Coffee Breakfast

Malibu Pier Restaurant and Bar

Anne Fishbein

We have a right to be smug: it's almost always outdoor dining season in L.A. As a result, we have perhaps the best selection in the country of places to dine al fresco. But amidst this wealth, some patios, decks and gardens truly stand out. To help you navigate, here's our list of the prettiest, most convivial, and some downright stunning places to dine in the fresh air.

Gracias Madre

Anne Fishbein

10. Gracias Madre
Located near the end (or beginning) of Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, Mexican vegan restaurant Gracias Madre is a gorgeous space. Previously an antique store, the room is awash with clean white paint, making its high, vaulted ceilings and light wood floors feel sleek but inviting. The outdoor patio, anchored by a roaring fireplace, more than doubles the restaurant's seating capacity, and colorful cushions, stylish tilework and cascading, potted plants make the whole place feel like something out of a high-design Mexican home-decor magazine. When the evenings get chilly a blazing fireplace in the center of the patio warms things up, and pretty details such as shrines to the Virgin make it feel like more than just a garden. What to order: Organic margaritas and sweet potato flautas. 8905 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood; (323) 978-2170. — B.R.