Charlotte's Best Outdoor Patios and Decks

Whether you’re looking for a romantic night out, a lively place to try some craft beers, or a some delectable dishes the Queen City has you covered.

• The Fig Tree Restaurant is a fine-dining icon in the Elizabeth neighborhood. It’s located in the Lucas House, a 1913 Craftsman-style bungalow. The signature elk chop is especially good when enjoyed on the porch with a breeze.


• 300 East on Dilworth’s East Boulevard has been serving upscale American fare for 30 years. It started out as a large estate house, and was remodeled into a restaurant. There you can linger over dessert on the white-columned porch that wraps around the restaurant. Pastry chef Ashley Bivens Boyd is known for her confections, which resemble works of art.


• The Duke Mansion once owned by James Buchanan Duke of Duke Energy and Duke University fame, is a treasure of the Myers Park community. The 1915 mansion is now a bed-and-breakfast. Its screened-in sleeping porches overlooking immaculately landscaped gardens are considered some of its finest amenities.

• Whiskey Warehouse occupies most of its upper story. The covered, U-shaped bar has TVs for game-watching. The tables rimming the deck’s edge have umbrellas, so diners can enjoy streetscape views in the shade. Monday is half-priced wing night, and the weekend brings specials on mimosas, sangria and bloody marys!


• Fahrenheit has an unrivaled Uptown view from its 21st floor post atop Skye Condos/Hyatt Place Charlotte Downtown. Snapping a selfie from the balcony with a skyscraper backdrop is on every Queen City bucket list. The view’s only competition is the food—short ribs, steaks and grilled seafood—coming from the kitchen, which is led by Chef Rocco Whalen.


• A new addition to Center City, City Lights Rooftop Bar opened in June. It stakes its claim as the city’s largest rooftop bar. Located on the 19th floor of Le Méridien Charlotte, the bar reveals 360-degree views. Fridays are DJ nights.

• Thomas Street Tavern in Plaza Midwood contains an adult’s playground out back. The large deck has built-in fire pits and a second outdoor bar. Cornhole and Ping Pong are popular diversions.


• The Carolinas HeathCare System Home Run Porch at BB&T Ballpark is one of the most energetic sections in the park. The standing-room-only porch gives Charlotte Knights fans an up-close view as balls soar over the right-field wall.


• At Brazwells Premium Pub,  located on Montford Drive--1/3 mile entertainment strip--warm weather means draft beers, tasty bites hot off the kitchen’s grill, and tables filled with chatter and laughter on the sprawling deck. With a dockside feel, it’s surprising not to find a shoreline just beyond the deck’s railing.

• Sycamore Brewing is the place to be when the weather is nice. They have a spacious patio filled with picnic tables, a second outdoor bar slinging cold beverages, corn hole, and a platform for live music. With water bowls plentifully stocked, furry friends are welcometo lounge with you at Sycamore.


• Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte’s first craft brewery, opened in 2009. It adheres to German standards in brewing its beer and carries that Old World theme through in its location on Yancey Road. Its patio extends out into an expansive Biergarten. The picnic tables are an ideal place to enjoy a flagship Copper amber ale and a fresh pretzel.


• Pasta & Provisions, a Charlotte institution for more than 20 years, expanded this past winter to a second location on Park Road. The new space allows the Italian grocer and deli to serve made-to-order sandwiches, pizzas and pastas, and guests can enjoy those dishes with a glass of beer or wine on the patio.

Article adapted from Charlotte's Got A Lot: http://www.charlottesgotalot.com/articles/Charlottes-Best-Porches-Patios-Decks