Whether I’m on vacation or just looking for a night out I love an outdoor patio. There is nothing better than the atmosphere of a wonderful outdoor cocktail and meal. That’s why I was so intrigued by Open Table’s latest list- the 100 Best Restaurants for Al Fresco Dining. And while many are in places like California, New York, and Florida they aren’t all. In fact, 4 North Carolina restaurants ranked as some of the best for outdoor dining in the country. Not bad, NC, not bad.
Another interesting statistic was that due to the pandemic reservations for outdoor dining increased nationwide by 54%. This list was based on over 13.6 million reviews on OpenTable. These 100 spots feature restaurants with impeccable food, picturesque views, and an all-around top-notch outdoor dining experience. I’ve only visited one of the 4 North Carolina top places for outdoor dining. None are in Charlotte- one in Asheville, one in Calabash, and the other two- in Greensboro. That surprised me! I guess I’ll add these to the list the next time I make the drive to a concert at the Greensboro Coliseum.
Our South Carolina neighbor also has a few spots on this list in tourist hotspots Charleston and Hilton Head. You can read through the list below in no particular order. The North Carolina restaurants are listed first followed by South Carolina, then the rest of the 100 are listed in alphabetical order.
The Oyster Rock
Sunset Terrace at Omni Grove Park Inn
Green Valley Grill
Print Works Bistro
Fleet Landing Restaurant & Bar
Charlie's Coastal Bistro (L'etoile Verte)
1906 at Longwood Gardens
Anis Cafe and Bistro
Anthonie's Market Grill
AOC-3rd Street
Arnold Palmer's Restaurant
La Quinta, CA
Arnold Palmer's Amazing Patio's....offering Dinner Nightly or Happy Hour Tuesday through Sunday from 4-7. Enjoy the...
Posted by Arnold Palmer's Restaurant on Thursday, October 22, 2020Bacari Silver Lake
Barca Wine Bar & Pier
Beachcomber Cafe
Bistro Don Giovanni
Boat House Waterfront Dining
Brasserie Mon Chou Cho
Bravas Bar de Tapas
Buck and Rider
Ca Del Sole
Cafe Luxembourg
Cafe Terracotta
Campfire
Casa Nostra Ristorante
Cesarina
Citron Bistro
Coast Guard House
Coastal Fish Company
Coastal Kitchen
Continental Naples
Copley's on Palm Canyon
Dog Watch Cafe
Dry Dock Waterfront Grill
Duke's Beach House Maui
Echo & Rig Steakhouse & Butcher Shop
El Chorro
El Dorado Kitchen
EPIC Steak
Farmhouse at Roger's Gardens
Fleetwood's On Front Street
Foreign Cinema
Girl & the Goat L.A.
Gracias Mardre
Hardware
North Aurora, IL
Happy Fourth of July! We are OPEN today from 11am until 9pm! 🇺🇸
Posted by Hardware on Sunday, July 4, 2021Istanbul Hawaii
Jeune et Jolie
Kyle G's Prime Seafood
L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele
L'Auberge Chez Francois
La Mar Cebicheria Peruana
Latitudes Key West
Le Diplomate
Lon's at the Hermosa
Paradise Valley, AZ
Los Andes Restaurant
Mala Ocean Tavern
Mister A's
Mitch's on El Paseo Prime Seafood
Olive & Ivy Restaurant & Marketplace
Ophelia's on the Bay
Pacific Coast Grill
Cardiff-By-The-Sea, CA
Piccolo Sogno
Prime: An American Kitchen & Bar
Raintree Restaurant
Rive House Restaurant & Raw Bar
Ruthie's All-Day
Salty's on the Columbia
Spencer's Restaurant
Steiner Ranch Steakhouse
Tavern on the Green
The Black Whale
The Boathouse
Lake Buena Vista, FL
The Front Yard
The Mooring Restaurant
The Twisted Olive
Green, OH
The Patio is now open! #AlFresco #Patio #spring #summer2018 https://t.co/TxZdOCkJ8C pic.twitter.com/POHqforJAR
— The Twisted Olive (@thetwistedO) May 7, 2018The Village Bakery & Cafe
Tin Roof Bistro
Manhattan Beach, CA
Toms Hams Lighthouse
Vivace Restaurant
Waterbar
Zinc Bistro
Charlotte Outdoor Patios