By Susie Timm & J.E. Pizarro, Foodies Like You

This afternoon, Jay and I enjoyed a late lunch while dining outside on a local patio. As I typically check my email about every 2 minutes, we received a message from a Foodie (like us!) who suggested we compile a list of the best places to dine al fresco in the valley.

Oh how we love a challenge. This one was fairly simple for us however and we managed to nail down our top ten patios list in about 7 minutes flat.

Our criteria was quite simple: the patio must have great food, great ambiance or views and tasty cocktails. Also, it must be the kind of place you could hang out alone with your laptop or take a date or your best friend.

Here you go Kay—thanks for the suggestion!

10) Brittlebush Bar and Grille at The Westin Kierland Golf Club: This golf club lunch spot is the perfect place for a sandwich or salad after 18 holes or to enjoy your favorite wine and a majestic desert sunset. Open daily until 6:30 pm, this gem is located at 15636 Clubgate Dr., Scottsdale.

9) Postino Arcadia: We discovered this cozy and hip (a rare combo!) wine bar many years ago and were always a bit jealous of their really cool garage door. Now we know that patio is perfect for watching people attempt to navigate the La Grande Orange parking lot and enjoying their awesome bruchetta. Check it out yourself at 3939 E Campbell Ave., Phoenix.

3 views of the patio at Postino

8.) Lon’s at the Hermosa Inn: We once witnessed a man fall backwards in his chair on this patio. However hilarious that memory is, we enjoy the beautiful plantings, fountain and of course, exquisite menu offerings at Lon’s. We like to arrive around 5 and enjoy a bucket of bubbly before dinner while watching the sun go down. 5532 N Palo Cristi Rd, Paradise Valley.

Lon's Patio--don't try to lean back on your chair too far...

7) Petite Maison: James Porter clearly realizes the value in having super awesome patios! Tapino used to transport us to Miami, and PM’s patio feels like we are dining on the river Seine while feasting on some of the best French food in Arizona. 7216 E Shoeman Ln, Scottsdale.

6) Greasewood Flat: Ok, so this really isn’t a patio per say, but the entire place is outside and frankly, if you have never been to this historical institution, there’s no time like the present! It’s truly a joy to kick up some dirt, throw down a bacon cheeseburger and dance the night away to some country tunes. Not to mention warming your hands over a flaming barrel. It’s hard to beat this Arizona experience. 27355 N Alma School Pkwy, Scottsdale.

Kick up your heals at Greasewood Flat!

5) Nine-05: Matt Carter and Jay Bogsinske team up at this Asian culinary destination located in downtown Phoenix. The entire front of the place is a gigantic sweet patio with one of the coolest bars we have ever seen. It’s literally a “Spirit” tree fabricated from iron. We would drive into downtown for those tasty Korean chicken wings, a glass of Evolution wine and a prime spot on the patio. Hopefully they will save us a seat around the tree…905 N. 4th St., Phoenix.

So cozy, so perfect! Nine-05 is worth a trip down town any day of the week!

4) Chelsea’s Kitchen: Bob Lynn must have a really cool backyard if his restaurants are any indication of his personal taste! Even if he doesn’t, he could just hang out on the mammoth patio at Chelsea’s Kitchen. With comfy seats, a roaring fire place, a very large bar that is both inside and outside, this patio is the perfect spot to reunite with friends, or witness the Phoenix power-lunch crowd close deals and swap war stories. We love the halibut club sandwich with fennel slaw. Yum-o-matic. 5040 N 40th St., Phoenix.

3) BLT Steak at the Camelback Inn: The sunset on Camelback Mountain is one of our most favorite sights in Arizona. There’s scarcely a better vantage point than the patio at BLT Steak. Actually, they have three patios to choose from and we are in love with all of them! Look for us curled up in plush chairs on the patio loving on the chicken pate this winter!  5402 E. Lincoln Dr., Scottsdale.

Enjoy a sunset on BLT Steak's fantastic patio!

2) Olive & Ivy: Sam Fox knows how to do the restaurant patio right. Blanco and Modern Steak rival Olive & Ivy for cool places to hang out. However, we truly love the expansive wrap around style patio. We even like the cool grass patches on the patio that make us feel like we are not in Arizona for a brief moment. It’s within a few steps from our office so you can spy us with Sangria and our Macs many an afternoon…7135 E Camelback Rd #195, Scottsdale.

1) The Edge at Elements at the Sanctuary Resort: Time and time again, we are drawn to the sheer beauty of Elements and that view! If you have not ventured up the mountain to witness the vistas from Elements, go now! There are two very sleek and very different patios currently at Elements and they are hard at work expanding to a third. For now, we are content to gather on the coolest place to dine al fresco in Arizona. The food outstanding, the martini list the envy of many a mixologist and the negative edge pool cannot be missed! In fact, all of our promo marketing photos were shot on this edge of this Edge. By design. 5700 E. McDonald Dr., Paradise Valley.

Livin' on the Edge...

The compilation of this list was not easy—there are plenty of patios that could have made the list (J & G Steakhouse, R Bar at the Camelback Inn, Four Seasons, Ticoz, Caffe Portobello to name a few). However, these are the top places we like to hang for the 9 months of the year that dining is an al fresco experience.

Local hotties hang out on the Edge too...

My all time favorite patio is the Memorial Union on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. I mean LOOK at this view:

Lake Mendota and the coolest patio furniture known to man.

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