Long lunches find a home on these patios

The patio at Lias in Friendship Heights is the kind of place where its tempting to stretch a long lunch to an early dinner. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Its patio season, and while happy hours often get the bulk of alfresco weather attention in these parts, dont overlook using those blue skies and mild temperatures as an excuse for a long lunch. Here are a few of our favorite daytime dining spots with destination patios.

Arlington Rooftop Bar and Grill

This relatively new Court House restaurant represents a specific type of outdoor dining destination with which we are all familiar: a menu of American bar-and-grill classics that holds no surprises. But the sweeping panoramic view of Arlington and the District visible from the rooftop tables makes it worth a visit.

Barcode

L Street NW has plenty of patios, from Black Rooster to Mackeys to Post Pub, but none are as comfortable or roomy as the plentiful outdoor seating at Barcode. Its more of an international lounge with bottle service and $12 cocktails on the weekend, but stop by in the middle of your weekday for decent pizza, pasta and American small plates.

Blue Duck Tavern

Slightly recessed and separated from the corner of 24th and M streets NW by a handsome, planter-lined brick wall and a bubbling fountain, Blue Duck Tavern boasts one of the citys most attractive patios. One of the highlights is a massive 12-seat communal table made from a single enormous plank of ancient swamp Kauri wood. Its the perfect environment in which to enjoy the restaurants elegant American cooking.

Dukem

Dukem is a U Street Ethiopian institution, and the covered patio makes for a nice, leisurely lunch hour. The vegetable combination is a colorful, flavorful plate, and the fiery kitfo (spicy beef tartare) is a favorite with the restaurants Ethiopian patrons for a reason. Not your typical turkey-on-rye kind of lunch, which makes for an extra special midday treat.

Lias

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Long lunches find a home on these patios