Profile

In the sweltering afternoons before the advent of AC, one imagines one stayed cool by slapping on an ascot and enjoying social hour in a setting similar to the spacious outdoor patio at La Bottega, which exemplifies rich and snobbish at their best. Whirling fans, marble-topped tables, nautical-striped awnings, and hanging lanterns add up to a genteel cabana feel that's relaxed and inviting, and when the air gets chilly, outdoor heaters and the bistro-like indoor bar's crimson banquettes make for similarly comfortable all-season lounging. With reedy cocktail waitresses far more accommodating than the competition warrants, and fresh, simple, and strong cocktails like an impeccably mixed margarita, who would bother looking for door trouble at Maritime sister bar Hiro? — Carla Spartos

Related Stories

Featured In

• Twenty-five Perfect Places for Outdoor Eating (6/10/06)