February has been way, way too nice. Nice enough that people are eating and drinking outside everywhere. But for a town that's not always known for its balmy nighttime weather, San Francisco is chock-full of covered, semi-covered, and uncovered but heatlamp-equipped places to eat al fresco at all times of year (Thrillist actually counted up 145 last year, including bars). Below, we bring you our favorites.


Arguello
Out in the Presidio, chef Traci Des Jardins opened this airy, upscale Mexican spot in 2014, complete with a large patio with a fire pit. There's an awesome array of tequila and mezcal, delicious tacos and tamales, and a New York steak served with bone marrow salsa. Just don't head there late on a Sunday, because they're only open for brunch until 4 p.m., and evening hours are early too — they serve until 9 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday. But walk-ins are always welcome. — Jay Barmann
50 Moraga Avenue in the Presidio, in the Officer's Club


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Bar Agricole
The semi-covered front patio at Bar Agricole may just be the nicest outdoor dining spot in all of SoMa, and is especially perfect for brunch on sunny Sundays. Both the cocktails and the food at this place are on point — and this past year Michael Bauer awarded chef Melissa Reitz's work by putting the restaurant back on the Chronicle's Top 100. — Jay Barmann
355 11th Street near Harrison


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Biergarten. Photo: Proxy/Facebook

Biergarten
A fenced-in outdoor bar in the middle of Hayes Valley, Biergarten is a fave with Euro expats (my German father-in-law loves this place) and beer-and-brat loving locals alike. From the people who brought us Deutschland-dining standby Suppenküche, their German street cred's legit — and they have pork pretzels to go with your big-ass mug of beer. PORK PRETZELS, you guys. Not to mention an excellent burger on Wednesdays and occasional Thursdays. It can get cold at night as the fog rolls in, so bring a blanket (or borrow one from their stash) if you're planning on making an evening of it (they close at 9 Wed-Saturday, and at 7 on Sunday). -- Eve Batey
424 Octavia (between Fell and Linden)


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Photo: Facebook

Cafe Claude
Still one of the best and most consistent go-to bistros in town, Cafe Claude boasts covered outdoor seating in cozy Claude Lane with ample heat lamps, and the outdoor aspect makes the place feel all the more Parisian. They make a great coq au vin and steak frites, and in these crazy times, their $45 four-course prix fixe at dinner is a steal. — Jay Barmann
7 Claude Lane, near Bush and Kearny


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Photo: Facebook

Contigo
Possibly the brightest spot, food-wise, in Noe Valley also has one of the city's most pleasant back decks for dining, complete with a live grapevine on one wall, and berries and peppers growing in the summer. Chef Brett Emerson has called his seven-year-old Spanish spot his "love letter to Barcelona," and Michael Bauer recently swung back by to confirm that it is still going strong, especially tapas-wise. — Jay Barmann
1320 Castro Street near 24th


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Photo: Facebook

Dirty Habit
The lounge-y, cocktail-focused replacement for Fifth Floor, inside the Hotel Zelos (née Palomar), hit its stride in the last year, and chef David Bazirgan puts out an impressive, sophisticated spread at what might otherwise be a rote hotel restaurant. The patio is actually the best place to be most nights, and with its heat lamps and fire pit and string lights it feels festive year-round — and, cloistered as it is in a fully enclosed courtyard, there's never much of any wind. Don't miss the awesome sweet and spicy chicken wings, or the beef tartare. — Jay Barmann
12 Fourth Street, inside the Hotel Zelos on the fifth floor


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Photo: Andrew Dalton/SFist

El Techo De Lolinda
This Mission rooftop oasis is a popular spot for after-work margaritas and quesadillas that, thanks to their glass wind guards along the railings, remains comfortable even after night falls. The limited menu doesn't make for much of a dinner — more like drinking snacks — but the hand-made chorizo and platano maduro are both big winners. Pro tip: They take reservations for brunch. -- Eve Batey
2518 Mission Street (at 21st)


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Photo: Yelp

Fable
At the small, neighborhood-serving Fable in the Castro, the food has been on an upswing since opening several years ago — and it's now one of the 'hood's hidden gems with things like the pork chop and the boulliabaisse-like seafood stew (when they have it). The secluded back patio with its string lights and heat lamps is fully covered but also open to a small garden that occupies the other half of the backyard. An interesting and reasonably priced selection of wines by the glass and fairly attentive service make this place a great go-to — and it should be noted that patio works for groups of six or more if you call ahead and finish up by 9 (their liquor license requires them to stop serving back there past 9). — Jay Barmann
558 Castro Street between 18th and 19th


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Photo via Foreign Cinema.

Foreign Cinema
The Mission Street mainstay Foreign Cinema is an SF classic at this point with lots going for it, not the least of which being a huge, covered outdoor patio where, since the beginning, they project foreign films on the back wall. It's a great spot to sip wine and pretend to be a film buff, and it should be noted that they have an extensive raw bar. — Jack Morse
2534 Mission Street, between 21st and 22nd Street



Hi Dive
A classic that's been among SFist's Best Dive Bars, the menu also passes muster at Hi Dive. Enjoy your chili, burger, or fish tacos with dynamite views of the Bay from a patio that's not too shabby — which is to say just a little shabby, and therefore more "real SF" than the nearby Peninsula tourist traps like Epic Steak. Hi Dive is perfect before a trip to AT&T Park or for any sunny afternoon, really. — Caleb Pershan
Pier 28 on the Embarcadero at Bryant Street


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Photo via Nopalito.

Nopalito on 9th
We've talked about the awesome nachos at Nopalito on Broderick before, and it has a fully enclosed patio with more seats than the dining room itself. But the Mexican spot's other location on 9th Avenue between Irving and Lincoln has an even more tantalizing all-season garden patio that is covered, seats up to 16 people, and is basically the perfect location to post up with friends and put back pitchers of margaritas (they also serve the aforementioned totopos con chile (nachos) at this spot). The lunch menu includes fish tacos, and if you're not feeling the Margarita thing you can always order a michelada. You can also rent the patio out for special events, which is awesome, but this also means you should call ahead to check that it's open to the public before you pre-brunch stumble over. — Jack Morse
1224 9th Avenue, between Irving Street and Lincoln Way



Palm House
Spend some quality island time on the patio at Palm House, the 2014-founded restaurant with a Hawaiian/Caribbean bent on Union Street. Outdoor brunches are the place's preferred pastime as the Marina beautiful flock from the adjacent Equinox for huevos rancheros and waffles. Feel free to splurge on a frozen cocktail, which SFist anointed some of the best in town. — Caleb Pershan
2032 Union between Webster and Buchanan Streets


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An outdoor feast at Park Chalet (Photo from their website)

Park Chalet
With their giant, easily-opened glass windows, all it takes is a warm day to turn all of Park Chalet into outdoor dining. In addition, they have a giant back patio and even further, a lawn used by diners, unrelated picknickers, and the dogs who love them. Even on the lawn, you get access to their full menu and bar! It's perfect for a Brideshead-feeling lawn brunch, and in the evening you can snuggle with your sweetheart (and snuggle you will, because the park and beach gets coooold at night) as you chomp into a burger and drink any of their eight housemade brews. — Eve Batey
1000 Great Highway


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Dine on the sidewalk at Park Chow (Photo from their website)

Park Chow
An Inner Sunset hotspot for brunch, lunch, and evening comfort food, not only does Park Chow feature semi-enclosed sidewalk tables (perfect if you want to stay warm as you dine with your dog) out front, but they have an upstairs roof deck that's kept nearly as cosy as indoors with a multitude of heat lamps. Either will give you a chance to consume that "fresh air" you keep reading about while stuffing your face with salad, fries, burgers, and/or beer. — Eve Batey
1240 9th Avenue between Lincoln and Irving


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Sparrow's back patio: Katie S/Yelp

Sparrow Bar & Kitchen
Sparrow's lovely back patio is a great place to linger over breakfast, lunch, or dinner (their menu's here), and with an inventive beer and wine list (sorry, cocktail snobs, no hard booze) you'll want to stake out a spot for a long while. Friends with kids tell me that they're exceptionally child-accomodating, so if you want to slap some sunscreen on junior and bring him along, no worries there! They have a sweet happy hour menu of nibbly things and a brunch without too rotten a wait ,so it's good bet pretty much any time you're in the mood for an outdoor drink-and-dine.—Eve Batey
1640 Haight Street (between Clayton and Belvedere)


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Succulents flourish in Starbelly's outdoor space (Photo from their website)

Starbelly
I always have a good time at Starbelly, the Castro-neighborhood restaurant owned by Adriano Paganini (who is also behind Beretta and Super Duper). The place is made by their enclosed back area — not to go Bauer on you, but while the indoor seating can be a little too loud for me, the tented back is just right. It's not always easy to get a seat, but if you call ahead they'll put you on their list, and you can waltz in when it's ready like a total baller. (And note they usually shut things down back there at 9 p.m. because of the neighbors.) And their fries come with three dips! — Eve Batey
3583 16th Street between Market and Pond



The Vestry
They've got you covered, heat-lamp-wise, at the Vestry, the restaurant at popular Valencia music venue The Chapel. Decent food and drinks will keep you warm, too, and in particular, the brunch is a tasty favorite — don't miss the sliders, or the shakshuka. It's a really big space, too, so getting a table usually isn't a problem. — Caleb Pershan
777 Valencia Street between 18th and 19th Streets


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Photo: Facebook

Zazie
Kind of like a little slice of Paris tucked away in Cole Valley, Zazie is a longtime neighborhood favorite for both brunch and dinner, serving bistro classics like trout meurnière, cassoulet, and beef bourgignon. Contrary to the impressions that came out of a dust-up late last year, the restaurant is very welcoming to children, especially if they're well behaved, and this place has lots of regulars, so reservations are necessary. — Jay Barmann
941 Cole Street

Photo: Instagram