Your complete city-by-city guide to patio drinks in the Triangle this spring
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Durham patio scene features new side patios, a tapyard and diverse spots.
- Raleigh patios expanded with new rooftops, brewery yards and larger spaces.
- The area offers a farm brewery at Pluck Farm and a packed Bond Brothers patio.
Patio season is here, and the Triangle’s outdoor drinking and dining scene has shifted — new bars have opened, old favorites have expanded and a few spots have quietly become essential. Here’s a city-by-city guide to what’s worth knowing right now.
Durham
Durham’s outdoor scene leans eclectic and independent, with dive bars, globally inspired food and brewery tapyards scattered across its neighborhoods.
The Federal — 914 W. Main St., Durham. 919-680-8611 or thefederal.net
The Fed’s tiny front porch has long been a top perch to grab drinks and watch Durham pass by on Main Street, but this Bull City landmark recently added a side patio with lots more biergarten style tables. With a taplist always packed with great beer, the Federal somehow got even better.
Motorco Music Hall — 723 Rigsbee Ave., Durham. 919-901-0875 or motorcomusic.com
One of Durham’s most popular patios nearly doubled in size recently with the addition of a side porch on the music venue side of the space. Any night it isn’t raining and is warmer than 50 degrees, the tables at Motorco will be bustling.
Lakewood Social — 1920 Chapel Hill Road, Durham. lakewood-social.com
Very quickly, Lakewood Social has become Durham’s favorite outdoor spot, with a large grassy backyard and a giant shady oak tree. While that’s nice, this popular and kid-friendly restaurant has struck a chord with a top tier beer list, craveable cocktails and a choice wine list. The smashburger is one of the best in existence and you’ll want curry seasoning on those fries.
The Durham — 315 E. Chapel Hill St., Durham. 919-768-8830 or thedurham.com
From the moment it opened the rooftop at The Durham became an open air destination. Part oyster bar, part party, this rooftop attracts a glitzy crowd, but there’s usually a Narragansett tallboy in the cooler.
Namu — 5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd., Durham. 919-251-9794 or namudurham.com
Carrying the torch of the former Straw Valley art campus, the owners of Bulkogi, a Korean food truck, keep a kind of paradise just off the highly trafficked Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard. This garden of bamboo ebbs and flows throughout the day, starting as a morning coffee shop and morphing into an outdoor beer hall serving bibimbap and craft beer. Namu is the stuff of outdoor dining dreams.
Raleigh
Raleigh’s outdoor scene covers a lot of ground — from downtown food halls and rooftop cocktail bars to neighborhood brewery patios and barbecue windows.
The Bend Bar — 853 W. Morgan St., Raleigh. 919-424-7817 or trophybrewing.com/bend-bar
The folks at Trophy Brewing created Raleigh’s best new outdoor bar, with a sloping, shady backyard and an always fresh drink list. You can get food next door at the new forever home of State of Beer.
Longleaf Swine — 300 E. Edenton St., Raleigh. 984-200-9649 or longleafswine.com
The patio is larger than the dining room at this brand new barbecue spot in downtown Raleigh, where beers and towering whole hog sandwiches can be ordered from a window. In the evening, the late-night vibes can’t be matched if you’re craving one of the city’s most craved smashburgers.
The Willard — 9 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh. 919-803-5200 or thewillardraleigh.com
This huge new rooftop bar of the AC Hotel offers a new view and perspective of downtown Raleigh, along with seating for 100, craft cocktails and small plates.
Trophy Brewing — 827 W. Morgan St., Raleigh. 919-803-4849 or trophybrewing.com
For a long time, the original Trophy on Morgan Street has had one of the most in-demand patios in Raleigh. After an expansion, there’s more room and a few fire pits.
Standard Beer and Food — 205 E. Franklin St., Raleigh. 919-322-1499 or standardbeerandfood.com
The folks behind Bond Brothers and Ancillary Fermentation created the latest iteration of the Standard, focusing on beers that pair well with food. The beers are simple and exquisite, the snacks of smoked trout dip and truffle tots are endlessly satisfying and the backyard beer garden feels like you’re at a friend’s house.
Whiskey Kitchen — 201 W. Martin St., Raleigh. 919-803-3181 or whiskey.kitchen
Looking out on Nash Square, Whiskey Kitchen earns its reputation as Raleigh’s front porch. Its patio handles all seasons and is best when bustling, which is pretty much all the time.
Wye Hill — 201 S. Boylan Ave., Raleigh. 984-200-1189 or wyehill.com
If you’ve ever seen an incredible selfie with the Raleigh skyline in the background, chances are it came from Wye Hill. Views are great, but Wye Hill backs it up with a line of housemade beers, fun burgers and Southern favorites.
Chapel Hill & Carrboro
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro scene is smaller but charming, with a college-town energy and a few standout patios.
Steel String Brewery at Pluck Farm — 6901 N.C. 54, Mebane. steelstringbrewery.com/pluckfarm
Carrboro’s excellent Steel String Brewery built an idealized rural farm brewery 20 minutes east of Chapel Hill. Instead of rubbing elbows in a cozy taproom, there’s nothing but wide open space at Pluck Farm, where strings of lights corral picnic tables and the backdrop is the nearby forest.
Cary & RTP
Bond Brothers Beer Company — 202 E. Cedar St., Cary. 919-459-2670 or bondbrothersbeer.com
In the heart of downtown Cary, Bond Brothers is one of North Carolina’s most awarded breweries. Its wide brick patio is strung with lights and absolutely packed with cozy tables. If the original location is too crowded, try the sister spot a half mile down the road at 602 E. Chatham St., which specializes in live music.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
