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“Would you like a table outside today?” Isn’t it delightful to hear those happy words again?
Hurry up, though, because by next week it’ll sound more like “The wait for a table on the patio is an hour but we can seat you right away inside.” Yesterday at Nolen Kitchen we barely made the cut for patio lunch – had to sit on the sectional sofa and enjoy the biggest kale salad I’ve ever seen served on their cocktail table.
So where are our favorite patios for dining or drinking al fresco?
For the best views with reasonably easy parking, head to the Metropolitan. Vivace, Dressler’s and even La Paz combine an urban view with the surburban dining atmosphere we seem to love so much in the QC.
If you do love the downtown vibe, try the patio at Halcyon (upscale at The Mint Museum) and Vida Cantina (Epicentre) or VBGB’s Beer Hall + Garden/Restaurant (NC Music Factory). Or swing by and see our friends at e2 Emeril’s Eatery for the Friday afternoon Happy Hour Crawfish Boil, outside on their front patio every Friday this May.
If you can’t bring yourself to leave South Park to eat out, you probably already know about the patio at Cowfish…avoid the rush at 6-7 pm and go very early or much later to get a table at Cowfish. At least until Chuy’s opens where Zink used to be – sometime in June we hear. We rely on Bricktops for a quick & easier SouthPark patio bite….and don’t forget about Toscana – lovely food & lovely patio.
For the neighborhood feel – and so you can walk home after a few pops, hit Selwyn Pub and neighbor Nolen Kitchen in Myers Park, Common Market in South End, JJ’s Red Hots Rooftop or Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar in Dilworth (lots of kids) and Fig Tree in Elizabeth (lots of grown-ups). And the newish NAPA on Providence is an improvement over PRCafe imo and has a wonderful patio.
Whiskey Warehouse in Plaza Midwood is also crazy popular for its rooftop bar, altho it’s definitely all about the drink at the Whiskey. And Soul Gastrolounge has one of the most loyal and devoted followings in town and the patio is only part of the equation. People talk about it like it’s their best friend. Like Soul was in their wedding or something.
