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Michele’s downtown patio is flanked with roll-up garage doors.
Leading DC

Highly Recommended Patios for Outdoor Dining Around D.C.

Beat the heat with a breezy seat under shade

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Michele’s downtown patio is flanked with roll-up garage doors.
| Leading DC

To stay competitive during steamy summer months, patio seating doesn’t entail just chairs and tables anymore. Many outdoor dining spaces around D.C. are now decked out with dreamy decor, covered lounge seating, and cooling mechanisms, plus a host of frozen and refreshing drink specials to further beat the heat.

A mix of new and reliable restaurants with prime people-watching, waterfront, and garden views put their best alfresco foot forward this season with all sorts of snazzy setups.

Here’s a list of unique outdoor backdrops for a picturesque summer night out in D.C.

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Sonny’s Pizza

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You wouldn’t notice while walking by, but this Columbia Heights pizza pad’s back door leads to a sizable covered patio, fully equipped with fans and its own bar with an extensive drinks menu.

JIWA SINGAPURA

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As the region’s sole fine-dining Singaporean restaurant, Jiwa’s months-old patio features a mini bar, a fireplace, and lounge-style seating. Along with a happy hour, Jiwa also offers “Satay Hour” (for every drink ordered, you get one free satay). The luxe perch offers prime views of its booming Tysons Corner neighborhood. Back in the city, chef Pepe Moncayo’s Michelin-starred Cranes sends out yakitori and patatas bravas across its scene-y Penn Quarter patio.

The tricked-out patio at Jiwa.
Rachel Paraoan

Little green huts count as partitioned patios at Michelin-rated Bresca. Enjoy prix fixe or chef’s tasting meals in the privacy of your own space while still enjoying prime people-watching along 14th Street NW—just a little quieter from inside.

Bresca’s patio is dotted with private dining huts.
Bresca

Pupatella

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Located on the shaded streets of Dupont Circle, you can enjoy Neapolitan pizza while people-watching and pretending you’re in Naples — right where Pupatella gets its recipes from. Right across the street, snag seats under a fringe umbrella at stylish newcomer Vagabond.

Pupatella’s Dupont patio.
Pupatella

Behind the bar and down the stairs, there is a small, intimate outdoor patio great for late-night dates in the quieter part of Georgetown. There are also picnic tables out front for more casual seating. Caviar-topped pasta just made a comeback for its 2-year anniversary.

Residents Cafe & Bar

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Lose yourself under lemon and orange trees in a citrus-filled patio out front of Dupont’s Mediterranean hotspot, which serves one of the best espresso martinis in town. Summer drinks and dishes just dropped in tandem with its new limoncello look.

Residents Cafe & Bar’s patio adopts a citrusy look for summer.
Hawkeye Johnson

This Blagden Alley hideaway has maximized its limited space outdoors and transformed it into a space for cool cats. The alfresco space is varied and eclectic, with covered options, open tables, and bar seating. Swing by for trivia and bingo nights, along with happy hour deals starting at $2.

BOURBON STEAK

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This tony restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel captures the spirit of Georgetown with its lush patio, elegant cocktail menu, and attentive service. Its stone-lined outdoor area keeps patio-dwellers cozy with sofas and fire pits. This summer, the secluded setup is dressed to the nines with a “Liberty of Color” art installation from Maggie O’Neill. Stop by every Sunday this summer for live DJs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Alta Strada - Washington, DC

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Situated right on Mt. Vernon Triangle’s bustling K Street NW corridor, this patio is surrounded by greenery to make the space feel private and beautiful all at once. Enjoy pastas and wines (with happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily) while soaking up city views under a classic red umbrella. 

Michele’s

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Tucked off Eaton Hotel’s lobby, the plant-filled, pup-friendly patio at chef Matt Baker’s downtown restaurant faces peaceful Franklin Park. Enjoy dinner, brunch, and summer cocktails with names to match, like Dreamsicle and Campfire, in the shade of trees along K Street NW.

Stylish outdoor seating at Michele’s welcomes pups and their pals.
Leading DC

Opaline Bar and Brasserie

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Downtown’s reimagined French darling inside Sofitel hotel sports a spacious wraparound patio overlooking manicured Lafayette Square park.

Forget streeteries for a second and hang out across Bronze’s intimate backyard patio. This Afrofuturist restaurant offers food from the African diaspora (a first-of-its-kind for D.C.), and the private patio will let you take it all in without city distractions.

Zaytinya by José Andrés

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This José Andrés restaurant sits in a prime location near several Metro stops, making it accessible for any local to get to. The patio has a view of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and serves a solid Mediterranean menu. Andrés’s nearby Jaleo and Oyamel are also standbys when it comes to outdoor patios.

The patio at Daikaya Group’s wafu-Italian restaurant nods to its roots, with tables fashioned to resemble a classic red-sauce joint. Along with all the summery drinks you could ask for, Tonari is also showcasing a pupusa-inspired pizza topped with summer squash for the season.

Tonari’s Italian-styled patio in Chinatown.
Vina Sananikone

Dirty Habit

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The modern, sleek furniture of this outdoor courtyard and bar juxtaposes the white brick walls of its historic hotel, making this Penn Quarter hideaway ideal for after-work drinks and sweet bites like donut holes and churros.

THE GRILL

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Situated near Market Pier at the far end of the Wharf, The Grill is the spot to enjoy wood-fired American cuisine, luscious steaks, and Potomac views for brunch, lunch, or dinner. 

Easy Company

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The Wharf’s dreamy new wine bar is framed with a massive patio dubbed the Rosé Garden. The glassy space offers an epic, 200-degree view of the Potomac River out front. Daily happy hour—a rare find along its pricey waterfront stretch—includes 10 wines for $10 each, and snacks for $5-$8, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Easy Company’s year-round patio features operable sides, heaters, and fans. 
Daniel Swartz

GORDON RAMSAY HELL'S KITCHEN

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The celebrity chef’s upscale namesake restaurant at the Wharf offers not one, but two, alfresco seating options. The first faces the Wharf’s iconic boardwalk, and an additional waterfront patio perch upstairs up sits right atop the Potomac. 

Osteria Morini

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Navy Yard’s waterfront Italian staple turns 10 this year and celebrates with all sorts of comeback favorites like focaccia. Saddle up to its shaded, wraparound patio covered in Aperol-orange umbrellas and soak up serene views of bobbing boats on the Anacostia River. Cool off with a new frozen negroni or flights of the same gin-Campari-vermouth cocktail.

Osteria Morini just released a new frozen negroni this summer.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ

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Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG) just turned the patio behind its Evening Star Café into a summery new spot called Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ. Chef Nate Anda puts offset and reverse-flow smokers to work to prepare Texas and Carolina-style meats that make their way into a lineup of tacos, fajitas, and nachos. Beverage director Greg Engert curates a list of 25 beers and ciders on tap at a time, plus chilled wines and draft and frozen cocktails.

The shaded beer garden-styled setup features bar and table spaces surrounded by cabanas.
John Rorapaugh for LeadingDC

BARCA Pier & Wine Bar

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Barca serves tapas, wines, and cocktails along the Potomac River in Alexandria. The gray, white, and blue aesthetic of the dining area along the riverfront gives it a stylish, beachy vibe.

Sonny’s Pizza

You wouldn’t notice while walking by, but this Columbia Heights pizza pad’s back door leads to a sizable covered patio, fully equipped with fans and its own bar with an extensive drinks menu.

JIWA SINGAPURA

As the region’s sole fine-dining Singaporean restaurant, Jiwa’s months-old patio features a mini bar, a fireplace, and lounge-style seating. Along with a happy hour, Jiwa also offers “Satay Hour” (for every drink ordered, you get one free satay). The luxe perch offers prime views of its booming Tysons Corner neighborhood. Back in the city, chef Pepe Moncayo’s Michelin-starred Cranes sends out yakitori and patatas bravas across its scene-y Penn Quarter patio.

The tricked-out patio at Jiwa.
Rachel Paraoan

BRESCA

Little green huts count as partitioned patios at Michelin-rated Bresca. Enjoy prix fixe or chef’s tasting meals in the privacy of your own space while still enjoying prime people-watching along 14th Street NW—just a little quieter from inside.

Bresca’s patio is dotted with private dining huts.
Bresca

Pupatella

Located on the shaded streets of Dupont Circle, you can enjoy Neapolitan pizza while people-watching and pretending you’re in Naples — right where Pupatella gets its recipes from. Right across the street, snag seats under a fringe umbrella at stylish newcomer Vagabond.

Pupatella’s Dupont patio.
Pupatella

Apéro

Behind the bar and down the stairs, there is a small, intimate outdoor patio great for late-night dates in the quieter part of Georgetown. There are also picnic tables out front for more casual seating. Caviar-topped pasta just made a comeback for its 2-year anniversary.

Residents Cafe & Bar

Lose yourself under lemon and orange trees in a citrus-filled patio out front of Dupont’s Mediterranean hotspot, which serves one of the best espresso martinis in town. Summer drinks and dishes just dropped in tandem with its new limoncello look.

Residents Cafe & Bar’s patio adopts a citrusy look for summer.
Hawkeye Johnson

Calico

This Blagden Alley hideaway has maximized its limited space outdoors and transformed it into a space for cool cats. The alfresco space is varied and eclectic, with covered options, open tables, and bar seating. Swing by for trivia and bingo nights, along with happy hour deals starting at $2.

BOURBON STEAK

This tony restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel captures the spirit of Georgetown with its lush patio, elegant cocktail menu, and attentive service. Its stone-lined outdoor area keeps patio-dwellers cozy with sofas and fire pits. This summer, the secluded setup is dressed to the nines with a “Liberty of Color” art installation from Maggie O’Neill. Stop by every Sunday this summer for live DJs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Alta Strada - Washington, DC

Situated right on Mt. Vernon Triangle’s bustling K Street NW corridor, this patio is surrounded by greenery to make the space feel private and beautiful all at once. Enjoy pastas and wines (with happy hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily) while soaking up city views under a classic red umbrella. 

Michele’s

Tucked off Eaton Hotel’s lobby, the plant-filled, pup-friendly patio at chef Matt Baker’s downtown restaurant faces peaceful Franklin Park. Enjoy dinner, brunch, and summer cocktails with names to match, like Dreamsicle and Campfire, in the shade of trees along K Street NW.

Stylish outdoor seating at Michele’s welcomes pups and their pals.
Leading DC

Opaline Bar and Brasserie

Downtown’s reimagined French darling inside Sofitel hotel sports a spacious wraparound patio overlooking manicured Lafayette Square park.

Bronze

Forget streeteries for a second and hang out across Bronze’s intimate backyard patio. This Afrofuturist restaurant offers food from the African diaspora (a first-of-its-kind for D.C.), and the private patio will let you take it all in without city distractions.

Zaytinya by José Andrés

This José Andrés restaurant sits in a prime location near several Metro stops, making it accessible for any local to get to. The patio has a view of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and serves a solid Mediterranean menu. Andrés’s nearby Jaleo and Oyamel are also standbys when it comes to outdoor patios.

Tonari

The patio at Daikaya Group’s wafu-Italian restaurant nods to its roots, with tables fashioned to resemble a classic red-sauce joint. Along with all the summery drinks you could ask for, Tonari is also showcasing a pupusa-inspired pizza topped with summer squash for the season.

Tonari’s Italian-styled patio in Chinatown.
Vina Sananikone

Dirty Habit

The modern, sleek furniture of this outdoor courtyard and bar juxtaposes the white brick walls of its historic hotel, making this Penn Quarter hideaway ideal for after-work drinks and sweet bites like donut holes and churros.

Related Maps

THE GRILL

Situated near Market Pier at the far end of the Wharf, The Grill is the spot to enjoy wood-fired American cuisine, luscious steaks, and Potomac views for brunch, lunch, or dinner. 

Easy Company

The Wharf’s dreamy new wine bar is framed with a massive patio dubbed the Rosé Garden. The glassy space offers an epic, 200-degree view of the Potomac River out front. Daily happy hour—a rare find along its pricey waterfront stretch—includes 10 wines for $10 each, and snacks for $5-$8, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Easy Company’s year-round patio features operable sides, heaters, and fans. 
Daniel Swartz

GORDON RAMSAY HELL'S KITCHEN

The celebrity chef’s upscale namesake restaurant at the Wharf offers not one, but two, alfresco seating options. The first faces the Wharf’s iconic boardwalk, and an additional waterfront patio perch upstairs up sits right atop the Potomac. 

Osteria Morini

Navy Yard’s waterfront Italian staple turns 10 this year and celebrates with all sorts of comeback favorites like focaccia. Saddle up to its shaded, wraparound patio covered in Aperol-orange umbrellas and soak up serene views of bobbing boats on the Anacostia River. Cool off with a new frozen negroni or flights of the same gin-Campari-vermouth cocktail.

Osteria Morini just released a new frozen negroni this summer.
Tierney Plumb/Eater DC

Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ

Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG) just turned the patio behind its Evening Star Café into a summery new spot called Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ. Chef Nate Anda puts offset and reverse-flow smokers to work to prepare Texas and Carolina-style meats that make their way into a lineup of tacos, fajitas, and nachos. Beverage director Greg Engert curates a list of 25 beers and ciders on tap at a time, plus chilled wines and draft and frozen cocktails.

The shaded beer garden-styled setup features bar and table spaces surrounded by cabanas.
John Rorapaugh for LeadingDC

BARCA Pier & Wine Bar

Barca serves tapas, wines, and cocktails along the Potomac River in Alexandria. The gray, white, and blue aesthetic of the dining area along the riverfront gives it a stylish, beachy vibe.

Related Maps