Best of Boston

2021 Best Romantic Patio

Sophia’s Grotto

Booking a dinner on a big, buzzy, splashy restaurant patio is a fine way to impress a first date. But when it’s time to build a truly romantic vibe — and settle in for quieter conversation — we love tucking into a meal on more-intimate patios, like the one at Roslindale Village’s Italian charmer Sophia’s Grotto; its brick-laid courtyard, hidden from street view, is the ideal spot for Lady and the Tramp–style canoodling. No wonder we’re in love with the al fresco era.

22 Birch St., Roslindale, 617-323-4595, sophiasgrotto.com