's flying off the terrace. Even if you're not a history buff, you'll appreciate the sweeping views of the Eiffel Tower and the excellent service.

With a now-iconic interior that's dripping in red velvet, Hôtel Costes is one of those spots that has perfected its aesthetic—which, of course, extends to the music. It can get dark and smoky inside, so head out to the enclosed terrace (you can still hear whatever the DJ is spinning inside), which is equally great for either an afternoon glass of wine or an after-dinner cocktail. Plus, the people-watching is always fabulous.

Besides hosting concerts, art exhibitions, and live performances, this ex-storage space turned squat cultural institution on the Canal Saint-Martin is also home to one of the area's best bars. On busy days, the local art crowd spills out onto the banks of the canal with beers and affordable cocktails from noon until...whenever.

Le Zyriab, part of a chain of Lebanese restaurants in France, is nothing fancy, but the stunning views from atop the Institut du Monde Arabe set this place apart for drinks overlooking the Seine and the Ile St. Louis. Aside from being inside one of the finest cultural institutions in Paris, it's also never too busy in the afternoons before dinner, making it a standby for getting the evening started over a couple of glasses of Lebanese wine, which is actually pretty good.

Located close to what was once Paris's red-light district, Hôtel Amour takes a deep bow to the neighborhood's tawdry past. Conceived by nightlife visionary André Saraiva (the force behind Le Baron), the black lacquered bar, brasserie, and outdoor terrace are as scene-y as you can get in Paris. Whether for a boozy Saturday brunch or dinner and drinks, the best seats in the house are outdoors, in the leafy courtyard dotted with vintage ’50s cafeteria tables. The brasserie is open late, and you can linger on for hours until it's time to hit the bar or a nightclub in nearby Pigalle.

This restaurant, bar, and nightclub—in an iconic rotunda built by Claude Nicolas Ledoux, the father of Neoclassical architecture—is also smack in the middle of one of the main alternative drags in Paris. Young Parisians flock here for dinner under the cupola and drinks all day in the verdant and colorful terrace garden right on the Place Stalingrad. When it gets late, you can always head back indoors to the Mini Club for some French disco.

This spot is named for the nineteenth-century painter Rosa Bonheur, the first woman to become an officer of the Legion of Honour, whose paintings of horses and cows grace the walls of the Louvre and New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. While Bonheur used the then-wilds of the Bois de Boulogne to find animals to paint, this Rosa Bonheur is situated in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, a beautiful garden in the 19th. The emphasis here is on day-drinking, really, though it gets overly packed as the night wears on. It serves great appetizers, plus it's laid-back, unpretentious, and kid-friendly. Should you stay past 10 p.m., expect to follow the crowd onto the dance floor.

Sprawling across the top of the Docks en Seine (a mixed-use warehouse with a neon-green extruded glass roof that's impossible to miss), this newcomer from two Le Baron founders has packed in the crowds since opening day. There's no dress code at Nüba, the DJ booth is actually a beach hut, there's a resident food truck, and lawn chairs dot the landscape—though it is a well-turned-out scene, thanks in part to the fact that Docks en Seine hosts Paris's preëminent fashion school. While you can dance in the open air, the club stretches far inside, too.

Situated on the quay of the Docks en Seine—also home to Paris's fashion institute—Wanderlust is a bit more than just a club/bar/restaurant. Though a small part of the enterprise lives indoors, it primarily resides on the sprawling outdoor terrace which overlooks the Seine. Exposed pipes, neon lights, live music (DJs, generally), and a stylish crowd are all hallmarks of this much-buzzed-about destination.

Tucked away on an idyllic street in Islington, this pretty Georgian pub boasts a lot of outdoor space—a rarity in London. On summer evenings and weekends, the best spots in the house are in the front courtyard for beers and cocktails, and out back for classic pub fare in the wisteria covered courtyard. This being one of the most popular gastropubs in the area, dinner and Sunday roast reservations come in handy.

Ever since 2008, Frank's Cafe—a bar located on top of a parking garage in Peckham—has been the neighborhood's main hub for summertime drinking. It's fairly bare bones when it comes to drinks and presentation—cocktails are pretty standard and you dine at shared picnic tables—but the sunset views across South London make navigating the always crowded concrete rooftop worthwhile. There are a lot of good up-and-coming galleries in the area, too, including Hannah Barry and The Sunday Painter. This means that the best nights to head over are after the gallery openings, when many of the neighborhood's young artists and curators head out for a celebratory drink, and this installment of the pop-up's light, Mediterranean-inspired fare.

Selfridges may sometimes be a bit of a tourist trap, but the rooftop restaurant and bar always feels like a well-kept local's secret—it's hardly ever crowded, the casual English fare care of restaurateur Des McDonald is excellent, and the views over Mayfair's rooftops are striking. The theme of the rooftop changes seasonally as does the menu and the cocktails.

For those missing out on the Shoreditch House's private member's rooftop and pool next door, The Boundary Hotel comes to the rescue with a rooftop bar and restaurant that's open year-round, under a canopy of grape vines, no less. You'll also find a kitchen garden upstairs, along with an outdoor lounge that's set around a wood-burning chimney, ideal for a lazy afternoon in good weather. Being part of Terence Conran's empire guarantees that everything from the Mediterranean food, to the wicker furniture in the rooftop lounge, is in great taste.

On weekend afternoons, this warehouse bar and brewery is a haven for locals and young families who come for the wood fired thin-crust pizza served both indoors and canal-side. And, as the afternoon wears on, and the music turns up, the kids pizza parties get replaced by older groups of friends who come for the brewery's excellent beers, ales and local ciders. In other words, it's a pretty ideal place to while the afternoon away, in the sprawling, industrial space, drinking at the large communal tables both indoors and out. Open year-round, it's best in the summer, when you can take a leisurely walk down the canal until you reach the brewery.

The highlight at this swank hotel located right on McCarren Park is the saltwater swimming pool (you can rent pool passes for if you're not checking in), with full bar and snack service. Meanwhile, the complimentary bike rentals and rooftop lounge make McCarren Hotel & Pool a slice of vacation in the middle of bustling Billyburg.

Roberta’s has been warmly flourishing for years. Camouflaged by an industrial, kind of uninviting exterior, this gem of a spot offers a succinct menu includes a few wonderful pizzas, plus seasonal veggies and pasta dishes. There’s an indoor, primarily communal seating area where you can watch the pizza-making go down in the open kitchen. The vibe is casual and the ambiance always lively, as it routinely draws big crowds. While you can expect to wait, it’s a good place to have a drink.

From June through October, this oyster bar aboard the historic Sherman Zwicker schooner docks at Pier 25 in Tribeca. Under yellow and white stripe canopies, servers in appropriately nautical outfits distribute casual sea-side fare and cocktails from the built-in bar. During weekend days, it’s a fun lobster roll destination with kids, and in the evenings, thanks to a solid list of schooner-themed cocktails and oysters and small plates, it’s a pretty great night out. While the location is a bit remote, it’s still conveniently close to downtown—plus, how cool is it to eat on the water?

Gallow Green is actually the rooftop of the McKittrick Hotel. When you first walk in, you might expect a woodland nymph to pop out from behind one of the lush arches. The cozy garden vibe here is neither pretentious nor touristy, and the views of the city are some of the best. Their unusual cocktails keep with the theme, with names like Summer Coven and The Garden Shed.

Originally constructed in the ‘30s as an opulent apartment building (its design takes after the Gothic chateaus of the Loire Valley), the Chateau quickly morphed into a hotel. It has official historic landmark status for a million reasons: It’s played host to everyone in Hollywood (sadly, John Belushi died here), and despite an André Balazs re-do in the ‘90s, it still feels wonderfully old-world. Its popularity has never waned, to the extent that you generally can’t grab a bite or a drink here unless you’re checked-in, or meeting a guest. Images: Nikolas Koenig

Malibu Farm is our go-to restaurant for impressing out-of-towners, thanks to its sweeping views of the ocean in both directions (and even of Catalina Island on a clear day). Enjoying a zucchini pizza and white sangria on the porch while you watch surfers and stand-up paddleboarders on iconic Surfrider Beach? That's as California as it gets.

Preux & Proper is yet another newish addition to LA's growing downtown bar and restaurant scene. The New Orleans-inspired spot features an elegant but unstuffy interior: white walls and tile are grounded by dark floors and black leather stools and banquettes, and there are open-air patios on both floors. For an upscale, ladylike dining experience and fresh oysters (proper), sit upstairs. For a more rowdy bar scene and the opportunity to test their 6 separate frozen Daiquiri flavors (preux), stay on the first floor.

The just-opened E.P. & L.P. is excellent proof that you don't need an ocean view to have a magical rooftop experience in Los Angeles. While the downstairs restaurant, which serves Asian-inspired dishes, is certainly deserving of a spot on any "to try" list, any one of the bars (there are three, one inside the restaurant and two on the roof-top deck) is definitely the place to be. Upstairs, the décor feels very L.A., with a wood deck, neon chairs, and ample greenery to round out stunning views of the hills. Drink-wise, expect to find everything from traditional Pimm's cup to spiked boba tea.

When you daydream about moving to California and lounging in a beach house, the image you conjure probably looks something like the Bungalow. Its notable address on the corner of Wilshire and Ocean means that the west side hang-out has a solid view of the Pacific, with the décor to match—the shaded patio is dotted with hammocks, relaxed couches, and white-washed Adirondack chairs gathered around cozy fire pits. They also lay definitive claim to the best margarita in this part of town. Unfortunately, the secret's out about this spot, so the lines can get long on Fridays and Saturdays—we'd only recommend it for a weeknight or Sunday afternoon.

The menu at this hidden gem (it's quite literally hidden near a Home Depot in an unmarked building) remains exciting: gnocchi with maple bacon, steak tartare with fried capers and egg yolk, PB&J bread pudding. In the summer, they open up a garage door in the back of the building to an open-air astroturf patio; head to the back to play a game of ping pong while you wait for your meal. The private dining room here is legendary, too—tucked away near the entrance to the main dining room, it's a popular pick for the film and music crowd.

As the name suggests, you can come here for excellent chicken and fish, both fried to perfection and not at all greasy. But an emphasis on booze is to be expected from the guys that brought you Longman & Eagle. The bar stays open till 2am nightly (3am on Saturdays!) and serves craft cocktails and beer on tap, as well as a lethal Negroni slushy. They also make excellent use of the outdoor space (complete with freestanding bar and ping-pong tables) which functions as a patio in summer or an ice skating rink in the colder months.

Unlike so many of the city’s more popular watering holes, this indoor-outdoor Tex-Mex spot is bright, airy, and massive in size. It’s part of One Off Hospitality Group (Dove’s Luncheonette, Avec) and as evidenced by the deep tequila/beer/cocktail list and 2am closing time, values a good time above all. To balance out the copious amounts of booze, order tacos and lots of guacamole from the walk-up window—it's usually faster than waiter service.

Celeste is divided into several different floors, and while they all share the same elegant aesthetic, the rooftop garden is far and away our favorite. The intimate space is decorated with white Victorian couches and chairs, and the brick walls are softened with vines and planters. While the punchbowl is considered one of the city's best, we usually spring for one of two frozen drinks (an Electric Pisco Colada and a Nuclear Caipirinha) that you can only get on the roof.

This rooftop bar at the CANVAS Hotel—the latest in a crop of younger, hipper hotels—offers spectacular views of the city’s South Side. Come for sunset drinks by the pool or at the bar, take in the Dallas skyline, and make a meal of it, too, thanks to a menu of substantial snacks—hot dogs, tacos, salads, and the like.

HG SPLY CO. offers all the benefits of a healthy menu without any white-washed "healthy" restaurant aesthetic, making it the perfect place to take your boyfriend when he wants a beer and you're craving a green juice. Their paleo-inspired menu is light and clean yet substantial—favorites include the tex mex quinoa bowl, pulled pork nachos, and texas steak bowl. The fire pits, twinkle lights, and red picnic tables, plus the well-chosen beer list, make their rooftop a pretty perfect place to spend a long, drawn-out evening.

Beer is an important theme at the Rustic: In addition to their impressive list of Texas beers on draft and a seriously good beer-butt chicken, the bar's centerpiece is an American flag sculpture constructed from old beer cans. In the summer, their enormous outdoor patio (dotted with picnic tables and fire pits) plays host to country music bands and singers that play late into the evening. Their huge custom marquee sign completes the scene.

Come here for sustainable, organic, and healthy Mexican food. Their simple cocktail list offers a straightforward margarita and paloma, plus blue-bottle coffee for abstainers.

This is a local favorite for great margaritas (which should arguably be ordered only by the pitcher) and big sweeping views of the city. The vibe is cozy, and while there are ample heat lamps to keep you warm as the sun goes down, this place is really best for day drinking—get there early enough put in a brunch order.

With its central location along the Embarcadero in the Financial District, Americano is an easy spot for drinks after work. Their patio, where they often have live music, has a wide view of the bay, anchored by the Ferry Building on the left and the Bay Bridge on the right. The happy hour menu is blessedly simple, offering a cocktail, a wine, a beer, and a snack in their signature farm-to-table Italian style.

San Francisco's notoriously gloomy weather means pool parties aren't exactly abundant in the city. But on those rare days that call for a bikini, the poolside patio at Chambers Eat + Drink at the Phoenix is the place to be. The scene can get a little rowdy in the afternoon, so go early (the brunch is good).

The menu at this Chinese/Korean hybrid runs the gamut of Asian delicacies. There’s Korean tacos and steamed bao for lunch, ramen and braised mahi mahi for dinner, and a dim sum brunch on the weekends. Ingredients are sourced from local farmers who focus on quality and sustainability. The portions are large enough to encourage sharing and go perfectly with the restaurant’s communal vibe—massive tables, a well-stocked bar, and outdoor picnic tables.

This is one of those places that immediately transports you somewhere else: in the case, Austin, Texas. In addition to the endless patio outside, there's a stage for live music inside, and the décor is wonderfully Texan, with a big star behind the bar and a classic longhorn mount. If you're there for drinks, get the guacamole, queso, and a Vampire Weekend, their house horchata cocktail. They also have a location in Cabbagetown.

Bartaco also has a few locations in Connecticut, and you can definitely feel the beachy vibe when you walk inside: The patio is white-washed with blue cushions and accents, and the hanging pendants inside are made from woven baskets. The garage door separating the patio from the restaurant opens wide on warm evenings, when you can sit under the twinkle lights and order from their well-tended cocktail list (favorites are the margarita, the mojito, and a bold blend of chorizo spice, reposado, and mezcal called the CLT). If you're staying to eat, trays of guacamole, salsa, and an assortment of tacos take the stress out of ordering for a crowd.

So there are the cocktails (great), but then there are the snacks: cheese, "pub frites," and bacon in a glass. You can pretty much stay all day. The shaded patio is undeniably pleasant, and the open garage door (a big trend in Atlanta) makes it airy and bright.

We were sold on this place already for its patio—complete with a fire pit—and, fortunately, the food is fantastic, too. The cozy outdoor space here will make you want to cuddle up with a glass of rioja and order enough tapas to stick around for a while. While we like to go at night (aforementioned fire), we hear the brunch (there’s a bloody mary bar and a seriously good sangria) is just as great. There's an additional location in Knight Park, but this one's our favorite.