On the hottest days, grab a beer or a cocktail at one of these spots with covered patios and breezy rooftops.
originally by Emma Ginsburg | updated by WALTER staff
Sometimes that Carolina sunshine is a little too sunshiney — but you still want to get outside for a drink with friends. These bars and restaurants have shaded outdoor seating to make grabbing a beer, cocktail or frosé more comfortable in the height of summer. From breezy rooftop bars to wide covered patios to pergolas wound with leafy vines, these downtown Raleigh bars and restaurants all offer comfortable, shaded outdoor seating.
Ajja
A vibrant neighborhood restaurant with both an open-air dining area and seating along its lawn, Ajja is well connected to the outdoors. Chef Cheetie Kumar’s menu offers inventive small plates with Mediterranean, Asian and Middle Eastern influences, and behind the bar, Lindsay Ogden has curated a selection of distinctive cocktails and a great wine list. 209 Bickett Boulevard; ajjaeats.com
Barcelona Wine Bar
Tucked into The Dillon’s plaza, Barcelona Restaurant & Wine Bar sports an elegant patio and a long, long wine list. Flip through 22 pages of vino under the shade of greenery, which threads through metal beams and wooden fixtures to form an oasis of metropolitan elegance on West Martin Street. For brunch and dinner, bring your crew and pair your wine with shareable Spanish tapas, paella and charcuterie.
430 West Martin Street; barcelonawinebar.com
The Bend Bar
From the folks at Trophy Brewing comes this quirky spot that offers a great selection of beers and cocktails, plus food from the connected State of Beer bottle spot. It addition to its modern wrap-around patio, they’ve got tables and groups of chairs underneath a grove of trees on its property, making it an easy place to gather with a group or let the kids run around. 853 W. Morgan Street; trophybrewing.com
Big Cat
From a group of beloved Raleigh restaurateurs comes this new restaurant and bar along Brookside Avenue. It’s got a big outdoor patio with full shade to enjoy its small plates and delicious cocktails. And if you’re a cat lover, you’ll be right on theme with the quirky decor inside. 1000 Brookside Drive, Suite 119; bigcatbrookside.com
Birdie’s Barroom & Kitchen
Offering contemporary American food in a chic atmosphere along Fayetteville Street, Birdie’s a great option for a work dinner or pre-show meal. Its outdoor area has a mix of tables and turf, in case you’ve got youngsters who need to move their bodies. 150 Fayetteville Street; birdiesraleigh.com
Figulina
Figulina is a modern Italian-ish restaurant with loads of seasonable, produce-forward appetizers and entrees that pair perfectly with warm weather. Let by Chef David Ellis, his handmade pasta is the star — but don’t sleep on the top-notch beverage program curated by Italian wine expert and writer Jeff Bramwell. The whole program is inspired by Italian aperitivo culture, so look for a large collection of aperitif, digestive and amaro-forward cocktails that’ll transport you right to the Mediterranean coast. The restaurant’s big outdoor patio offers plenty of space for groups small and large.
317 S Harrington Street; figulinaraleigh.com
Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
Flying Saucer’s big covered patio is the perfect place to grab a beer flight and space out, right at home on planet Earth. With novelty saucers lining the inside walls from floor to ceiling and a crew of beer experts to help you choose from an ever-changing selection of over 200 beers (including 81 on draught), this joint manages to be homey and out-of-this-world eclectic at the same time. Stop by on Sunday for $4 local beers, or on Monday for $4 pints across the whole draft wall.
328 W Morgan Street; beerknurd.com/stores/raleigh
Gringo A Go Go
From its lively Person Street storefront, downtown cantina Gringo a Go Go serves up signature cocktails, perfectly aged blue agave drinks and a vegan-friendly menu of Mexican dishes. The stars of the show are Gringo’s scratch-made margaritas; kick back on the patio under umbrellas and papel picado with a classic house margarita, or go bold with a spicy margarita. Gringo A Go Go offers seasonal margaritas that change every day, so stop by this summer and you may catch anything from blueberry to watermelon to mango habañero.
100 N Person Street; gringoraleigh.com
La Terrazza
At the top of The Dillon, La Terrazzo offers an energetic fusion of southern Italian and Mediterranean with views of the city. 223 S. West Street, 9th floor; laterrazzaraleigh.com
Little Native Coffee Co.
This coffee shop is open late (until 8pm!) and has a plant-lined, covered patio that’s an all-day respite from the sun. A favorite for folks who like to perch with a laptop or have a leisurely coffee meeting, they also offer pastries if you need a snack. 426 S. Person Street; drinklittlenative.com
Longleaf Swine BBQ
With its broad covered patio and picnic tables, Longleaf Swine BBQ has lots of space for families or groups to perch in the shade. There, you can enjoy their barbecue, brisket and (a crowd favorite) esquites alongside a cold beer or a well-crafter cocktail.
300 E. Edentonton Street; longleafswine.com
Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar
Just off Capital Boulevard, Mulino’s giant fountain makes you feel like you’re on a piazza while you enjoy authentic Italian cuisine. 309 N. Dawson Street; mulinoraleigh.com
Person Street Bar
Person Street Bar is the quintessential neighborhood bar, complete with all the comforts of a close-knit community. Join a cast of regular patrons and longtime bartenders on its shaded back patio for a laidback drink under exposed bulbs and cool misters, then head inside to play a few rounds on the pool table and pinball machine.
805 N Person Street; person-street.com
Raleigh Wine Shop
This friendly, locally-owned bottle shop has a nice outdoor patio with tavern-style picnic tables and nice umbrellas for shade. Choose any bottle from their vast selection and enjoy it there (you can take it home if you don’t finish it!) or head to the bar in the back to see what they’re pouring. 317 S. Bloodworth Street; theraleighwineshop.com
Standard Beer + Food
Offering fresh but casual food, including tacos, salads, burgers and — everyone’s favorite — tater tots, plus a kids menu, Standard offers plenty of space around its picnic tables for a group or kids who need to move. They recently added more shade to the tables along the side of the restaurants. And while they’re technically a brewery, do not sleep on their frozen drinks on a hot summer day.
205 E. Franklin Street; standardbeerandfood.com
Taverna Agora
Shaded by a grove of lush foliage and speckled with soft string lights, Taverna Agora’s elegant rooftop patio is a downtown retreat as beloved as their brunch, lunch and dinner menus. It’s the perfect spot to have a sip from Taverna Agora’s bar, whether paired with a signature Greek dish or enjoyed as a standalone drink. Try inventive cocktails like the Greek Mule, made with baklava syrup, or a specialty Greek wine, like sun-dried dessert wine Malvasia, imported straight from Greece.
326 Hillsborough Street; tavernaagora.com
Vault Craft Beer
Brand new to Raleigh, Vault Craft Beer occupies a historic building that was once a “drive-thru” bank. The tellers are replaced with taps these days, but Vault’s dedication to restoring and preserving the architecture has brought downtown a community gathering spot with unique Mid-century modern flair. Vault’s bike- and dog-friendly patio is a great place to assemble your crew for a pint from the constantly updated draft list, or grab a bite from the rotating cast of local food trucks that Vault partners with.
518 W South Street; vaultcraftbeer.com
The Willard Rooftop
The Willard Rooftop Bar & Lounge, on top of the recently-opened AC Hotel, offers views of the Raleigh skyline as timeless as the old-school drinks on their new Classic Cocktails menu — enjoy an Aviation and a bite from the Mediterranean Small Plates menu as you gaze out over the city from the highrise rooftop patio. More new-school than old-school? Try one of The Willard’s signature cocktails, like a Monkey Tea, Monkey Brew, made with chamomile syrup, or a Donkey Kong, made with banana clove syrup.
9 Glenwood Avenue; thewillardraleigh.com
Wye Hill Kitchen and Brewing
Nothing pairs with a drink quite like a skyline sunset, and Wye Hill’s patio is a great spot to catch both. Each of Wye Hill’s whimsical cocktails has a personality and a story, like 19-ingredient Clear Eyes, Can’t Lose (“We’re still not sure how Zac did this; he must be a wizard”) and vodka/honeydew concoction Don’t Dew Me Like That (“A Tom Petty classic”). Pair your favorite drink with a chef-driven entree from the lunch, dinner or weekend brunch menu, and enjoy the sweeping view.
201 S Boylan Avenue; wyehill.com
This post was originally published in April 2022 and updated in May 2026.
