The 40 best patios in Charlotte right now

Context: We define patios as outdoor, open-air spaces that are often paved.

• Some businesses have multiple locations — we count those as separate patios.
• Many of Charlotte's 40+ breweries have great patios — we've highlighted a few in this guide. Find the rest in our brewery guide here.

Artisan's Palate

The vibe: The woman-owned NoDa restaurant and art gallery has two patios: one out front that stays connected to the main dining room energy, and a quieter one tucked in back.

Stop by: 1218 E. 36th St.

Canopy Cocktails and Garden

The vibe: The South End cocktail lounge has a massive outdoor seating area with its own bar, plus another right inside. Canopy is also next to the Rail Trail, making it an easy stop for a post-walk drink.

Stop by: Canopy is located at 118 E Kingston Ave. 

Chapter 6

The vibe: A western Mediterranean restaurant from The Rare Roots Hospitality team with an extensive patio overlooking the Rail Trail.

Stop by: 2151 Hawkins St.

Charlotte Beer Garden

The vibe: This sprawling three-story bar in South End claims to have the world's largest selection of draft beers in one restaurant. It's the first sister site to the original Raleigh Beer Garden.

Stop by: 1300 S Tryon St.

Common Market Plaza Midwood

The vibe: Come for the bodega snacks, beer and deli sandwiches. Stay for the gritty, eclectic patio that feels very Plaza Midwood. It's steps from other neighborhood favorites, like Calle Sol and Workman's, making it an easy starting point for the night or a spot to post up and stay awhile.

Stop by: 2007 Commonwealth Ave.

Craft Tasting Room and Growler Shop

The vibe: Positioned along South Church Street in South End, Craft delivers an expansive beer selection, plus pizza, charcuterie boards to snack on, and a patio that's great for those who people-watch for sport.

Stop by: 1320 S Church St.

Drift

The vibe: The two-story waterfront restaurant features views of Lake Wylie with both indoor and outdoor seating.

Stop by: 315-M Lanyard Lane, Belmont

Dilworth Tasting Room

The vibe: This popular wine bar's original location in Dilworth has an enchanting back patio that feels like an escape from the city — except it's less than two miles from Uptown.

• Its Plaza Midwood and SouthPark locations have patios, too.

Stop by: 300 E. Tremont Ave. (Dilworth), 4905 Ashley Park Lane (SouthPark) and 1413 Central Ave. (Plaza Midwood)

Go deeper: Coolest wine bars in Charlotte

Flower Child

The vibe: Located next to the light rail in South End, this fast-casual chain offers healthy options like salads, bowls and wraps, plus prime people-watching.

Stop by: 1537 Camden Road

Hello, Sailor

The vibe: Located about 25 minutes from Charlotte, Hello, Sailor is a fitting venue for a lakeside date — try their tiki cocktails, share popcorn shrimp and enjoy the sunset over Lake Norman.

Stop by: 20210 Henderson Road in Cornelius

Related guide: 16 things to eat, drink and do in Cornelius, including pontoon rentals and brewery hopping

Must Be Nice

The vibe: A neighborhood bar in the former Lost & Found space by the same owner, featuring a patio that has been transformed into a prime spot for Sunday football.

Stop by: 332 W. Bland St.

Monday Night Brewing Garden Co.

The vibe: In line with its nickname, the outside of Garden Co. has a beer garden feel, complete with numerous picnic tables and fire pits. It's dog and kid-friendly, too.

Stop by: 2217 South Tryon, across the street from Inner Peaks.

Noble Smoke

The vibe: This flagship barbecue spot by Jim Noble, the owner of Rooster's and Bossy Beulah’s, serves up pork, brisket, ribs and a spacious 200-person patio and biergarten.

Stop by: 2216 Freedom Dr.

Go deeper: 30 best restaurants in Charlotte, right now

NoDa Company Store

The vibe: The neighborhood beer and wine shop offers a vibrant patio with tiki umbrellas and porch swings. Sip their house-made sangria during your next visit.

Stop by: 3221 Yadkin Ave.

NoDa Company Canteen

The vibe: NoDa Company Store's "little sister,' NoDa Company Canteen in Camp North End, has a similar tropical feel with a sprawling patio overlooking the Boileryard.

Stop by: 1824 Statesville Ave.

 Go deeper: NoDa Company Canteen expands to a new tropical brick-and-mortar location in Camp North End

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

The vibe: One of Charlotte's oldest breweries. Expect a sprawling beer garden with German brews, food and dozens of picnic tables at both its locations.

Stop by: 4150 Yancey Road in LoSo and 15025 Bowl St. in Ballantyne.

Go deeper: Complete list and map of Charlotte’s local breweries, plus the most popular beer at each

Pins Mechanical

The vibe: This massive South End game bar has a ground-level and rooftop patio, plus a lineup of old-school entertainment like duckpin bowling and retro arcade games.

Stop by: 307 W. Tremont Ave.

Pinhouse

The vibe: Next door to ClubHouse, this two-story Plaza Midwood bar offers two outdoor patios overlooking Veterans Park. Inside, you'll find duckpin bowling and a self-serve bar with dozens of taps.

Stop by: Pinhouse is located at 2306 Central Ave.

RuRu's Tacos + Tequila

The vibe: RuRu's is situated inside the historic Reynolds-Gourmajenko House, a Mediterranean-style Myers Park mansion built in 1926. You'll find the patio and outdoor bar in the old courtyard.

Stop by: 715 Providence Road

Related guide: Best Mexican restaurants in Charlotte

Selwyn Avenue Pub

The vibe: This family-owned bar in a repurposed house has been holding it down in Myers Park since 1990. The front patio features a bar, flat-screen TVs, fire pits and a retractable awning.

Stop by: 2801 Selwyn Ave.

Seoul Food Meat Co.

The vibe: The Korean Fusion BBQ restaurant has two locations — the original South End spot and another, larger location, in Optimist Park. You’ll find spacious patios with features like fenced-in dog parks and lawn games at both.

Stop by: 1400 S. Church St. (South End) and 421 E. 26th St. (Optimist Park).

Go deeper: Seoul Food opens huge new restaurant, playground and karaoke bar in Optimist Park

Sixty Vines

The vibe: Choose from 60 wines on tap plus cider, beer, cocktails and mocktails. Then, find a spot on the patio (which gets extra points for the comfortable couches).

Stop by: 1415 Vantage Park Dr., in the Vantage South End building.

SouthBound / The Music Yard / Mac's Speed Shop

The vibe: You’ll find spacious patios at each of these adjacent South Boulevard businesses, including SouthBound (a SoCal Taco restaurant), The Music Yard (a live music venue) and Mac's Speed Shop (a southern smokehouse).

Stop by: SouthBound and The Music Yard are both at 2433 South Blvd. with Mac's at 2511 South Blvd.

State of Confusion

The vibe: From the owners of Stir in Lower South End, State of Confusion has a patio that's a must-visit in LoSo. There's a grill, fire pits, large games and picnic tables.

Stop by: 3500 Dewitt Lane, across from Phat Burrito and Supperclub South End.

Streetcar Bar + Bites

The vibe: This sports bar on Thrift Road in Wesley Heights has a pop art theme and a partially covered patio with bunny rabbit chairs (yes, you read that right).

Stop by: 2315 Thrift Road, beside Pizza Baby.

Substrate

The vibe: An eclectic wine bar in Optimist Park pouring a wide range of natural wines and vermouth. Order a vermouth spritz and settle in on the patio, where there's often live music or a rotating food pop-up. No pop-up? Grab a pizza from Bird and pair it with your pour.

Stop by: 512 E 15th St.

Suffolk Punch Brewing

The vibe: Suffolk Punch boasts top-tier patios, with its flagship in South End near the light rail's New Bern Station and a newer location at SouthPark Mall.

Stop by: 2911 Griffith St. (South End), 4400 Sharon Road (SouthPark).

The Crunkleton

The vibe: This popular Elizabeth cocktail bar offers a covered patio with sun shades and heaters for colder days.

Stop by: 1957 E 7th St.

The Goodyear House

The vibe: Located in an early 1900s mill home, The Goodyear House specializes in elevated comfort food. Out back, you’ll find their outdoor patio and bar shaded by a 150-year-old holly tree.

Stop by: 3032 N Davidson St.

The Penguin

The vibe: A 75-person, dog-friendly covered patio in Dilworth that’s a go-to for a date, drinks with friends or a weekend brunch.

Stop by: 1531 East Blvd.

Go deeper: The Penguin is back with a new owner, new menu and in a new location

Vaulted Oak Brewing

The vibe: An east Charlotte family and dog-friendly brewery with a focus on small-batch beers and weekly programming, like Trivia Tuesdays and live music.

Stop by: 3726 Monroe Road

VBGB 

The vibe: This German-inspired pub carries more than 30 beers on tap and offers a partly covered patio filled with large games like giant Connect Four and Jenga. It’s also home to The Sandbox, a five-court, lighted sand volleyball facility.

Stop by: 920 Hamilton St., near The Fillmore. 

Wooden Robot South End

The vibe: If you want to be in the middle of it all, this is the move. Wooden Robot's South End patio fills up most nights with a lively after-work and weekend crowd, plus a full kitchen and coffee bar alongside the taproom.

Stop by: 1410 S. Tryon St.

Looking for outdoor views from the top floor? Here's a list of the best rooftop bars in Charlotte.

Editor’s note: This guide was first published in 2018 and was last updated on March 11, 2026.