As the weather continues to heat up, more and more Marylanders will be flocking to harborside eateries and bustling patios to take in some sun. But what makes up a quality outdoor dining experience?

First, there’s the infrastructure: There should be enough tables and decor to make it feel like you wouldn’t have been better off grabbing a blanket and hunkering down with a sandwich on the curb. Too large a patio and we’re looking at a tailgate or some other public gathering that might as well be at a park for free; too small and it’s just claustrophobic — why sit outside if you can’t feel the breeze? You want spending your dollar to feel worthwhile, as if eating outside is a premium experience and not something you can do anytime.

It also depends whom you’re bringing. Family outings with older relatives or kids require a certain level of space and back support. A romantic date needs a view — the perfect excuse to disassociate from conversation or pretend you’re not listening to that other couple arguing two tables away.

With all this in mind, we made a list of some worthwhile locations to dine out in the Baltimore area and beyond.

Ampersea

• 1417 Thames St., Baltimore

We had to start out strong with a restaurant perfectly positioned to take in the harbor views. Ampersea, which overlooks Baltimore’s Patapsco River, has a bar and several tables within mere feet of the water. It’s a versatile space, with a classy enough environment to handle dates, special-occasion dinners and fun nights with friends. The menu at this Fells Point spot consists of Maryland classics and seasonal ingredients, including crab cakes, raw oysters and seared scallops.

It’s also surrounded by other restaurants with notable outdoor seating. Only a few blocks away, James Beard-winning chef Spike Gjerde’s new Harbor Point restaurant La Jetée (1215 Wills St.) — which offers French classics and fresh seafood — has a patio with a similar view of the water. Mexican restaurant Barcocina (1629 Thames St.) also boasts expansive patio seating that can get pretty crowded heading into summer.

Cece’s Roland Park

• 10 Village Square, Baltimore

There’s no major body of water here, but Cece’s Roland Park is known for its spacious patio area. Baltimore magazine readers even named the courtyard in Cross Keys as last year’s best outdoor dining venue. High-top bars, televisions and cushioned seating are surrounded by lush greenery and large umbrellas, making it a great spot for family dinners and work-related outings where people need to be comfortable, but not out of place in a freshly pressed outfit.

The continental European menu has a little something for everyone. Kids and picky eaters can indulge in pizzas, pastas and burgers. For the more indulgent, fresh seafood, including branzino, scallops and oysters, is available alongside short ribs and prime cuts of steaks. On Sundays, take in a brunch with smoked salmon, waffles and omelets.

Fadensonnen

• 3 W. 23rd St., Baltimore

This wine bar in Old Goucher is a personal favorite for drinks with friends. The patio is decorated with awnings, vines and string lights, and long picnic tables shared with strangers create a buzzing communal dining experience. It’s often crowded as the weather clears, meaning you’ll have a host of characters to observe. Warning: You will run into people you know here (and the warm, dim lighting tends to make them look more put together than they are).

The wine selection is largely natural, which means the flavors will be a bit earthier. The cocktails are vibrant, and I strongly recommend ordering the roast chicken — preferably the richer dark meat — which comes with a variety of tangy sauces and sides like coleslaw and fried potatoes.

Nick’s Fish House

• 2600 Insulator Drive, Baltimore

The boathouse-style haunt and seafood restaurant is a go-to for enjoying steamed crabs with family or friends along the water. Order menu staples like crab dips, cakes and lobster roll on their large patio filled with picnic tables, steps away from the water. As the weather gets warm, parking can be a challenge, so make sure to get there early to find a spot.

Less than half a mile away, you can also try out the offerings at Baltimore Peninsula that have expansive water views of their own. Rye Street Tavern, one of the largest restaurants in the city, offers outdoor dining (and drinking, from their large island bar), with views of the Patapsco River. Swing next door to Sagamore Spirit Distillery if you’d rather focus on imbibing spirits while taking in the sights.

Market Space

• Around 25 Market Space, Annapolis

The Market Space is an outdoor plaza at City Dock where several restaurants offer table service. Banner columnist Rick Hutzell says the location is his favorite for outdoor dining, describing it as a “strangely delightful parking lot dining spot within sight of the water.”

On one side is Market House, a former 19th-century market for watermen that offers a slew of casual offerings from rockfish po’ boys and reubens to steamed mussels and jambalaya. On the other side are Iron Rooster, serving up salads, burgers, crab cakes and chicken wings, and Middleton Tavern, a seafood restaurant long considered one of the oldest eateries in Maryland. McGarvey’s, a 1970s tavern with craft beer and oysters, is also nearby on the plaza.

The area is a prime spot for filling up, listening to live music and leisurely taking in the Annapolis sights.

The Collective Offshore

• 10221 Wincopin Circle, Columbia

This lakefront eatery is a popular stop in Columbia on a spring day, perfect for casual dates or outings with family. The sectioned-off brick patio is next to Lake Kittamaqundi, a 27-acre, man-made reservoir near the Merriweather Post Pavillion.

Blue umbrellas and a generous cluster of tables make for a modest outdoor dining space that doesn’t feel too crowded, with a nearby fountain, grassy hills and towering trees creating a peaceful ambience. Their fairly large menu accommodates a broad range of palates, including a General Tso’s fried chicken sandwich, Carolina-style bacon and jam wings and vegan shrimp and grits. There’s also a variety of seafood, including options like fried calamari, ceviche and crab claw lollipops.

Ananda

• 7421 Maple Lawn Blvd., Fulton

This upscale Indian eatery has a year-round terrace in addition to a patio, with built-in fans for hot days and a fire pit for cold spring nights. Warm lighting and embroidered cushions set the tone for family gatherings and romantic dinners. It’s a worthwhile spot to bite into curries, naan and a variety of roasted meats from duck to lamb shank. Herbs and vegetables, as well as proteins including chicken and duck eggs, are grown just down the road at the restaurant’s farm.

Brothers and Ananda owners Keir and Binda Singh also own Peerce’s, a similarly formal Indian spot in Baltimore County. That location (12460 Dulaney Valley Road in Phoenix) also includes a patio alongside a number of plants, outdoor heaters and a fire pit.

Carson’s Creekside Restaurant

• 1110 Beech Drive, Middle River

If you’re looking for a smaller body of water to sidle up to for a spring meal, Carson’s Creekside Restaurant may be the right spot. Their casual patio for friend or family meals sits along Dark Head Creek, offering a comfortable waterfront dining experience fit with crab pretzels, fried shrimp and pizzas. The seating is steps away from a dock that extends out over the water.

If the creek’s not exciting enough for you, play a game of cornhole adjacent to the patio. Enjoy a beverage. Just chill out.