The top 5 Bay Area patios for sunny day drinks

April 20, 11:11 PMSF Day Trips ExaminerBryan Bennett

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Half Moon Bay Brewing Company - Half Moon Bay, CA

With the temperatures reaching the high 80s and low 90s throughout the Bay Area today, it really got me to thinking about one of the most fun things to do on bright sunny days…drink.  It’s not that I have to drink to have fun, I’m just a lot more fun when I drink.  And seriously, there’s nothing better on a sun splashed Bay Area day than a patio and an ice cold beverage.

So our focus today is the best place in the Bay Area to have an outdoor beverage on a nice spring day. In fact, I’ll do you four better and provide the top five.  Keep in mind that this is my top five and isn’t backed by any sort of analysis other than I like to go to these places.  If you have a better top five, feel free to share it in the comments.

Sam’s Anchor Cafe – Tiburon, CA
I’ve written about Sam’s before, so my affection for this place is well documented. Simply put, you have great food, a water-side deck, gorgeous scenery, and all of the pretty people from San Francisco and Marin County.  What’s not to love?

Pier 23 – San Francisco, CA
Pier 23 is located in the hear of the Embarcadero in San Francisco and is right on the bay.  From the outside, it looks like a total dive bar, but the back patio is awesome.  The food is marginal, but you can’t beat the view and the company.  And if you forget your hat, the good folks at Pier 23 will be happy to lend you one of the house straw ones.

The Ramp – San Francisco, CA
The Ramp is Pier 23’s slightly less uppity first cousin.  Also located on the bay, it’s located in a slightly edgier part of town south of AT&T Park.  But the sun is just as good and there’s actually more room here so you won’t mind the wait.  And because of the locale, there’s a heckuva lot more parking.

The Alpine Inn – Portola Valley, CA
Better known as Zotts, although I’m not really sure why, this little hideout in Portola Valley just off Interstate 280 in the South Bay is one of a kind.  Between the rectangular burgers, giant sausage sandwiches, and 40 ounce beers – that’s right, big, old school 40s – it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself at Zotts.  Oh, and while the beer garden is absolutely huge, it will fill up on nice weekend days, so get their before noon.

Half Moon Bay Brewing Company – Half Moon Bay, CA
You have to pick the right day with this Half Moon Bay.  Even on beautiful, sunny days on the peninsula, Half Moon Bay could be completely fogged in.  But on sunny days, this outdoor patio overlooking a marina just north of Half Moon Bay is fantastic.  You can’t beat the scenery, and the hand-crafted brews are definitely the best drinks on this list.  But tread lightly because the drive home up Devil’s Slide is not for the inebriated.

So that’s it.  What are your favorites?