EAT OUT: Don’t just go out to eat. Eat out! Outside, that is. The restaurant capital of Long Island is also the capital of al fresco dining. All around town restaurants have thrown open French doors, set out tables on sidewalks and patios and made the most of summer weather. There are too many to make a single recommendation. Some of our favorites include the grand-daddy of patio dining spots, Prime, on the waterfront in Halesite. At Prime, it’s all about the view, but the creations of executive chef Greg Lauletta don’t hurt either. In Huntington village, go to Wall Street and take your pick. Christophers Courtyard Café offers a choice – on the street or the cozy patio out back; Jonathan’s Ristorante; Almarco; Café Buenos Aires and sister restaurant Bistro Cassis have sidewalk spots; or go Asian with Samurai. Head up New York Avenue, where the fun spills onto the sidewalk from Besito and F.H. Riley’s; or cross the street to Red or Meehan’s, where they make use of intimate patio spaces. Northport Village recently followed Huntington’s lead in allowing outdoor dining. Tim’s Shipwreck Diner, Maroni’s, Skipper’s and Bistro 44 serve outdoors. And the newest outdoor hotspot is Four Food Studio & Cocktail Salon on Broadhollow Road in Melville. Try ’em for a happening happy hour Monday - Friday, 4-7 p.m. with half-priced drinks.

CANTER-CHANGES: Canterbury Ales (314 New York Avenue, Huntington Village 631-549-4404 canterburyales.com) is tackling the dog days of summer with reduced price lunch specials Monday through Friday, all at $9.99 or less, during August and September. In late August, Billy introduces a new menu, which he promises will include many price reductions and a newly (reduced!) priced kids menu. So bring the family and tell Billy the Foodies sent you.

MEXICAN STRAWBERRY: Former New York Met Darryl Strawberry dined at Besito in Huntington last Thursday after his book signing at the Book Revue. Darryl, his wife and friends snacked on taquitos de pescado, guacamole, and ceviche.

PUTTIN’ ON THE T: It’s fun to be a foodie… not so fun to have food allergies. Nine-year-old Samantha Hunt is doing something about the latter. She designs T-shirts and sells them at local fairs to raise money for food allergy research and awareness. She does this because her 5- year-old twin brothers have life-threatening food allergies to eggs, milk and peanuts. She has been doing this since she was 7 and has raised over $1,700 so far, says her mom, Jennifer. She will be at the Huntington Fine Arts and Crafts fair on Main Street, Huntington, on Aug. 15, or go to www.firstgiving.com/samanthasdesigns.

GREEN TEA: Melville-based Celestial Seasonings has developed a line of green teas that eliminate the bitterness sometimes associated with it, and has introduced new Sleepytime Vanilla, the bestselling herbal tea's first new flavor in more than 20 years. Coinciding with the tea maker's 40th anniversary, these new products continue the longstanding tradition of innovation from Celestial Seasonings, which includes virtually inventing the herbal tea category in North America and first introducing green tea to mainstream consumption. Peter Burns, general manager of Celestial Seasonings, explained that mature tea leaves, with which regular green teas are made, naturally contain high levels of tannins, which can sometimes cause bitterness. Celestial Seasonings created its smoother green teas by adding Bai Mu Dan white tea, whose delicate, silky flavor profile comes from selecting only the tender buds and low-tannin young leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. The white tea infusion creates a balanced and satisfying taste with the healthful antioxidants for which green and white tea are both known. New Celestial Seasonings Green Tea is available on store shelves in nine varieties, including Authentic, Honey Lemon Ginseng and Goji Berry Pomegranate.

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