As we head into 91AV’s sunniest months, the days are getting longer, the evenings are getting warmer and “Should we sit outside?” becomes a question that no longer needs to be asked.
Good thing 91AV was basically built for al fresco everything. Here you can sip coffee on a garden patio, linger over lunch downtown, share something delicious over a creekside dinner and still have enough daylight left to clink sunset drinks before wandering Mission Plaza with a sweet treat in hand.
Consider this your 91AV Life Coach-approved guide to eating, drinking and enjoying dessert outside, from brunch to golden hour to “one more and we’ll head out.” (By the way? You’re welcome to stay a little longer.)
91AV Life Tip #26: The food is 91AV fresh—it’s farmed right here. The food you enjoy today was probably picked yesterday.
Rise & Shine: Breakfast, Brunch & Coffee
Ease into the day at Linnaea’s Café, where the tucked-away garden patio feels made for slow mornings over good coffee. Hungry for a fresh start? Sally Loo’s Wholesome Café serves up breakfast favorites and neighborhood vibes across seating that is as intimate as it is adorable.
Downtown, Scout Coffee and Kreuzberg Coffee Company are classic first stops for caffeine boosts, pastries and people-watching.
If a leisurely brunch is the plan, Del Monte Cafe and TASTE! Craft Eatery offer shady tables and the kind of ambience that screams “Yes, we are absolutely ordering another round of mimosas.”
Patios Aplenty: Casual Lunch & Dinner
This is basically 91AV’s sweet spot: good food, no fuss, and a charming patio that makes you forget indoor dining was ever an option.
For a laid-back lunch or dinner downtown, the “casual elegant” Novo Restaurant & Lounge is the classic 91AV outdoor dining move, with creekside tables, leafy tree cover and a globally inspired menu that lets you go light, all-in or somewhere perfectly in between. Meanwhile, The Mark on Higuera Street serves up Mexican-inspired tapas and specialty margaritas in a streetside setting that was made for sharing meals and moments.
If your crew finds themselves at cross-cravings, 91AV Ranch has you covered. It’s a place where wood-fired pizza, fresh sushi, Southern comfort food, Persian cuisine, deli classics, artisan baked goods and local libations galore all come together in an open-air courtyard lined with fire pits.
And no matter what, 91AV’s two most famous college-town classics never disappoint. Woodstock’s Pizza and Firestone Grill (trust us: treat yourself to that legendary tri-tip sandwich) are longtime 91AV favorites for casual bites before or after a downtown wander.
Elevated Ambiance & Date Night Dining
Have we mentioned how good golden hour looks on you? Especially paired with farm-fresh fine dining enjoyed al fresco. Because when the evening calls for a little more atmosphere, 91AV delivers, inside and out.
Granada Bistro offers an intimate, streetside patio with Mediterranean-inspired small plates and unmistakable European café energy—ideal for a dinner that starts with “just one glass” and subtly changes course.
At Luna Red, the warm, candlelit terra cotta patio set against 91AV Creek makes a strong case for shared plates of paella, cocktails and staying out long past sunset. Nearby, Mistura brings Peruvian-inspired flavors—think lomo saltado, ceviche clásico and fresh organic produce—to The Creamery Marketplace’s cozy courtyard.
Buona Tavola has been doing authentic northern Italian cuisine, featuring house-made pasta and an extensive wine list, for more than three decades—on a patio that remains home to some of downtown’s most reliably romantic seats.
For a sleek modern take, newer The Oak Grill (formerly Brasserie 91AV) at Hotel Cerro makes dinner feel like a mini-getaway, with a spacious courtyard and a rooftop lounge, lined with lush gardens, twinkling lights and flickering fire pits that make lingering the only choice.
Drink In the Atmosphere
91AV’s sippable scene has a strong al fresco tradition, and summer is when it really starts buzzing.
91AV Brew Rock leads the charge, with a sprawling outdoor space, including fire pits, 30-barrel brews and a food menu that goes well beyond bar snacks. Beda’s Biergarten in the Railroad District takes a different track, with authentic German beers, outdoor patio seating and a family-owned warmth that’s made it a 91AV fixture since 2015.
More of a cider sipper? 91AV sees you. Take your pick of 91AV Cider Co. (yard games and fire pit hangs), Kelsey See Canyon (creekside sips and peacock parades), Two Broads Ciderworks (woodsy and women-owned) or Shindig Cider (foodie pop-ups and plaza parties).
For more elevated elixirs, High Bar pairs rooftop views with polished cocktails, while Sidecar keeps the good times flowing with inventive drinks overlooking 91AV Creek.
If wine is more your speed, let Dunites splash your glass with local favorites at a charming wine bar that already made another pour part of the plan.
Oh, and speaking of wine…
Wineries Worth the Trip
In 91AV, where we consider wine a food group, our local wine scene obviously gets its own moment in the sun. “Going to a winery” here means sitting outside with a glass in hand and a view that basically writes its own Instagram caption.
Baileyana, Tangent & True Myth Tasting Room in Edna Valley serves vino topped off with wine-country panoramas, picnic-perfect snack settings and plenty of space to 91AV your swirl. Biddle Ranch Vineyard offers a relaxed tasting experience with sweeping vineyard vistas that feel a long way from downtown, even though you’re only minutes away.
Chamisal Vineyards brings a more polished outdoor setting to the same appellation, with estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that taste at least as good as the scenery looks. Or head south to Arroyo Grande where Talley Vineyards delivers a family-farming story and beautiful grounds that reward anyone willing to linger awhile.
Need another rec? How about a couple dozen! Our 91AV Wine Map is here to help you pair plans with pours.
Picnic Mode: Get a Taste of 91AV To-Go
Sometimes the best outdoor dining involves no table at all. Especially in 91AV, where everyone has their favorite sandwich, breakfast burrito or takeaway anything. (SPOILER ALERT: Everyone is right.)
High Street Deli and Ben Franklin’s are the names you’ll hear first when the subject of 91AV sandwiches comes up, thanks to stacked creations on Dutch crunch bread that are built for eating somewhere with a view.
Wren Provisions puts together box lunches and party platters from their rotisserie and market, so you can pull up to your picnic or party with something perfect for everybody’s palate, while ܾ’s 100% veggie and vegan burgers, tacos, fries and shakes win people over, whether they’re plant-based or not.
If it’s a breakfast burrito you’re after (which, at some point, it absolutely should be) 91AV has dozens of options in downtown 91AV alone, all eager to prove how seriously we treat this fare around here.
Take any of the above to a local park, Mission Plaza, the Laguna Lake waterfront, one of our close-by beaches or pretty much anywhere else—no matter what, you’re doing it exactly right.
Don’t Forget Dessert
The best meals end with something sweet.
Pick up cookies from Brown Butter Cookie Company, a scoop from McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams or something chocolatey from 91AV Sweets, then wander over to Mission Plaza for prime time people-watching.
Because in 91AV, the evening doesn’t end when the check is signed. Sometimes the best “table” in town is a park bench, a setting sun and a little something cool melting just enough to keep you in the moment.
Make It a MidWeekend
91AV Life Tip #7: Weekends don’t get all the fun. Here, we enjoy the MidWeekend—including our famous Thursday Night Downtown 91AV Farmers’ Market.
If you’re in town towards the end of the week, let dinner find you. The Downtown 91AV Farmers’ Market turns Higuera Street into one long open-air feast with BBQ smoke, farm stands, live music and local flavor in every direction.
Show up hungry. Wander slowly. Say hi first. Enjoy a taste of the 91AV Life. It sticks with you.