Originally uploaded to flickr by adwriter
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but if you can’t find something here that suits your culinary tastes, well, you’re just picky. And since it looks like we’re bypassing spring and heading straight for the hot and humid DC summers we all know and love, I hereby present you with outdoor dining and drinking options along Eastern Market and Barracks Row.
Tunnicliffs Tavern is nice because the awning ensures you (and your food/drink) will be spared from unexpected rain showers.
Who doesn’t love a fabulous Italian dinner outdoors? Acqua al 2 is a great place for a date or dining with friends.
At Seventh Hill, you can grab a pizza to go or eat at one of their sidewalk tables.
The same is true of Le Pain Quotidien, where you can enjoy breakfast or lunch at one of their many outdoor tables.
The Chesapeake Room might deserve the award for best outside seating on 8th Street SE, if only because of the amazing comfy armchairs! A must-sit-in-to-believe kind of feeling.
Places on the Hill with rooftop decks (and no, the roof of the apartment building you illegally suntan on does not count) are hard to come by. Cava’s rooftop deck has a bar and an awning in case of bad weather.
When the weather warms up, so does the desire for margaritas and ice cold beer (and 4 or 5 bowls of chips & salsa) in which case its time to head to Banana Café for a seat at one of their outdoor tables.
There are few things better than brunch at Belga Cafe, except brunch eaten outside at Belga Cafe.
The line at Matchbox is omnipresent, ensuring the outdoor seating is top notch for people watching, and oh yeah, the pizza is amazing, too.
Molly Malone’s and Lola’s both have sidewalk seating where you can unwind after work with a drink or kill an hour (or 3) on the weekends.
Somewhere you love for outdoor dining in the neighborhood not mentioned here? Leave a comment and tell us all about it! And stay tuned for upcoming editions of outdoor dining on the Hill!
Zest has sidewalk seating, and it’s pleasant since it’s away from the crowds.
Cafe 8 has outdoor seating both in front and on the back patio.
It’s not “official dining” but there are tables right outside Eastern Market where people take fresh food from the market and eat….and it provides fantastic people watching.
argoo-good call on Cafe 8. They deserve mention here, their back courtyard dining area is charming.
Montmatre… delicious French cuisine and lovely outdoor dining.
Cafe 8 back patio is a hidden gem. Their pides are great (a pide is like a mediterranean pizza) – and the vino verde is inexpensive and delicious.
Really like Cafe 8’s back patio (in theory), but it can be a mosquito haven in summer.
Similarly, Tunnicliff’s outdoor area would be solid if it did not often turn into a chimney.
I’d rank Montmarte as #1, Belga # 2, and MB #3.
Would love to know which of these allow dogs.
It’s not fine dining or anything, but the outdoor seating area at Marvelous Market is lovely, especially on Friday nights when they have the live music.
If you can tolerate the fire truck sirens, the Old Siam has a nice outdoor area, and their drinks are deceptively strong.
We need more roof decks and quiet back patios on the Hill!
Don’t forget La Lomita’s patio to the east at G and Penn Ave SE. Their patio is always packed on a nice day. It’s good food on a super relaxed patio. And it is dog-friendly.
How’s the rooftop deck at Jordan’s 8? I noticed they have a Groupon going on, but I remember the service being terrible when I tried to go a few years ago. The reviews on Yelp indicate this hasn’t changed much, either.