There are a ton of great places to grab a beer in Asheville but if you’re looking to take advantage of some sunshine and warm weather, head to a place with an outdoor patio. In this post we share about some of our favorite and best outdoor breweries and bars in Asheville.
WINTER: Check out out our post on Places In Asheville With Outdoor Heaters.
Anoche
One of the newer outdoor bars in Asheville is Anoche and we love it! This mezcal and espresso bar has a great outdoor patio which does a surprisingly good job of blocking the road noise and distraction from nearby Clingman Avenue. The seating is casual and good for both big groups and more intimate parties or date nights.
Drink to try: any of their featured cocktails. For example, the El Otono which is a mix of Mezcal, house spices, citruses, and burnt cinnamon.
Where to find them: 176 Clingman Avenue
Asheville neighborhood: River Arts District
Burial Beer Co.
Burial is one of our favorite breweries in town because not only do they have a ton of great brew on tap but they also have some great seating options. Besides a bunch of picnic tables, some of which have umbrellas, there’s even an old vintage truck out back that’s been made into some fun, unique seating.
Beer to try: Surf Wax IPA
Where to find them: 40 Collier Avenue
Asheville neighborhood: South Slope
Wedge Brewing Co. at the Foundation
There are two Wedge Brewing Co. locations and we love them both but we chose the one at the Foundation for our best outdoor brewery and bar list in Asheville because it has a ton of seating as well as a walk-up beer window. There’s always a food truck on-site in case you get hungry and there’s usually a few corn hole boards laying around.
Beer to try: Iron Rail IPA
Where to find them: 5 Foundy
Asheville neighborhood: River Arts District (RAD)
Wicked Weed Brewing – Brewpub
The brewpub in downtown Asheville is the original Wicked Weed. It easily makes our list of the best outdoor breweries and bars in Asheville because it’s right in the mix of everything AND it’s dog friendly. Also, if the top level, pictured above, is full there’s another lower level outdoor area that sometimes features live music.
Beer to try: Pernicious
Where to find them: 91 Biltmore Avenue
Asheville neighborhood: Downtown
New Belgium Brewing
New Belgium has a huge lawn that is typically filled with families and a mix of both tourists and locals. Kids tend to run around (and bike and play soccer or toss a frisbee) on their own but it’s a controlled chaos of the best kind.
Beer to try: Citradelic IPA
Where to find them: 21 Craven Street
Asheville neighborhood: In between West Asheville and the River Arts District
Chemist Spirits
We didn’t pick Chemist Spirits as one of the best outdoor bars in Asheville because it was founded with women but we love that little tidbit. We picked it because it’s an awesome place to grab unique, hand-crafted cocktail in an outdoor space that feels great to be in. Not only do they have ground-level seating but you can also wind your way upstairs past all of the Instagram-worth vintage curiosities until you find yourself outside on the rooftop with a view that overlooks
Drink to try: skip the beers and try the Classic Chemist Negroni
Where to find them: 151 Coxe Avenue
Asheville neighborhood: South Slope
Leo’s House of Thirst
Drew Wallace, the owner of the Admiral, Bull and Beggar, and Baby Bull has done it again. “It” being creating a very cool space with very delicious drinks and food. The outdoor patio at Leo’s in West Asheville has such a low-key but upscale vibe (hard to explain, you have to go and see for yourself.) While they specialize in wines they do have a handful of tasty craft beers. We go here when we’re in the mood to celebrate or go on a special date.
Beer to try: again, skip the beer and try one of their hand-selected wines. We like to let our server pick as they have never led us astray.
Where to find them: 1055 Haywood Road
Asheville neighborhood: West Asheville
Forestry Camp
Brought to you by the makers of Burial Beer, Forestry Camp is both restaurant, brewery and bar. They have a great indoor space that feels like you’ve stepped into a lodge at a National Park. (The buildings actually were constructed by the US Government and housed workers from the CCC who helped out on numerous projects including our beloved Blue Ridge Parkway). In addition to loving the cozy indoor space we also think Forestry Camp a perfect fit for our list of the best outdoor breweries and bars in Asheville. Go check it out and see for yourself – it just might become your new favorite place to drink a beer outdoors in Asheville.
Beer to try: their Hawkbill IPA or any of the beers they’re featuring from other breweries.
Where to find them: 10 Shady Oak Drive
Asheville neighborhood: Biltmore Village
Capella on 9
We picked a hotel bar as one of the best places in Asheville to grab a drink outside? Yep. Capella on 9 is part of the AC Hotel Asheville but it has one of the best views around. There are two outdoor spaces on the rooftop. The one in the photograph above is the larger of the two spaces. There are a couple of different seating areas to gather with a group around a gas fire as well as space to wander around. The other outdoor patio (not photographed) is a bit smaller but it has a great view of the downtown cityscape.
Drink to try: if you’re beer-d out, go for the Capella Gin & Tonic
Where to find them: 195 Hilliard Avenue
Asheville neighborhood: Downtown
The Whale
Located in West Asheville, the Whale has a great neighborhood vibe as well as a ton of cool, hard-to-find beers from all over the world. Though they’re not a brewery they’ll also often have a collaboration beer or two on tap which means that on any given day you never know what you might find at the Whale. It keeps things interesting and keeps people coming back for more. Definitely one of the best outdoor patios to drink a beer in West Asheville.
Beer to try: whatever the bartender recommends. Their notebook of beers has tons of options to choose so if you don’t know what to pick, just ask.
Where to find them: 507 Haywood Road
Asheville neighborhood: West Asheville
Highland Brewing Company
Last but not least, we’re huge fans of Highland Brewing Company. We love that they are a safe and welcoming space for the LGBTQ community. Hint: If you want to get married in Asheville, check out their event space. It’s absolutely gorgeous. And their can wall makes for some beautiful photos. Plus, their Meadow area is an awesome place to relax and one of the best places to hang out in a hammock in Asheville. You can also sit and eat some food truck noms at at picnic table or listen to some live music.
Beer to try: Daycation IPA
Where to find them: 12 Old Charlotte Highway, Suite #200
Asheville neighborhood: East Asheville
Best Outdoor Breweries and Bars in Asheville Recap
We thought about choosing one place as the best outdoor bar and brewery in Asheville but we couldn’t limit it to just one. And we’ll no doubt have to update the list since there continues to be a cool, new spot popping up regularly. How many of these outdoor breweries in Asheville have you been to? Think we should add someone to the list? Oh and if you’re hungry, nothing goes better together than pizza and beer. Check out our top picks for the best pizza in AVL.
Like this? Check out some of our other posts on Asheville:
Best Brewery Tours in Asheville
Best Coffee Shops in Asheville
Best Breakfast Spots in Asheville
Best Places to Get Tacos in Asheville
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Two down,,,great..will do others soon.Thanks for info
Yes, let’s go do them all when you visit next!!!