Best Patios in Charlotte NC: Restaurants with Outdoor Dining

Looking for the best outdoor dining in Charlotte NC? Enjoy dinner or drinks al fresco from our list of some of the best patios in Charlotte. (Updated for 2026)

Looking for some of the other best places to eat and drink in Charlotte, NC? Check out Off the Eaten Path’s Charlotte Restaurants Guide!  If you’re interested in North Carolina food and travel, we’ve got that too including the best restaurants in Hendersonville, NC, and Off the Eaten Path’s Asheville Travel Guide, Outer Banks Travel Guide, Bryson City Travel Guide, and how to spend a weekend visiting North Carolina wineries.

This is one of the best questions I’ve gotten from a friend on Instagram:

“It’s sunny at 75. What Charlotte patio are you headed to?”

When it’s a nice day, I immediately need to be enjoying a nice meal, a glass of wine or a cocktail al fresco at one of the best outdoor patios in Charlotte. 

WHERE SHOULD I EAT OUTSIDE IN CHARLOTTE, NC?

Ok, so first of all, what does it mean to be one of the best patios in Charlotte? It’s a totally subjective thing…it’s totally based on my own personal experiences, feelings, tastes and opinions. 

Basically, my list of Charlotte’s best outdoor dining and drinking experiences can vary differently from anyone else’s list, because it’s my favorites.

But let me tell you, while a best of list is subjective, I do feel like I am qualified to write one about the best patios in Charlotte. Why?

Because patio beer season is my favorite season!

(I guess also because I’ve lived in Charlotte for over 10 years, which means I’ve had the chance to eat and drink outside at a ton of Charlotte’s patios).

This Charlotte restaurant guide was one of the hardest ones for me to write because there are just so many patio dining and drinking options in the Queen City in a variety of neighborhoods, so this list was really hard to narrow down. 

(PS: Looking for other CLT restaurant guides? Read more about food in Charlotte by checking out Charlotte’s Best Brunch, the Best Wings in Charlotte, Best Breweries in Charlotte, or my Charlotte Food Bucket List…I write one every year to document which local restaurants I want to visit.)

We’re lucky that you can basically eat outside all year round (and it’s been interesting to see how restaurants are adapting to patio dining through the colder months), which means we have a lot of options when it comes to outdoor seating.

What makes for great outdoor dining?

My best dining patios list started at more than twenty spots, and then I had to whittle away. Here’s a few things that helped me narrow my list:

• I started by focusing on spots that are more unique and special, and maybe some that are more off the beaten path (or “eaten” path, could we say?). Sure, some of these patios are on every single platforms’ “best patios in Charlotte list,” but that’s because they are really great outdoor dining options!
• I wanted to include outdoor spaces that offer something other than just the view of a parking lot…Charlotte does have an abundance of patios with stellar parking lot views.
• I also steered away from spots that only serve drinks because I wanted to focus on Charlotte’s best patios where you can enjoy a meal (but of course, any of these spots are perfect for a cold beer or cocktail!)

The result is a wide range of food options, price points and ambiance. So if your looking for laid back rooftops, bustling biergartens, sweeping skyline views, covered hideaways, neighborhood hangouts or picturesque points right next to the water, we’ve got a spot for you!

Where is your favorite patio in Charlotte?

The best patio dining in Charlotte

At The Goodyear House, you can enjoy locally sourced comfort food with an international flair (whether for lunch, dinner or brunch) at a picnic table under twinkle lights and the branches of a hundred-year-old holly tree.

While casual and comfortable (and dog friendly!) the design is detailed, beautiful and thoughtful, making it feel like you’re relaxing in a friend’s backyard, which nails their goal of being “NoDa’s neighborhood gathering place built on a shared history of community and kinship.”

The Goodyear House expanded their patio last year, adding an open air greenhouse and igloos over several tables to make outdoor dining in their gorgeous backyard accessible and comfortable all year round (the igloos will leave for the season in mid-March, but if you missed igloo season they are coming back next winter!) 

Being a lifelong water lover (the beach is my favorite place on the planet), there’s just something about being near the water that brings me so much joy and energy. 

While I love living in Charlotte, one of the downsides is that it’s landlocked. (In fact, they made fun of us for that a few years ago on SNL on top of being the “Gateway to Gastonia.”)

Lucky for us, Hello, Sailor is an easy drive up I-77, making it a great place for al fresco waterfront dining (with gorgeous views of Lake Norman!) so we can get our fill of tiki cocktails, seafood and lake views. (You can also arrive at Hello, Sailor by boat and park in one of their 20 dedicated boat slips.) Their dining room also has expansive floor to ceiling windows so you can still get a view of the water if you eat inside.

Beyond simple seafood dishes, beach worthy drinks and beautiful mid-century modern decor, Hello, Sailor boasts 3,500 square feet of waterfront deck space made for boozy slushie sipping. 

Speaking of rooftops and skyline views, The Waterman‘s rooftop terrace (dubbed Topside) features a slice of Uptown’s skyline through the back of their bar.

Enjoy seafood favorites like fried platters, lobster rolls, po’ boys, fish tacos, and chowder, along with burgers and sandwiches for landlubbers on their covered patio. They also have a full raw bar and an extensive craft cocktail menu, called boat drinks (so on brand!)

The Waterman also has a downstairs patio, but the upstairs patio is my preference.

Shhh, did you know that Charlotte has a secret garden?

The historic building in one of Charlotte’s oldest neighborhoods (which was originally a dry goods store, later turned a neighborhood billiards hall) is now home to the elegant and modern Dilworth Tasting Room. From the front door, stroll to the left past the sleek, bold red leather couches and the illuminated wine wall behind the bar and through the door to a dreamy, picturesque patio.

The focal point of this magical patio space is a bubbling koi pond in the center, which is surrounded by small tables and winding stone lined paths. Low hanging trees, colorful blooms, and string lights create a serene, backyard escape just blocks off South Boulevard. 

Dilworth Tasting Room’s gorgeous garden is one of my go-to spots for after-work wine, catching up with girlfriends, and a romantic date night.

Speaking of gorgeous gardens (and also wine!), another one of my favorite patios in Charlotte is Rosie’s Coffee and Wine Garden.

Located in McGill Rose Garden on N Davidson St. (and named after a cat!), Rosie’s is open daily serving coffee, wine and a small selection of snacks (but you can bring your own picnic too). They also occasionally have food trucks visit!

They have a small, cozy store front and cafe where you can order, and then take your beverage of choice out to the garden to explore! The roses bloom in May and October, but the garden is gorgeous any time of year!

Camp North End is way more than a patio, it’s bustling hub featuring 76 acres of outdoor space, art, curated retailers, and yes, food!

I highly recommend carving out a couple hours to walk around and explore the campus of this Charlotte hot spot, and then start or end your adventure with a bite and a beverage. Camp North End also hosts special events, pop ups, markets and live music, so check out their website and social media to see what’s coming up!

NoDa Company Store, in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood, is a fixture of the popular arts neighborhood. In an old millworker’s house and artist’s private residence, NoDa Company Store is part neighborhood general store and part party at a friend’s house. The welcoming, funky vibe is everything you want in a neighborhood bar, complete with a sprawling patio out back with porch swings and picnic tables. 

NoDa Company Store has a variety of beverage options including local beer, wine, prosseco and seltzer, but the stars (must order) are the house made sangrias made with seasonal fruits and the signature NoDa colada, which also comes in slushee form.

Who said fine dining couldn’t happen al fresco? For an elegant outdoor dining experience, make your way to The Fig Tree Restaurant in the charming Elizabeth neighborhood. Their intimate front porch and patio provide a serene setting adorned with lush greenery and romantic lighting. This upscale restaurant specializes in French and Italian cuisine with a Southern twist in a refined yet relaxed environment.

Optimist Hall a redevelopment of  a historic, turn-of the-century textile mill into a food hall, complemented by retail shops, restaurants, office and outdoor space in the Optimist Park neighborhood (between Uptown and NoDa). 

Optimist Hall has 23 tenants and tons of pet-friendly outdoor space including a main courtyard (with skyline views), patios and lawn space. 

Optimist Hall has a little something for everyone, from pizza to bao to fried chicken and more.

Brawley’s Beverage is a beloved neighborhood spot with a bustling patio along Park Road. A favorite of locals and craft beer enthusiasts, Brawley’s outdoor space exudes a chill, relaxed, friendly and casual vibe. Whether you’re sipping on a local IPA or exploring their more unique beer offerings, Brawley’s is the perfect place to unwind with a cold brew.

The Bowl at Ballantyne is one of our family’s favorite hangs because it’s kid-friendly and dog-friendly! All of the restaurants have great patios for wiggly kids to run around along with kid-friendly menus. Although the Bowl now requires paid parking, it’s free to park for 2 hours in the surface lots or parking garages, which is honestly the perfect amount of time for a quick bite and playground hang.

There is a similar, indescribable yet happy, feeling that I get from hot dogs and cold beer on a rooftop and drinking a margarita on a beautiful, sunny warm day.

Ru Ru’s Tacos & Tequila will satisfy all of your sunny margarita drinking hopes and dreams. Located in the historic Reynolds-Gormajenko House in Myers Park, the building’s architecture will transport you to Tuscany while you munch on tacos and sip tequila.

The Whitewater Center has a leg up on any old patio in Charlotte…it’s a full-on outdoor adventure complex along the banks of the Catawba River. Even if you’re not in a rafting, zip-lining, or mountain biking mood, you can go to the Whitewater Center to relax by the water, grab a bite to eat, and listen to live music. Their River Jam concert series is one of our favorite Charlotte events!

THE HONORABLE MENTIONS

Outdoor dining options are plentiful in Charlotte and so it was hard do limit my list, so I wanted to include a few honorable mentions.

LINCOLN STREET KITCHEN AND COCKTAILS: A live Ligustrum tree is planted right in the middle of the rooftop deck where you can enjoy small bites and craft cocktails.

OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY: Olde Mecklenburg Brewery’s sprawling beer garden is super shaded and family friendly.

FAHRENHEIT: Perched on the 21st floor, their rooftop terrace offers an unbeatable panorama of the city. For rooftop views and vibes, we also love Merchant and Trade.

MIDDLE JAMES BREWING: Middle James has a huge grassy area with tons of picnic tables that is pet and kid friendly. They also have a second floor patio overlooking the driving range on the property.

CRAFT TASTING ROOM AND GROWLER SHOP: Centered by a huge fire pit, Craft’s patio is cozy and casual.

BIRDSONG BREWING: A lot of breweries in Charlotte have nice outdoor spaces but Birdsong’s beer garden has always been one of my favorites. Grab a pint, a seat at a picnic table and some food from their rotating selection of food trucks. 

REID’S SOUTHPARK: Don’t knock a patio at a shopping mall until you’ve tried it. Reid’s offers a sophisticated outdoor dining option after a day of shopping at SouthPark Mall.

THE COWFISH: Beyond offering an innovative fusion of burgers and sushi, Cowfish boasts a spacious, family friendly outdoor patio.