Tucked into a booth at Benny's Restaurante y Tequila Bar, we were a couple of beers into our late brunch Saturday when we spotted Benny Armas, whose namesake restaurant has become such an integral part of Denver's dining scene.

Benny's recently opened a new patio on the Grant Street side of the building at 301 East Seventh Avenue, but that's just the most recent chapter in Benny's restaurant story (and, in fact, Benny isn't quite done with the patio; he's thinking of adding some kind of roof to fight off the late-day sun).

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Greg Carelli, the owner of Carelli's Ristorante Italiano, is an architectural artist as well as a restaurateur, and every few years he adds a new "wing" to his place in Boulder. And the most recent, dubbed the Osteria and unveiled this month, is a doozy: a bigger and better bar (complete with a giant, custom-made LED pendant suspended from the ceiling) and an intimate new outdoor patio area, with an outdoor fire pit and comfy seating on pillows and cushions.

Tonight, the Osteria will be the setting for a special, after-concert party following the regional premiere of Mark Grey's Enemy Slayer: A Navajo Oratorio, at the Colorado Music Festival. But whether you stop by Carelli's to toast that performance or just to enjoy another beautiful summer evening, this new patio is certain to be hot -- even before the fire is lit at 6 p.m.

Carelli's Ristorante Italiano
645 30th Street, Boulder
303-938-9300
www.carellis.com
Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 4-10 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday.

Whether or not the Rockies are in town, the patio at Lodo's Bar and Grill is always a hit.

And unlike the Rockies, the Lodo's patio is better than ever this summer. Over the winter, the restaurant expanded into the Mattie's House of Mirrors space next door, and that almost doubled the expanse of rooftop available for partying -- up to 4,500 square feet, enough for 350 people, served by covered bar and a state-of-the-art sound system. Just watching that crowd soak up drinks and the sun is amusement enough-- particularly when you throw in the required mocking of the patrons on the Tavern's rooftop patio across the street. But on Thursday nights, Lodo's ups the entertainment factor with Karaoke Under the Stars, starting at 9 p.m. -- and on the last Friday of the month, KTCL presents a free concert from 5-7 p.m.

At Lodo's, the hits just keep on coming.

Lodo's Bar & Grill
1946 Market Street
303-293-8555
www.lodosbarandgrill.com
Open 11 a.m.- 2 a.m.

It is not yet noon, and already we're thinking about escaping for the day. But not just escaping from the office -- escaping to a very specific spot, our go-to spot when we know we want to meet friends, and don't want to bother negotiating where that meet might be. That's when we go to Racines. And we're not the only ones: The entire city seems to use this restaurant as a go-to spot.

Morning, noon and night, Racines offers a menu with something for everyone, which is one of the reasons it's such a popular fallback choice. (We're already dreaming of that big platter of nachos.) But Racines also has plenty of comfortable seating -- at the bar, in the dining areas, in those cushioned back booths...and on the patio, where you have a perfect view of the world passing by.

Right before the world turns and comes to Racines.

Racines
650 Sherman Street
303-595-0418
www.racinesrestaurant.com
Kitchen open 7 a.m.- 11 p.m. Monday-Tuesday, 7 a.m.-midnight Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-midnight Saturday, 8 a.m.- 11 p.m. Sunday.

Yes, Panzano is a hotel restaurant (it’s tucked into the Hotel Monaco), but chef Elise Wiggins has also made this a favorite go-to spot for locals, who rely on it both fast business lunches and long, leisurely special occasion meals.

But the daily happy hour (from 3-6 p.m.) featured in the lounge is pretty special, too, especially if you're enjoying it on the sidewalk patio, sipping from a $4 glass of wine or a $5 specialty cocktail (Sorbetini Drop, anyone?) and teasing the poor suits hurrying to their next meeting with the smell of your $3 calamari fritti or $4 bistecca. Enjoy yourself enough, and you may be thanking your lucky starts that Panzano is a hotel restaurant...

Panzano
909 17th Street
303-296-3525
www.panzano-denver.com
Hours (bar): 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday.

It was hot, really hot, and heading to a nearby patio for some nice, cold beers and maybe a margarita on the rocks, or two or three, seemed like the only reasonable course of action. But our go-to spot by the office was unexpectedly closed -- for air-conditioning work, ironically enough.

Brandon's Pub to the rescue! This Mexican cantina/sports saloon has an expansive bar area and dining room, filled with large TVs and nicely chilled air. But Brandon's also opens it doors -- and floor-to-ceiling windows -- wide on these hot summer days, allowing access to a sidewalk patio along the Beauvallon project on Lincoln.

And if all this doesn't create the perfect spot to chill, there's also Brandon's two-fer drink deal -- which, at least on Monday night, runs until 8 p.m., according to our very accommodating server. When we returned the next night, the rules appeared to have changed -- but even the 4-7 p.m. happy hour deal published on Brandon's website is reason enough to stop by for a cooling beverage.

Brandon's to the rescue.

Brandon's Pub
955 Lincoln Street
www.brandonspub.comHours: 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. seven days

Sign of the times: The hot evening of July 6, that fateful day when Colorado liquor stores could finally open on Sunday, the lines were much longer outside Little Man Ice Cream than they were at Tejon Liquors, just a block away.

And with temperatures slated to hit triple digits today, Little Man can expect an even bigger crowd. The old-style ice cream can, a 28-foot-high instant landmark built in a lot at 2620 16th Street (beside the building that's home to Lola, which has one of Denver's very best decks, particularly if you like your icy treats with tequila in them), opened on July 3, and its outdoor patio quickly became a hot spot for cool treats. Little Man offers between 16 and 24 flavors a day, all created by Kirsten Maldeis, and also sells baked goods and other goodies.

Little Man delivers the scoop between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Billy’s Inn is now open, and looks to become as popular with this generation of northwest Denver dwellers as it was with seven decades of previous regulars (you can find their mugs here). But unlike the last incarnation of Billy’s, this one has a kitchen (the last one closed in the '60s) -- with a good menu by Troy Guard -- as well as a big new patio that's just the spot to sit, enjoy one of Billy's many beers with a nice shot of tequila, and toast 75 more years for Billy's!

Billy's Inn
4403 Lowell Boulevard
303-455-9733
www.billysinn.com

The neighborhood at the edge of Highland, now dubbed LoHi, could change its name to LoHot, with so many bars and restaurants popping up seemingly overnight.And then there’s Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café, which has held down the corner of 33rd and Tejon for more than twenty years. You’ll often find Virgil and Rosa Linda Aguirre here, cooking up their award-winning green chile, mole and vegetarian options. But the next generation of Aguirres has put new life into the restaurant, too – complete with a comfortable new bar area.

Still, on these hot summer nights, the best way to enjoy Rosa Linda’s is to grab a table on the casual, streetside patio, order up chips, guac and a pitcher of margaritas, and watch the passing parade. The neighborhood may have changed, but a meal at Rosa Linda’s remains a tradition worth celebrating.

Rosa Linda's Mexican Cafe
2005 West 33rd Avenue
303-296-4642
www.rosalindasmexicancafe.com
Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-10.p.m. Thursday-Saturday

Since it opened six months ago, Fuel has become not just a regular meeting spot for those with offices or business in the Taxi development but also a go-to destination for anyone who wants to see a project fueling Denver's growing reputation as a hipster hangout.

While owner/chef Bob Blair has kept the same kitchen hours (7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday), Fuel has already added a liquor license and a big. open patio. Which is just the spot to enjoy Fuel's new Thursday happy hour, which runs from 4-8 p.m. See you there for corn & cheese fritters – and $5 mojitos!

Fuel
3455 Ringsby Court
303-296-4642.

The food doesn’t get any more local than at Gaia Bistro, especially in the summertime, when greenhouse gardens in the back yard yield produce for the table. And it only seems natural to eat out admidst the growing stuff -- which is easy to do on the cozy patio at Gaia. Because the restaurant is located inside an old house on South Pearl, this is the closest thing you’ll find to feeling like you’re dining at someone’s home -- even though you’re not.

But Patrick Mangold-White and Jon Edwards have created a homey atmosphere that goes hand in hand with a menu that benefits from an obviously earthy, human touch.

Gaia Bistro
1551 South Pearl Street
303-777-5699
www.gaiabistro.com
Open for breakfast and lunch,
Tuesday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

South Pearl Street has a string of fine restaurants, including the legendary Sushi Den, but none is more astonishing than Sushi Den's year-old sibling, Izakaya Den. The menu is an amazing mix of sushi, Japanese classics and fusion from around the world -- and somehow it all works. The interior is a soaring architectural achievement, with soaring, rural-style beams and and a very urban bar setting.

And in the summer, with the doors open wide to the walled-off outside patio, country and city come together at Izakaya Denver for one of Denver's singular experiences, both in taste and setting. Come for one sensational piece of sushi; stay for an incredible evening.

Izakaya Den
1518 South Pearl Street
303-777-0691
www.izakayaden.net

The Black Pearl marked its third anniversary last week with a big bash that proved this polished place hasn't lost any of its luster. In fact, the restaurant has come into its own over the past few years, losing some of the self-consciousness that marked its early days and settling into a comfortable, upscale existence on South Pearl Street.

The kitchen continues to turn out the contemporary American cuisine that won Jason Sheehan over early on -- but the patio is also a major draw, with a fire pit that's just the thing to heat up conversations even as these summer nights cool off. Happy hour on the patio runs from 4-6 p.m. -- and the bar pours it on with bottomless mimosas at weekend brunch.

Black Pearl
1529 South Pearl Street
303-777-0550
www.blackpearldenver.com

South Pearl Street is suddenly full of new restaurants -- India's Pearl, Izakaya Den, Gaia -- but for patio dining it's tough to beat Pearl Street Grill, the oldest surviving restaurant on the block, and a classic neighborhood joint, complete with a Bloody Mary bar on the weekends that you can enjoy in the secluded back patio.

The Fourth of July is past, but Cafe Berlin will be waving the flag for the next week. In honor of the sixtieth anniversary of the Berlin Airlift of 1948 – the Luftbruske -- Cafe Berlin will serve a free beer to anyone in the military -- whether he or she is wearing a uniform, or just carrying a military ID -- through July 16. That's a deal we're willing to salute!

But even when it's not offering a deal, Cafe Berlin -- which moved from its longtime home on 17th Avenue to downtown several years ago -- is worth a visit. With Chinook now closed, this is the most reliable place in town for good, authentic German food -- and beer.

And thanks to a wide sidewalk on 14th Street, you can even enjoy your schnitzel (the menu offers seven kinds!) while sitting outside on Cafe Berlin's patio, watching the passing parade of downtown denizens and pretending you're just off the train in Munich.

Cafe Berlin
323 14th Street
Denver
303-377-5896
www.cafeberlindenver.com

My Brother's Bar is the oldest bar in Denver -- city directories show that this spot at the corner of 15th and Platte streets was an operating tavern before the 1880s -- but there's plenty of life left in the joint. For starters, it keeps late hours for such an oldster: My Brother's serves until at least 1 a.m. every night but Sunday (when it's closed), and last call is just before 2 a.m. And what it serves: great bar burgers (try the Ralphie buffalo burger, or the Johnny burger with grilled onions and three kinds of cheese), fries and onion rings, and Girl Scout cookies almost any time of the year.

The three small dining rooms are dark, cool, divey and filled with quiet, classical music. But the real find is through a narrow hallway and out in back: a patio that's a true urban oasis, with plants, a fountain and charmingly rickety furniture. During an evening here, you're bound to make some history yourself (and possibly a few drunk-dialing calls).

In a city full of great bars, My Brother's could be the best. But fair warning: There's no sign out front.

My Brother's Bar
2376 15th Street
303-455-9991

Technically, Delite does not have a patio -- but the front of this brand-new, storefront bar consists of garage-style doors that open wide on these beautiful nights. And thanks to alert management, smokers are kept far away from the front door, guaranteeing that the night air coming through that open front is as fresh as any Broadway air is going to be.

Also refreshing: Delite's amazing happy hour, which puts everything on the bar menu at half-price on Tuesday-Saturday starting at 4 p.m. and running until 7 p.m. And well, wine and beer are all two-fer. (Sadly, the deal does not apply to specialty cocktails, including the Levini -- named for Drink of the Week columnist Nancy Levine ). Still, you can can get an order of the masa fried oyster shooters that chef/owner Dylan Moore created for Deluxe, his restaurant next door, for just $4, which is a real deal.

And if all that isn't reason enough to grab a seat up front and settle in for the night, the passing parade on Broadway makes this one of the town''s best spots for people-watching. In a word, Delite is a delight.

Delite
32 South Broadway
303-722-1278

Grab a seat on Sullivan's sidewalk patio and prepare to meat and greet. On weeknights, this stretch of LoDo can be relatively quiet, if you want a more intimate summer evening. But on weekends, both the bar inside and the neighborhood surrounding Sullivan's are really jumping.

Adding to the action this summer is Sullivan's summer special: a three-course dinner for two, at just $69 (not including tax and tip). You get your choice of four entrees (an eight-ounce filet mignon, salmon filet, crab-stuffed shrimp or chicken), as well as sides, soup or salad and dessert. But whether you're going for a bargain dinner, a blow-out special occasion meal or just a cocktail after work, Sullivan's is pleased to meat you.

Sullivan's Steakhouse
1745 Wazee Street
303-295-2664
www.sullivansteakhouse.com

Driving back up Parker Road after a long, hot day on the southestern plains Saturday, the temptation to brake for the Emerald Isle was almost overwhelming. Not just because the bar itself is such a classic roadhouse -- but because the patio behind it may just be the closest Denver comes to an actual beach. But who needs a beach -- all that sand! and those mosquitos! -- when the deck is this expansive, and the view of Cherry Creek Reservoir as refreshing as any ocean breeze.

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What? You're still at your desk? Get up and get over to Aix, the charming French bistro on 17th Avenue, which has a lovely patio and an even lovelier happy hour. From 5-7 p.m., you can order from a list of five different small plates and five different speciality drinks, each $5.

And make a note that next Friday, Aix will be grilling on the patio, as well as "jamming the tunes and playing sidewalk games" -- in true July 4th fashion. Special bonus: $2 cans of beer, plus a shot cart!

Ooh la la!

Aix Restaurant & Wine Bar
719 East 17th Avenue
303-831-1296
www.restaurantaix.com