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Big Bear Cafe
Big Bear Cafe
Courtesy of Big Bear Cafe

Look Out for These New Patios This Spring

These new and expanded outdoor seating areas are debuting at restaurants all over town.

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Big Bear Cafe
| Courtesy of Big Bear Cafe

The weather gods may have let us down on the first day of spring, but we're confident warmer temps will be soon upon us so we can lounge in sandals with cocktails in hand. To prepare for that joyous day, here's a guide of new restaurants that will debut their patios any day now, as well as those that are expanding their outdoor space with additional seating.

Eater will update this guide again in April, so restaurants with new patios coming later this spring should send a note to dc@eater.com.

Julekha Dash

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Big Bear Cafe

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Big Bear Café is expanding its cobblestone garden patio to accommodate more guests. Though the patio at the Bloomingdale coffee house and restaurant is open now on the warmer days, the expanded version will open by early May and seat 70.

Bastille

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Bastille promises to open its patio at its new location on the first nice spring weather weekend — so any day now. The enclosed patio seats 40 and borders the courtyard of apartment building The Asher.

Bistrot Royal

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Bistrot Royal will also open its 24-seat patio as soon as warmer temperatures grace our region. The sister restaurant of Bastille, the French bistro opened in the former Bastille location.

BRABO Restaurant by Robert Wiedmaier

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The courtyard will feature lounge-style seating, drinks and bites from the bar and small plates from Brabo Tasting Room starting May 8. The restaurant will host a free event on opening day with Virginia winemaker Claude Thibaut of Thibaut-Janisson Winery with light bites and Virginian wines.

Del Frisco's Grille

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Del Frisco’s Grille opened its 54-seat patio March 20. Umbrellas with built-in misters will spray guests in the sultry summer months while heaters warm up guests when it’s chilly — like now.

PassionFish

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PassionFish will debut its expanded 50-seat patio and lounge April 1. It includes new lounge chairs (seating 20) and four low coffee tables that now extend to the side of the restaurant. Order happy hour at the lounge and the complete menu on the patio.

Penn Commons

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Located next to the Verizon Center, Penn will unveil its patio April 1. Expect seating for about 15 set up along the sidewalks of 6th Street. It will also function as a beer garden, with a selection of more than 40 beers from across the U.S.

Summer House Santa Monica

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The beachy, California vibes at Summer House Santa Monica will get more intense when the restaurant opens two patios April. One in the front will seat 24 featuring with house planters filled with boxwood plants, while the restaurant will plant a tree this summer in the back patio, which will seat 16.

Stella Barra Pizzeria

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The sister restaurant of Summer House, Stella Barra will also its debut its patio April 1. Seating 30, the patio will sport an industrial design and feature fresh flowers.

The Hotel Palomar’s Urbana is kicking off patio season with a free event April 7 to promote New Columbia Distillery. They’ll serve gin cocktails with New Columbia’s Green Hat gin — like the White Negroni and Cocchi Americano — at their 12-seat patio.

Dacha Beer Garden

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Dacha Beer garden expanded its patio. It's now a larger space with indoor bathrooms. They'll also move into the building next door later this spring. The patio is now open.

DBGB Kitchen and Bar

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Penn Commons

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Lost Dog Cafe

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Hunting Creek Steak

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Big Bear Cafe

Big Bear Café is expanding its cobblestone garden patio to accommodate more guests. Though the patio at the Bloomingdale coffee house and restaurant is open now on the warmer days, the expanded version will open by early May and seat 70.

Bastille

Bastille promises to open its patio at its new location on the first nice spring weather weekend — so any day now. The enclosed patio seats 40 and borders the courtyard of apartment building The Asher.

Bistrot Royal

Bistrot Royal will also open its 24-seat patio as soon as warmer temperatures grace our region. The sister restaurant of Bastille, the French bistro opened in the former Bastille location.

BRABO Restaurant by Robert Wiedmaier

The courtyard will feature lounge-style seating, drinks and bites from the bar and small plates from Brabo Tasting Room starting May 8. The restaurant will host a free event on opening day with Virginia winemaker Claude Thibaut of Thibaut-Janisson Winery with light bites and Virginian wines.

Del Frisco's Grille

Del Frisco’s Grille opened its 54-seat patio March 20. Umbrellas with built-in misters will spray guests in the sultry summer months while heaters warm up guests when it’s chilly — like now.

PassionFish

PassionFish will debut its expanded 50-seat patio and lounge April 1. It includes new lounge chairs (seating 20) and four low coffee tables that now extend to the side of the restaurant. Order happy hour at the lounge and the complete menu on the patio.

Penn Commons

Located next to the Verizon Center, Penn will unveil its patio April 1. Expect seating for about 15 set up along the sidewalks of 6th Street. It will also function as a beer garden, with a selection of more than 40 beers from across the U.S.

Summer House Santa Monica

The beachy, California vibes at Summer House Santa Monica will get more intense when the restaurant opens two patios April. One in the front will seat 24 featuring with house planters filled with boxwood plants, while the restaurant will plant a tree this summer in the back patio, which will seat 16.

Stella Barra Pizzeria

The sister restaurant of Summer House, Stella Barra will also its debut its patio April 1. Seating 30, the patio will sport an industrial design and feature fresh flowers.

Urbana

The Hotel Palomar’s Urbana is kicking off patio season with a free event April 7 to promote New Columbia Distillery. They’ll serve gin cocktails with New Columbia’s Green Hat gin — like the White Negroni and Cocchi Americano — at their 12-seat patio.

Dacha Beer Garden

Dacha Beer garden expanded its patio. It's now a larger space with indoor bathrooms. They'll also move into the building next door later this spring. The patio is now open.

DBGB Kitchen and Bar

Penn Commons

Lost Dog Cafe

Hunting Creek Steak

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