We're happy to be dining outside

Under the ACT government's pathway forward, venues will be allowed to have more people if they choose to operate outdoors only, with a maximum of 50 people allowed, or one person per four square metres, whichever is less.

For indoor venues, a maximum of only 25 people is allowed.

The risk of transmission for COVID-19 is lower in outdoor settings.

To support hospitality venues, the ACT government has set up a dedicated taskforce that will help businesses to utilise public outdoor spaces near their premises.

Keep an eye out over the coming weeks for more news about who is doing what, for no doubt things will be ever evolving, but in the meantime here are a few of our favourite alfresco options.

Get some mates together and make a booking out at Dairy Road. You might have to wait for a while, the beer garden here is a popular spot. $50 deposit gets you $20 worth of Brodburger and $30 over the bar. Four sessions daily, seven days. No pre payment required for Monday-Thursday. Capacity of 50, bookings from two people to groups of 25.

All bookings at the People's Pub will be for the beer garden and we don't care. Open breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days. Bookings are recommended and required for Friday and Saturday nights, with a maximum of 10 people per booking. Sessions are two hours over lunch and dinner, 90 minutes for a leisurely breakfast.

You might not even notice Rizla's intimate outdoor tables, tucked away behind a row of plants. Grab a blankie and settle in for a couple of hours. Bookings are already backing up but you might find a table for lunch or the seats at the bar.

Open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, dine under the beautiful hardwood awning in Pilot in Ainslie. While there'll be no Sunday lunches for a while, we're just grateful to be back. Can't wait to see how the menu here has changed.

Every man and his seagull has been heading here for a picnic and some hot takeaway chippies so maybe now the crowd might dissipate a little. Nothing like Friday night fish and chips and a view of our lake. Open seven days.

Yes I've been hanging out for a Friday catch up with the girls. Tilleys reopens from October 15, from 7.30am til 2pm weekdays and weekends from 8am til 2pm. All we need to do now is convince Paulie to keep the bar open for happy hour. It will happen.

We've all become gin experts during lockdown. The team at Tipsy Bull has a new seasonal menu to complement their vast range of drinks. Dinner sittings at 6 and 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Or afternoons in the gin garden, Friday to Sunday.

We might spend more time at this intimate spot at the Hotel Realm. You forget about the quiet outdoor corners. Open seven days, from noon til late, from October 15. Group bookings are available. Go all out and book a hotel room. You've earned it.