Best Outdoor Dining in Raleigh

Raleigh's most dramatic outdoor dining experience. Surrounded by downtown skyscrapers in City Plaza, it's the closest thing to NYC al fresco dining in NC.

Element Gastropub is home to Raleigh's most dramatic outdoor dining experience — a sprawling patio set directly in City Plaza at 421 Fayetteville St, surrounded on all sides by downtown's gleaming glass towers and historic brick buildings. This isn't a tucked-away courtyard; it's a front-row seat to downtown Raleigh's energy, with the full skyline as your backdrop. Enjoy 100% plant-based comfort food, 20 rotating NC craft beers, and handcrafted cocktails while the city buzzes around you.

Largest patio in downtown Raleigh — City Plaza location

Dramatic big-city skyline views, surrounded by buildings

Full plant-based menu and 20-tap craft beer wall outdoors

On Fayetteville St — walkable from hotels & convention center

Perfect for brunch, happy hour, date night, or group outings