Washington weather is unpredictable, at best. But spring offers the perfect time for outdoor dining, before the summer heats up. Here are three restaurants with pleasant patios, each with a different urban view.
2. Last fall, the 89-year-old landmark Mrs. K’s Toll House completed construction of a 750-square-foot flagstone terrace adjacent to the restaurant’s lower level. The Wine Press Terrace has seating for 65 or accommodates 120 for receptions, offering guests views of two acres of landscaped gardens. The restaurant’s main dining level (renovated in 2007) has five dining rooms and seats 180. The lower-level Wine Press has a 50-seat bar, 16,000 bottle wine cellar, and private dining rooms. The menu is American with an emphasis on steaks and seafood. Located in Silver Spring, Mrs. K’s is roughly an 18-minute drive from downtown Washington.
3. The popular restaurant and bookstore Busboys & Poets opened its newest location last fall in the newly redeveloped Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood near Chinatown. Located off the 200-seat main dining room, the patio, which faces an open plaza, can seat 80 or hold 100 for receptions. The spot is best known for its vast menu selection of vegan and vegetarian appetizers and entrées.