Dining outside is a pleasure. Catching up with much-missed friends under a shade, with a light breeze tickling your cheeks, is one of life’s simple gifts. And in these uncertain times, it’s also our best option for socializing, health experts say. Here in Southern Nevada, we’re fortunate to have so many patio-dining options from which to choose. Try one of these for your next brunch or dinner outing.

Americana

Backstory: Chef Stephen Blandino cut his teeth working under Charlie Palmer at Aureole in New York City after graduating from culinary school. He moved to the Las Vegas outpost at Mandalay Bay, eventually becoming executive chef at Charlie Palmer Steak at the Four Seasons Las Vegas. His Desert Shores restaurant, Americana, is a beloved brunch spot offering modern American cuisine with mixed European interpretations. And its lake views are simply spectacular.

Menu highlights: Italian eggs Benedict with poached egg, prosciutto and bruschetta; shrimp and grits with creamy polenta, pickled ramps and a whiskey reduction; braised short rib with Aligot potatoes and spring vegetables.

Details: 2620 Regatta Drive #118, 702-331-5565, americanalasvegas.com. Tuesday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m.

DW Bistro

Backstory: There’s no shortage of restaurants in the southwest Valley, but Bryce Krausman and Dalton Wilson’s DW Bistro stands out for its unique mix of Jamaican and New Mexican cuisine. Now in its 10th year, DW has become a popular fixture in the off-Strip dining scene, but every meal here still feels like a new discovery. DW’s interiors are warm and lively, and its patio even more so. It invites lingering with friends over mimosas and scones.

Menu highlights: Chilaquiles with shredded chicken, avocado tomatillo sauce and queso fresco; DW jerk pork hash with breakfast potatoes and eggs; New Mexican red chile pork bowl, with rice, a sunny egg and fresh tortillas.

Details: 9275 W. Russell Road #190, 702-527-5200, dwbistro.com. Wednesday-Friday, noon-8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (brunch).

Echo & Rig

Backstory: When Echo & Rig opened at Tivoli Village in 2013, it upended everything we’d come to expect of a steakhouse. Chef and restaurateur Sam Marvin threw the doors wide open, did away with dark interiors and reintroduced the concept of a neighborhood butcher shop, featuring an open-glass meat locker and vertical displays. Whether you’re there for brunch or dinner, Echo & Rig’s patio provides the perfect perch from which to people-watch Tivoli Village shoppers on the street one story below.

Menu highlights: For brunch, don’t miss the steak frites, with eye of ribeye, roasted tomato, shoestring potatoes and Béarnaise, or the Steakhouse Scramble, with house-made sausage, filet mignon and peewee potatoes, tomatoes and burrata cheese. For dinner, choose any of the butcher’s cuts, cooked to your preference. On the surf side, you can’t go wrong with the sea bass or the organic king salmon.

Details: 440 S. Rampart Blvd. 702-489-3525, echoandrig.com. Tuesday-Thursday 3:30-8:30 p.m.; Friday 3:30-9 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (brunch), 4-8:30 p.m. (dinner).