The French have the right idea when it comes to enjoying sunny weather: claiming one of the bistro sets at a sidewalk café, posting up with a glass of vino and a book, or sipping coffee and people-watching through late morning. The rattan and checkered woven seats are a design staple in Europe, occupying cafés, parks, and balconies all over the place. If you’re into the same idea for your very own backyard or patio, we’re also partial to these dining sets as a space-saving method of squeezing in seating in a cramped area. The tables’ traditionally petite design offers a slimmed-down solution to make the most of minimal space. Who says bigger is always better?
Bring a little slice of Parisian paradise to your backyards and balconies with any of the patio bistro sets below.
Our Top Picks for Bistro Sets:
This cast aluminum bistro set is made for a shaded patio, a morning iced coffee, and a magazine. The combination of rattan with a steel frame feels modern without leaning too beachy—maintaining some of the classic bistro set influence in a blessedly rust-resistant package. We also love that this is a three-piece outdoor bistro set, which saves you the trouble of matching up a table with its perfect chairs.
For bistro set traditionalists, this one should scratch the itch. Scalloped detailing and an ornate, swirling base makes a person reconsider the design potential of outdoor furniture. The steel frame also keeps this darling set weather-resistant, suitable for year-round outdoor use, and the 48-mm umbrella hole is compatible with any umbrella base, in case you don’t have any weeping willows in your backyard providing natural shade.
Another win for weather-resistant bistro furniture, this set brings the two-seater classic into the present day with sleek metal curves and elegant hairpin legs. Paired with the adjustable-height aluminum table, it’ll look tasteful no matter what color you choose for your outdoor space between neutral shades of green, ecru, and brown.
Pining after the Italian Riviera? Wayfair suspected as much. This conversation set is made from durable, weather-resistant steel without sacrificing any aesthetic elements—the set still looks vintage, European, and artistic. It feels perfectly suited to a garden with a fountain, if you ask us, or poolside—especially if that pool is marbled, and in Sicily.
This set, we confess, is not out until April 20 but we think it’s well worth the wait. A vision in black-and-white, the sleek white marble tabletop pairs with a steel frame for an outdoor patio set that we could see in the parterre of a Gatsby-esque mansion or a suburban backyard. The matching chair set with knife edge cushions is as classic as a New York bride—elegant and meticulously detailed, with a double-button-tufted back and a piped box cushion seat.
Our love for this modern, MoMA-worthy style from Hay continues. Note the arm rests that keep things ergonomic and the gently sloping base of the table that keeps it grounded no matter how much wind is in the forecast. In clean white or rusty red, it’s the kind of set that the Joneses next door will be admiring from over the fence.
Two Thonet-inspired café chairs and a sturdy square table complete this three-piece bistro set from Joss & Main. Should you plan to use it outside, the patio furniture set is made from lightweight marine-grade materials that won’t rust or fade.
The striped patterns put a Spanish-inflected spin on this otherwise traditional-leaning rattan bistro set. While it doesn’t come with a table, we like how it’s been styled with a long teak table, which is easy to find individually and maintains the overall charmingly beachy vibe.
This three-piece patio bistro set comes with a marble-topped tulip table that elevates the whole ensemble (and, okay, we’ll admit—helps to justify the price point). The traditional woven back gets an upgrade with some cheerful colorways and weather-resistant coating.
If you’re short on space, bistro sets that include a folding table will fit on just about any balcony or terrace—or even in your studio apartment. This one is made from teak-stained acacia wood, which is known for its mildew-resistant properties, should you plan to hoist it outside.
Designed to look like traditional wrought-iron furniture, IKEA’s Läckö garden furniture table set is made from powder-coated steel that—unlike wrought iron—won’t rust if left out in the rain. The chairs’ backs are slightly curved for extra comfort, and the seats feature flower-shaped holes for drainage during unexpected storms.