Summer Feels + Tasty Meals: Outdoor Dining in Chapel Hill

With students out for the summer, now is the perfect time to score prime outdoor seating at Chapel Hill’s best eateries. More restaurants provide outdoor seating than ever before, giving you a wide selection of cuisines and ambiance to choose from. Glen Lennox is serving up a guide to enjoying both the delicious food of Chapel Hill and the warm summer air. Here are some of the one-of-a-kind outdoor dining options in the area.

Merritt’s Grill

What opened as a gas station with a small grill on the side has become a local favorite with lines out the door for its legendary BLT sandwich. Merritt’s Grill offers delicious breakfast and lunchtime sandwich fare with two outdoor seating options. You can choose to sit at umbrella-covered tables in the front or a shady, bamboo-adorned picnic area in the back. If you and a friend agree it’s a “BLT-kinda-day,” head to Merritt’s and order their delectable trademark sandwich.

Naismith Grill at Finley Golf Course

Whether you work up an appetite walking 18 holes at UNC Finley Golf Course or just want a lunch with a view, the Naismith Grill invites you to pull up a chair. The restaurant offers patio seating overlooking the course’s beautiful fairways. You can stop in to grab a bite at the turn, or enjoy a casual sandwich, burger or salad while watching golfers play the links.

Top of the Hill

The state’s eighth oldest brewery is also home to one of Franklin Street’s most scenic outdoor dining locations. Top of the Hill earns its namesake seating you on a patio towering over Franklin Street. See the people bustling from shop to shop or look out into the horizon and take in the beautiful, tree-laden landscape of Chapel Hill. This is the destination to witness a stunning view with some top-notch food.

Mama Dip’s Kitchen

Since 1976, Mama Dip’s Kitchen has served traditional Southern country cooking and was an early pioneer of the farm to table movement. To make you feel at home while you dine, you can relax in a rocking chair on the restaurant’s front patio. The taste of Mama Dip’s signature recipes like bacon cheddar cornbread, Southern fried chicken and vegetable casserole combined with a gentle summer breeze make for the perfect taste of the South.

Weaver Street Market

If outdoor dining with space for the kids to stretch their legs is what you’re looking for, the original Weaver Street in Carrboro has plenty of tables and a large, shady lawn. Just like the size of its patio, Weaver Street boasts a huge variety of food options. You can pick up groceries or dine-in from their buffet of hot, fresh foods and salad bar. This space has also become a de facto “public square” for Chapel Hill-Carrboro residents, acting as a gathering place for groups and a venue for performers.

Jujube

Glen Lennox shopping center is home to Jujube, an elevated Asian-fusion restaurant combining Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. In the culturally themed patio area, guests can enjoy Jujube’s menu selection that includes dumplings, seafood, and steaks paired with a beverage from the extensive wine and sake menus.

Make the most of summertime in Chapel Hill and be sure to check out these delicious, local eateries.