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Dhaka, being a concrete jungle, has an acute shortage of open spaces — places where one can relax and unwind with friends and family under the sky. This shortage of open recreational spaces makes us appreciate restaurants with outdoor seating all the more. Today we look at 10 of the best such restaurants and cafes in Dhaka city.
10 Best Restaurants in Dhaka Offering Outdoor Seating
For this list, restaurants and cafes are mentioned based on reviews and ratings and not on the specific type of food they are offering. This list also includes rooftop restaurants with sufficient open space and outdoor seating.
Cielo Rooftop
Cielo Rooftop situated in Paribagh is another café offering an outdoor experience. The café has both inner and outdoor seating comprising the entire rooftop. Being situated on the 24th floor, Cielo Rooftop provides a mesmerizing bird’s eye view of Paribagh and the adjoining Shahbagh and Eskaton areas. The restaurant mainly serves coffee and patisserie but there is a gourmet menu available as well.
Rivendell by Gotcha
Gotcha has become quite popular since its inception thanks to its unique bubble tea menu. This international retail chain is now expanding its horizon in Dhaka with the introduction of its first restaurant.
Rivendell by Gotcha is situated in House 8, Road 28 of Gulshan 1. The restaurant has beautiful outdoor seating on artificial turf designed to look like genuine grass. The spacious seating area makes for a compelling experience for those looking to relax over a sip of tea. In addition to their wide range of tea by Gotcha, Rivendell also offers eastern and oriental menus for diners.
Butlers Chocolate Café
Looking for the best chocolate in Dhaka? Butlers should be the go-to destination. This international chain is a self-proclaimed chocolate expert who has a branch in Gulshan 2.
The outdoor seating area of Butlers isn’t that large but it is sizeable to accommodate a few groups together. The restaurant has a wide range of menus from English breakfast to pizza to continental main courses. But as the name suggests, their chocolate and dairy products, especially the signature milkshakes are a must-try item.
Café Eden
Situated near Gulshan Lake Park, Café Eden is an upscale diner specializing in Asian and oriental dishes. Their outdoor seating area seems like something straight out of a Ghibli movie. There is a fountain in one corner with wooden tables spread across the garden. The mix of real and faux plants creates an enchanting environment that becomes even more magical under the sodium lights in the evening.
Villa Azzure
Villa Azzure is one of the most picturesque restaurants that you will come across in Banani. In their own words, the theme of the restaurant is to bring in the South of France experience with Parisian decadence.
Villa Azzure (Image: Facebook)
The outdoor area of Villa Azzure is situated on the spacious balcony of the restaurant. The seating area is intricately designed with creeper plants, artificial flowers and a nice swing for those Instagram clicks. The menu ranges from continental to steaks with a few choices of central Asian cuisines.
Shantigram
Shantigram is a place that is just like its name. This Asian fusion restaurant is situated in Dhanmondi 9/A inside the boutique outlet called Khut.
What sets Shantigram apart is its heritage setup. The restaurant is situated in an old duplex home at the heart of Dhanmondi. The surrounding greenery of the open space will easily transport anyone to the late 1980s. Shantigram has also been designed with that heritage aesthetic in mind as everything invokes a sense of nostalgia. There is a floor seating area outdoors which is perfect for hanging out with friends and family.
The White Canary Café
The White Canary Café situated right next to Justice Shahabuddin Park in Gulshan is in an old duplex building. The inner walls have been renovated to suit the café style setup but all the rustic appeal of the place has been kept intact.
The second floor has a stretched balcony which makes up a large area of seating space. The best thing, however, is the dense shrouding of trees. It`s almost as if you are in the middle of a forest enjoying a cup of coffee or pancakes. The café mostly serves patisserie with a selection of gourmet items like pizza and pasta.
Soi3
Situated in Dhanmondi, Soi3 is another example of reclusiveness at the heart of the concrete jungle. The restaurant offers a beautiful faux grass floor in the outdoor seating area. The artificial greenery on the floor is well complemented by the hanging creepers around the wall. The thatched roof on one side of the outdoor space also adds to the overall laid-back vibe of the restaurant.
Soi3 has a great selection of oriental cuisines which will serve the palate as much as the environment serves the senses.
Madchef
Madchef has several branches in Dhaka but their Baily Road outlet has the best outdoor seating. Situated on the rooftop of the Bangladesh Mohila Samity building, Madchef has turned half of the area into an indoor seating space with the other half, outdoors. Their outdoor area is quite spacious and gives a different view of the popular Baily Road which most people are used to seeing from below.
Pinewood Café + Kitchen
There are several branches of Pinewood Café + Kitchen in Dhaka. However, only the Dhanmondi 12 and 6 outlets of the restaurant have outdoor seating. The Dhanmondi 12 one has a separate stair leading to the outdoor second floor of the restaurant. The seating area isn’t very large so the best time to visit would be off-peak hours.
Pinewood Café + Kitchen (Image: Facebook)
The Dhanmondi 6 one, however, has spacious outdoor seating. The rooftop balcony has been designed with greenery all around to evoke a sense of natural surroundings. As usual, diners can choose from a wide range of continental and dessert items.
Final Words
Dhaka with all its congestion and lack of space surprisingly has a lot of restaurants and cafes with outdoor seating. While these do not really fill the void created by a lack of open spaces, they certainly offer a sense of serenity and respite from the usual hustle and bustle of the ever-awake city.
