The pandemic made us a winter patio town. But a summer patio is a different sort of thing—a space designed to revel in the weather, rather than merely tolerate it. Seattle has its share of destination patios, including waterfront perches, even a new crop of rooftops. But quite often the best outdoor space is the one that’s close by.

Here, we’ve offered up spots all over town with something to recommend, from intimate spaces with great food to capacious water-facing beer gardens. 

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Jump to Your Neighborhood:

Ballard / Beacon Hill / Bellevue / Belltown / Capitol Hill / Central District / Chinatown–International District / Columbia City / Denny Regrade / Downtown / Eastlake / First Hill / Fremont / Georgetown / Greenlake / Greenwood / Kenmore / Kirkland / Laurelhurst / Madrona / Mercer Island / Northgate / Phinney Ridge / Pike Place Market / Pioneer Square / Queen Anne / Rainier Beach / Ravenna / Sand Point / Seward Park / South Lake Union / South Park / University District / Wallingford / West Seattle / White Center 

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Ballard

Brimmer and Heeltap

Behind a gate dwells a charming garden, an outdoor dining space for this enduringly great restaurant, and now also home to sibling espresso shop Red Arrow Coffee.

Ray’s Cafe

It’s a classic Seattle patio for a reason. A few reasons, actually—the long upstairs deck packed with seats, that front-row view of Puget Sound, and a deeply competent seafood menu. These prime seats don’t take reservations, so plan accordingly.

Sabine

The former Bastille (now a counter-service cafe) is part of Ballard Avenue’s procession of covered patios, but a walled-in side terrace offers more remove from the street, plus retractable walls for more outdoor vibes, weather permitting. Even the separate Bar Sabine in back has a few outdoor tables.

Stoup Brewing

Ballard’s concentration of breweries comes with a concentration of great patios. Stoup’s is properly beer garden–size; some permanent covered structures and a fleet of shade sails have replaced winter tents, and the private greenhouse has been outfitted with plants and shade rather than space heaters. 

Beacon Hill

Flora Bakehouse

A rooftop patio for a bakery? Why, yes. This deeply charming spinoff of Cafe Flora offers an L-shaped deck upstairs with mountain views, covered and uncovered seating, and a breakfast pastry lineup worth the trip. After the coffee and almond croissants, a savory menu (pretzels with mustard, a kimchi grilled cheese, wine) is available until 5pm.

Perihelion Brewery

An underheralded brewpub offers wide-ranging beers and unexpectedly interesting food on a long patio, buffeted from the sidewalk with awnings and a pergola, warmed by the occasional fire table.

Bellevue

Ascend Prime

The 31st-floor penthouse steak and sushi destination offers showy views, showpiece dishes, and a trio of patios that let you choose between east-facing mountain views or classic Seattle skyline.

Carmine’s

The covered terrace across from Bellevue Downtown Park serves beautiful Italian food for lunch and dinner most days of the week. Reservations encouraged.

Bake’s Place Bar and Bistro

It’s easy to forget you’re in the center of Bellevue on this wide-open patio surrounded by trees, shaded with umbrellas, fueled by its own bar. Fun drink specials balance out a very accessible menu.

Belltown

Bangrak Market

To call this “sidewalk seating” undersells the airy covered space insulated from the street with a profusion of plants. Second Avenue has a ton of sidewalk patios these days (Shorty’s, Roccos, Tavolàta) but here you can count on atmosphere and seriously great Thai food.

Pub 70

The former Paddy Coyne’s space puts high-end pub food and pint-glass cocktails on picnic tables on Pier 70’s waterfront.

Capitol Hill

Bar Vacilando

Lattices and vines climb the wall in a hidden courtyard with an entire Hemingway novel’s worth of spare charm. Much like the patio, the burger and sandwich menu is more artful than you’d expect.

Captain Blacks

With patios both fore and aft, Capitol Hill's vaguely ship-themed bar commits to keeping outdoor tables open in all weather. A rotating menu of slushy drinks and a mostly Mexican food menu pair with daily sunsets visible between the apartment buildings off the port bow.

Linda’s Tavern

One of the town’s storied bar patios lures you into its enclosed walls with umbrella-shaded tables, affable mismatch chairs, and—okay—maybe just one more bloody mary.

Marjorie

In Donna Moodie’s jewelbox courtyard, ample foliage and white lights soften the restaurant’s clean industrial lines. The menu globe-trots from jerked chicken to grilled asparagus, and adept cocktails. 

Monsoon

The street-level patio arrived during the pandemic, but its rooftop remains the town’s most delightful destination for vermicelli bowls and drunken chicken. A canopy of trees and a few umbrellas ensure the tables (and occasional Adirondack lounge) feel secluded from the street below.

Oddfellows

The hidden garden patio, nestled among old brick walls, looks plucked out of a TV show set. But a pair of handsome pergolas out front, finessed with touches like plants, lights, and properly level tables offer way more seating.

Patio Cielo

Mezcaleria Oaxaca’s second-story hangout on Pine has plenty of room in both the covered bar area and open-air terrace filled with umbrella tables and even a proper taco truck, albeit a stationary one.

Rapport

Broadway’s haven of self-pour beer and wine has a large patio out front with converted barrel tables. Even better: Wandering Goose alum Mike Law is in the kitchen prepping brunch biscuits, meat and cheese boards, and seasonal dinner menus.

Rhein Haus

Outdoors, the cavernous German-inspired beer hall goes full biergarten, with seven TVs, an outdoor bar, and various heaters, overhangs, games, and firepits. Walk-ins only.

Terra Plata

Pandemic or no, Tamara Murphy’s rooftop is a revelation—a wedge of garden surrounded by downtown views and Capitol Hill urbanity. Covered, heated tables serve brunch and dinner.

Central District

Chuck’s Hop Shop

The beer shop was an early adopter of the glorious makeshift patio (and the comprehensive online reservation system). The entire parking lot is tented and lit (but not heated) with a sort of beer garden vibe. The tap list and food truck schedule are online.

Standard Brewing

So much great beer, and an uber-spacious patio, roughly half of it covered, upon which to drink it (the food menu is also legit). As ever, this spot is 21-plus, with no dogs.

Chinatown–International District

Humble Pie

The open-air pizza restaurant mastered outdoor dining long ago—a picnic table compound with covered and uncovered options, plus live entertainment courtesy of the chicken coop.

Columbia City

Super Six

Brunch, dinner, and happy hour all happen on picnic tables stationed outside this versatile outpost of the Marination empire. A tent in the parking lot offers a ton of covered seating.

Denny Regrade

2120

With the Spheres as a backdrop and the matching structures on the patio, this eclectic restaurant’s outdoor space, one of the larger ones in the neighborhood, resembles a tiny slice of Epcot here in Seattle.

Casco Antiguo

Lunch tacos, evening enchiladas, and most definitely after-work margaritas. It all happens in an urbane outdoor space elevated from the sidewalk and all about that Spheres view.

Willmott’s Ghost

It doesn’t get more charming than a series of shaded tables tucked right up against the Spheres and shielded from traffic (and construction) by foliage. Until you factor in Renee Erickson’s pizza and a glass of wine.

Downtown

Frolik

From the sidewalk on Fifth Avenue, you’d never guess the Motif hotel harbors a sprawling and playful outdoor space on the fifth floor. A broad terrace offers fire tables, various clusters of seating, and a menu of crowd-pleasers—nachos, salmon, a tiramisu martini. 

The Nest

The sprawling terrace atop the Thompson hotel offers a bird’s-eye of Pike Place Market, not to mention every possible angle of Elliott Bay splendor. The cocktail list shows range, but summery drinks—like moscow mules—bloom on the outdoor couches no matter the weather.

Eastlake

Little Water Cantina

The casual Mexican restaurant’s back patio embraces Lake Union from a west-facing angle we don’t see nearly enough. No wonder umbrella-shaded picnic tables go fast. No reservations…but ample margarita fresas and plates of tacos.

Serafina

The courtyard at this Eastlake Italian restaurant is a quiet legend of Seattle’s alfresco dining. Brick walls, stately trees, and plentiful heaters surround tables full of understated Italian food.

First Hill

Honeyhole

The sandwich shop’s new outpost on East Jefferson inherited a beautiful (uncovered) patio space. Cheerful red tables and chairs sit beneath strings of lights, and a water bowl is usually on hand for dogs.

Stella/Hotel Sorrento

The venerable hotel has turned its courtyard restaurant into a garden cafe, serving brunch, cocktails, coastal Italian food, and plenty of atmosphere. 

Fremont

Dreamland Bar and Diner

This summer, the cocktail bar doubles down on its otherworldly vibe by turning the patio into a “hyper immersive sci-fi tropical bar” dubbed Carnelian Bay. What to expect: neo-tropical drinks, far-out bar bites, and a gigantic tiger man fountain. It’s coming soon (though drag shows will still happen on the patio); scope details on Carnelian Bay’s Instagram.

Fremont Brewing

Perhaps the only thing more impressive than Fremont’s beer is the logistics of its Urban Beer Garden, filled with covered, heated, but still very much open-air seating.

Stampede Cocktail Club

It’s a patio with attitude—and some seriously fun beverages. Covered, uncovered, fun backdrops, dumplings, funky chandeliers, Fremont people watching: It all happens here. 

Georgetown

Mezzanotte

A massive (mostly gravel) patio feels like a cocktail-fueled party, but also serves Jason Stratton’s careful, seasonal Italian. Where else can you watch planes descend into nearby Boeing Field over a bowl of tajarin?

Greenlake

Bongo’s

A Caribbean beach party hides inside the perimeter wall of a former gas station: terrific po’ boys, bowls, and sandwiches of citrus-braised pork, served on actual expanses of sand. The outdoor dining area is bisected by a boardwalk, but protected by an overhang, because Seattle.  

Greenwood

Chuck’s Hop Shop

The original Chuck’s perfected that formula of myriad taps and plentiful outdoor seating—in this case, a fenced-in space packed with jovial drinkers and the dogs that love them.

Kenmore

Stoup Kenmore

This joint project from the Ballard brewery and the Weimann-Maclise restaurant group packs 32 seats into a covered area adjacent to the Kenmore town square. Here you’ll find excellent beer—and pizza and snacks from chef Jason Stoneburner.

Kirkland

Le Grand Bistro Americain

French fare on this patio at Carillon Point comes with string lights, sun protection, and that waterfront view.

Laurelhurst

Burke-Gilman Brewing

The ample (partly covered) patio out front exudes charm and welcomes dogs.

Madrona

Bottlehouse

The lush, compact patio’s long been a highlight of this inviting wine bar. Meanwhile, a newer space in the back garden (yes, they call it “the winegarden”) holds more people—and more wine.

Mercer Island

Mioposto

The largest patio of this neighborly pizza restaurant’s four locations resides here, with a few umbrella-shaded tables for sunny days.

The Roanoke Inn

The historic tavern definitely got with the times; cabana-esque structures shelter each table in the ample rear garden, where heaters dangle over each table and online ordering makes it even easier to summon nachos, burgers, or moscow mules to your seat.

Northgate

Watershed Pub and Kitchen 

Out on the Shed patio, a spacious open-sided tent offers cover, if you need it, and build-your-own pizzas to go with a tap list including nearly two dozen beers and ciders. 

Phinney Ridge

Ridgewood Bottle and Tap

A low-key bottle shop that just happens to have great beer on tap, plus a bevy of boozed-up slushies. The patio has umbrellas, heaters, and a decent amount of atmosphere considering its perch at the bend of Greenwood Avenue. Even better: You can bring in takeout from neighborhood spots like Oliver’s Twist, Red Mill, and Chupacabra. 

Pike Place Market

Old Stove Brewing Co.

The demarcation between indoors and out gets fuzzy at this cavernous taproom in the MarketFront wing, where every seat comes with peak Seattle waterfront views. A broad menu of upscale bar food augments the all-encompassing beer list.

Pink Door

The Italian food on this lattice-shaded patio keeps it simple and seasonal but nothing pairs better with a negroni than the sunset.

Maximilien

The large patio at this classic French spot places you between a small garden and a stunning Puget Sound panorama. There’s nowhere better at whisking you away from the market’s clamor.

Place Pigalle

Next door to Maximilien, a very similar French spot offers a very different patio. Here, with the same Elliott Bay views, you dine above staircases leading to Western Avenue and amid stray chatter and musical busking.

Pioneer Square

London Plane

It’s hard to miss the blue awnings lined with string lights out front for alfresco diners. It’s also hard to forget that all-day menu of salads, pastries, and seasonal bowls.

Queen Anne

Big Max Burger Co.

The streatery may be gone, but the supersize sidewalk patio remains a welcoming spot for burgers, fries, and kettle corn brussels sprouts.

Rooftop Brewing Co.

It’s a rooftop brewery, yet set into a hillside. Which means parking on one end, and cool industrial Ballard views on the other. The throughline: Great IPA.

Citizen Campfire

A network of shelters, Adirondack chairs, fire tables, umbrellas, heaters, paper lanterns, and string lights fill this outdoor bar in Lower Queen Anne, a secret garden watered by boozy slushies and “Korexican” fare.

Rainier Beach

Stonehouse Cafe 

A cool old stone building, originally a filling station, offers Lake Washington views and homestyle breakfast (all day!) with a seemingly endless array of drinks and ice cream.

Ravenna

Don Lucho’s

What started as a Peruvian food truck has evolved into a restaurant that’s big on outdoor eating: Heaters, shelter, lomo saltado, a TV, and even a neon “Don Lucho’s Patio Life” sign.

Sand Point

Magnuson Cafe and Brewery

It sure helps to start out with a broad patio surrounded by water and boats. But this relaxed brewpub in the heart of Magnuson Park doubled down with various covered and uncovered seating arrangements. 

Seward Park

Chuck’s Hop Shop / Muriel’s

The bagel-beer combo inside Third Place Books has a patio next to the parking lot. It’s small by Chuck’s standards, but a supremely accessible spot to drink a beer, or settle in for a bagel and reuben brunch.

South Lake Union

Bar Harbor

The giant covered area at 400 Fairview doubles as a deck, and perpetual backyard party, for this New England­–inspired bar. First come, first served for tables, drinks, crabby melts, and double lobster rolls.

Duke’s

A second-story recessed covered deck offers shade overhead, but also some stellar marina views on Lake Union.

Mbar

It’s a glorious patio under any circumstance: a rooftop filled with firepits, a mix of covered and open seating, and astonishing city views.

White Swan Public House

The charming seafood sibling to Matt’s in the Market and Radiator Whiskey has a water-facing patio surrounded by bobbing boats, and rife with oysters, burgers, and poutine-of-the-sea.

South Park

Loretta’s Northwesterner

The tavern with the legendary burger also happens to have a tucked-away patio area that includes various awnings and covered seating. 

Osprey Bistro

A hidden gem inside a business complex has a large covered outdoor space. Sure, it overlooks a parking lot, but your focus should be on Shane Ryan’s breakfast, lunch, and happy hour menus.

University District

Agua Verde Cafe

This slightly haphazard little cafe on the Portage Bay shoreline has a threefold patio situation: A covered sun porch-type area so open you might as well be outside, an actual patio that appears to float over the bobbing boats in the marina below, and the relatively new Marina Cantina, an entirely separate patio downstairs alongside the water with its own bar and dedicated taco truck.

Mountaineering Club

The cocktail program is so good, you’d want to hang out here even if it were stashed away in the basement. Instead it occupies a glorious rooftop patio on the 16th floor of the Graduate hotel.

Rachel’s Ginger Beer

University Village developed a major pandemic patio game, but RGB’s sheltered outdoor space remains a constant. So do the fried chicken sandwiches, soft serve, and ginger beer flavors in both cocktail and booze-free iterations.

Wallingford

Joule

The patio is small, but mighty—covered, heated, and warmed by a central firepit.

Westward

One of the town’s most coveted waterfront patios draws visitors by boat, car, even kayak. Outdoor seating (waterside tables; chairs by the firepit) is walk-in only, but serves brunch, happy hour, dinner—even Friday lunch.

The Whale Wins

The secluded front courtyard at Renee Erickson’s market and cafe has heaters, a bit of tree shade, and charm for days.

West Seattle

Beveridge Place Pub

Bring your takeout and settle into this friendly beer pub’s garden, which packs tons of low-key, leafy charm.

Harry’s Beach House

A genteel Americana menu, served up with Alki Beach views and a mix of covered seats and open tables.

Il Nido

The back patio at this stately Italian restaurant at the Alki Homestead serves dinner and 4pm aperitive no matter the weather. Tables are a mix of reservation and walk-in.

Lady Jaye

A Junction back patio offers a mix of sun and covered seating, a firepit, and the restaurant’s all-important smoker. Not to mention a reliable menu of bourbon and maximalist meat creations.

La Rustica

It figures this charming West Seattle restaurant would have an equally charming covered outdoor space. The picket fence and water views befit a menu of rustic Italian food.

Marination Ma Kai

This unrivaled water-facing beer garden lets you indulge in some kalua pork tacos and beer, along with views of the city.

Ounces Taproom

Thirty taps of well-chosen Washington beer meet a beer garden with a mix of covered and open tables. Food trucks: rotating. Dogs and kids: welcome.

White Center

Beer Star

Inside: 48 taps, chosen by someone who knows their stuff. Outside: A light-strung back patio with picnic tables. Sure, it overlooks a parking lot, but did we mention you can order in food from Lil Woody’s or Zeeks Pizza next door?

Can Bar

Good times, ahoy—a walled-in back patio rich with salvaged nautical charm, great beer (yes, mostly in cans), and legit bar food.