Last week we offered up the best patios and rooftops for drinking, and no doubt your weekend was spent jet-packing your way down the list, sweaty Lone Star in hand. Life isn't always about only drunken excess, though, and sometimes you want a nice meal whilst your dermis bathes in a cooling spring breeze.
Hit up these Dallas patios if you want to eat outside and expect to eat well.
Lark (Pictured above) If you're anywhere near downtown, the patio at Lark on the Park combined with the plates coming out of the kitchen make this restaurant one of the best outdoor dining options available. Bonus points for spring vegetable respect. The chefs in the kitchen have California sensibilities.
Toulouse As French restaurants go, this Knox-Henderson spot is a gem. Expect a reliable and well-executed menu of French classics and a patio that lets you watch traffic go by on Knox, and pedestrians and bikers go by on the Katy Trail. Braised lamb and red wine anyone? Enjoy the heavier dishes before the weather gets hot.
See also: The 14 Best Dallas Patios for Drinking
Bolsa Bolsa has become an Oak Cliff mainstay for many reasons. The farm-to-table focus is nice, as is a forward-thinking cocktail program and that twig-and-branch pizza, but it's the covered patio that makes this restaurant the right choice when the weather is solid.
Mot Hai Ba This East Dallas gem does Vietnamese right, and while the patio is small, the shade of a tree makes it a great place to dine. Come for a bowl of pho, for a banh mi sandwich at lunch time, or come back when it's cooler in the evening to enjoy more substantial cooking. And don't miss out on the selection of Belgian beers. (We didn't say you can't drink.)
Oak If you needed a reason to revisit Oak, the patio is as good an excuse as any. And now that John Tesar has taken charge of the menu, a visit couldn't be more timely. This patio is open year round, but best in the spring, when the plastic covers come down and the breeze pours through. This is one of the best places in Dallas to enjoy fine dining outdoors.
Meddlesome Moth With the gravel floor, sturdy furniture and clean landscaping, Meddlesome Moth's patio is one of the most attractive in Dallas. They've got a solid menu, too. Come for a compelling brunch, or grab a steak or burger later in the evening. We'll let you discover the beer menu on your own.
See also: Dallas' Ten Best Rooftops for Drinking
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Palapas With a tequila to sip on and a beer as a chaser, should you need it, Palapas boasts a patio that can take you away to some far off coastal resort, so long as you can ignore the traffic on Greenville Avenue. Order the camerones en aguas chile, before you order the mahi mahi tacos, and follow it all up with a churro. It's not quite the Sinaloa coast, but it's as close as you can get in Dallas.
Mr. Mesero As the Mesero empire spreads across Dallas, perhaps we should take time to remember where it all got started. In truth, every location has a solid indoor/outdoor seating offering, but with all that flowing fabric, there's something about the original.
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