Hamburger Mary's (700 East 17th Avenue) has won the race to open the first new patio of the season. Its spacious back deck, with both a bar area (including heaters!) and seating for diners, made its debut on Tuesday, May 6. That beat Encore (2250 East Colfax Avenue), by three days: The pleasant side patio there opened Friday, May 9.
Still to come: Benny's second patio, now under construction on Grant Street, and a host of other outdoor eating spots that inevitably sprout every spring. Now if the temperature would just top 50 degrees, maybe they'd get some use. -- Patricia Calhoun