What a blissful week. After what seems like 100 straight days of rain, we’ve had several days of sun (!!) and our outdoor dining options have been getting a workout! Abby Singer’s Bistro at Robinson Film Center (617 Texas St.) was the restaurant that got things started for us, with their cool balcony overlooking the Texas Street. It’s been a beautiful spot from the beginning for lunch, drinks or dinner and there’s now an added bonus- Abby Singer’s is open on Saturdays, too!
Multiple locations in the Red River District under the Texas Street bridge sport outdoor dining and drinking. Three of the most popular are the Nicky’s Mexican Restaurant patio, the Fully Stacked patio and the postage-stamp patio (made all the more raucous by the addition of several friends) at Fatty Arbuckle’s. Bon Temps Coffee House and Proud Mary Grill also have outdoor space.
When the city approved sidewalk cafes in 2018, Rhino Coffee downtown at 624 Texas (at the Lofts) was the first in the queue. Their spacious cafe ringed with fragrant rosemary herb plants has become THE spot to sip coffee, text and chat.
The latest to join the group is the 
bright and cheerful Missing Link sidewalk cafe just across from the Caddo Parish Courthouse in the 500 block of Texas Street. The bright outdoor space is the complete opposite of the dim, restful and serene feel of the industrial-vibe indoor eating space.
It’s out of sight, but definitely not out of mind. HAZE on Texas at 214 Texas Street has a fabulous rooftop deck, and it is perfect weather to enjoy a drink with friends there. HAZE is also the only of our downtown watering holes that is SMOKE-FREE.
SALT Restaurant at the 
Shreveport Aquarium has what we consider the most beautiful outdoor space in the city. The wooden deck spills onto a patio and overlooks gorgeous foliage and the Red River. The view really is amazing and the food is great, too. The stress of the week just melts away on this patio.
The lobby bar in the Hilton Hotel downtown and Market 104 restaurant have 
access to a sweet outside seating area that is -blissfully, in the middle of summer- shielded from western sun. The outdoor patio is a wonderful spot to savor a specialty beverage while poring over a contract handed to you by the boss at 5:02 p.m. (and that is due at 8 a.m.!)
Other downtown locations that have outdoor spaces include- Red River Brewing Company/Fat Calf Boucherie at 1200 Marshall, Josh Lounge at 224 Spring, Rydaz Bar and Eatery at 315 Lake Street, and the rooftop of the Remington Suite at 220 Travis. It’s the time of year to check them ALL out!
