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Dinner in the garden

Linda Perney | STAFF WRITER

The garden at Barbetta.

Dinner in the garden is one of the best ideas summer ever had. While backyard patios are scarce among the skyscrapers, there is no dearth of restaurants where you can sit outdoors among the trees and chow down on cooking that ranges from Italian elegance to homey all-American standards.

MANHATTAN

BarbettaPeople say the garden is the most romantic in the city -- and who are we to argue? Flowers, well-tended shrubs, tall trees, a stone fountain and lacy-looking white cast-iron benches set the scene. What makes the place even better is courtly service and a classic menu that includes risottos, house-made pastas, diver scallops, and capon with foie gras and red endive. If you'd rather stay indoors, the dining room is grand, with high ceilings, antique furniture, and a chandelier that once hung in a palazzo. (Pre-theater dinner, $49; 321 West 46th Street; 212-246-9171)

Barolo has been around for more than 15 years, and it's become a SoHo standard--a favorite place for shoppers, gallery-goers, and assorted neighborhood others. The dining room is mellow-looking, with its dark banquettes and high ceiling, and the bar starts buzzing early in the evening. But the real prize is out back. The garden is spacious--it seats more than 200 at tables set out under the cherry trees and ranged around a pretty fountain. The staff--and the other diners--may have a little more attitude than is good for anyone, but you can't beat the atmosphere. (Expect to pay about $58 for a three-course dinner. 398 West Broadway; 212-226-1102)

La Bottega. The patio that hovers above the sidewalk is one of the most pleasant in the city. The crowd is young and there's plenty of buzz. What to eat? You can make a meal of several appetizers, or you can order up a pizza. Plenty of pastas, too. (Expect to pay $35-$50 for a three-course meal; pastas are $12-$15, pizzas, $11-$14. 363 West 16th Street; 212-243-8400)

BROOKLYN

Sherwood Cafe
Up front, it's an antique store of the funky variety (an alter alight with votive candles, advertising posters, kitschy statues). Out back, the Sherwood Cafe settles itself into a comfortable tree-dotted back yard filled with mismatched and mismated tables and chairs. The food lends itself to relaxed brunches and the help encourages lingering over the Sunday papers. The Sherwood Special comes on a big board--enough cheese, charcuterie, and fruit for two to share. Just make sure to bring cash; they don't take credit cards.(Expect to pay between $25 and $35 for a three-course dinner. 195 Smith Street; 718-596-1609)

Franny's. Terrific thin-crust pizza baked in the wood-fired oven is the thing to order, and the garden is the place to eat it. This casual hangout gets busy and noisy, but you can't beat the food. (Expect to pay about $25. 295 Flatbush Avenue; 718-230-0221)

Patois. The place that started Smith Street's restaurant row is still going strong. The tree-shaded back garden is a fine place to unwind with a drink and a casual dinner. There's a $20 prix-fixe dinner on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; otherwise try the steak-frites or the smoked trout. (Expect to pay about $35 for a three-course dinner. 255 Smith Street; 718-855-1535)

BRONX

Le Refuge Inn
This is about as far as you can get from the neighborhood lobster places, a proper French country inn run by Pierre St. Denis, who also owns one of the Upper East Side's favorite French restaurants. The house is 19th-century sea-captain style complete with a porch; the food is classically French--escargots in puff pastry, couscous with grilled shrimp, bouillabaisse. (Prix-fixe dinner: $45; 586 City Island Avenue; 718-885-2478)

STATEN ISLAND

Aesop's Tables
Many Manhattanites have never ventured as far as Staten Island, and this relaxed country restuarant might be the draw that finally gets them on the ferry. There aren't many gardens as pretty as this one--and there aren't many places that can make you feel farther away from the city's summer hysteria. (Expect to pay about $40 for a three-course dinner; 1233 Bay Street; 718-720-2005)