The grub master herself, Sara Deseran! Get her expert tips on how to pull off your awesome, effortlessly chic picnic below.

What are your favorite picnic spots in the city?
"Dolores is a walk from my house and with the new playground, it's even nicer now. You can't beat the view, and you can get ice cream at Bi-Rite Creamery as a final treat. I also really like Glen Park. It's far more chill and after the picnic there are amazing trails. Between the hawks flying overhead and the wild blackberries, it makes you feel like you've escaped the city."

What makes a picnic go from good to great?
"It's just the extra details. A drink or cocktail that's homemade instead of a cooler full of Coke. A little bouquet of flowers. A fun oil-cloth covering the picnic table — or a tablecloth made out of chalk-cloth, which you can buy on Etsy."

Do you have any tips for stylish servingware?
"Melamine is the way to go. I just saw these plates at Target and had a little pang of want. If you want to do the biodegradable thing, I always like the square plates made by Bambu, available at Branch."

Photographed by Anna-Alexia Basile