The Castle Hill Inn overlooks the ocean at the west end of Ocean Drive in Newport.

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

With the end of summer in sight, there is still time to enjoy eating outdoors. Here are our top picks for the best al fresco dining:

Castle Hill Inn, Newport ( www.castlehillinn.com).

The view: Entrance to Newport Harbor and the Pell Bridge. The atmosphere: Elegant. Open-air patio bar, with tables and chairs set out on the lawn. The food: Try the steamed mussels with chourico or the bruschetta salad with a small sliced bistro steak. If you can get there for sunset, so much the better.

Olga’s Cup and Saucer, 103 Point St., Providence; 831-6666 (no Web site). Bakery/cafe is a sweet little garden hideaway tucked in the middle of the city. Grilled pizzas, sandwiches, salads and sweets.

Atlantic Inn ( www.atlanticinn.com ) and the Spring House Hotel ( www.springhousehotel.com), both in Old Harbor, Block Island. Enjoy tapas and drinks on the lawn at the Atlantic, or have dinner or on the wraparound porch of the Spring House. Both are classic Victorian inns, with great views of the wide Atlantic. Another good dining choice on the island is the Hotel Manisses garden patio, but there you won’t have that ocean view.

Al Forno patio, Providence. A walled garden courtyard wrapped in vines suggests Tuscany or Provence. Pair Al Forno’s legendary thin grilled pizza with a glass of wine — and don’t forget dessert here, either: Made-to-order fresh fruit tarts and house-made ice creams top the best-desserts list, indoors or out.

Bowen’s and Bannister’s Wharves, Newport. The choices here are too numerous to list, all on the Harbor, right in the heart of the Newport scene: Try 22 Bowen’s Wharf ( www.22bowens.com), the Landing, the Black Pearl patio, to name just a few. Take a look too at the new membership restaurant where the old Christie’s was: It’s called 41 North (for Newport’s latitude), www.41no.com, and it’s a little bit of St. Tropez right here in the Ocean State. If you have to ask how much it costs to join, you can’t afford it. But they’ll let you in to take a look around.

Terrazza, Chanler Hotel, Newport ( www.thechanler.com). Terrace dining overlooking First Beach, steps from the Cliff Walk. Pricey but worth it for the view and the Gilded Age elegance of the surroundings. A great location.

Waterman Grille, Richmond Square, Providence ( www.watermangrille.com). Watch the rowers on the Seekonk River from the porch of this restaurant at the east end of Waterman Street. You won’t believe you’re still in the city.

Olympia Tea Room, Watch Hill ( www.olympiatearoom.com). Vintage ’20s atmosphere and sidewalk tables at this classic restaurant right in the heart of Bay Street, close to the Flying Horses carousel, Watch Hill Beach, and the beautiful harbor on Little Narragansett Bay.

The Oar, New Harbor, Block Island. (No web site; 401-466-8820). This is where the sailors go, overlooking Great Salt Pond. Great salty atmosphere, casual dining. Personalized oars on the walls make for interesting reading.

Shelter Harbor Inn, Westerly ( www.shelterharborinn.com). The surrounding gardens are lush, and you have a view of a tournament-level croquet court as you dine under the blue umbrellas on the stone patio. Shelter Harbor is a vintage New England country inn, a South County classic.

kimbrie@projo.com