16 Outdoor Eateries Where You Can Hold Court

[UPDATE: This story was originally published on March 26.]

Some days, it can be a real drag to live in L.A. — we constantly battle Carmaggedon, skeezy social-climber types, and well, actually…maybe there's not too much else to complain about. Either way, if you ask any fellow Angeleno to spill their top 10 reasons for living here, we're guessing 99 percent would have the great outdoors slotted near the top. So, as the mercury rises, we're here to help you maximize your time in the sunshine.

Because, let's be honest: Dining indoors is a lot like shopping with your sunglasses on — the tastes and smells simply aren't as enjoyable inside four walls. And since we know you like to do some (okay, most) of your planning on the fly, we made a handy-dandy list of the most appealing al fresco eateries in all the Southland. Print this out, stash it in your glove compartment, and we swear, once you have a glass of vino in hand, your daily traffic combat will seem like a distant memory.