Aug. 13, 2020

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, patios are lifesavers for many restaurants and bars. They’re a refuge for people who don’t feel comfortable sitting inside a dining room just yet, and for others, they’re just the perfect way to spend a summer evening.

We’ve found six patios that opened this summer or just before the end of the season last year that are worth a visit before freezing weather returns. There’s something for everyone – from urban to suburban to small town. You’ll want to grab a glass of wine, a summer cocktail or a pint of beer that has been brewed on site and enjoy.

Look’s Marketplace

The new location for Look’s Marketplace brought two patios that have become fast favorites for guests this summer.

Look’s has grown from a meat counter that started in 1883 into a gourmet grocer, microbrewer, bakery, ice cream shop and restaurant. Grab what you want inside, and head out to the tables.

Pair a pint of beer that’s brewed on site with a wood-fired pizza. Sip on a glass of wine and nibble on charcuterie and cheese from the marketplace. Or order a summer cocktail and one of the creations from the gourmet kitchens. All of that comes with great views of Prairie Green Golf Course. On Saturday mornings, take a yoga class on the patio, and stop by the farmers market in the parking lot. The east-side patio is dog-friendly. The marketplace is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and the kitchens and bar open at 11 a.m.

Squealer’s Smoke Shack

You’ll have to wait awhile to enjoy the rooftop deck at the new Squealer’s Smoke Shack in Tea, but until then, there’s plenty of fresh air on the partially covered ground-level patio and in the barbecue restaurant when the glass garage doors are opened.

Squealer’s moved into its new building in June, but construction of the rooftop bar was set back by material delays, damage from a rainstorm and other projects, co-owner Andrea Kuipers said. Sunrise yoga classes are offered on the rooftop, usually once or twice each week. The patio seats almost 100 and overlooks the four sand volleyball courts. Squealer’s has a full liquor license. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

Severance Brewing Co.

Severance Brewing Co., which celebrated its one-year anniversary Aug. 2, offers a view of upper Falls Park from its patio that seats 24 beer drinkers on the south end of The Cascade, a mixed-use building on North Phillips Avenue.

You also can feel like you’re sitting outside when the glass garage doors along the east side are opened. Recent new beer releases embrace the season: Midwestern Mango Milkshake IPA; Pinky and the Grain Hibiscus Wheat; Summer Herbification Project No. 3, a blueberry lemon and lavender sour; and Summer Herbification Project No. 4, a cherry lime and sage sour.

If you don’t like beer, Severance offers wine, root beer, hopped lemonade, Strawbale Winery’s pear cider and Parable Coffee’s cold brew.  The brewery’s hard seltzer will be returning soon. Patrons can bring their own games to play and food to eat. Severance typically hosts a food truck on Friday and Saturday nights. The patio and taproom are dog-friendly, and children are welcome until 8 p.m. Hours are 2 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

The Treasury at Hotel on Phillips

Want to feel like you’re in a bigger city? The Treasury at Hotel on Phillips added outdoor seating this summer along the sidewalk on Ninth Street. The full-service patio that seats up to 16 patrons is blocked from traffic by planters that are filled with greenery. Umbrellas provide protection from the sun and help block the wind. Must-try patio sippers are the Daytrader and the Rum Sidecar. New menu items to enjoy include scallop ceviche, a banh mi burger and a vegan poke bowl. Hours are 3 p.m. to close Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for brunch. Dogs are welcome.

Tavern 180

While Tavern 180 had to squeeze its patio on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant right next to the parking lot, the food and drink offerings make up for it. With a full liquor license, the regional gastropub that opened in November 2019 offers everything from crafted cocktails like the signature smoking Tavern Bubbles to locally brewed beers.

Favorite foods include the ahi tuna nachos, wagyu beef sliders and the beer-battered haddock with house-made tartar sauce and fries. The restaurant at 69th Street and Western Avenue recently added brunch on the weekend with bottomless mimosas for $15 and a Blood Mary that’s loaded with a hamburger slider, jalapeno bacon, a pickle and green olives. Tavern 180 is open until 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday and 10 p.m. the other nights.

Joshua’s Coffee House

For a morning coffee or lunch escape, check out the courtyard at Joshua’s Coffee House in Hartford. Owners David and Victoria Obenauer opened their business almost one year ago after a decade of restoring the historic Mundt Building on Main Street.

To build the courtyard, they tore down two adjacent buildings that didn’t have historic value. They created a secluded oasis there, filling it with greenery and flowers, installing pavers and a fire pit, building a waterfall and trellises, and stringing bistro lights.

“It doesn’t look like much until you step in,” Victoria Obenauer  said.

Grab a latte, and sit by the waterfall. Joshua’s serves yogurt, croissants, Black Hills Bagels and Bizzy Lizzy baked goods, which are wheat-free, and the lunch menu includes a variety of paninis. The patio is pet-friendly. Hours are 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The space can be rented for private events.