About Open-Air Dining
The height of a DC summer isn’t when we’d typically put together a guide to eating alfresco. Nowadays, though, a restaurant’s plant-filled rooftop or charming patio feels as important as its food. If you’re ready to get out, here are 77 favorite ways to dine under the sun, shade, and stars (and stay six feet apart!) right this very moment.
Part of our series of 77 favorite ways to dine under the sun, shade, and stars (and stay six feet apart!).
1. For a sweeping view: Bear Chase Brewing Company (33665 Bear Chase Ln., Bluemont). Gorgeous Virginia vistas are just part of the draw at this farm/brewery, which grows its own hops and fruits. Lounge in distanced Adirondack chairs with a blond ale and pizza while catching live music on weekends. And for those who don’t want to leave, there’s a six-bedroom house for rent.
2. For a transporting trip: Guinness Open Gate Brewery (5001 Washington Blvd., Halethorpe). Channel Ireland at the US’s first Guinness brewery in more than 60 years, just outside Baltimore. Drinkers can spread out over one and a half acres with an outdoor bar and food truck. Beers are a mix of Maryland- and Dublin-made, and food follows a similar theme—think crabcakes alongside fish and chips.
3. For nature lovers: Harpers Ferry Brewing (37412 Adventure Center Ln., Hillsboro). Cap off a day of hiking, biking, or rafting around the national park and historic town with a visit to this brewery, high on a cliff overlooking the Potomac River. Knock back a cold and citrusy Mountain Juice beer—or tangerine hard seltzer—while the kids run free. (Leashed dogs are welcome, too.)
4. For family activities: Old Bust Head Brewing Company (7134 Farm Station Rd., Vint Hill). Not only is the beer delicious at this indoor/outdoor warehouse—formerly a military base—but there’s plenty to keep adults and kids occupied. Food and ice-cream trucks, trivia nights, live music, and outdoor yoga are all part of the varied lineup. Homemade root beer is offered alongside the harder stuff.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
