North Carolina Is Home To 4 Of The Best Restaurants For Outdoor Dining

I have to say this is the beginning of my favorite time of year with the Fall colors on the way along with cooler weather. Eager to get outside and enjoy it, let's look at 4 spots for the best outdoor dining in North Carolina.

According to The News & Observer, recent reports unveil that the Tar Heel State is home to some of the best restaurants for outdoor dining in the U.S. More than likely one reason is our varied landscape and the views it offers along with some fantastic weather, especially in Fall.

Popular restaurant reservation platform, OpenTable, assembled the list after examining more than 13.6 million verified reviews and experiences from customers. They looked at the diner rating, user clout, number of reviews and regional ratings. Then, the platform had to look for those that pointed to 'outdoor dining' as a special aspect of the restaurant.

And, after crunching the numbers and arriving at a total list of 100, 4 spots for the best outdoor dining in North Carolina emerged. Luckily, I have had the opportunity to visit 2 of them. So, let's take a look at those.

One spot for the best outdoor dining in North Carolina I consider one of those hidden gems that we stumbled upon during a weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina. Print Works Bistro is located at 702 Green Valley Road, right next to Proximity Hotel.

And, their OpenTable profile describes the spot as 'employee owned' featuring 'classical and modern versions of French bistro dishes.' Print Work Bistro invites diners to enjoy the creekside terrace with a borrowed lap blanket to stay warm! And, the spot has been rated among the Top 100 in USA for Date Nights & Outdoor Dining.

My friend and I went to Print Works Bistro for brunch on Sunday morning a couple of years ago, and it was amazing. We started with the Housemade Cinnamon Buns with warm caramel sauce. I was speechless after the first bite.

And, honestly, I think we had a tremendous quiche after that. But, I was so struck by the cinnamon buns I couldn't see straight! So, I can't wait to return and do some al fresco dining at this spot for best outdoor dining in North Carolina.

The other spot on the list for best outdoor dining in North Carolina I've had the pleasure of visiting may be a bit more familiar to you. It's Sunset Terrace at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina.

Sunset Terrace is popular for special events, including weddings. And, that was happening the day my friend and I happened to stumble in. So, we had a ringside seat for the black tie event while we sipped drinks and nibbled on tremendous food.

Sunset Terrace offers stunning mountain views. And, as the name implies, I can imagine sunsets are gorgeous from that vantage point. The spot is an 11 time winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.

The menu highlights I remember were a cocktail that was a riff on an Arnold Palmer, but with spirits and a peach twist. Delicious. And, I seem to recall a tremendous Goat Cheese appetizer on a bed of fresh greens. It was definitely a phenomenal experience worth repeating!

To see more about these and the other 2 spots, Green Valley Grill in Greensboro and The Oyster Rock Waterfront Seafood in Calabash, making OpenTable's best outdoor dining in North Carolina, see the full story from The News & Observer.

My husband and his best friend play golf pretty much every weekend.  And, every now and then they take their game on the road.  This past weekend the tournament took place in Greensboro, North Carolina.  So, the wives decided to accompany the guys and make an adventure out of it.  And, we always find things to do while they golf.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I figured I'd share the 6 fun things we did during our visit to Greensboro!

We typically like to plan things in advance.  However, sometimes we prefer to just strike out on a whim and see where we land.  As long as we have a ride and navigation we can have a good time anywhere.  We headed out super early Saturday morning to get to the course in time for the guys' tournament.  So, we dropped them off at the course, hopped in the car and looked at each other saying, "It's only 8 a.m., where should we go first?"

Well, we started with breakfast because that's about the only thing open at that time of day.  I began the search on my phone for places near our location in Jamestown Park.  And, we always look at the reviews to make sure other people like it, too.  And, that's how we started our weekend on the hunt for our top "6 Fun Things To Do In Greensboro, North Carolina."

We start our "6 Fun Things To Do In Greensboro" list with a visit to Tex and Shirley's Pancake House and Family Restaurant.  I knew it was a good sign when not only were the reviews good, but the parking lot was full of cars.  The staff greeted us warmly and seated us right away.  The menu had all the traditional down home favorites to choose from.  And, the prices were incredibly reasonable.  My friend got a combo that included ham, bacon AND sausage, 2 eggs, grits or hashbrowns and 3 pancakes or toast.  She chose grits and pancakes.  It was a ton of food for just $12.  She is a grits lover, and they measured up.  We shared the pancakes and they were fantastic!  I went simple with scrambled eggs and sausage.  Loved it.  We will return to Tex and Shirley's on Precision Way in High Point.

Next, our adventure to find the "6 Fun Things To Do In Greensboro" took us to the Antique Market Place on Burnt Poplar Rd.  This place is huge.  It's an antique fan's dream.  Imagine strolling through a spot the size of a big box store filled with treasures of the past.  We had the best time reminiscing about things that reminded us of all the things from our childhoods.  There were booths brimming with beautiful dish ware, furniture, historical artifacts and so much more.  It is a definite must-visit.

Next, it was mid-afternoon and time to pick the guys up from the golf course.  And, everyone was hungry.  So, we set out to find lunch to add to our "6 Fun Things To Do In Greensboro."  We ended up at Bourbon Bowl.  This spot was a lot of fun.  As the name implies, Bourbon Bowl includes 6 full service bowling lanes, a cocktail bar and indoor/outdoor dining areas.  It was a beautiful day.  So, we sat outside.  There were lots of people there, and the vibe was cool.  The website says "born out of a junkyard and an abandoned gas station."  And, it had that rustic, yet contemporary atmosphere.  The craft cocktails were a crowd pleaser.  We all ordered different things including delicious burgers and brisket tacos.  The highlight were the cheese curds.  They had a subtle garlic butter taste that made them irresistible.

Our next stop on our "6 Fun Things To Do In Greensboro" list took us to Dram and Draught.  Located on West Gate City Blvd., Dram & Draught is a cool neighborhood bar in what appears to be a refurbished service station.  There are garage doors reminiscent of where cars would once drive in to grab an oil change opening up to the outside seating area.  The inside area has comfy seating, including spots that appear to be bench seats straight from a classic vehicle.  The bar is huge and floor to ceiling.  The website says they serve over 300 whiskeys, hand-crafted cocktails and draught beer.  They know their stuff.  The cocktails were inventive and delicious.  Our favorite was "Hellfire Club."  It was a spicy concoction of Szechuan and Jalapeno Infused Tequila, Cointreau, Coconut, Lime, Agave, Hibiscus, Lavender and Oak.  A similar drink called "Tropical Fire" was equally delicious.  Dram & Draught has locations in Durham, Wilmington, Cary and Raleigh, too.  By the way, "dram" by definition is Scottish for "a small drink of whisky or other spirits."

As the name implies, One Thirteen Brewhouse and Rooftop Bar is a 4-story bar located at 113 North Green Street in Greensboro.  I can't even begin to describe the fun this spot holds.  And, that's why it makes our "6 Fun Things To Do In Greensboro" list.  Each floor holds a different appeal.  There's even a floor where live music happens.  One floor specializes in bourbons.  And, then our favorite spot was the roof!  We finally settled in on an area with two huge swings where we were able to post up for several hours chillin' and sippin'.  Day turned into evening.  And, it was time to nosh again.  So, we took to delivery from a nearby spot.  And, we found ourselves satisfying our hunger with everything from mozzarella sticks to wings to a big yummy pizza.  What a day!  We packed in a bunch, and headed back to the hotel to get a good night's rest.

Finally, we wrap up our "6 Fun Things To Do In Greensboro" list with Sunday brunch.  So, once again the guys were dropped at the golf course bright and early for day two.  And, the ladies found a beautiful, delicious brunch spot.  Print Works Bistro is right next to Proximity Hotel on Green Valley Road.  Not only was this spot gorgeous and relaxing, it was delicious.  We started off with the "Housemade Cinnamon Buns."  Thank goodness we decided to split it.  It arrived and was a whole plate of warm, fluffy cinnamon buns all nestled together and drizzled with the mouth-watering caramel sauce.  It was a highlight of our weekend.  We each ordered the asparagus quiche with mixed greens and house vinaigrette.  The quiche was terrific, deep dish and oh so fluffy!  It was another successful find we plan on returning to!